Jeff Ream Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Corps can only have 150 people. Once you get a contract you're in and they can't 'really' pull you out unless you really show that you are not improving. Because of this limit people will ALWAYS have the incentive to go to early camps and audition because that's when corps fill 95% of their ranks and the spot you are hoping to get in Novemeber/December will likely not be open in April. And if you have a lot of people that decide to wait and get that last 1 or 2 spots the competition would be even harder and the chances of getting in become even slimmer. If anyone wants to be in a corps go early and audition because chances are someone else will be willing to take that spot from you if wait. First of all corps offer scholarships and tuition breaks to late comers all the time to fill their spots. This press release is just a mechanism used to cast a wider fishnet. The only thing here is an alumni offering an scholarship instead of the corps saying something like "Scholarships available" or giving the late comer a cut in their tuition. ( frankly I believe that if Madison or Crown or Boston had released the same exact press release this would not have received the same heat)... Why don't other corps do this? They do, but don't just ask the Corps, ask the alumni of the corps why they don't want to sponsor specific positions in the corps. Not a bad idea really! Past drum majors sponsoring the audition of a new drum major, horn captains sponsoring auditions for horn captains, mellophone players.. etc. if I ran a drum corps I would probably push for a campaign to have donors specifically sponsor members/positions in the corps so they can really feel like their donations are having a physical impact on members. -To the dissenters- Why is not okay for alumni, the corps, or anyone else to do whatever they can to get the best, most talented players no matter what month of the year it is? agreed other corps do do it...the biggest issue is...gasp....PRESENTATION of how they do it. shocking I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmjfelts1988 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 So much for following directions, you never did respond to my post, Excuse me? I thought I did quite well but if it is not to your standards, I'll go ahead and respond in micro to this post so as not to reply in a way that is sub standard. Furthermore, I will separate my response into two posts since this forum only allows for a limited numer of "quotes". but tried to put words in my mouth and insult me instead? Lighten up, Francis. Your "waffle comment" in your signature in addition to your sensitive reaction to this discussion tells me you need a sense of humor really badly. I'll address your post anyway: How kind of you. It does matter that this is drumcorps and not college. No, it doesn't. *snip* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie1223 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 (edited) agreed other corps do do it...the biggest issue is...gasp....PRESENTATION of how they do it. shocking I know. Presentation. I get it. But I'm wondering how the wordsmiths of DCP would handle the information and point out what part of the press release causes negative knee jerk reactions? It's cuz they wrote "$1500" isn't it... lol Edited April 17, 2012 by charlie1223 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmjfelts1988 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 (edited) *continuing my discussion with Johnnyboy* Colleges have a long standing history of offering talent based scholarships. So do drum corps. You just may not know it. I happen to know first hand that other corps have done made similar offers. The difference is, they did not announce it. Therefore, you are wrong. Those that donate and support colleges know this going in. "Those who donate and support to..........."colleges"???? What and who are you talking about? The lottery???? The guy in the nearby trailor park who spends 90% of his welfare check buying lottery tickets???? Please explain. You got me on this one. I'm stumped. Give me a minute, please... *thinking thinking thinking* Those that donate and support colleges know this going in. OH I GET IT NOW! You are trying to say that the Cadets are spending the money in a way that a doner did not know or intend for it to be used!!! Wrong again. The specific scholarship in question was donated by an individual who speficially requested for the finds to be used by the soloist who receives the scholarship/discount. What The Cadets seem to be doing is original and a first. That is completely not true. You are making an uneducated assumption. I know first hand of SEVERAL people who have recieved scholarship funds/discounts FROM their drum corps TO MARCH their drum corps...all for a variety of reasons (including but not limited to (talent and last minute needs to fill an important opening in their corps). Just because the Cadets may be the first to post the offer publicly does not mean it's the "first" time it's been done or "original". Anyone supporting them in the past may just think twice about what they are giving money towards. The funds they are using to discount this soloist's tour was donated by an alumni who donated specifically FOR that purpose. So, actually...it would be unethical and a dishonor to the individual donating this scholarship fund to not use it for this purpose. So if anything, it should have the reverse affect. Anyone (with common sense) considering donating to the Cadets should feel confident that the corps will use the funds as they promise to use - as well as in the way the doner has requested. I personally think they are setting a dangerous precedent here, one that most corps can not compete with. I think you are making way too much out of this. I am not trying to change anyone's mind, including yours. I am just stating my opinion. And as I said previously, your opinion does not matter. It's the Cadet's choice - as well as the choice of the doner who has donated specifically for this scholarship. Furthermore, your opinion is unfounded. I am not disputing that The Cadets have the right to offer a scholarship to the person of their choice, I did not say that. I said I don't like it. Your comment that my opinion doesn't matter is funny, seeing that this is a forum for discussion. Does anyone's opinion really matter here? Please don't answer that. Ok, I won't - because I already have anyway. You do say that you think there is nothing wrong with offering a scholarship for any educational activity. I respect your opinion, but in this case I just disagree. Fine. As for your little joke about rebut spelled rebutt. I get it. If I was a better writer and a bit more witty I would try and craft a comeback. I'll probably think of something tomorrow. Don't hurt yourself. Edited April 17, 2012 by bmjfelts1988 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmjfelts1988 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Hmmmm...an alum donated the $$$; how does that impact fall show fees at all? Let us assume for a minute that YEA! did intend to pass the $1,500 on to the host bands of their shows, just to engage in fantasy...it would come to what, about $10 per host? Or lets assume they decided to pass it on to bands that are participating in USBands shows in this fantasy-land. It might add $1.47 to the cost per season for a band. Mike D brings up a very valid point. If you look at this differently, you will find that this soloist's tour IS being paid in full. All that is different is that an alumni is paying for part of it. So, why are we discussing this again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmjfelts1988 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 I am aware an alum donated the money. I am just suggesting that some might not agree with how The Cadets are spending money, theirs or others, and may alter donations in the future. I for one have volunteered and donated to YEA in the past, and have made a conscious decision to put my time and money towards other organizations. As I said to you already. The funds that are going toward this scholarship were donated by an alumni who specifically requested that the funds be used for the purpose of this scholarship. Therefore, it would be unethical and a dishonor to not use the funds for this purpose. So, your point here is a complete failure, I'm sorry to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmjfelts1988 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 I think the idea proposed in the OP is a bit different than your situation. I know corps have give discounts for a number of reasons, I know late season replacements have marched free, I know special privilege is giving to special people. I'm no DCI insider, I just read what others read. I can't for the life of me remember hearing about a corps making a public plea for a soloist of any type AND offer a monetary discount for the person that is chosen. It may happen behind closed doors, but strikes me as a game changer when it goes mainstream. I hope I am wrong. As I said to you previously, just because you've never heard about it publicly does not mean it has never happened. You are making an assumption that because you've never heard or read another public announcement about such a scholarship/discount that it must automatically mean that it has never happened before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 (edited) Presentation. I get it. But I'm wondering how the wordsmiths of DCP would handle the information and point out what part of the press release causes negative knee jerk reactions? well......as someone who puts articles on a website, I would not word it the way he did...it sounds like what they have isn't good enough, so I'd say something more like "alumni offers gift to reduce tuition to person chosen as mellophone soloist". Given Cadets have a history of outstanding soloists in the mello line....I'd play on that history. Sure you could mention people can still apply even if they haven't been at camps all winter, but the whole presentation given comesacross as "what we have isn't good enough, so we're offering a discount to get someone good enough". it's all in the wording. I understand his intent ( I think, which scares me)......but if I weren't used to reading his press releases, yeah I'd probably take it the wrong way too. Either that or he gets off on getting people up in arms like with the uniforms last year. Maybe it's some of both. It's no secret many rumors are flying recently about the corps, and true or not, this going live only feeds those rumors. Edited April 17, 2012 by Jeff Ream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmjfelts1988 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 (edited) I just feel like a lot of money is wasted on people who don't need it. Yes, talented people should be rewarded. That reward does not have to be monetary. I feel like financial need should weigh a lot more heavily when deciding scholarships. But this isn't really the topic at hand. And I know I can't force you to change your opinion.. Here is where I think we fail to define our terms correctly. Often we look at the term "scholarship" and the term "fincancial aid" as though they are synonymous. They are not. "Scholarships" are a "reward" (generally for some sort of "scholastic achievement" or in the case of drum corps...a specific talent.). "Financial aid" (which is what you are defining) is NOT the same thing as a "scholarship" and is indeed intended to support the need of the one receiving the funds/discount. These two terms do NOT mean the same thing. To clarify even further.... A scholarship is designed to meet the need of the institution or organization (as such organization/institution has a need for a skill, talent or scholastic ability that will benefit said organization/institution. Financial aid is designed to meet the need of the student who is simply in need of financial assistance. Yes, both parties within the use of each term can be benefited. However, one is served more than the other in the case of each term. To conclude, both types of funds (while similar) do not serve the same purpose and generally come from a completely different budget (which in this case is obviously true, as the Cadet's soloist scholarship came from a doner who specifically requested for the funds to be used in this way). Edited April 17, 2012 by bmjfelts1988 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dans Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 oh please. We've seen far more stupid threads on here. oh please, name 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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