Today I had an interview with a representative from the school I applied for. The school is called the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, which is under its parent school called Universal Technical Institute: www.uticorp.com
The Motorcycle Mechanics Institute is the #1 highest, most advanced school you can go to for that field. It is like the Harvard or Yale of technical colleges.
After a 3 hour interview, I have now gotten accepted into this school! I'm so excited, this is incredible.
Just wanted to share this with you guys. :icon_cool:
-Nick
which campus Orlando? or that other warm place out west?
Tim
I have the option of going to either campus, but my parents are really pushing to go to Phoenix. My dad is going with me to help out.
Sweet! Congratulations Nick. My son goes to UTI in MA. Seems like a great place.
Oh wow, congrats on getting in, but i wish i'da known you applied there Nick. I'm not sure how the MMI is, but UTI is a hoax, and i'm sorry to say that The Master, i hope your son is enjoying it.
I researched UTI for months, as i wanted to go there.
Here are a few things you might consider, and these are NOT bullshit, these are RESEARCHED statements that are full truth:
UTI is under investigation by the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT for FRAUD and other things like FALSE ADVERTISING
Yes, they garauntee Job Placement, but if you graduate in one town, they're going to send you to another part of the US (Even Matt/Euro has a friend to back this up)
I've talked to MANY people that have graduated and didn't learn SHIT through the progam. Once you're DONE with the program it costs nearly $40,000, and due to that a lot of the teachers get paid shitloads, and don't give a damn about the students.
If you miss 3 days you're kicked out of the program. Doesn't matter what the reason. My grandparent's friend's son had a wreck and was in the hospital for 4 days, they kicked him ou of the program, he was almost finished. There went $30,000 that no way in hell can you get back.
I also have two real good friends that graduated from UTI. I became friends with them after they graduated of course, because i later found out they graduated. One guy is a COP, the other guy works at National Tire and Battery for SIX DOLLARS an HOUR. These are guys that paid around $36,000 for the program.
I have a few more buddies that are UTI graduates, and where they work, has nothing to do with the school. They could have not even gone to the school, and still gotten these jobs (i.e. firestone, dealerships, etc)
I'm just trying to give you a forewarning. I wanted to go to UTI, BAD. Again, ask Euro/Matt about it, i told him how bad i wanted to go, and his buddy that went even said it was pretty much pointless. They're in central states, and they sent him to Florida for a job, which isn't paying much.
There's also an O'Reilly manager that i work with, his son went through UTI, here in HOUSTOn, TEXAS, they got him a job in MICHIGAN. He moved up there, 4 months later, we were seeing him around again. All these things they promised him, he didn't get SHIT out of it when he went up there.
I know THREE other UTI students that are working at O'Reillys close to me, and none of them are learning shit. They said the teachers don't really care about anything, and they're all regretting going there.
My grandfather was the one who did research and informed me of how the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT is on their case, and he never tells me ANYTHING unless he has EVIDENCE to prove it (he showed me about 3 news articles)
Again, not trying to cut or put anyone down, i'd just hate to see more people get burned.
All in all i've talked to or heard of (i.e. grandparents's friend's son) or an friends with a total of about 14-15 UTI students/graduates, and every, single, one of them regrets it, completely.
So what i did, i'm going to the Houston Community College automotive campus. Same degrees, same papers when i'm done, $3,500 in and out. Thirty five hundred dollars for an associates degee, and i get to bring my OWN car to work on (you don't at UTI) and you get to do your OWN projects (you don't at UTI)
And yea, they're rated #1 for most advanced, because one kid goes and pays them 40G's to go through school for 18 months, they beter have the best shit in town.
HCC, the school i'm going to, has the exact same abilities as UTI. Their machines might not be a year old, in fact they're probably 20, but the classes are small and you get lots of one-on-one time, and all the equipment works flawlessly. There are three shops around the school that send engines over to the HCC campus to have rebuilds done on them, head resurfacing, boring, porting, 3 angle valve jobs, you name it, this school can do it. The hours are the same as UTI as well.
Again, not trying to discourage you, i just hope you did a LOT of research on this school Nick, just wanting to look out for you
I have done TONS of research on this school, and I can assure you that MMI doesn't have these problems. MMI has a spotless reputation, and they are the best of the best. That is why people everywhere, even outside this country come to MMI. The courses are short, and for what they provide, it isn't all that expensive. Right now I am applying for all the scholarships I can possibly get; if I get enough of them, there is a good possibility I will have very little to pay. If I get a couple decent scholarships, maybe I'll be lucky enough to have it paid off right away... man that would be nice.
You'll hear good or bad about every school. The majority of the people I know that have had issues with certain schools did not put forth the effort to learn things, so it was their own fault that they didn't gain much from attending.
EDIT: Forgot to say congratulations on getting accepted. ;) Have you researched any pay rates for motorcycle techs Nick? I'm assuming you can make pretty good working for a motorcycle dealer that does a lot of business.
Matt, there is very good money to be made as a motorcycle technician. Also, the job outlook is excellent, and technicians are in very high demand. At dealerships, the pay rates are very similar to an auto mechanic. I have the opportunity to work for a race team, and make VERY good money. On a race team, I will follow a team every weekend across the country to different events and do the work for them. I think this will be fun, it is exactly where I want to be. I usually go racing every weekend, and this will allow me to work on stuff, which I like to do, as well as watch races and be up front, and get to see everything, which is fantastic.
Congrats Nick!
Be very careful with schools like this. Some just move you through like cattle to get paid in the end. Some on the other hand will see a person who has his nose in the books, staying late for projects, etc and will do their best to get you hooked up with the best.
One word to the wise. BE HUMBLE! Yes you will learn things at MMI or UTI type schools...but when you get to where you are going there will be people there who have been doing what they do for years. Just because a book says to build something one way does not mean there are easier ways to get it done. Mechanics who work on flat rate are famous for that! Why take 5 hours to do something when you can do it in 3 and still get paid for 5 flat.
I have had 3 guys come to my shop straight out of Wyo-Tech looking for a job. I guarantee you just because they got some schooling behind them does not mean they will start out doing what I do! They will be cleaning tools and mopping floors for a good bit before they even attempt to do what I do. If they were to gain my trust and respect I would SLOWLY work them into tuning $50k cars! ;)
Actually, the manufacturers watch the MMI students and take their pick for who they want straight out of the school. Also at the school, they help you find the job you are looking for once you are done with your courses. We get to work on brand new equipment, and also get certified to run a dyno.
Quote from: TGPilot on February 14, 2008, 09:19:24 AM
One word to the wise. BE HUMBLE! Yes you will learn things at MMI or UTI type schools...but when you get to where you are going there will be people there who have been doing what they do for years. Just because a book says to build something one way does not mean there are easier ways to get it done. Mechanics who work on flat rate are famous for that! Why take 5 hours to do something when you can do it in 3 and still get paid for 5 flat.
I definitely hear that. Over the years of working on bikes, you do find that there are much better ways to do some things than how it tells you in the service manuals. You have to know your stuff and be willing to learn on top of that. Being stubborn will get ya nowhere- I know from past experience :icon_lol:
Thanks for the advice, Kenny!
My best friend went to MMI, he didn't like it, but not because it was a bad school, he just didn't like working on engines as much as he thought he did, its an expensive way to find out though
well either way congrats and if you end up in a school here in Florida you have to visit Jimmy and me. We'll BBQ or something.
Tim
Yea man, come down this way, you already know people down here. Plus you will have someone to buddy up with in class that I know Taking the same course. But whatever you decide keep in contact with us Nick. Talk to ya later