danielray Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Life is too short to not do what you love, to take a chance. Last thing I could ever imagine would be look back on my life and be completely content with the decision to take some general ed course on time vs. take a risk to do something I was absolutely passionate about. Leave the calculated and emotionless decision-making to accounting majors, future bean counters and pencil pushers... and the passion, risk and uncertainty to the future musicians and educators. Bottom line, it is impossible that your son could make a wrong decision by skipping a trimester... or two or three... or even dropping out of school all together... if he discovers a genuine life path. School is a potential pathway, but is not the only route. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalletMom Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 As someone else said, encourage him to consider Open Class. That is where he could get his experience so that he could possible march his dream corps in the future. Most Open Class groups have move-ins later in the season. Good luck to your son. There is nothing like watching your child do what they love and succeed in it! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drillwatcher Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Life is too short to not do what you love, to take a chance. Last thing I could ever imagine would be look back on my life and be completely content with the decision to take some general ed course on time vs. take a risk to do something I was absolutely passionate about. Leave the calculated and emotionless decision-making to accounting majors, future bean counters and pencil pushers... and the passion, risk and uncertainty to the future musicians and educators. Bottom line, it is impossible that your son could make a wrong decision by skipping a trimester... or two or three... or even dropping out of school all together... if he discovers a genuine life path. School is a potential pathway, but is not the only route. You have got to be kidding. This is his life and although drum corps is an excellent ADDITION to a formal education, the education needs to come first. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caliswift Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 As a parent and a drum corps alumni, I would suggest taking a semester off. It's one semester....actually trimester. That's nothing. Especially if he isn't getting an education in a science or business speciality then graduating one trimester later won't matter. He could probably make it up over a winter or summer break anyway. I think drum corps will give experiences no college course can provide. I'm in my mid-thirties and still think back on lessons I learned through DCI. While college is important, taking an extra six months is not a big deal. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruckner8 Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 You have got to be kidding. This is his life and although drum corps is an excellent ADDITION to a formal education, the education needs to come first. I blew off Spring Quarter to march SCV. My only regret is not doing it again the next year. School will always be there; junior drum corps won't. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phan_of_Drumming Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 As a parent and a drum corps alumni, I would suggest taking a semester off. It's one semester....actually trimester. That's nothing. Especially if he isn't getting an education in a science or business speciality then graduating one trimester later won't matter. He could probably make it up over a winter or summer break anyway. I think drum corps will give experiences no college course can provide. I'm in my mid-thirties and still think back on lessons I learned through DCI. While college is important, taking an extra six months is not a big deal. He's actually a dual-degree student, majoring in music performance and astrophysics (weird combo, I know, but he loves it). So he would miss a number of academic opportunities. Some classes, for example, are only taught in the Spring Trimester. I know how much he loves music, especially drum corps, but I'm hesitant to sign off on letting him take a trimester off. Especially when that might affect his financial aid, which our family needs in order for him to keep attending the school he is attending. He has contacted a few more World Class corps, so we'll see what they say. Thank you again, everyone, for your help and advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I know how much he loves music, especially drum corps, but I'm hesitant to sign off on letting him take a trimester off. Especially when that might affect his financial aid, which our family needs in order for him to keep attending the school he is attending. It looks like you've answered your question. Life's full of choices (as you know). Some of them kinda suck. But you buck up and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 ... I'm hesitant to sign off on letting him take a trimester off. This can be easy to rectify: If you pay for his school/corps 'you' make the final call; if he pays for school/corps 'he' makes the final call. Simple! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 He's actually a dual-degree student, majoring in music performance and astrophysics (weird combo, I know, but he loves it). So he would miss a number of academic opportunities. Some classes, for example, are only taught in the Spring Trimester. I know how much he loves music, especially drum corps, but I'm hesitant to sign off on letting him take a trimester off. Especially when that might affect his financial aid, which our family needs in order for him to keep attending the school he is attending. He has contacted a few more World Class corps, so we'll see what they say. Thank you again, everyone, for your help and advice. Stars, planets, etc. will likely still be around to study when he ages out. :-) But in all seriousness, if he were to take off only a single trimester at a time, his financial aid should not be affected unless he does not return full-time to the university within 6 months. You just file all the paperwork and should be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Stars, planets, etc. will likely still be around to study when he ages out. :-) But in all seriousness, if he were to take off only a single trimester at a time, his financial aid should not be affected unless he does not return full-time to the university within 6 months. You just file all the paperwork and should be good. Not necessarily true; it depends on the type of aid and the school being attended. The full-ride scholarship I received at university strictly stipulated that it would have been taken away if I had taken a semester off. Luckily I did not have to attend the summer short-session to keep the scholarship; otherwise I would not have marched corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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