More Time For Band Practice!

[SnowCal]

Woohoo! I failed out of school today. Got a nice and custom-written 'pack your bags' note from the head honcho for what has been a 50hr/wk professional licensing course for the past year. Loads of free time now! And I'm no longer in school for what I've since learned is a poorly paid job with worse career expectancy than some fast food joints.

Tour of Europe here I come. Think I'm gonna open up a few bottles of JD to celebrate.

[SnowCal]

Sorry, meant to post this in OT.

[Phlipper]

OK ... cool. I'm an old fart who flunked out of a couple of schools before the US Army kindly helped me understand the value of an education and getting a job that did not entail lots of walking with heavy things on my back. That said, however ....

The value of an education and a fallback plan cannot, and I mean CAN NOT be overstated. When Uncle Sam gave me my walking papers after 4 years I had all intention of returning to music full-time and continuiing to strive for rock stardom, but he had pounded enough sense into my thick skull to know that I also needed to have a plan B. And that was college. I can tell you from my own experience and the experiences of many friends in the biz ... you simply MUST HAVE a plan B just in case. I know guys that didn't and now they're in their 40s with a small apartment filled with guitars, pictures, and lots of memories, and not much else. A POS car and barely making it paycheck to paycheck. Still working part time in music stores. Rotten teeth, bad health, nothing to show for their last 25 years on the planet.

I know, it's a gamble. All of them were talented enough to make a good living if they'd hit at the right time or got up with the right guys. But they didn't. And the odds are not in your favor, either. That's just the reality of it. Not to squash your dreams. But it is what it is. And an education, or even a technical certificate in something that at least slightly interests you can make all the difference in the world if things don't pan out.

But if that's a risk you're wiling to take, then rock on. Life's an adventure or nothing at all.

[Icey101]

dont blow your education when you're young, when your old you'll regret it....like i am, guys 20 yrs younger with degree's on the same money as me

[Factor88]

hey, I'm a big supporter of education but you guys should consider that in some cases the education you are getting is not worth the money you are paying for it. I'm not saying that IS the case with the OP's situation, just suggesting it might be.

Also, seems like it is possible the OP did not "drop out" as a choice; OP failed out (which could have been either a choice or an issue of inability).

The best advice for the OP is to do good research before the next time you make an important career decision, learn your lesson from the experience. If it were me, I'd start with the whole tour of Europe decision.................

[obimark]

I honestly would say in the USA right now most college degrees will not payoff. They are becoming too common because of our EVERYBODY can go to college mentality. So guess what, now that there are so many colleges and everyone who goes gets a degree, the degree is not a differentiator. It used to be if you had a college degree you were 1 out of 100, now even with a masters degree you are one resume in a pile of 300 for the same job.

IMO- Give yourself 2 years (and 2 years only) to be "make it" playing music. If you don't (which sad to say will be highly likely) hit up Plan B, and get some TECHNICAL training, like fixing airplane engines. NOT a worthless business or arts degree that will get you NO job at all.

Worst case you will end up working the same minimum wage job you would have been working anyhow.

[Floyd Eye]

Get back in school. Unless you want to be broke your whole life.

[Marko5657]

An education, academic or vocational is not a “Plan B”. Get counseling on what are the better fields to get into- what’s needed and what most suits your skills and interests.

Music is a wonderful hobby.

[Factor88]

Originally Posted by obimark

I honestly would say in the USA right now most college degrees will not payoff. They are becoming too common because of our EVERYBODY can go to college mentality. So guess what, now that there are so many colleges and everyone who goes gets a degree, the degree is not a differentiator. It used to be if you had a college degree you were 1 out of 100, now even with a masters degree you are one resume in a pile of 300 for the same job.

Think very rationally about that statement. If more people are getting college degrees, does that make it more important to have one yourself, or less important?

It makes it more important. It does make the job market more competitive, and therefore less of a gaurantee, but all the same, depending upon what field/career you are talking about, the need for education is as vital as ever. I don't want my previous post misinterpreted; which merely was to point out that in the OP's case they might be in one of those fields where education/training is not very important or the payoff is nowhere near the outlay.

[DwaynieAD]

Originally Posted by Factor88

in some cases the education you are getting is not worth the money you are paying for it. .

I'd say in most cases. It's a racket that has nothing to do with education its all about lining someones pockets.

[BayStateBass]

Each person should do what is right for them. I was told one, a long time ago, that college is for everyone, but not everyone is for college. Think about it.

With that being said, I would agree with the others that some sort of education is key to securing a solid future. But it's not a guarantee. I went to college to be a schoolteacher (I taught Social Studies), but was unable to find a job after graduation so I went back to the "family business" as an HVAC technician. Now I have the dream job of being a middle management powerless dude with a lot of responsibility, no authority, and an almost limitless number of people who want to crap on me (I manage an HVAC crew for a medium sized company).

But it pays the bills and the job is secure. If I had not had the HVAC training to fall back on I'd have been in a much tougher position. So......the key here.....learn how to do something. A high school education alone just doesn't cut it anymore.

Good luck to you, I hope your choices work out and you don't have any regrets!

[kevteop]

Bear in mind that when 50% of the workforce has got a degree and only 10% of the work requires one, you've got millions of people left over with a useless certificate and massive debts.

I decided not to go to university on that basis, and I've still managed to carve out a career in a technical field which you'd normally expect would only hire graduates. So actually I guess that's even more than the 40% who aren't getting those jobs because they're giving them to scrubs like me.

I think if you want to go into science, medicine or law then it makes sense to go to university. Otherwise I don't see the point.

[SoonerMatt]

Originally Posted by Factor88

Think very rationally about that statement. If more people are getting college degrees, does that make it more important to have one yourself, or less important?

It makes it more important. It does make the job market more competitive, and therefore less of a gaurantee, but all the same, depending upon what field/career you are talking about, the need for education is as vital as ever. I don't want my previous post misinterpreted; which merely was to point out that in the OP's case they might be in one of those fields where education/training is not very important or the payoff is nowhere near the outlay.

Also, not all degrees are equal. For example, a science or engineering degree is typically held in higher esteem than an art history or communications degree.

Originally Posted by kevteop

Bear in mind that when 50% of the workforce has got a degree and only 10% of the work requires one, you've got millions of people left over with a useless certificate and massive debts.

I decided not to go to university on that basis, and I've still managed to carve out a career in a technical field which you'd normally expect would only hire graduates. So actually I guess that's even more than the 40% who aren't getting those jobs because they're giving them to scrubs like me.

I think if you want to go into science, medicine or law then it makes sense to go to university. Otherwise I don't see the point.

One if our database managers doesn't have a degree but has been coding since he was 15 and knows more about database structure than the CIO and his CS MS colleagues.

[MatticusMania]

One can continue learning and growing outside the confines of the college debt scheme.

Find a means to make some money to afford the cost of living. If one can be content to live simply this is done much more easily than one would think.

Don't stop reading and learning about topics that you find interesting on your own time.

[zon6c-f]

PLUS 100 for Education.

My career choice after high school was ROCK STAR..I made myself believe that I was already well enough educated and destined for stardom..WRONG...

I have been a government employee ever since failing at ROCK STAR. Only significant $$ I ever made was playing country covers in smoke-filled bars and clubs.

[alembicguy]

Congrats to you, now go out in to the world and be mediocre.

[tastybasslines]

I got my Bachelor's, but now, at 39, I'm back in graduate school. My BA means basically nothing. Especially to earn the kind of $ needed to have a decently comfortable life. AAMOF, I'm in class now.

[Texan]

Get a degree or certification while you are young. Just buckle down and do it. Engineering, Chemistry, IT, Drafting, Machining, Welding...All of these disciplines have either a certificate or or degree that you can get and can usually get a job in any market. I'm 38 and trying to finish what I started when I was 18. I got lucky and found a job 8 years ago which I advanced in and over time have advanced to make the same salary as someone with a masters in Engineering does, but it took me YEARS to get here. Do the math, 6 years of school for a masters, or 8 years of busting a** for the same pay?

Keep one thing in mind. The degree gets you the interview, you have to sell yourself and be able to deliver to get the job.

[kdogg]

Originally Posted by Texan

Do the math, 6 years of school for a masters, or 8 years of busting a** for the same pay?

I completely get the point you're trying to make to the op. However, you did it in 8 years while making money and not amassing a masters degree's worth of debt. I would say that puts you slightly ahead of the game.

I would also say that while he is young is the time for the op to make a go of the music. Just don't spend a decade getting drunk and playing in nowhere bars. Take it serious. Hone your craft and make connections. In a couple years, if things aren't progressing, you may need to reevaluate then.

[TOOL460002]

I've failed out of enough colleges and certification programs to know the liberty you feel. There's this lovely bliss that exists before reality sneaks up on you and kicks you in the junk as a reminder that you're going to have to get your **** together again. Enjoy this phase while you can!