Higher education advice for a sophomore in high school?

[priest_of_syrinx]

Okay, so I'm a sophomore in a public high school. I have all A's and my predicted ACT score is 33-36, and I know people that have gotten full ride scholarships for 33, but I'm not willing to bet on that for myself right now. I'm really being pushed into a college education, but I'm afraid of the debt. Sure, I would love to get a degree in an academic area that I'm passionate about (journalism, music, economics, who knows), but I really don't know if I can pull it off with this financial crisis.

Do you guys have any recommendations of jobs that may just require education from a trade school, but don't require any involvement in a union? What is a good way to start your own business without getting into major debt? Thanks.

 

[ladyjade3]

Maybe you can get some kind of scholarship that helps out with the bulk of your expenses, and allows you to have a job to work off the rest. If you can work your way through and pay as you go, and you're smart about what you study, then its a good option. Don't waste your time with underwater basketweaving type classes, only take as much music and literature as you have to to complete requirements, otherwise, take economics and business classes, stuff that has a real world point to it - and also learn something truly marketable, like HVAC repair! Or welding, or plumbing, auto repair, something that is immediately practical and useful. You will never regret it, even if you just use it around the house.

That's my advice.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Okay, so I'm a sophomore in a public high school. I have all A's and my predicted ACT score is 33-36, and I know people that have gotten full ride scholarships for 33, but I'm not willing to bet on that for myself right now. I'm really being pushed into a college education, but I'm afraid of the debt. Sure, I would love to get a degree in an academic area that I'm passionate about (journalism, music, economics, who knows), but I really don't know if I can pull it off with this financial crisis.

Do you guys have any recommendations of jobs that may just require education from a trade school, but don't require any involvement in a union? What is a good way to start your own business without getting into major debt? Thanks.

People who can repair things are always useful. Welders, machinists, repairmen, carpenters, etc. After you find an entry level job, go to school part time for a degree in a field you are REALLY passionate about. This way, you will be able support yourself while funding your own goals. The market was so distorted in 2000 when I entered college, this never would have occurred to me. Now that I've been there, done that, I hope you can benefit from the shit I've suffered through. Good luck! ~hugs~ btw...ask your librarian about hiring trends in your area. This will help you too.

 

[TastyWheat]

Take a look at jobs you'd want to have now. If almost none of them require a Bachelor's then just get an Associate's. Usually experience is more marketable than education. If you keep up your grades you should also apply for a lot of grants in the future. I knew a guy that literally lived off of grants.

 

[priest_of_syrinx]

only take as much music and literature as you have to to complete requirements

Good advice, but I really don't like this sentence. Music is what keeps me going; I'm currently in 3 music classes plus jazz band before school and I'm in a rock band with friends. To be honest, music is what I'm most passionate about, but it's the most difficult to get a career in.

Maybe I could do something where I work with a rock band that's already established... What kind of education would I need for either something to do with sound engineering on the road or maybe producing albums in a studio? I know that Minnesota State University at Moorhead has music industry programs; maybe that would be something to check out?

 

[schiffstudent]

Good advice, but I really don't like this sentence. Music is what keeps me going; I'm currently in 3 music classes plus jazz band before school and I'm in a rock band with friends. To be honest, music is what I'm most passionate about, but it's the most difficult to get a career in.

Maybe I could do something where I work with a rock band that's already established... What kind of education would I need for either something to do with sound engineering on the road or maybe producing albums in a studio? I know that Minnesota State University at Moorhead has music industry programs; maybe that would be something to check out?

What are your other passions? To be realistic, you need to have other areas of interest than just music, don't waste an education on it, also seriously consider a life abroad.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Good advice, but I really don't like this sentence. Music is what keeps me going; I'm currently in 3 music classes plus jazz band before school and I'm in a rock band with friends. To be honest, music is what I'm most passionate about, but it's the most difficult to get a career in.

Maybe I could do something where I work with a rock band that's already established... What kind of education would I need for either something to do with sound engineering on the road or maybe producing albums in a studio? I know that Minnesota State University at Moorhead has music industry programs; maybe that would be something to check out?

Here in Phoenix we have an institute for Recording Arts. You should google that in your area.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

What are your other passions? To be realistic, you need to have other areas of interest than just music, don't waste an education on it, also seriously consider a life abroad.

It wasn't a waste for Yo-yo Ma, Itzak Perlman, myself, and numerous others. The student tends to be more of the issue when music ed fails. You're right that diversity is good, though.

 

[priest_of_syrinx]

What are your other passions? To be realistic, you need to have other areas of interest than just music, don't waste an education on it, also seriously consider a life abroad.

Other passions are writing (I did take a journalism class), chemistry, politics/economics/philosophy. I'm good at math, but I hate it, so I don't know if economics would work out so well.

 

[emazur]

I haven't read it but this book sounds very interesting and useful for teens:
http://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Liberation-Handbook-School-Education/dp/0962959170

 

[priest_of_syrinx]

I haven't read it but this book sounds very interesting and useful for teens:
http://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Liberation-Handbook-School-Education/dp/0962959170

I'm sorry, but I really don't plan on something like this. I'm talking about after high school on this thread. I can survive two more years.

 

[priest_of_syrinx]

For some reason, after people calling my music education a "waste", I got so flustered that I forgot to mention that I'm the 4th best high school trumpeter in the state and I'm a sophomore. (This is according to all-state rankings. There are 4 trumpets in all-state orchestra and I'm #4)

 

[dannno]

Other passions are writing (I did take a journalism class), chemistry, politics/economics/philosophy. I'm good at math, but I hate it, so I don't know if economics would work out so well.

Econ doesn't require a lot of math compared to sciences or engineering. A couple calculus classes and a statistics class and you're done. You may be able to beat half the requirements or more in high school.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

For some reason, after people calling my music education a "waste", I got so flustered that I forgot to mention that I'm the 4th best high school trumpeter in the state and I'm a sophomore. (This is according to all-state rankings. There are 4 trumpets in all-state orchestra and I'm #4)

Don't listen to folks who tell you music ed is a waste. If you're really good, you'll be able to make money playing live in most economic situations. Make sure you can read like hell, though. If you go to a gig and can't follow the chart, you'll get fired faster than you can count to 4.

 

[priest_of_syrinx]

Don't listen to folks who tell you music ed is a waste. If you're really good, you'll be able to make money playing live in most economic situations. Make sure you can read like hell, though. If you go to a gig and can't follow the chart, you'll get fired faster than you can count to 4.

I'm pretty good at reading as it is for trumpet, but I'm lacking in my other instruments.

For instance, I'm in a rock band with a couple friends and we're already starting to write our own tunes. I can write complex stuff down or transcribe stuff I learn from tabs to sheet music easily, but I think that if I was to sightread a piece of guitar music I'd never heard before, I'd get really confused.

I hate to say it, but there is a lot more that goes into learning guitar than what goes into learning trumpet. With guitar it takes years just to be good at technique and composition. That's mainly what I'm working on right now. If we're a performance group writing our own stuff, what does it matter if we can sightread on our rock instruments?

I don't know. I'm a little scattered on this. One part wants me to do maybe orchestral or jazz trumpet and one part of me wants to focus equally on my rock band. I probably have a lot more promise with trumpet because I've played it 2 years longer, gotten private lessons, and am already pretty skilled at it.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

The way to improve your reading is to do it as much as possible. Go to the music store or webbernet and buy some books of tunes for your instrument. Sight read through them once and pitch them away. The more you do this, the better you'll be in associating notes with positions on the instrument. If you attend music school, your music librarian may be able to provide you with material.:o (that's what I did in music school )

I'm pretty good at reading as it is for trumpet, but I'm lacking in my other instruments.

For instance, I'm in a rock band with a couple friends and we're already starting to write our own tunes. I can write complex stuff down or transcribe stuff I learn from tabs to sheet music easily, but I think that if I was to sightread a piece of guitar music I'd never heard before, I'd get really confused.

I hate to say it, but there is a lot more that goes into learning guitar than what goes into learning trumpet. With guitar it takes years just to be good at technique and composition. That's mainly what I'm working on right now. If we're a performance group writing our own stuff, what does it matter if we can sightread on our rock instruments?

I don't know. I'm a little scattered on this. One part wants me to do maybe orchestral or jazz trumpet and one part of me wants to focus equally on my rock band. I probably have a lot more promise with trumpet because I've played it 2 years longer, gotten private lessons, and am already pretty skilled at it.

 

[Natalie]

Okay, so I'm a sophomore in a public high school. I have all A's and my predicted ACT score is 33-36, and I know people that have gotten full ride scholarships for 33, but I'm not willing to bet on that for myself right now. I'm really being pushed into a college education, but I'm afraid of the debt. Sure, I would love to get a degree in an academic area that I'm passionate about (journalism, music, economics, who knows), but I really don't know if I can pull it off with this financial crisis.

Do you guys have any recommendations of jobs that may just require education from a trade school, but don't require any involvement in a union? What is a good way to start your own business without getting into major debt? Thanks.

I would recommend going to Community College for your first two years of school. I went to Community College for my first two years, and it was half the price of the University. You can get all your basic classes out of the way, and it saves a ton of money.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

I would recommend going to Community College for your first two years of school. I went to Community College for my first two years, and it was half the price of the University. You can get all your basic classes out of the way, and it saves a ton of money.

+9999999! Bunchies agrees too!

 

[torchbearer]

trade school or apprenticeship.

 

[Wild Eyes]

I just recently finished my own degree and I've thought considerably on what I would have done differently. Your passion is music, and mine was writing; I was writing my own fiction as early as kindergarten, and I remained passionate about it even up through high school (after which most dreams die). So I pursued an English degree with a focus in Creative Writing. It was the biggest mistake of my life. By the time I graduated, my passion for writing was dead and every dollar I made went into a degree that I didn't want.

1. If you go to college, do it to get a job. Regardless of what your passion is, you need to eat.

2. Your passion is something you're going to do anyway, so why spend your college money on it?

3. Before you crack open your wallet - even before you put pen to paper on a college application, know exactly - explicitly - what your goals are. You can waste years of your life and tens of thousands of dollars if you have no idea what you want to accomplish.

4. Do not put yourself in debt. Ever. Debt is slavery. I worked 50-60 hours a week for five years, never making more than $9.90 an hour, on top of 5-7 classes a semester - and every penny I made went into tuition, rent, food, or bills. It was brutal, but I graduated without putting myself under a single penny of debt. I've heard horror stories of students graduating with $60,000 of debt from student loans - loans they will never pay off, because they can't find work now. Even though I graduated right into the hiring freeze in 2008, I owe no money, and every dollar I make - as crappy as my job is - is mine. Do not fall into the debt trap.

5. Please listen to this one: College is not the next step after high school. This is largely why I went to college; because it was expected, because that's just what people do after high school. For most, college is just an extension of adolescence; it delays the inevitable. If a college education won't help you get where you need to go, then don't get one.

6. If you're absolutely certain that music is what you want to do with your life, and you have the will to make a living of it regardless of the obstacles, then do it. If you have the talent, a degree isn't going to make a difference.

7. Computer technicians, auto mechanics, plumbers, electricians; these trades are worth their weight in gold. You can make some good money with any of them. They sure as hell beat fastfood and retail - take my word for it.