I got a letter in the mail from Hampton University inquiring about my household income; you know, I have only sent them my tax forms about 999,999 times. So as I looked down at the 1 millionth time I have sent these same papers I began to wonder what the hell are they sending me all this crap for?? It’s the same forms, over and over again … spinning around in circles … yada, yada yada only for them to provide me with another letter requesting unobtainable money. I usually mail this stuff back the same day out of enthusiasm for the next trick they want me to just jump through a hoop for but I felt melancholy about this letter. It was not a bad letter but the excitement just isn’t there anymore because they have put me through so much. Yeah, I’m working my ass off but I still don’t have the money for the down payment. Even if I sold my soul to the devil I would not be able to come up with it. I did not qualify for a loan I applied for so I don’t know what to do.
Basically, I have found myself right back at square one as to the reason why I did not go to college out of high school in the first place … not enough support, hassle, frustration and turn-downs. Only the difference is instead of having a lousy 2.2 GPA and them telling me no … I now have a spectacular 3.6 GPA and they are STILL telling me no. Proof that when it comes to colleges, money talks, all other bullshit (even intelligence and talent) walks. It makes you actually wonder how “smart” the people running these facilities are. In my honest opinion, people who run colleges are the biggest cons that has walked the earth right next to Christianity, Catholicism and George Bush Jr. Sorry Christians, Catholics & Bush supporters but that’s just my opinion. However, it seems that con-artists thrive a lot in these three C’s because they are the richest businesses. Yes, college is business and people invest in progression, even progression of their souls.
Back to the subject of opportunity costs, I thought about today how I have given HU 1 year of my precious time … never missed a rehearsal and have attended every goddamn concert, even a private one at a hotel which I only got paid $20 bucks for (wahhh???, yeah a measely $20 for sitting there for 3 hours or so, freezin my butt off) and it has forced me to think about the opportunity cost of even dealing with HU. If I didn’t learn anything in Macroeconomics class, I DID learn about opportunity costs. In other words, I have put more into HU than HU has put into me; they need me … I DON’T need them, there are other colleges out there.
#1 – Out of a $20,000 a year tuition, they have only offered to pay out of their own pocket $2,000-$5,000 but I feel I am worth much more than that. I mean listen to my music on my Cnet Music for Christ’s sake. I’m not a professional or anything but I think I sort of rock makin my own music with no type of formal “edumacation”.
#2 – Their music department lacks exposure so the program is limited on funds. They don’t travel anywhere. High school orchestras go more places than HU.
#3 – Students don’t seem like music enthusiasts nor do they all take it seriously
#4 – I feel there is no musical exploration … they pretty much just stay between the lines
Anything positive? THE SCHOOL’S REPUTATION AS A WHOLE …and that’s all folks.
However, from what P.B. (Professor Bracy) has told me, he needs cellos. In fact, he needs about every section of the orchestra, to be frank. All-in-all the entire time I was there, there were 5 cellists (there was 6 but she only came the first few weeks and never came back – and neither did the school-rented cello); only two were dedicated to the group really. I remember one rehearsal, only I and the first chair guy showed up and at another rehearsal, one of the cellists got smart with the conductor because he did not want to take his glove off. Yes people, a glove.
So, I have thought about, do I REALLY want to struggle and sweat blood to pay $20,000 every year for this type of childish, unprofessional behavior? Of course not. Or do I want an education as far as being around those who are as “giddy about Grieg” as I am? It’s a hard decision because it means I would have to move and all types of other things.
The only other colleges are ODU (Old Dominion University), CNU (Christopher Newport University) and NSU (Norfolk State University) and then there is always TNCC, Thomas Nelson Community College 🙂 From what I know, NONE of these schools even have a string program. I know NSU does though because my private teacher teaches there now, but I don’t know how progressive the program is. Besides, I would not want to go to NSU anyway … students get killed there too often for me. I don’t want to go to college to die tryin. TNCC has nothing, and I don’t know nothing about ODU and CNU, I have to look into them. Then there is W&M (William and Mary) but they are about as bad as HU I guess; it’s one of those prestigious colleges.
I will go ahead and send my stuff into HU, but I am 90% of reconsidering of not going there. After reviewing my options, it’s not worth the pool of blood.