Important Information for Future Students Interested in a Career as a Pilot
Prospective Professional Pilot Majors
Thank you for your interest in Kent State University’s B.S. Professional Pilot program. We look forward to welcoming our fall 2027 cohort.
One-on-one instruction with a certified flight instructor is the foundation of the Professional Pilot (PROP) program. To maintain the quality of this individualized training and ensure the program has the resources to support each student's success, enrollment is limited through a selective admissions process.
Students admitted to the PROP program for fall 2027 may begin flight training as early as their first semester, depending on eligibility and flight course availability, but can expect to begin flight training no later than their third semester, provided they meet all flight course enrollment requirements.
Selective Admission
The B.S. in Professional Pilot program at Kent State University requires students complete a secondary-admission evaluation to be considered for admission. Evaluation results are considered alongside other application materials as part of the decision-making process.
When submitting your application to Kent State, be sure to select the Professional Pilot program. Students applying for the PROP program who are admitted to Kent State University will initially be placed into the B.S. in Aeronautical Studies (AEST) program. This allows students to pursue scholarship and financial aid opportunities while awaiting PROP admission decision.
Once admitted to AEST, students will receive an email with instructions to complete Casper, a required secondary-admission assessment offered by Acuity Insights. Casper is a timed, proctored, situational judgement assessment that evaluates an applicant's social intelligence and professionalism. Results are viewed as part of the selective admissions process for the PROP program.
The assessment costs $50, includes preparation materials and may be taken only once per admissions cycle.
The Casper test will be offered on the following dates, which are which are established by Acuity Insights and cannot be adjusted by Kent State. Allow two hours to complete the assessment.
Round 1 Admission Decisions
- Thursday, Sep. 3, 2026 - 8 p.m. EDT
- Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026 - 8 p.m. EDT
- Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, at 8 p.m. EST
Round 2 Admission Decisions
- Thursday, Dec. 3, 2026, at 8 p.m. EST
- Friday, Jan. 16, 2027, at 1 p.m. EST
Round 3 Admission Decisions
- Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2027, at 8 p.m. EST
- Monday, Feb. 23, 2027, at 8 p.m. EST
How To Schedule Your Casper Test
- Register https://acuityinsights.app/casper/
- Select “Reserve Casper Test”
- Program Country: United States
- Admission Cycle: 2026-2027
- Program Type: Professional Pilot (under United States Casper 1)
- School: Kent State University BSc Professional Pilot Program
Understanding Your Casper Assessment Results
Approximately two weeks after completing the Casper assessment, your results will be sent to the College of Aeronautics and Engineering. While you will not receive your individual Casper score, you will receive a quartile indicating how you performed relative to your peers. You can expect to receive your quartile approximately four to five weeks after completing the assessment.
Quartiles divide scores into four equal groups:
- 25% of applicants score in the fourth quartile (75-100 percentile)
- 25% of applicants score in the third quartile (50-74 percentile)
- 25% of applicants score in the second quartile (25-49 percentile)
- 25% of applicants score in the first quartile (0-24 percentile)
For example, applicants who score in the fourth quartile performed better than at least 75% of their peers, while applicants who score in the second quartile performed better than approximately 25% to 49% of their peers.
Remember that quartiles reflect your performance relative to other applicants, not the percentage of questions answered correctly. There are no right or wrong answers on Casper.
Professional Pilot Admissions Decisions
Completion of the Casper assessment is required for admission consideration, with assessment results reviewed as part of the overall application. If offered admission to the PROP program, students must submit an admissions deposit to confirm their place in the program. Deposits will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until the cohort reaches capacity.
Students that are not offered direct admission to PROP or are unable to declare the PROP degree before the cohort limit is reached are invited to explore the B.S. Aeronautical Studies program with Pilot Career Focus.
While additional seats in the PROP program may become available in the future, students who pursue Aeronautical Studies are not guaranteed transfer into the Professional Pilot major at a later date.
Professional Pilot admissions decisions will be released according to the following timeline:
- First round in December 2026
- Second round in February 2027
- Third round in March 2027
- Final decisions in April 2027
Learn more about the B.S., Aeronautical Studies, Pilot Career Focus program
