dillemma...help!

[lagstronaut]

I am in a Dillemma right now, please help! I am trying to choose between the two of these scenarios which will become my entire life about 7 months from now:


Option A:
(fun couple years but distinct possibility of less successful career)

- Go to college
- receive a certificate that will allow me to pretty much only work at a handful of maybe not-incredibly-successful sound recording studios most likely around Ontario (namely Toronto)
- live 2 years of what I've heard will be the best times of your life in College (how am I to know if that is true though?)
- $22,000 over 2 years (only have to worry about $11,000 each year)while living on campus with restaurants just outside my front door, free TV, free fridge, free couches, free bed, free T3 internet, free satellite, free bus pass, free gym membership, basically luxery while learning


Option B:
(really poor, hungry, and mentally testing year with potentially much more rewarding life ahead of me)

- Go to a specialized recording engineering institute
- graduate from a school that in the past 3 years has produced sound engineers who have recorded CD's with U2, Paul McCartney, Avril Lavigne, Green Day, and RADIOHEAD. In the past 5 years they have produced talents which have helped create films such as The Aviator, Madagascar, and The Dukes of Hazzard. In the past 5 years they have produced workers who are now employed by Much Music, CTV, CBC, and A&E. This place has also made engineers who have worked with creating recent video games Need For Speed Underground, 007 Everything or Nothing, NBA Street, and Harry Potter.
- live 11 straight months of 30 hour school weeks living in an apartment for alot of money while also paying for all food, utilities, no TV for a while, no computer in a city which includes absolutely nobody that I know and there is no campus or anywhere to really meet new people like there is at college, so potentially a grueling and lonely year
- be able to seriously submit my resume to high profile places like Hollywood, San Francisco, New York, etc etc
- $26,000 paid tuition in less than one year with also considering all of life's other expenses while living on your own on top of a bank loan and it's interest


I'm not asking you guys to make the decision for me. All I'm asking is to see what you would do so I might gain some insight..thanks!

[Smokin EnDo]

Honestly I would go with the second just because of the prestige. If you do well in school B you could go on to make a lot of money and it be worth it. It is probably your best bet if your actually considering a career in this. Although school A is going to be more fun it could also produce excellent results but you would have to do very well. Either school is good just as long as you do well in it.

[Mean Green Charlene]

The second one sounds more sucessful. It might be harder..but worth it in the long run. Also remember you're asking a bunch of stoners :stoned:

[Matt the Funk]

I'd say take the first one, but either one would be a good choice. The second one sounds better in the long run, but the first could work too.

[birdgirl73]

That's a tough one, Lags. You gotta really weigh your options well and go with what your heart tells you to do but also take into consideration your head and bottom-line financial future.

Are you sure that there's such a difference between your future employment prospects with the two different types of training? I ask because, in the end, it's really going to be your internships, personal contacts, and professional performance that get you your ultimate dream job rather than just the schooling itself. That may not seem like it's true now, but it is. In the area you want to work in especially, good contacts and real-life experience are the real keys.

College is generally a very good experience for people. I think you have what it takes to make those two years great if you take that route. All young people have that capacity. Some of them simply don't take it.

The thing that worries me about Option B is the possibility of your coming out of school at the end of that period with a crushing amount of debt. Lots of young people face that, and, even with a bright professional outlook, it's not an ideal way to kick off a successful future. Is there any reason you couldn't take Option A and then spend some time afterwards earning that certification at the special recording engineering institute once you're employed in the field and aren't having to take on so much debt?

P.S. I'm not a stoner. I'm an MJ advocate. But not a stoner. I'm also the mother of a college-age son.

[Mean Green Charlene]

Excuse me if I offended you saying we're all a bunch of stoners :thumbsup:
Didn't mean any harm

[lagstronaut]

That's a tough one, Lags. You gotta really weigh your options well and go with what your heart tells you to do but also take into consideration your head and bottom-line financial future.

Are you sure that there's such a difference between your future employment prospects with the two different types of training? I ask because, in the end, it's really going to be your internships, personal contacts, and professional performance that get you your ultimate dream job rather than just the schooling itself. That may not seem like it's true now, but it is. In the area you want to work in especially, good contacts and real-life experience are the real keys.

College is generally a very good experience for people. I think you have what it takes to make those two years great if you take that route. All young people have that capacity. Some of them simply don't take it.

The thing that worries me about Option B is the possibility of your coming out of school at the end of that period with a crushing amount of debt. Lots of young people face that, and, even with a bright professional outlook, it's not an ideal way to kick off a successful future. Is there any reason you couldn't take Option A and then spend some time afterwards earning that certification at the special recording engineering institute once you're employed in the field and aren't having to take on so much debt?

P.S. I'm not a stoner. I'm an MJ advocate. But not a stoner. I'm also the mother of a college-age son.

I am almost positive of the differences in the two programs. The first is Fanshawe College in London Ontario which boasts nearly 200 programs and one of their more small-time course [yet still apparently pretty decent] is the sound engineering course that I would take, with each class having a teacher:student ratio of 1:30. The other is OIART, which has been called by an overwhelming amount of experts the "Harvard of Audio Engineering", also in London Ontario, which only has 5 real programs and they are all focused in sound engineering, just all different capacities. They are by far the best audio school in North America I have been told, and studios from around the world SEARCH for OIART graduates. OIART has an unprecedented teacher:student ratio of 1:3.

I'm worried about missing out on something great like college, like you mentioned. In one way I don't even know if it's all as good as people make you think it is (some people really think your fun-life dips quite a bit after college), and on the other hand even if it as good as it's cracked up to be, does it outweigh what people are saying about how great my career could be??

Debt is also another thing on my mind. Of the $26,000 I'm sure my my would be able to pay me roughly $12,000 of that. OSAP might be able to grant me a $3,000 to $6,000 loan which would collect no interest until I have graduated, but I will only know if I can recieve that loan about 3 months after I know if I am accepted and 2 months before I have to actually pay. My dad may also be able to chip in a bit and I know my uncle has about $30,000 stashed away and he lent my sister $2000 before when she moved out so if I asked I'm sure I could get some money from him. If all goes as planned I might have to only worry about $6000 of the tution that year, but that's a big if. I also have to worry about food and rent like I meantioned earlier though.

[NightProwler]

live in the moment. do the first one.

sure, the second choice MIGHT mean being mroe succesful in the future... but who really knows how long youve got to live? a seagul could have a heart attack and land straight on your head from 100 feet above you.. beak first

[napolitana869]

do you have a job that pays enough that you would be able to cover those costs?

[lagstronaut]

no and even if i did i'd have to leave it once i move to London anyway...finding suitable work there is another story

[cygnustaxt]

well the way i see it, if you go to college you're going to get a degree. You can get any type of job as long as you have a degree. It doesn't really matter what your major is, you can still get a really good job.

If you go to the institute, you're not guaranteed a job making tons of money, you could take all the courses and not find a great job doing what you love for a long time. Thats the risk you run with going to a specialized institute like that. I know because i've actually looked into sound engineering myself and checked out some of the different specialized schools in the us. I talked to some people that went to them and none of them were working for some famous video game company or working at some studio making tons of money. If you want that kind of job, you're going to have to work your ass off.

If i were you, i'd probably go to the college. Then if you're still interested in being a sound engineer, take out some loans and go to the institute. Then you'll have tons knowledge and any major company will see that you're serious about your profession.

[lagstronaut]

well the way i see it, if you go to college you're going to get a degree. You can get any type of job as long as you have a degree. It doesn't really matter what your major is, you can still get a really good job.

If you go to the institute, you're not guaranteed a job making tons of money, you could take all the courses and not find a great job doing what you love for a long time. Thats the risk you run with going to a specialized institute like that. I know because i've actually looked into sound engineering myself and checked out some of the different specialized schools in the us. I talked to some people that went to them and none of them were working for some famous video game company or working at some studio making tons of money. If you want that kind of job, you're going to have to work your ass off.

If i were you, i'd probably go to the college. Then if you're still interested in being a sound engineer, take out some loans and go to the institute. Then you'll have tons knowledge and any major company will see that you're serious about your profession.

That's something I considered as well, but that would be roughly $75,000 spent overall (tuition + housings) in 3 years when the average sound engineer's starting incomes will be not much more than $35,000. Sure I'd have alot of help but that'd still be like $60,000+ on my head including interest. It'd take me more than a decade to repay that

uggghhh i hate the whole principle of money and how many problems it causes in the world, on a global scale and even on a day-to-day scale...i wish we had found a different way to operate but i guess we're stuck with it now!

[lagstronaut]

Okay so now I'm weighing out the pros and cons of..

1) College 2 years, 1 year off working, Institute 1 year (Roughly $70,000 with full time work money saved up inbetween)

2) College 2 years, directly to Institute 1 year (Roughly $70,000 with major debt but 1 year saved)

3) College Only, 2 years ($22,000)

4) Institute Only, 1 year ($26,000 plus alot of living expenses)

5) 1 year off working, Institute 1 year ($26,000 plus living expenses but extra money saved for living)


I wouldn't do 1 year off then College though because I've heard taking 1 year off can be hard when you have to try to get back into school mentality. I would do 1 year off before the Institute though just because I'd need to save money for living expenses...

decisions, decisions

[cygnustaxt]

yeah man, i know what you mean about expenses. I'm about to go back to community college in the spring and finish, then go to mississippi state university for two years, I plan on going to Berklee college of music after all that. If everything goes according to plan, i'll be paying off student loans for many years, hahaha.

[puffin tuff]

follow your heart man.judging by the way you described your two options I think that you already know which one is the right choice.Don't let other peoples opinions get in the way of a very life changing decision.All that I can really say is living with regrets is not the way to truly live your life.Good luck man with whichever option you choose.

[Gone]

I wouldn't do 1 year off then College though because I've heard taking 1 year off can be hard when you have to try to get back into school mentality. I would do 1 year off before the Institute though just because I'd need to save money for living expenses...
decisions, decisions

I took a year off before I went to college, and I had no problem at all getting back into the school mentality. If anything, working full time at a stupid job helped me realize that education is important, and made me more motivated once I went back to school. Don't hesitate to work for a year... it also really helps financially. Even if you pick the cheaper school, it helps to know you're not hurting for money.

[lagstronaut]

I am really considering College, 1 year off, then Institute

But what would you think of 1 year off, College, 1 year off, Institute. It'd help me gain money both times I'd be off to school BUT I'd be just leaving school at 23/24....does that seem normal to anybody? I don't have many people's experiences to draw from right now...my sister dropped out in Grade 10, my mom went to University for 1 month, and my dad did some Quebec route of college which is apparently a different situation than this.


thanks again everybody :D

[TheSmokingMonkey]

Well...

I think you should think about what would make you happiest in the long run, and also ask yourself if the sacrifices you make in the short run are worth it or not.

Also remember that if things don't work out, you will want a safety net; which option would provide that, if either?

Good luck - I can't choose an option for you. People have been choosing options for me my whole life, until now, and I think it only gets you into trouble if you listen too much to others if it means you end up ignoring yourself.

Meditate/think. Let us know what you decide on.

[TheSmokingMonkey]

Oh... sorry to double-post, but:

Me:
graduated high school at age 17
graduated college (4-year) at age 21
went to college (different school, different program) for a year
went to grad school for two years
transferred to a different grad school, spent 2 years
was miserable (am miserable)
am trying to take a year off now to collect my sanity and health
happy about it!!!

Don't push yourself too hard... that's what I did and I burned out. But also don't take it so easy that you lose sight of your goals (that is worse IMO)

[birdgirl73]

TheSmokingMonkey has it right. There's a lot to be said for doing what works best for you and what's going to do your heart and happiness the most good. And to do that without overpushing. I know this because I'm a hard pusher, too:

Graduated HS at 16, having skipped a grade early on
Went directly to a large university and graduated from a five-year honors program at 21 that put me out with both a bachelor's and master's degree
Taught school for two years.
Decided to devote my next three years to law school. This was the stupidest thing I could ever have done. I had no interest in law. Was really interested in medicine. But, determined not to be a quitter, I finished that degree. Passed the bar exam. Then never practiced a single day of law. Wasted those three years, essentially.
Devoted myself mostly to my marriage and child for a long time after the wasted law degree. These were important years to my personal dream. Worked part-time during this period for a newspaper and for a big corporation. Always regretted not going to medical school, however. And finally applied a year and a half ago. (Our son is now grown and in college himself.)
So this year, I got started on my real career dream at the age of 45. Entered my first year of med school three months ago. Will be nearly 50 by the time I'm finished--and well past 50 by the time my residency is complete.
The point of all this is that if I'd gone with my heart a lot earlier, I wouldn't be putting myself through this here in mid-life. I'd have done it back when I truly had the energy for it. I'm tired, tired, tired now and want to drop out. I won't because it's my heart's desire. But I do wish I'd done this earlier.