dillemma...help!

[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

[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.