How stressful is the academy?

[Southern]

I want to ask a dumb question so I apologize in advance for the eye rolls.

Little bit of backstory here, I have been in situations before where if I didn’t pass an exam/class my employment would be terminated so I understand why the academy would be the same way. If you don’t understand it or can’t pass the classes you don’t need to be there.

That being said, how is the academy? Is it just 4 months of unrelenting hell where all you have time to do is study or cry because you’re so overwhelmed by the amount of information they throw at you? Is the pace of the academy relatively smooth? I’m used to working under ludicrously tight timelines and that’s not something I’d be a stranger to. More of a just curious how the academy is formatted and if anyone can testify to life there at the academy? Did you feel overwhelmed, was the information provided in sizeable chunks or could you digest everything you learned adequately?

Second and this kind of goes hand in hand with the academy question above, and I’ll provide some backstory here too. I used to be licensed to sell insurance and studying for that test was tricky, I knew nothing about insurance and the learning curve was just unrealistic. I fortunately passed the exam, but the information they provided just did not make any sense to me. I was so confused the entire time and could not make heads or tails out of what the rules and laws were around insurance and the policies. All that to say so my question is this... can anyone attest to the difficulty of the academy? Is it one of the most difficult things you’ve ever done? Is it more just the looming stress of knowing you could fail out at practically any time that makes it stressful?

Sorry if this was a long winded post or something useless I just wanted to see if anyone could shed some light on a nervous candidate. Also any place where I can go to study ahead of the academy would be helpful if someone knows of anything.

 

[JBabs]

Sorry if this was a long winded post or something useless I just wanted to see if anyone could shed some light on a nervous candidate. Also any place where I can go to study ahead of the academy would be helpful if someone knows of anything.

I'm OTS. I bought the basics study guide that is offered on this site. I'm not going crazy trying to cram info but it is nice to be able to know something beforehand because it already has given me a boost in confidence for when I get to the academy in February.

 

[Flashy Vectors]

I want to ask a dumb question so I apologize in advance for the eye rolls.

Little bit of backstory here, I have been in situations before where if I didn’t pass an exam/class my employment would be terminated so I understand why the academy would be the same way. If you don’t understand it or can’t pass the classes you don’t need to be there.

That being said, how is the academy? Is it just 4 months of unrelenting hell where all you have time to do is study or cry because you’re so overwhelmed by the amount of information they throw at you? Is the pace of the academy relatively smooth? I’m used to working under ludicrously tight timelines and that’s not something I’d be a stranger to. More of a just curious how the academy is formatted and if anyone can testify to life there at the academy? Did you feel overwhelmed, was the information provided in sizeable chunks or could you digest everything you learned adequately?

Second and this kind of goes hand in hand with the academy question above, and I’ll provide some backstory here too. I used to be licensed to sell insurance and studying for that test was tricky, I knew nothing about insurance and the learning curve was just unrealistic. I fortunately passed the exam, but the information they provided just did not make any sense to me. I was so confused the entire time and could not make heads or tails out of what the rules and laws were around insurance and the policies. All that to say so my question is this... can anyone attest to the difficulty of the academy? Is it one of the most difficult things you’ve ever done? Is it more just the looming stress of knowing you could fail out at practically any time that makes it stressful?

Sorry if this was a long winded post or something useless I just wanted to see if anyone could shed some light on a nervous candidate. Also any place where I can go to study ahead of the academy would be helpful if someone knows of anything.

I have not been to the academy, but i have researched this exact concern at several forums. From my understanding its long and starts off relatively easy so people can get complacent and lose focus (going out to much/not studying/partying) and by the time class starts to get intense its too late and they fail out. It all depends on you! stay focused find a study group and study everyday even if it seems easy. Every point counts I have seen countless posts of people failing with a 69.--% grade. I really think as long as you work hard and do your best you will pass the academy, if you are unable to apply what you learned at the academy at your center/tower, that is when you might get terminated for not becoming a CPC within the time they allocate for you. just my 2 cents

 

[Flashy Vectors]

Sorry if this was a long winded post or something useless I just wanted to see if anyone could shed some light on a nervous candidate. Also any place where I can go to study ahead of the academy would be helpful if someone knows of anything.

I'm OTS. I bought the basics study guide that is offered on this site. I'm not going crazy trying to cram info but it is nice to be able to know something beforehand because it already has given me a boost in confidence for when I get to the academy in February.

How is the basics guide is it any different then the free one that is (outdated).

 

[JBabs]

I'm OTS. I bought the basics study guide that is offered on this site. I'm not going crazy trying to cram info but it is nice to be able to know something beforehand because it already has given me a boost in confidence for when I get to the academy in February.

How is the basics guide is it any different then the free one that is (outdated).

Unfortunately, I didn't really get a chance to use the outdated one. I browsed over it briefly when I first got my TOL and I do not remember there being any review questions at the end of the lessons. I do believe they had a big review at the end of it. Either way, I am a fan of this guide. I believe it was created based on the current basics classes so obviously it will offer more accurate info than the outdated version. There are reviews at the end of each lesson. It doesn't seem like each lesson has too much information that would be too stressful to learn in the amount of time given for the basics course. What I am doing is just 1 lesson a day and then taking the review at the end. The next day i'll do another lesson and do that review and the review from the previous day as well and so on.

 

[Flashy Vectors]

How is the basics guide is it any different then the free one that is (outdated).

Great ill have to get the new one then. Was curious to how long after you received the TOL did you get a CIL and about how long did it take to complete. Trying to get a clue on how long i have to keep rebuilding engines and transmissions lol.

 

[JBabs]

Great ill have to get the new one then. Was curious to how long after you received the TOL did you get a CIL and about how long did it take to complete. Trying to get a clue on how long i have to keep rebuilding engines and transmissions lol.

2/24 TOL
3/20 notified to resend TOL
5/22 CIL

Took about 5-6 months from CIL to get offered a class date. Everyone is different and has different timelines. I was held up while getting my conditional security clearance and had to do the interview with the security investigator. Some take forever to clear medical or get tier 2 from the MMPI-2. The process can definitely be a rollercoaster ride so don't stop living your life. That is the biggest/best piece of advice that is given in this process.

 

[breakaway2000]

I want to ask a dumb question so I apologize in advance for the eye rolls.

Little bit of backstory here, I have been in situations before where if I didn’t pass an exam/class my employment would be terminated so I understand why the academy would be the same way. If you don’t understand it or can’t pass the classes you don’t need to be there.

That being said, how is the academy? Is it just 4 months of unrelenting hell where all you have time to do is study or cry because you’re so overwhelmed by the amount of information they throw at you? Is the pace of the academy relatively smooth? I’m used to working under ludicrously tight timelines and that’s not something I’d be a stranger to. More of a just curious how the academy is formatted and if anyone can testify to life there at the academy? Did you feel overwhelmed, was the information provided in sizeable chunks or could you digest everything you learned adequately?

Second and this kind of goes hand in hand with the academy question above, and I’ll provide some backstory here too. I used to be licensed to sell insurance and studying for that test was tricky, I knew nothing about insurance and the learning curve was just unrealistic. I fortunately passed the exam, but the information they provided just did not make any sense to me. I was so confused the entire time and could not make heads or tails out of what the rules and laws were around insurance and the policies. All that to say so my question is this... can anyone attest to the difficulty of the academy? Is it one of the most difficult things you’ve ever done? Is it more just the looming stress of knowing you could fail out at practically any time that makes it stressful?

Sorry if this was a long winded post or something useless I just wanted to see if anyone could shed some light on a nervous candidate. Also any place where I can go to study ahead of the academy would be helpful if someone knows of anything.

Having come from a financial background, I understand your mindset. You're accustomed to 'gotcha' style tests. I can't tell you how many tests I've studied for in my life where the exam was relatively nothing like the material I spent countless hours studying. ATC was a breath of fresh air to me in that regard. They teach you everything you need to know. Everything learned in the classroom will show up on the tests and will need to be applied to the simulated exams. You're not going to uncover a vital rule during your self-study time that will make/break your academy experience. Every important rule is taught and discussed in the classroom.

The academy is all about what you make it and your personality type. Even if you talk to current controllers about their academy experience, you'll get responses ranging from love, hate, and everything in between. For me personally, I loved just about every second of it. I grew up playing sports and I never thought I'd find a career that could offer the same anticipation, nervousness, joy, excitement, fulfillment, etc. that ATC offers.

Even the people who wash from the academy, it's not for a lack of knowledge. Each and every one of them could sit down and tell you the separation standards between different aircraft, give you the proper phraseology, etc. It's all about whether you can apply the rules in real time and under duress.

 

[Hissmeowra]

I want to ask a dumb question so I apologize in advance for the eye rolls.

Little bit of backstory here, I have been in situations before where if I didn’t pass an exam/class my employment would be terminated so I understand why the academy would be the same way. If you don’t understand it or can’t pass the classes you don’t need to be there.

That being said, how is the academy? Is it just 4 months of unrelenting hell where all you have time to do is study or cry because you’re so overwhelmed by the amount of information they throw at you? Is the pace of the academy relatively smooth? I’m used to working under ludicrously tight timelines and that’s not something I’d be a stranger to. More of a just curious how the academy is formatted and if anyone can testify to life there at the academy? Did you feel overwhelmed, was the information provided in sizeable chunks or could you digest everything you learned adequately?

Second and this kind of goes hand in hand with the academy question above, and I’ll provide some backstory here too. I used to be licensed to sell insurance and studying for that test was tricky, I knew nothing about insurance and the learning curve was just unrealistic. I fortunately passed the exam, but the information they provided just did not make any sense to me. I was so confused the entire time and could not make heads or tails out of what the rules and laws were around insurance and the policies. All that to say so my question is this... can anyone attest to the difficulty of the academy? Is it one of the most difficult things you’ve ever done? Is it more just the looming stress of knowing you could fail out at practically any time that makes it stressful?

Sorry if this was a long winded post or something useless I just wanted to see if anyone could shed some light on a nervous candidate. Also any place where I can go to study ahead of the academy would be helpful if someone knows of anything.

Basics is not difficult. The pace is slow enough, and there are plenty of end of lesson tests and block tests that don't count for anything so you can check your retention and get used to the test format. Also the instructors will tell you which parts to pay special attention to. All you have to do is pass basics with a 70; a 70 is the same as a 100.

The pace picks up across the street, and every point counts. You may feel overloaded with information during academics across the street, but once you get into sims, you aren't really learning anything new and are just practising applying what you've learned.

I was in terminal, so I can't speak for the en route class. But considering that basics is pass/fail and relatively easy, I imagine I would have done something similar if I was in en route. Namely, study basics enough to pass comfortably, and use the rest of the time to start learning across the street stuff. Make sure you know what you're doing if you try to get ahead though. We had a former Academy tower RPO in our class and he was a great resource.

 

[Bart Harley Jarvis]

I appreciate all these responses and to the person who asked the long question I've been curious about that myself.

I'm by no means afraid of studying my ass off coming from the pre med route I would just hate to make it this far only to have something bad happen during that final test. I figure as long as I continously study and practice it'll all come together. I'll keep playing Rocket League to keep my reaction times on point.

 

[JBabs]

Having come from a financial background, I understand your mindset. You're accustomed to 'gotcha' style tests. I can't tell you how many tests I've studied for in my life where the exam was relatively nothing like the material I spent countless hours studying. ATC was a breath of fresh air to me in that regard. They teach you everything you need to know. Everything learned in the classroom will show up on the tests and will need to be applied to the simulated exams. You're not going to uncover a vital rule during your self-study time that will make/break your academy experience. Every important rule is taught and discussed in the classroom.

The academy is all about what you make it and your personality type. Even if you talk to current controllers about their academy experience, you'll get responses ranging from love, hate, and everything in between. For me personally, I loved just about every second of it. I grew up playing sports and I never thought I'd find a career that could offer the same anticipation, nervousness, joy, excitement, fulfillment, etc. that ATC offers.

Even the people who wash from the academy, it's not for a lack of knowledge. Each and every one of them could sit down and tell you the separation standards between different aircraft, give you the proper phraseology, etc. It's all about whether you can apply the rules in real time and under duress.

On that note, for someone who is OTS with no experience whatsoever, would it be beneficial or hurtful to use an online ATC simulator prior to going to the academy? I was using one where you just type the basic commands such as speed, heading, altitude and clearance to land/takeoff. It doesn't involve phraseology so there's really no need to worry about learning wrong phrases to say. I was thinking it could be beneficial to just get an idea of patterns and handling volume? Honestly I feel like its great to work with for nerves/confidence. Good idea or best to leave it alone?

 

[Flashy Vectors]

Discontinued - Air Traffic Basics

Here is the link for the older study guide for basics if anyone wants to take a peek there is a new one available for $15.00 through MJ

 

[MJ]

On that note, for someone who is OTS with no experience whatsoever, would it be beneficial or hurtful to use an online ATC simulator prior to going to the academy? I was using one where you just type the basic commands such as speed, heading, altitude and clearance to land/takeoff. It doesn't involve phraseology so there's really no need to worry about learning wrong phrases to say. I was thinking it could be beneficial to just get an idea of patterns and handling volume? Honestly I feel like its great to work with for nerves/confidence. Good idea or best to leave it alone?

They aren't going to teach you anything you can apply later on. The only way it would be harmful would be if you ingrain the game into your mind as reality and try to apply it to actual ATC. It would be a stretch to even do that, but some people hold on to ideas harder than others. This would be like playing call of duty to prepare to join the army.

Discontinued - Air Traffic Basics

That was discontinued because it hasn't been maintained for years, and much of the course has changed as well as a lot of the information in it just being wrong.

 

[Flashy Vectors]

MJ how is the new study guide format is it like a program such as the ATC atsa prep software or is it PDF files. Will I be able to download it to multiple computers?

 

[MJ]

MJ how is the new study guide format is it like a program such as the ATC atsa prep software or is it PDF files. Will I be able to download it to multiple computers?

All html, you can open it in any browser. The quizzes can also be downloaded in its native app on mobile devices. Some people have problems with the app, but it’s not required in any case. Some supplemental info is on PDFs that can be downloaded.

 

[Southern]

First I want to say thank you to everyone for your responses and not just burying me for asking a question I think a lot of new people have on their minds. I did want to ask something that @breakaway2000 touched on and want to expand on it if possible, they had mentioned that everyone leaving the academy is going to know exactly what needs to be done and when. They’ll know all the rules and they will have the knowledge on how to be an ATC. That leads me to believe that it’s not just like them drowning you in information, while it may be a lot to take in much like drinking from a firehose. It’s not impossible and that makes me feel better.

Secondly I wanted to ask about the difficulty, it was mentioned that putting what you learned during the academy to the test during exams or the finals is really what separates people from ATC to non ATC.

How challenging is it? Is it like being solely responsible for all the flights on say thanksgiving or Christmas Day and it’s snowing/raining basically making it the most difficult situation I can imagine? Or is it much more relaxed than that and it’s say something like a busy day at work and you have a couple of seconds to identify and react instead of just reacting?

 

[HenryTheAce]

Honestly I’d recommend taking it easy on the studyin before academy. I was EnRoute. Show up ready to rock and roll. Basics is easy, rote repeat stuff. I do recommend learning the map in basics though. Learn one thing a night. If you’re able to draw that thing from memory before you go across the street you’ll be miles ahead. The academy is fast paced learning, like drinking from a fire hose. That way when you’re given the 2 weeks to learn the map you can start memorizing phraeseology on the wall. Make it a goal to not be dinged on phraeseology, there’s no excuse to not be perfect on it. Write it on flash cards and say it outlouf 1,000 times then say it another 1,000 times out loud so you don’t have to think about it. It just naturally comes out. That way while you’re thinking about your crossing restrictions or strip marking, you don’t fumble over clearances. Academy is a game, just play their game/their rules and study hard

 

[MJ]

First I want to say thank you to everyone for your responses and not just burying me for asking a question I think a lot of new people have on their minds. I did want to ask something that @breakaway2000 touched on and want to expand on it if possible, they had mentioned that everyone leaving the academy is going to know exactly what needs to be done and when. They’ll know all the rules and they will have the knowledge on how to be an ATC. That leads me to believe that it’s not just like them drowning you in information, while it may be a lot to take in much like drinking from a firehose. It’s not impossible and that makes me feel better.

Secondly I wanted to ask about the difficulty, it was mentioned that putting what you learned during the academy to the test during exams or the finals is really what separates people from ATC to non ATC.

How challenging is it? Is it like being solely responsible for all the flights on say thanksgiving or Christmas Day and it’s snowing/raining basically making it the most difficult situation I can imagine? Or is it much more relaxed than that and it’s say something like a busy day at work and you have a couple of seconds to identify and react instead of just reacting?

No one who graduates AAC is even close to being a controller. The academy teaches some basic rules and principles and tries to teach you how to learn how to do the job. Your job at AAC is to learn a basic, stripped down simulation of ATC to prove you have the ability to learn how to do it in the real world.

Level of difficulty is largely on the individual, so no one can really prepare for that. You have to know your own personal strengths and weaknesses and act accordingly. AAC is not set up to fail people. There’s no tricks or unrealistic expectations. It is however designed to remove people who choose not to put forth effort or those who just really don’t have the ability to do the job. Some don’t meet either of those criteria but still don’t make it, unfortunately, but it happens.

 

[fivebyfive]

I just recommend getting ahead any way you can. As soon as you can study your airport layout or maps for center, then work on that at home.

 

[vectorwagon]

I feel like they're really testing you on your ability to APPLY what you've learned, as opposed to simply memorizing what you've learned. When you get to your facility basically forget everything from the academy and start the process over again with their rules and their game. I mean yeah .65 is .65 but it's hard to explain unless you've been there. Not saying that condescendingly at all, it's just hard to explain. I totally understand your questions and concerns and I will say that if you go with the right attitude, you should be fine. I mean if you're one who doesn't have the aptitude or whatever then maybe not but I guess what I'm trying to say, as much as it probably doesn't help, is that they will give you everything you need to be prepared and pass, yes can be overwhelming amount of info but if you are someone who can do the job-- and you study and make it your priority, you will be fine. Not to say it's a cake walk, maybe for some people, but, you'll be fine.