Need some impartial advice

SuperBassSam · #1 02-26-2009, 08:51 AM

I need a little advice and I figured you guys at TalkBass won't be biased and can give me some decent ideas.

Back in July '08 I was diagnosed with cancer (aged 16.) Since then I have been in and out of hospital, had 2 major operations and a lot of chemotherapy etc. I am due to have radiotherapy soon and from what the scans and stuff say it's all looking good

We are getting to the point where I'm looking to going back to school. I was due to start A-Levels last September but obviously couldn't. So we rang the school a few days ago and they said basically that they were going to back gear me a whole year, which I really dont want to do. Besides the fact that I wont be able to properly see my friends, since I was born in september I'm one of the oldest in my year, which means I could be nearly 2 years older than some of the people in my new class, and would be almost 20 by the time I left school.

The other option is that there is another school, much closer to me, which have said that they will take me no questions asked. I'll be in the right year (my previous school accelerated us all a year so it works out) and also with my band mates which is an added bonus.

The school I'm at now offers much better education, but tbh I don't really care :S

I don't know what to do - if I stay at my current school, I will still occasionally see my current friends but will be in a year that I probably wont enjoy, but if I move schools at least I'll be in the right year with my mates.

What do you all think?

Thanks for reading

elros · #2 02-26-2009, 09:10 AM

I'm glad things are looking good with the treatment stuff.

With education I would definetly advice to go for the better. Generally speaking.
It might not matter much now, but it's good to look ahead and build a solid foundation for the future.
A good education is important. Graduating a year or two later isn't.

Myself, I'm 30 and finishing a bachelors degree this summer.

Mark Latimour · #3 02-26-2009, 09:11 AM

Glad to hear your cancer is in remission. I think that, to be honest, you are better off going with the better school. Its hard to put in perspective now, but in the UK, the one thing I have noticed is that the class system is very much alive. The best education you can get is fundamentally important to getting you set up for the right position in the job market. You will get to see your friends if you go to the good school, maybe not as much, but its not the end of the world. You only get one shot at a good education. I'd opt for teh good school.

bassteban · #4 02-26-2009, 09:44 AM

I would have done WORLDS better in school had I been separated from my friends. Also- good to hear you're doing better health-wise.

bongomania · #5 02-26-2009, 09:58 AM

Glad to hear things are looking up!

That said, I hope for the best and plan for the worst. If I was on the fence about my mortality, I would rather spend my last years with my good friends than "getting a better education".

Perhaps you can go to the school that will take you right away, where your friends are, and try to get back up to speed in the schoolwork... and if in a year or two it becomes clear that your health outlook is bright and sunny, then you can transfer to the "better" school without having to tell them that you've been out of school so long, etc.

steve21 · #6 02-26-2009, 10:09 AM

Chicks dig older dudes with sexy stories of why they're not a grade ahead, man.

excane · #7 02-26-2009, 10:29 AM

I would normally go with the better school, but as bongo said I would probably stick with my friends.

Glad to hear things are looking good

steve21 · #8 02-26-2009, 10:32 AM

Am I confused or is it

good school has friends but he's a year back
less good school has no friends but he's the right year

vene-nemesis · #9 02-26-2009, 10:36 AM

Dude thats awesome! keep it up till you have defeated cancer!

I really think that even though the good school is going to give you a better base for your studies at this point of your life, if i were you, i would totally go to the school of my mates and guys of my age and enjoy your youth years you deserve it

.

flipper_gv · #10 02-26-2009, 10:39 AM

I'm really glad you are doing better.

But as far as "better education" goes, maths are maths. Maybe the teachers won't be as good, maybe you'll need to work a little more OYO, but at the end of the day, what you'll learn would be the same. Just go with the 2nd school to be with your friends and have fun, I think that's what you NEED after all this stuff.

Happynoj · #11 02-26-2009, 11:21 AM

I would definitely stick with my friends. At the end of the day 'quality of education' is relative to how much work you put in - a good school can't do anything with someone who puts no effort in and doesn't do the work, and a less-good school will still produce good grades if people are willing to work for it. Out of the 3 high schools in my city, I went to the 'worst' of the three purely based on the fact that they had the best music department, and the fact that my best friend was going there. The school failed an OFSTED inspection while I was there, but enough people got straight As to prove to me that it isn't just the 'quality' of the school that affects results.

MakiSupaStar · #12 02-26-2009, 11:28 AM

DUDE! Relax, let yourself be a grade behind. Having a war story with chicks that are year younger than you is like the plot to a porno. Take advantage of that. Wear a jimmy.

XtreO · #13 02-26-2009, 11:34 AM

The choice is obvious.

DudeistMonk · #14 02-26-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

DUDE! Relax, let yourself be a grade behind. Having a war story with chicks that are year younger than you is like the plot to a porno. Take advantage of that. Wear a jimmy.

+1

Dude you will be god to these people, bringer of booze, layer of many hot Asians...and the working world is no place to rush into...trust me it blows chunks.

Jim Nazium · #15 02-26-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

... you are better off going with the better school. Its hard to put in perspective now, but in the UK, the one thing I have noticed is that the class system is very much alive. The best education you can get is fundamentally important to getting you set up for the right position in the job market.

+1
better school + friends = no brainer

SuperBassSam · #16 02-27-2009, 05:34 AM

Hey, thanks for all the replies and advice, its all really helpful and MakiSuperStar, now that you mention it, that DOES sound like a plot to a porno :P

Steve21 I've got friends in both schools in my right year, in the less good school some friends are even in the year above. Also the people in the year below in my current school are massive tw@s but I think thats the same wherever you go :S

We went to talk to my current school today and they basically said there is no way I could catch up the work that the rest of the yeargroup have done; most of my friends are struggling and they havent even missed any. We got put under ENORMOUS pressure to get good GCSE results and I think thats only increased for A-levels.

The other thing about it is that because my current school was accelerated a year we took our GCSEs a year early (lucky for me else I really would be buggered) which means that it's very hard for people who don't necessarily want to stay at school to leave, since they are a year out of sync with all other schools in the area. Whereas, at the other school, people who have no interest in learning have all left, therefore its likely to be a more focused year.

Furthermore, if I DID move to the new school they offer slightly different subject options - Music Technology for one, which would be really enjoyable for me, and I could still do my other subjects. I'd like to think I'd be able to get the same grades wherever I went if I put the work in, but I don't know.

Also it might be worth mentioning that already about 8 or 9 people have left my current school due to the workload. 4 are leaving the end of this year, and a load left before that. 1 person is even going to the other school I'm considering so at least I would know her.

We're going to talk to the other school at some point so I'll let you all know what happens.

Seriously though thanks for replying it is helping a lot.

i_got_a_mohawk · #17 02-27-2009, 05:52 AM

This thread is creeping me out! But I shall keep my reasons to myself.

Congrats with the treatments mate, I hope they continue to work effectively and you can become cleared completelly

Go with the better school