Hello, I am a junior in HS from New Jersey, and I need help of finding out the best route for me too take. My overall goal is to have a career future in aviation, since I love planes, but I would also very much to become a fighter pilot, this is were I need help of the best course of action to take.
The three options I have so far is to either go into the AF academy for college, go to a college with a flying program (ie.OSU, Purdue, etc) and join ROTC, and the last option is to to a college with a flying program but then to go into the National Guard and hope they send me to pilot training. The academy is no doubt the choice that would assure me a spot in pilot training, but I feel that it is too late to start preparring get in, and I am not sure that I want to go through 4 years of hell. The next choice, ROTC is another promising route, but i do not know if I would be able to get a spot in pilot training, since most of the spots go to cadets from the AF academy, and then if i did not get into pilot training, I would then be stuck in the military, not flying, for 4+ years before i could start working on my commercial career. Lastly, to go into the National Guard would allow me to start on my Commercial Career right away, but the chances of being sent to pilot training are even slimmer, (although my dad knows the states National Guard Commander, so that could give me a better chance).
I am fairly phisically fit, so i am not worried to pass any of the medicals, or physical requirements (unless i have some unkown genetic malady). My eye site is near perfect, and my hearing is also good. I am very smart in math, and am planning on getting my privot pilots license before leaving high school. If anyone on this site could guide me to my best chances of becoming a fighter pilot, it would be greatly appreciated.
Greg