Defer
I've decided to defer enrollment at LAMA. Missing out on that scholarship put me through a frenzy of thinking over the last week.
If I go, I'll have some assurance that I'll reach a professional level in two years, and I'll have access to a network of classmates and instructors before I even start looking for gigs. On the other hand, I'll have to fund my entire education with student loans. Unemployment has taken its toll on my savings account. LAMA looked a tad more appealing before they extended the program from one to two years, increased tuition by 15%, and denied me a scholarship.
The alternative is to get a job. I think I'll enjoy earning money again, even if it's not in music yet. It'll be a necessity soon if I want to keep eating. This will leave me free to explore the local music scene, take any gigs that come my way, probably take some private lessons. I also dig the idea of making it on my own, rather than getting help from an overpriced institution. (I love reading about Frank Zappa getting all his training from the library.)
Biting the bullet, signing up for those huge student loans, and attending LAMA is definitely the safe option, at least in the short run. I won't have to find a job or worry so much about supporting myself. I'll be more or less taken care of until loan repayment starts. But I've learned to be skeptical of the safe option; it's not always best for me in the end. A year ago, I took the unsafe option of embarking on my current adventure, and I'll never regret it for a second.
So now the plan is to work for a while, maybe with computers again, maybe in a music shop, and search for some cheaper options to weigh against LAMA. The big downside is I'll have far less time to practice. I think I'll be okay with that as long as I'm still progressing.
Don't worry about the blog. I intend to keep it going indefinitely. I still have plenty to learn and plenty of discoveries to share.
Joe (14 Jul 2008 at 12:13am)
"Drop out of school before your mind rots from exposure to our mediocre educational system. Forget about the Senior Prom and go to the library and educate yourself if you've got any guts." - Zappa
I wish he could have seen Wikipedia.
20lb Cat is the Son of Dog (14 Jul 2008 at 9:39am)
Solid choice, Cat. Love you man.
Jamie (14 Jul 2008 at 4:50pm)
I quit my daytime job (where I was making good money, also with computers) to study music full time three years ago and have one year left of my degree in London (four in total, diploma first at the guitar institute, bachelor of music second).
Our backgrounds are fairly similar although I waited years before I had the guts to walk out on a job where I was making such good money to rough it as a muso. I had to save and pay for my studies myself which meant I worked harder than most (so far!) and the feeling has been great.
I certainly feel that I could have covered as much ground as I have with all my studies so far with a good teacher in probably half the time. The good thing about doing a degree is that you get to be surrounded by likeminded people and hopefully get relatively inexpensive (in the long run) access to really amazing teachers. If you're thinking seriously about studying somewhere it'd help to meet all the teachers not just the ones they introduce you to for your first assessment.
Best of luck to you and nice work on the Interval Trainer.
Nick (15 Jul 2008 at 2:17pm)
Looks like you have given it quite a lot of thought. I think a lot of people look at these situations with a black/white perspective. I don't think there's necessarily a right/wrong decision here, just a bunch of choices. I believe you just have think about your options and follow your gut feeling, which I believe is what you have been going so far. Plenty of time for school? How old are you Joe? 24?
Joe (15 Jul 2008 at 3:22pm)
Yes, 24.
I prefer to take my gut feeling into account with all the other factors and decide from there. I don't always follow it, but it's important not to ignore it.