Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida is a beautiful campus with modern buildings. There are 6900 undergraduates from 50 states and 94 countries, and 72% of them are male. 15 minutes from the beach and an hour from Orlando, it's a really nice location. There are 4 colleges: Arts and sciences, Aviation, Business, and Engineering. Some really interesting and unique majors offered include Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Aerospace Physiology, Space Physics, Spaceflight Operations, Homeland Security and Intelligence, Global Conflict Studies, and Aviation Business Administration.

ROTC is big here, but so is the skydiving club - it's the most popular club on campus! Students receive discounted tickets for some Florida theme parks and the Kennedy Space Center. Club hockey is the most popular spectator sport.

Make no mistake: this is where students come to get training for specific careers. And it seems as though Embry-Riddle delivers. Average starting salaries range from $75-85K, depending on the major. One senior I spoke with has already secured a job after graduation with a major player in the aerospace industry with a starting salary of $100K. They have job fairs and cybersecurity networking nights every semester. Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Nasa, SpaceX, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Department of Homeland Security and the FBI all actively recruit here. I'm told the jobs within the FBI are in intelligence and cybersecurity, but they weren't allowed to tell me more than that, lol.

Admissions is rolling, so get applications in early because some programs fill up. The application opens mid-June and they start reviewing applications around Labor Day. They do not meet full demonstrated need, but they do give merit scholarships ranging from $5-23K. I think this is a great institution for the right student. And if you prefer a dry heat, you can check out their sister campus in Prescott Arizona!