mellodramatic Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 (edited) I got degrees in physics and aerospace engineering. It took me five years to finish, but it takes most aero engineers take five years where I went to school. I did have a period of a couple months after graduating where I hadn't found a real job yet, but I still had a part-time retail job I had been at for a while to hold me over. I finally got an interview and one of the things I emphasized a lot was my CAD experience in college. If you're a mechanical/design engineer, having CAD experience is huge. I think that's the thing that got me the job I have now. Since I didn't have any internships I made sure to be extremely prepared for the interviews I did get and make sure I could focus on the exact job requirements they wanted. Even if I had been stuck without a real job for longer, I wouldn't have regretted marching corps for the four years I did. The experience was the greatest thing ever and I wouldn't be the sarcastically logical as$ I am today if wasn't for drum corps Edited October 26, 2012 by mellodramatic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contraBand Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 Trying to get corps to count for credit was something that I had never considered, and could be worth pursuing, given that our band director seems to be one of the few in existence (from what I have heard here) who actually supports and appreciates drum corps and its participants. I am fairly confident that regardless of what I do, I will be able to graduate in four years, as I was able to clear many of my core requirements with AP credit, which will allow me to focus more on engineering classes earlier, which should also assist getting CAD programs down as mellodramatic said; plus I believe the CAD professor here is pretty excellent. Once again, thank you all for the responses and the suggestions :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13strokeroll Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 So I am a freshman in college, majoring in engineering (civil, for those that wonder). When I was making the decision whether or not to audition for a world class corps this year, I was constantly reminded by friends and family of how difficult it will be for me to get a job post-college in today's economy, without getting summer internships first. I am auditioning anyway, and was able to rationalize this decision to myself by thinking that I am just a freshman, I have three more years to get internships should the opportunity arise, and that I would like to have at least one year of world class under my belt while I know I have the chance. As such, I am going into this drum corps season with the assumption that it will be my last- a sobering thought, for an eighteen-year-old. Does anyone have any suggestions/similar experiences/anything remotely helpful as to how I might be able to make this work in the future- ideally I would like to march my age out and still have a solid chance at a job after college... I can attest, seen both through the DC spectrum and the professional one, that DC adds a layer of experience and achievement that is just as essential, if not more, than an internship. The invaluable experience gained through discipline, esprit de corps, teamwork, etc provides just as valuable tools for you to excel in the professional world and stand head and shoulders above the rest. As an engineering major, does your school provide co-ops? They are perhaps a far more useful way to develop professional experience, financial renumeration, and networks within the typical semester, than the traditional "internship." Our co-ops are on the floor, getting their hands dirty in the daily value-added environment almost immediately and gain far more real-world experience than those interns that are typically given the simpler "keep them busy" projects, most typically in their 3, 4, and 5 years. My advice is just that; but I would highly recommend at least one summer marching. Trust me, it will stand you out in the crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contraBand Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 I can attest, seen both through the DC spectrum and the professional one, that DC adds a layer of experience and achievement that is just as essential, if not more, than an internship. The invaluable experience gained through discipline, esprit de corps, teamwork, etc provides just as valuable tools for you to excel in the professional world and stand head and shoulders above the rest. As an engineering major, does your school provide co-ops? They are perhaps a far more useful way to develop professional experience, financial renumeration, and networks within the typical semester, than the traditional "internship." Our co-ops are on the floor, getting their hands dirty in the daily value-added environment almost immediately and gain far more real-world experience than those interns that are typically given the simpler "keep them busy" projects, most typically in their 3, 4, and 5 years. My advice is just that; but I would highly recommend at least one summer marching. Trust me, it will stand you out in the crowd. Unfortunately I do not go to a school that offers a co-op program; I think people here rely mostly on the supposedly excellent system of intern recruiting that the school and various firms have set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skluyuk Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Another engineer here... Don't ever think that pursuing a passion will hold you back from anything. I marched three years while working toward my first degree and wouldn't trade that time for any internship or preference that might have given me from an employer. The experience is mine forever and to this day, I would step out on the field again if it took me an additional three years to finish. BTW, I would hire someone with an average GPA who marched drum corps over another candidate with a stellar GPA whose entire life was about the grade. Experience dealing with other people and the work ethic involved in perfecting your show would topple that choice easily. R. Matthew Dillon, P.E. '82-'83 Valley Fever '84 Blue Devils (BSME & MSE - Applied Mechanics) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KyMello07 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 (edited) I found myself in a similar situation about internships, work, and drum corps. I started marching when I was 15 and marched through until my age out in 2011, with my only "break" being a year of senior corps between the two junior corps I marched, to get the opportunity to march with my dad. I majored in Mechanical Engineering, and every summer debated about taking a year off to get an internship in, but my father always convinced me to march while I could, because I could work forever. My age out year occurred the summer after I graduated and I was torn on what to do. I had all but decided to not march and get a job, but once again my dad told me I could only march once more and could work for the rest of my life. I ended up marching my age-out year, and leaving everydays for a job interview as well as landing an interview 3 days before leaving for everydays, and using an iPad all summer to apply for jobs in my free time. I lucked out and one of the hiring majors had been a band guy in HS and college and understood the value of corps to an individual and how I benefited from it. Not only did he hire me, but he was willing to wait and let me start when I returned home, even though the wanted the position filled ASAP. Since then, I've used my corps experience to support myself in interviews by talking about the team building skills, confidence, work ethic, ability to work with different culture/language groups, etc.. Overall, I'd just like to reiterate the most important advice I received. You can work when you're old, you can only march until your age out. Also, engineering problem solving skills can come in handy with corps related activities such as field lining. My last year I believe we had 3-5 Engineers on field lining and my first year in Scouts we had more engineers in the Mellophone line than Music Majors. Aaron Vanover, EIT Western Kentucky University BSME 2011 05-06 Memphis Sound 07 CorpsVets 08-11 Madison Scouts Edited October 31, 2012 by KyMello07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contraBand Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 My age out will be the summer leading into my senior year, so I can at least have the opportunity to search for meaningful employment during what will hopefully be my last year as an undergrad. I also hadn't thought about bringing engineering skills into corps; that is an interesting concept. It seems that, for all the drama and disagreement that run rampant on DCP, at least one thing everyone can agree on is that you should march when you can and work later on, amiright? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 (edited) It seems that, for all the drama and disagreement that run rampant on DCP, at least one thing everyone can agree on is that you should march when you can and work later on, amiright? Eh, I'll be the stinker and say it depends on the persons priorities and circumstances (how bad the paycheck is needed, etc). Marched Sr corps but knew I probably wouldn't be able to march after college. Also on the 4 1/2 year plan after transfering colleges to get a Batchlors in Computer Science degree. So I had a semester to go after my "age out" season. Could have gone for a internship but... that would have been another extra semester. So decision was to do corps one last season or use tht time to try to set up for a job after December graduation. As it turned out the economy was crappy and had to live at home for a while to save $$$$. So really didn't make a difference anyway. Ended up with an entry level half crap job and worked my way into where I wanted to be (and still doing it). Edit: Doing corps did help with "real life" things at work as I was used to working with people that had different life experiences and came from different cultures (worked with local people at a few countries). But had already learned that by my "age out". LOL - was invited back to one place to give training even thou I never taught before. Reason given was "they like working with you". And two guys were listed as "don't send 'em here". Edited October 31, 2012 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contraBand Posted November 3, 2012 Author Share Posted November 3, 2012 In new and mildly relevant news, I am now looking at doing a study abroad to satisfy requirements for an international engineering certification. It has been suggested to me that I do this my junior year. In all of your opinions, how might this affect my intentions to do corps the summer before my senior year (my age out)? If I just go for a semester, I feel like I could manage with an audition video and then be able to go the camps once I am back in-country, but if I go for a whole school year it would obviously present some obstacles... Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerguy315 Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 should be fine if you go in the fall semester as long as you send videos and communicate early... going in the spring would likely pose issues. They may be forgiving if you are a vet and a proven commodity at that corps, but it is asking a lot (IMO) to hope that they tell you it's fine for you to miss all the camps from January until spring training. that said, an international engineering certification sounds like it COULD be a whole bunch of BS. I would look hard at what it offers, what you get in return, and how that may or may not improve your employment aspects. And don't look at what your school says it will do for you, look at what it will actually do for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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