Biggest Risk?

[KyleEnos]

Lately, I've been hating my schooling; It's tedious, slow, easy and doesn't have as great as career prospects as I'd like it to have.

I'm thinking of dropping out before Christmas, doing some self-studying, take some exams on my own and then skip to a more 'effective' league. The course I'm talking about is Music, btw.

The one I'm doing atm is a National Diploma. I any of you have taken it, you'll probably know what I mean. With it, I won't be able to get into the real good universities to study musical composition. For one, we don't even study musical comp, we study "song-writing". Lame.

So anyway like I said, I think I'll probably drop out, do my Grade 6 RGT exam for electric guitar (and theory, considering it's RGT and not shitty Rock School exams) in February, then do Grade 8 )hopefully) in May. With that, I'll also do an ABRSM which is the Royal Academy for Music examination board.

Hopefully with that, I'll be able to jump right into A2, if not AS.

If you didn't understand what I said:
I'm dropping out of college. Self-studying, taking some hard-ass exams, then taking a more advanced class in college, all for music.

Anyway, what's the biggest risk you've taken?

[MentaL]

[Wilsongb1010]

My Biggest risk ive done was Smoking, Ive thought about it during train ride home last year. My friends encouraged me to do it but i was paranoid of my parents finding out. On somedays when i work hard and i would get really tired and i would just go to my friends house and smoke. Ive only done it once in my whole life time because peer pressure. When i walked home i quickly threw everything in the washing machine and wash that smell away. If not my mom would freak out because she hates the smell of smoke and my dad smokes.

EDIT: I'll never do it again, Btw you should stay in school because you'll get somewhere with this music career. Even if its boring and easy you should just say to yourself "You can do it". School is just something you cant say no to and you have to do it. Dropping out of school wont get you anywhere in life. I Would like to be in the Business/Lawyer area when i grow up so i work for it now. No matter how hard it is i must finish/pass school.

[Andrew.]

I guess my biggest risk was when I played hooky for 2 weeks straight

it was fun though
/sigh

[Nobody666]

Honestly i've done way to many things lol so im not sure. The things that come to mind first are me sneaking out in the middle of the night, and me running away for like a day when I was younger.

Caught by police while sneaking out=not cool. Luckily he was cool and let me off the hook :p

[Deva]

Hmmm, well I've taken some college risks too.
1) Skipped for an entire week the week before parents evening, yes my parents got told but who cares - they knew I hated my lessons.
2) I put into plan today, dropping my double maths course to just take pure and mechanics. Might be a bad move if I plan on taking maths in university. But in the end I hated being in the class, the mechanics was easy but my pure maths teacher sucked balls so much I didn't want to go nomore, so finally my grades dropped from A's to a D in my last test. So did I make a move to strenghten my education or fuck it up? Who knows.

P.S. You'd have to do your AS's next year - trust me if your taking academic A Levels theres no way you'll just pass it that easy, you DO need a teacher (the revision books suck). Plus I know you want to take english for example as I have - the entire course revolves around the teacher's help, especially with in depth analysis of the books, poems and help with your coursework.

[DonTonberry]

I dropped my full-time hours of a well paid job (

[buzzfizz]

My biggest risks was trying to smoke weed with some mates. Didnt do it anyways.

[Robert]

The one I'm doing atm is a National Diploma. I any of you have taken it, you'll probably know what I mean. With it, I won't be able to get into the real good universities to study musical composition. For one, we don't even study musical comp, we study "song-writing". Lame.

Who told you that?

I studied a National Diploma in Electronic Engineering at college, got DMM (with little effort) and got into a very good university (newcastle). I could of more than likely got into a better one if I had applied, most just as for MMM. The only thing I found hard was most people came from 6th form and had studied maths to a higher level than me, so it was suggested I took extra help and catch up. Even if you don't get onto a full degree course you can still easily get onto a foundation degree as long as you get a decent mark on your ND. It might be an extra year, but it seems like what your planing on doing now is going to waste a year anyway. You might as well at least email some universities and see what they say. It's never too early to start asking about courses and seeing what grades they require and checking what you are doing now would qualify you to get onto their courses.

Just because what your doing now doesn't seem like much doesn't mean universities won't accept you. Trust when when I say most of what you have done pre university is ignored because of how many backgrounds the students come from. Most of the first year was catch up for most of my course, but since I had done a ND in the subject already I had already covered a lot of the basics (I just had a lot of boning up on maths!)

I know I'm just a random guy on the internet, so I suggest you talk to a guidance councillor or even your tutor. There is a lot of help out there for students just waiting to be utilised, don't let it go to waste. Self education is all well and good but it doesn't give you the qualifications, and paying to do exams is a waste of money if they will let you do them for free while on a course (also if there is coursework the exams are a dam sight easier!)


As for my biggest risk? Giving up on my final year of uni to finish it as an open degree to get a more varied knowledge. Doing the same thing for 5 years got boring so I wanted to get some experience in other subjects close to my course, something which my university wouldn't allow.

[GrisoM]

my biggest risk...

one of my biggest risk with the one i almost die it was last year when i jump to a river that was way 2 fast and it almost kill me (i grab a rock and i save my ass xD)

i have many others but this is the 1 i remember right now

[KyleEnos]

Hmmm, well I've taken some college risks too.
1) Skipped for an entire week the week before parents evening, yes my parents got told but who cares - they knew I hated my lessons.
2) I put into plan today, dropping my double maths course to just take pure and mechanics. Might be a bad move if I plan on taking maths in university. But in the end I hated being in the class, the mechanics was easy but my pure maths teacher sucked balls so much I didn't want to go nomore, so finally my grades dropped from A's to a D in my last test. So did I make a move to strenghten my education or fuck it up? Who knows.

P.S. You'd have to do your AS's next year - trust me if your taking academic A Levels theres no way you'll just pass it that easy, you DO need a teacher (the revision books suck). Plus I know you want to take english for example as I have - the entire course revolves around the teacher's help, especially with in depth analysis of the books, poems and help with your coursework.

Ahh no, it's not that Nick. I do plan on starting the ASs in September 2008. I'm just saying, I'll be dropping the Music BTEC this christmas, taking some international musician exams to get graded (1-8, 8 being the best, RGT exam being the hardest) and then do the Music GCSE to study Music A level. Instead of doing 2/3 years of this shit BTEC.

^ To Robert.
It's not the idea of university options that scares me, it's just I don't like the course curriculum, the people, work ethics, etc. I'm used to having shedloads of work, with a moderate/high amount of pressure for complicated work. Not playing Suspcious Minds infront of the course every Friday, and then moving onto another lame 5 chord song.

I want to be qualified in learning how to compose orchestras, analyze world music, write jazz fusion, etc.

That's why I've made my decision. But, I'll be talking to my career advisor and tutor tomorrow, talk about doing some exams by being self-taught, etc. Make sure that I'm 100% guaranteed to taking my desired courses next september. If I don't have that guarantee, I'll bare the next year or so..

[Clysse]

my biggest risk was smuggling 7g's of Northern Lights (hehe)

through the entire school day in my backpack with only 2 baggies D:

[xbLazE]

Hmmm, my biggest risk was stealing a cookie in a supermarket when i was 6 years old and i get caught T_T

The security guard was following me and i didn't notice, in the end they did not report to police because of my young age :D

[Pfa]

My biggest risk would probably be school related. For last semester, I skipped the 3 months of the semester and for finals I ended up smoking bud all day and night (probably due to stress who knows). I still ended up moving to the next year but I ended up failing one course which I'm taking again this Spring/Winter.

[LightWarrior]

Falling in love.

[Rishwin]

Falling in love.

I'll have to agree with that.

Also smoking weed at my GF's house then driving home past 2 police stations just weeks after new drug-driving laws were passed. I got followed by 2 cop cars on the way home. Paranoid i was.

[DaCheat]

Lately, I've been hating my schooling; It's tedious, slow, easy and doesn't have as great as career prospects as I'd like it to have.

I'm thinking of dropping out before Christmas, doing some self-studying, take some exams on my own and then skip to a more 'effective' league. The course I'm talking about is Music, btw.

The one I'm doing atm is a National Diploma. I any of you have taken it, you'll probably know what I mean. With it, I won't be able to get into the real good universities to study musical composition. For one, we don't even study musical comp, we study "song-writing". Lame.

So anyway like I said, I think I'll probably drop out, do my Grade 6 RGT exam for electric guitar (and theory, considering it's RGT and not shitty Rock School exams) in February, then do Grade 8 )hopefully) in May. With that, I'll also do an ABRSM which is the Royal Academy for Music examination board.

Hopefully with that, I'll be able to jump right into A2, if not AS.

If you didn't understand what I said:
I'm dropping out of college. Self-studying, taking some hard-ass exams, then taking a more advanced class in college, all for music.

Anyway, what's the biggest risk you've taken?

If you're going into the Music side of things for money you better get out now... Because believe me, it's a broke ass profession. You have to eat, breath, and sleep music in order to stay happy. It's hard has hell, and there is always someone who thinks they're better then you, but if that doesn't drive you to study even harder, you better choose something else. Although you might not like hearing this but the best way to learn is from others, dropping out of school might not be the best idea.

My Biggest risk would have to be randomly flying to Vegas.

It was 5 days before CES and I looked at my friend, asked if his dad could get us in. He said yes, and we left the next day. $2,000 later it was still the best time of my life.

[GohanSSJ]

Falling in love.

We got a winner.

I'm not that worried about stuff like school and work, it will be ok, it can't hurt me much, love on the other hand is a bitch and has a high chance of leaving you left hurt.

[KyleEnos]

If you're going into the Music side of things for money you better get out now... Because believe me, it's a broke ass profession. You have to eat, breath, and sleep music in order to stay happy. It's hard has hell, and there is always someone who thinks they're better then you, but if that doesn't drive you to study even harder, you better choose something else. Although you might not like hearing this but the best way to learn is from others, dropping out of school might not be the best idea.

My Biggest risk would have to be randomly flying to Vegas.

It was 5 days before CES and I looked at my friend, asked if his dad could get us in. He said yes, and we left the next day. $2,000 later it was still the best time of my life.

You don't understand :P

AS/A2 = ~Will introduce me into composing, a lot more advanced musical theory, etc.
BTEC = Learning more Nirvana songs, a lot less basic theory (We have 40 minute theory lessons, once a week...)

I'm not looking for money. I'm looking to get as much knowledge as possible. I want to know everythign there is to be known, in terms of musical composition and my instruments.

The ONLY way I can do AS/A2 is if I do the Music GCSE, and then I'd do an RGT exam, grade 6 in February; both of these would guarantee me a place for A level Music.

I'm all fine for playing gigs, etc. I do that now, I love it. But, I want to be able to give more to people. I want to learn from as many genres as possible, as many techniques, etc. And make something of my own from what I've learnt.

Plus, whilst writing my own material, whether it be some Fusion stuff, Orchestral pieces, or something completely percussive, I'd like to be able to teach music to people.

[kuribohgx]

I don't really take risks. I took only one that would either make me gf leave me or stay with me. I was lucky it worked for the better.

[Rishwin]

I don't really take risks. I took only one that would either make me gf leave me or stay with me. I was lucky it worked for the better.

You take a risk the moment you step out of your house. You take dozens of risks every single day without realizing it.

[Mindblaster7]

I think that those Self-Studies will never work :s
But I would recommend you to continue school, finish it and many doors will open, instead of you dropping out. And with my bad glasses, reading thought the text, you might want to be a little fameous or have a great career. Personally I think its lame, do what you love to do, instead of trying to be known among people you don't know.

[Deva]

Don't think you really need a music GCSE to take it on at AS/A2, I think it's a subject like history/pyschology etc. where you can take it at college or university without the GCSE/AS/A2 grades (although it obviously helps)

[KyleEnos]

Don't think you really need a music GCSE to take it on at AS/A2, I think it's a subject like history/pyschology etc. where you can take it at college or university without the GCSE/AS/A2 grades (although it obviously helps)

Well, I'm taking my RGT Grade 6 in February, then Grade 7 in May. The next grade (8, being the last) isn't until October (The exams are only held 3 times a year). So, I'll only be one grade behind for qualifying for the Teacher's RGT diploma. I'd be able to get in with a Grade 5, with the Rock School examination board.

Btw:
Rock School = Learn 3 out of 5 songs. Grade 1-8. I aleady have a Grade 8 in that, and 280 UCAS points because of it.
RGT = Learn Theory, Improvise lead and rhythm with examiner, Aural examination, etc.

My exam requirements:
http://www.registryofguitartutors.co...ooklet2006.pdf

The difference betwen the RGT and Rock School is just amazing, though they're considered equal (In my opinion, and everyone else that has come across these exams, the RGT are alot harder, and also requires a decent amount of theory, where as Rock School requires no theory).

Which, altogether gives me a UCAS points of 360+

Then I'll do the GCSE in music sometime in May, which I know I'll get atleast an A in.

Then hopefully do the A level, but I see no reason for them to reject me...

[tinkle]

Think the biggest risks I've ever taken in life was asking girls out... Which always ended(ends) in rejection (Boo Hoo)

But I've done my share of 'criminal activity' luckily i've not been nicked though. I do take precautions and one time.

I remember the first time I got high I was 17 (LOL) I had broken up with an Internet GF at the time and was kinda down in the dumps he told me to come over and he could solve that. I knew he smoked and what he was going to offer. Up until that point in my life I was always the kid that was like "Drugs R Bad" "Drugs R Dumb" .... Now I guess i'm a pot head :D I don't regret doing it either so that's probably sad in itself. But it's my choice and I wouldn't put anyone in the position where it'd be like "Your not cool if you don't!" That's just lame and pathetic. I like being able to make my own choices and I have a real understanding father who wouldn't care about any choice I made. But that's something in it's own right. Because I respect and honor him and his wishes as long as I'm under his roof. It took a LONG TIME to come to that point but I'm glad I have the relationship I have now as opposed to the "Bad Guy" I had him labeled growing up.

Oh yeah and I should've NEVER!!!!!!!! Listened to my sister when she said to climb that lattuce (sp?) that she had tied a scarf too... friggen knot came undone and I came down busted my head wide open >.> last time I listened to her I assure you xD

[DaCheat]

Well as in life you have to learn the boring stuff to get to the good stuff. :P

But I do see where you're coming from. As long as you stick to with whatever you choose I'm sure you'll be fine.