GET A HEAD START AS A by Shlok Misra
Attending college is a significant milestone for any person irrespective of their background, income, or culture. Going to college is not only about getting through the prescribed classes and holding that diploma but also about living an experience that takes you from a high school graduate to a nurturing professional who is ready to step into the corporate world. While the journey of starting as a freshman to graduating typically revolves around fulfilling the graduation requirements set forth by the university, successful graduates prefer to take up additional challenges along the way to enrich this journey. This can include research projects, honors-level coursework, study abroad tours, international exchange programs, or even internships in companies. Going to college to pursue a field in aviation will take you through a similar path. Students can attend a variety of programs that prepare them for a career in the aviation industry in various universities around the United States. Degrees can span from management and finance to engineering and maintenance to operations and safety. Aviation is a very vast and diverse field that welcomes students with a variety of skills and backgrounds. I attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science. This degree allowed me to pursue my lifelong dream of being an airline pilot. However, as an aspiring pilot, I had the option of attending other universities such as Purdue University, University of North Dakota, Western Michigan University, Auburn University, and many more. College counselors and professionals from the field can help you pick the university that best suits your needs and aspirations.
COLLEGE
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While completing the requirements of my degree, obtaining my flight certificates, and maintaining a high GPA were on top of my priority list when I attended college, I was looking for additional opportunities that could help set myself apart as a college student as well. I strongly believed that thousands of students graduate every year in my university and I needed a spark in my portfolio as a student to help set myself apart from the crowd.
Fuel your passion with research I got my first taste of undergraduate experience in my sophomore year when I participated in a research poster competition organized by the University Aviation Association. I always saw research as something for the ‘geeks’ and the ‘nerds’. I imagined research as something that involved spending hours in a lab or in front of a computer reading or writing long scholarly texts. While reading and writing scholarly texts is a major component of research, the process of building successful research projects involves so much more. The prospect of interacting with other students who share the same interests, managing funds and budgets, attending national conferences, and accessing advanced software and programs were some of the aspects of research that retained my passion for research. The research journey that started with a poster competition has transcended into authoring five journal papers and being involved in various funded projects. The satisfaction of being recognized and contributing to the subjects I love is something that keeps me enticed for more.
READ & RESEARCH