OT My Son's First Year of College Coming

[dailybuck777]

I live in Ohio and my son is currently a junior in a very good high school. He has a 4.1 gpa and is very motivated with respect to finding a career that will not lead to a 9-5 job. He is also a talented film maker who finished second in a film festival open to college students and high school students. Currently, he is hustling for work trying to find film internships and is also trying to make money. (This weekend he filmed a large sewer drain hoping to sell the footage to other film makers. You can make $200 per minute of film for well done stock footage)

In any event, he seems to be so motivated and disciplined that I wonder whether college will really benefit him. I am thinking that maybe he should attend his freshman year of college with the plan of taking off what would otherwise be his sophomore year college. The idea being that his grades are good and he will probably get into a good college if he follows the traditional route. Once he is in, assuming he does reasonably well, the college should be willing to work with him and attempt to accommodate any non-traditional paths he may want to travel. Also, if during the second year, he does well on his own, maybe it is OK for him to forego college.

In any event, college is getting so expensive, that in a fair amount of instances, it is not cost effective. I am thinking if the plan is to attend the first year, we have potentially the best of both worlds -- if college works for him, he is in by the traditional route. If he doesn't like his first year and considers it a waste, he is free to see what he can do on his own. If he doesn't like college and takes a year or two off, but then later realizes he wants to go to college, I imagine that it would be easier to return to the college he attended his freshman year, rather than starting out from scratch as 19 or 20-year-old.

Any insights by people here would be appreciated.

 

[step.eng69]

Can't seem to connect the dots leading to the future goal of your child.
Ah, maybe join the service until he decides his work discipline. Find out if any branch of the service still offers reimbursed education, of course he may have to work a bit longer than a 32 hr week.

 

[psu00]

Not sure I have any great insight to your problem. Like most kids, he may change majors/ interests a few times over the next few years. Just make sure he takes a reasonable path with a realistic long term plan always in the back of his mind. (You don’t want him to come out of college in big debt and unable to pay it back). Good luck.

 

[Art]

I live in Ohio and my son is currently a junior in a very good high school. He has a 4.1 gpa and is very motivated with respect to finding a career that will not lead to a 9-5 job. He is also a talented film maker who finished second in a film festival open to college students and high school students. Currently, he is hustling for work trying to find film internships and is also trying to make money. (This weekend he filmed a large sewer drain hoping to sell the footage to other film makers. You can make $200 per minute of film for well done stock footage)

In any event, he seems to be so motivated and disciplined that I wonder whether college will really benefit him. I am thinking that maybe he should attend his freshman year of college with the plan of taking off what would otherwise be his sophomore year college. The idea being that his grades are good and he will probably get into a good college if he follows the traditional route. Once he is in, assuming he does reasonably well, the college should be willing to work with him and attempt to accommodate any non-traditional paths he may want to travel. Also, if during the second year, he does well on his own, maybe it is OK for him to forego college.

In any event, college is getting so expensive, that in a fair amount of instances, it is not cost effective. I am thinking if the plan is to attend the first year, we have potentially the best of both worlds -- if college works for him, he is in by the traditional route. If he doesn't like his first year and considers it a waste, he is free to see what he can do on his own. If he doesn't like college and takes a year or two off, but then later realizes he wants to go to college, I imagine that it would be easier to return to the college he attended his freshman year, rather than starting out from scratch as 19 or 20-year-old.

Any insights by people here would be appreciated.

What does your son want to do?

Also, keep in mind that he can apply to college during his senior year in HS and defer matriculation for a year.

 

[dailybuck777]

Also, keep in mind that he can apply to college during his senior year in HS and defer matriculation for a year.

Thanks a lot. Had no idea that was possible. Also, he personally would love to be a film maker, but he is practical enough to realize that it is smart to have a back up.

 

[dailybuck777]

Like most kids, he may change majors/ interests a few times over the next few years. Just make sure he takes a reasonable path with a realistic long term plan always in the back of his mind.

Honestly, he loves film making and has been very disciplined in producing 4 short films. (To add to what I said before. When he was in the 9th grade, he did a short film for an English class, and the teacher said it was the best film ever made in the history of his high school.) I just wonder whether there is enough of a job market for that to sustain him in the future. When I was a kid, I played junior tournament golf and hoped to be a touring professional. Wasn't good enough. Glad I had good academic background to fall back on.

 

[step.eng69]

Glad I had good academic background to fall back on.

Maybe this should be the foundation for further decisions.

 

[Cpeplion]

Honestly, he loves film making and has been very disciplined in producing 4 short films. (To add to what I said before. When he was in the 9th grade, he did a short film for an English class, and the teacher said it was the best film ever made in the history of his high school.) I just wonder whether there is enough of a job market for that to sustain him in the future. When I was a kid, I played junior tournament golf and hoped to be a touring professional. Wasn't good enough. Glad I had good academic background to fall back on.

Full Sail University would be his best bet imo....if he wants to work in that industry.. Check it out... https://www.fullsail.edu/

 

[sammyk]

I too have a son who will be starting college in the Fall. He will be attending UNC Chapel Hill and my only stipulation is that he majors in something that has a well paying job. So he will not be a teacher, philosopher, anything artsy, musician or ant of that crap. If he chooses to do that he can pay for his own damn schooling

 

[dailybuck777]

Full Sail University would be his best bet imo....if he wants to work in that industry.. Check it out... https://www.fullsail.edu/

Thanks sounds interesting. Do you have any personal knowledge about Full Sail?

 

[step.eng69]

(This weekend he filmed a large sewer drain hoping to sell the footage to other film makers. You can make $200 per minute of film for well done stock footage)

O.T..... here is a dramatic clip of a very large stormwater culvert punching thru the road pavement due to the hydraulic uplift pressure.

 

[psu00]

Honestly, he loves film making and has been very disciplined in producing 4 short films. (To add to what I said before. When he was in the 9th grade, he did a short film for an English class, and the teacher said it was the best film ever made in the history of his high school.) I just wonder whether there is enough of a job market for that to sustain him in the future. When I was a kid, I played junior tournament golf and hoped to be a touring professional. Wasn't good enough. Gla I had good academic background to fall back on.

Recent events have had me looking back to high school/ college years. It’s funny how at that age you’re convinced you know it all, (unlike the rest of the world) . Even the most level headed kids often miss the forest for the trees.

I guess my best advice is to try to get him to talk to people in that industry who have gone through it before and get their insight. The best you can do for him is to guide him with the long term in mind. Maybe start off with film as a minor and see how things progress from there?

 

[PSU95alum]

O.T..... here is a dramatic clip of a very large stormwater culvert punching thru the road pavement due to the hydraulic uplift pressure.

View embedded media

When that storm pipe starting raising up towards the end of the clip, I swear to god I thought it was some sort of prehistoric monster coming out from under the earth.

That being said, the only think you need now to cross that stretch of road is a 1977 Trans Am.

 

[dailybuck777]

O.T..... here is a dramatic clip of a very large stormwater culvert punching thru the road pavement due to the hydraulic uplift pressure.

Great Clip. Maybe you can sell it for a couple of thousand dollars.

 

[Parkland Fan]

I live in Ohio and my son is currently a junior in a very good high school. He has a 4.1 gpa and is very motivated with respect to finding a career that will not lead to a 9-5 job. He is also a talented film maker who finished second in a film festival open to college students and high school students. Currently, he is hustling for work trying to find film internships and is also trying to make money. (This weekend he filmed a large sewer drain hoping to sell the footage to other film makers. You can make $200 per minute of film for well done stock footage)

In any event, he seems to be so motivated and disciplined that I wonder whether college will really benefit him. I am thinking that maybe he should attend his freshman year of college with the plan of taking off what would otherwise be his sophomore year college. The idea being that his grades are good and he will probably get into a good college if he follows the traditional route. Once he is in, assuming he does reasonably well, the college should be willing to work with him and attempt to accommodate any non-traditional paths he may want to travel. Also, if during the second year, he does well on his own, maybe it is OK for him to forego college.

In any event, college is getting so expensive, that in a fair amount of instances, it is not cost effective. I am thinking if the plan is to attend the first year, we have potentially the best of both worlds -- if college works for him, he is in by the traditional route. If he doesn't like his first year and considers it a waste, he is free to see what he can do on his own. If he doesn't like college and takes a year or two off, but then later realizes he wants to go to college, I imagine that it would be easier to return to the college he attended his freshman year, rather than starting out from scratch as 19 or 20-year-old.

Any insights by people here would be appreciated.

My older son majored in film at PSU. In the summer after sophomore year we sent him to a two week program at UCLA that covered careers in the film industry. I did not mind that he was majoring in film but I wanted him to prepare as much as possible. He came back and started a business minor so that he could manage budgets, understand marketing, etc. Then he decided to apply to law schools because major films involve a hundred or so contracts. He succeeded in both and graduated from the University of Miami Law School. All according to plan so far, but he then found that getting into entertainment law was difficult without a few years of experience and strong connections. The law degree gave him a good Plan B and he is now doing well as a compliance attorney for the Federal Reserve Bank.
To sum up my advice - college can help to prepare your son for all of the career pivots that might be required down the road. Also, not sure if that program at UCLA is still offered but it was money well spent.

 

[step.eng69]

Recent events have had me looking back to high school/ college years. It’s funny how at that age you’re convinced you know it all, (unlike the rest of the world) . Even the most level headed kids often miss the forest for the trees.

I guess my best advice is to try to get him to talk to people in that industry who have gone through it before and get their insight. The best you can do for him is to guide him with the long term in mind. Maybe start off with film as a minor and see how things progress from there?

 

[nittnee]

I live in Ohio and my son is currently a junior in a very good high school. He has a 4.1 gpa and is very motivated with respect to finding a career that will not lead to a 9-5 job. He is also a talented film maker who finished second in a film festival open to college students and high school students. Currently, he is hustling for work trying to find film internships and is also trying to make money. (This weekend he filmed a large sewer drain hoping to sell the footage to other film makers. You can make $200 per minute of film for well done stock footage)

In any event, he seems to be so motivated and disciplined that I wonder whether college will really benefit him. I am thinking that maybe he should attend his freshman year of college with the plan of taking off what would otherwise be his sophomore year college. The idea being that his grades are good and he will probably get into a good college if he follows the traditional route. Once he is in, assuming he does reasonably well, the college should be willing to work with him and attempt to accommodate any non-traditional paths he may want to travel. Also, if during the second year, he does well on his own, maybe it is OK for him to forego college.

In any event, college is getting so expensive, that in a fair amount of instances, it is not cost effective. I am thinking if the plan is to attend the first year, we have potentially the best of both worlds -- if college works for him, he is in by the traditional route. If he doesn't like his first year and considers it a waste, he is free to see what he can do on his own. If he doesn't like college and takes a year or two off, but then later realizes he wants to go to college, I imagine that it would be easier to return to the college he attended his freshman year, rather than starting out from scratch as 19 or 20-year-old.

Any insights by people here would be appreciated.

My daughter majored in Screenwriting at the Loyola Marymount film school and is currently working for a production company in Los Angeles. She was tentative about college at first (and actually started out in an acting major), but realized the value of the education in the film industry. I think your son would benefit from the training and focus of a film major at a good university if that is what he wants to do. I was surprised at some of the colleges that have highly-rated film and acting programs. PSU is one of the top musical theater programs in the country (as an example). Most are in LA and New York, of course.

I think going in with “two-pronged” plan is a good idea. If it isn’t right for him after a year, forge a different path. LMU was very flexible for my daughter who graduated a semester early and did a lot of independent film work for credit. I suspect your son, as the good student he seems to be, would be able to create or modify his own curriculum. These programs tend to be less rigid and less traditional in their approach to getting a degree.

 

[dailybuck777]

She ....realized the value of the education in the film industry. I think your son would benefit from the training and focus of a film major at a good university if that is what he wants to do.

Interesting point. I thought film directing was much like being a pop singer; you either had the natural talent or you didn't. However, it turns out that George Lucas went to film school, so I will look at them closely although I suspect that they are very expensive.

 

[dailybuck777]

To sum up my advice - college can help to prepare your son for all of the career pivots that might be required down the road.

Agree that is true. I practiced law for about 20 years and was able to easily move to real estate investing (with a much smaller legal practice still ongoing). The saying that a law degree is very flexible worked in practice for me.

If it is not too intrusive of me to ask. Does your son have a loan to pay back for law school? If so, is he making enough to pay it back in a reasonable time frame? In my day, the tuition wasn't bad at all. I checked Ohio State last month, and it was nearly $50,000 per year, which in my mind, is way too high for a lot of people who might start off as public defenders or state prosecutors, where the starting salary is low.

 

[wbcincy]

Interesting point. I thought film directing was much like being a pop singer; you either had the natural talent or you didn't. However, it turns out that George Lucas went to film school, so I will look at them closely although I suspect that they are very expensive.

I've heard from folks in the industry that if attending film school, USC and NYU are the only real directions to go unless you want to get lost in the heard of a million people who want in the industry. I would think with his GPA and past projects maybe he has a shot at getting into those.

 

[wbcincy]

Agree that is true. I practiced law for about 20 years and was able to easily move to real estate investing (with a much smaller legal practice still ongoing). The saying that a law degree is very flexible worked in practice for me.

If it is not too intrusive of me to ask. Does your son have a loan to pay back for law school? If so, is he making enough to pay it back in a reasonable time frame? In my day, the tuition wasn't bad at all. I checked Ohio State last month, and it was nearly $50,000 per year, which in my mind, is way too high for a lot of people who might start off as public defenders or state prosecutors, where the starting salary is low.

I'm 2010 law school grad and I owe more for law school today than I did the day I graduated, so that's neat. It's largely because of my career choices (and the economy in 2009-2010). I worked for the state for 5 1/2 years out of law school, which gave me some great experience, but doesn't pay well, as you said. The benefit is that if you work in public service for 10 years under an income-based repayment plan, then your outstanding loans are forgiven at the end of that 10 years (and the forgiven amount doesn't even count as income on your taxes).

I decided to be stupid and use that program for 5 1/2 years, while my monthly payments didn't even exceed the interest, but I wasn't worried about because they'd be forgiven at the 10 year mark. Except I went private practice 2 years ago, so now I have to pay the entire, now larger, amount.

In my opinion, you shouldn't go to law school unless you can either (1) go to a top tier school, meaning top 14 law schools in the country, or (2) finish at the top of your class, meaning top 10 or better. Otherwise the degree at current prices and the current market for lawyers is likely to leave that burden hanging around your neck for decades.

 

[nittnee]

I've heard from folks in the industry that if attending film school, USC and NYU are the only real directions to go unless you want to get lost in the heard of a million people who want in the industry. I would think with his GPA and past projects maybe he has a shot at getting into those.

Agree that those are the top two, but still can be opportunities with a few good state schools such as Michigan, UCLA and Berkeley. Not nearly the cost of USC and NYU.

 

[Aardvark86]

My daughter majored in Screenwriting at the Loyola Marymount film school and is currently working for a production company in Los Angeles. She was tentative about college at first (and actually started out in an acting major), but realized the value of the education in the film industry. I think your son would benefit from the training and focus of a film major at a good university if that is what he wants to do. I was surprised at some of the colleges that have highly-rated film and acting programs. PSU is one of the top musical theater programs in the country (as an example). Most are in LA and New York, of course.

I think going in with “two-pronged” plan is a good idea. If it isn’t right for him after a year, forge a different path. LMU was very flexible for my daughter who graduated a semester early and did a lot of independent film work for credit. I suspect your son, as the good student he seems to be, would be able to create or modify his own curriculum. These programs tend to be less rigid and less traditional in their approach to getting a degree.

This. Film school is useful if you are serious about cinematography. Alternatively, get into a comp sci or engineering program at a school with a serious drama dept (eg, northwestern).

 

[nittnee]

Interesting point. I thought film directing was much like being a pop singer; you either had the natural talent or you didn't. However, it turns out that George Lucas went to film school, so I will look at them closely although I suspect that they are very expensive.

The technology side of the business, which is dominant now, definitely lends itself to formal training in the film industry. It will always be a creative field, but formal training seems very valuable these days.

 

[dailybuck777]

Except I went private practice 2 years ago, so now I have to pay the entire, now larger, amount.

I think with student loans being non-dischargeable in bankruptcy, we have come close to re-instituting slavery. Part of what I do is private real estate lending, and the student loans appear to be way too onerous even for someone in my shoes. Also, with heavy student debt, I think the schools and the professors are benefiting off of the backs of students.

 

[Pardlion]

I live in Ohio and my son is currently a junior in a very good high school. He has a 4.1 gpa and is very motivated with respect to finding a career that will not lead to a 9-5 job. He is also a talented film maker who finished second in a film festival open to college students and high school students. Currently, he is hustling for work trying to find film internships and is also trying to make money. (This weekend he filmed a large sewer drain hoping to sell the footage to other film makers. You can make $200 per minute of film for well done stock footage)

In any event, he seems to be so motivated and disciplined that I wonder whether college will really benefit him. I am thinking that maybe he should attend his freshman year of college with the plan of taking off what would otherwise be his sophomore year college. The idea being that his grades are good and he will probably get into a good college if he follows the traditional route. Once he is in, assuming he does reasonably well, the college should be willing to work with him and attempt to accommodate any non-traditional paths he may want to travel. Also, if during the second year, he does well on his own, maybe it is OK for him to forego college.

In any event, college is getting so expensive, that in a fair amount of instances, it is not cost effective. I am thinking if the plan is to attend the first year, we have potentially the best of both worlds -- if college works for him, he is in by the traditional route. If he doesn't like his first year and considers it a waste, he is free to see what he can do on his own. If he doesn't like college and takes a year or two off, but then later realizes he wants to go to college, I imagine that it would be easier to return to the college he attended his freshman year, rather than starting out from scratch as 19 or 20-year-old.

Any insights by people here would be appreciated.

Just have him do what I did: (1) go to college, (2) party, party, party, fun, fun, fun, (3) mediocre grades, (4) no solid idea of what to do, therefore (5) law school.

 

[wbcincy]

Just have him do what I did: (1) go to college, (2) party, party, party, fun, fun, fun, (3) mediocre grades, (4) no solid idea of what to do, therefore (5) law school.

Is it bad if my 6 and 7 repeated 1 and 2 in law school?

 

[Pardlion]

Is it bad if my 6 and 7 repeated 1 and 2 in law school?

No--if you went to college at the same time you were in law school, I'd say that's pretty damn smart.

 

[Art]

Agree that those are the top two, but still can be opportunities with a few good state schools such as Michigan, UCLA and Berkeley. Not nearly the cost of USC and NYU.

Add Loyola Marymount, Chapman, Texas, Emerson, and Boston University. There are also the specialized schools like the American Film Institute, and the California Institute for the Arts. As, perhaps more, important as the curriculum is exposure and students get it at those places.

 

[Art]

One thing I should add. Application is made directly to the film programs (pretty much true of all fine and performing arts). it's not like applying to a school and then selecting a major (though someone in the program can move to other majors in the university if they want out). It's very competitive and they will require examples of your son's work. It may just be worth it to apply to a few just to gauge what sort of talent he has (though the downside is rejection, which can be a major bummer).

 

[Aardvark86]

I think with student loans being non-dischargeable in bankruptcy, we have come close to re-instituting slavery. Part of what I do is private real estate lending, and the student loans appear to be way too onerous even for someone in my shoes. Also, with heavy student debt, I think the schools and the professors are benefiting off of the backs of students.

Ya think? Third party payment’s effect on higher education is no different than its effects on the pharmaceutical industry.

 

[PSU73]

a dramatic clip of a very large stormwater culvert punching thru the road pavement

When that storm pipe starting raising up towards the end of the clip, I swear to god I thought it was some sort of prehistoric monster coming out from under the earth.

Sorry to dailybuck777 and those who are having a dialogue but I have to agree...when that culvert rose up my jaw dropped open and I moved in closer to see WTF was going on, and I usually don't swear, even in acronyms.

 

[gfour18]

I live in Ohio and my son is currently a junior in a very good high school. He has a 4.1 gpa and is very motivated with respect to finding a career that will not lead to a 9-5 job. He is also a talented film maker who finished second in a film festival open to college students and high school students. Currently, he is hustling for work trying to find film internships and is also trying to make money. (This weekend he filmed a large sewer drain hoping to sell the footage to other film makers. You can make $200 per minute of film for well done stock footage)

In any event, he seems to be so motivated and disciplined that I wonder whether college will really benefit him. I am thinking that maybe he should attend his freshman year of college with the plan of taking off what would otherwise be his sophomore year college. The idea being that his grades are good and he will probably get into a good college if he follows the traditional route. Once he is in, assuming he does reasonably well, the college should be willing to work with him and attempt to accommodate any non-traditional paths he may want to travel. Also, if during the second year, he does well on his own, maybe it is OK for him to forego college.

In any event, college is getting so expensive, that in a fair amount of instances, it is not cost effective. I am thinking if the plan is to attend the first year, we have potentially the best of both worlds -- if college works for him, he is in by the traditional route. If he doesn't like his first year and considers it a waste, he is free to see what he can do on his own. If he doesn't like college and takes a year or two off, but then later realizes he wants to go to college, I imagine that it would be easier to return to the college he attended his freshman year, rather than starting out from scratch as 19 or 20-year-old.

Any insights by people here would be appreciated.

https://www.indeed.com/q-Film-Production-l-Ohio-jobs.html?vjk=e5dc593560776702

i found this link to ohio film employment opportunities. There is actually an internship available with the cleveland browns that involves filming practice. I would imagine if successful it could be parlayed into a job with the new england patriots I wouldn't over think any of this. He could change his mind multiple times before he even graduates high school. My daughter is a freshman art major . I wasn't at all thrilled with the employment prospects in contrast to what this is costing me , but you know what, she is happy and she is doing well. When she was a jr she didn't even want to go to college . I am just happy that she is pursuing a degree in something that she loves. I just wish i lived in a more tuition friendly state than pennsylvania. It would be great if your son could possibly "shadow" someone over the summer to get a better sense of what he really likes.

 

[Norm Petersin]

You seem to have a plan. Have you discussed it with your son ?

 

[wbcincy]

One thing I should add. Application is made directly to the film programs (pretty much true of all fine and performing arts). it's not like applying to a school and then selecting a major (though someone in the program can move to other majors in the university if they want out). It's very competitive and they will require examples of your son's work. It may just be worth it to apply to a few just to gauge what sort of talent he has (though the downside is rejection, which can be a major bummer).

At the same time, if rejection will be a roadblock for you, film is definitely the wrong profession.

 

[Art]

At the same time, if rejection will be a roadblock for you, film is definitely the wrong profession.

To be sure.

 

[littlebluetrike]

Thanks sounds interesting. Do you have any personal knowledge about Full Sail?

Full Sail has had issues with accreditation. They don’t have the accreditation that most schools have. So, if your child wanted to transfer, most accredited universities, like PSU, wouldn’t take the credits. I’ve worked in higher ed my entire professional career, including being faculty, department head, and director of undergraduate student services. Doing a year at an accredited school makes sense. The credits he accrues will stay with him if you guys choose a different path after the first year.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

Not at all discouraging your son’s ambition, and certainly not suggesting he lacks talent, but I personally know of at least two kids who have used various readily available film making apps to create winning projects at local amateur film competitions. A lot of kids are good at it, but just like with music, every school in America has a great musician, but VERY few of them become rock stars. TIFWIW.

 

[MtNittany]

Thanks sounds interesting. Do you have any personal knowledge about Full Sail?

I've been to their campus a few times as they are an old customer of mine. It's a for real place. Seems to have money. Don't know much about the curriculum.

 

[LionsandBear]

Full Sail University would be his best bet imo....if he wants to work in that industry.. Check it out... https://www.fullsail.edu/

I was about to make the same recommendation. I have a cousin that attends Full Sail for filmmaking.