Rifuarian Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 I am the Mother of a trumpet player. His high school marching band is nationally recognized and he is a senior now and has been the lead trumpet there since his sophomore year. Everyone tells me hes very talented. But now he wants to march drumcorps. I let him tryout for the Phantom Regiment just so he'd stop bugging me, thinking he wouldnt make it. But he made the second round of callbacks and was apparently ranked pretty well. Nonetheless, I didnt let him go back because in my opinion, marching this summer would be a waste of money and it would distract him from getting ready for his first year of college. As you might know, the cadets are looking for a trumpet for 2013 and he, his teacher, his band director, and the guard instructor at his school have all been nagging me to let him go to their camp because they think he has a very good chance of making it. What would you say to convince a parent in my position to fly him out to new jersey and let him march with the cadets this summer? pr What would you say to convince a parent in this position to let him march in the future? The best thing you could do is finance the summer for yourself. Despite what DCP's most hilariously obtuse poster would have you believe you probably will not be able to finance your education by working, but you can finance a summer of drum corps. It may take a few years to make it happen, but it is possible. I know many kids who march a year then a take a year off to pay for the next summer, and many kids who have saved for years just to march their age-out. It's not ideal, but that's the way the world is nowadays. The intensity of financial pressures on young people mean that we are seeing fewer and fewer 4+ year super-veterans. But better to do it once or twice than not at all. Also consider a corps you don't have to fly to in order join. That raises the price tag just a bit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Well Phantom Regiment and Cadets have totally different styles. Which ever one the student likes should be the corps they chose I guess. If their focus is more on the classical side then PR would be the best choice. If the focus is more on contemporary then Cadets I guess. Either way those are two top corps and the experience would be great no matter what they chose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitedawn Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Granted tuition, gas, food, etc... have gone up, but so have wages at jobs which can still facilitate going to college. This is just simply untrue. When I was in the advanced part of my undergrad at the University of South Florida in 2002, I worked in the back room of a Target store from 4-11 four or five nights each week. I started at $7.40 per hour. The same job today starts at $8.00. In the meantime, the cost of gas has nearly doubled, and the cost of tuition has more than doubled. And this is in a metro area with one of the lowest costs of living in the US, and one of the least expensive state university systems. You certainly can get a math degree today at a small inexpensive college without going to MIT or a major State University; you certainly can get a music degree at a small inexpensive college without going to Julliard or a major State University. There is no such thing as an "inexpensive" school today. It just doesn't exist. And that math degree from East St. Elsewhere State University isn't even getting you an interview with Google. And anyone who thinks that entry into a graduate program depends solely on grades has clearly never tried to enter a graduate program. You don't get to lay this at the feet of the current generation. Heaven forbid they want the same thing that their parents had. If you're looking to blame someone, take a hard look at anyone who voted for Reagan. [MODS I PROMISE NOT TO POST ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT POLITICS; PLEASE DON'T DELETE ME. HERE ARE SOME SMILEY FACES: :thumbup: 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHall Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 A university education would help in using correct grammar and spelling! Working to make money to pay for a university education is not a waist; it teaches financial responsibility and accountability through the work ethic; also that nothing is a free ride unless others actually pay for the privilege. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnZ Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 well, this has veered way off topic, whatever it was supposed to be. closing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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