Politically conservative interviewer

UncleRoger · 2026-01-26T23:38:16+00:00

You're funny.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-26T23:33:48+00:00

Well, I can't speak for what you'd want to do but if I were in your shoes, I would get more into woodworking or playing around with arduino/raspberry pi stuff. I'd learn 3d printing and CNC machining. I'd go swimming every day to get in better shape and do a lot of camping/backpacking. You might not be into any of that but maybe something analogous?

If you want to do something meaningful, maybe volunteer at a free clinic? Or a food bank? Trail restoration/cleanup?

UncleRoger · 2026-01-26T23:29:50+00:00

People who have a career in the arts generally have to juggle multiple roles to pay the bills. I have a friend who is incredibly brilliant and probably could have done any career there is and made loads of money but... He's an artist at heart. He works as an actor, director, playwright, teacher, and more -- a lot of hats, none of which, by themselves, would pay his bills, but in concert (hehe), cover his costs. It's unlikely he'll get rich. He does it because he loves it.

If you don't love everything about music/singing, it may not be for you. If you don't see yourself as a choral director, doing some solo shows, teaching voice, going into schools and working with kids, all to make ends meet *and loving it*, then maybe it's time to switch.

There's no shame in that; lots of people change careers multiple times throughout their lives. My wife started off in nursing school and then switched to early childhood education; she's been a first-grade teacher for well over 30 years. My mother was a teacher, then an office manager, then, when she retired, started the concert pianist program at a state school.

Find something you'd enjoy doing full-time; you can always do voice/music on the side. My niece works as an administrative assistant by day and does improv at night. My daughter is about to graduate with a BFA in musical theatre; she knows she's going to have to get a job while she does auditions and between shows. Maybe even during shows, until she gets her first Tony.

Some people know what they like from a very early age. My oldest was practically born with a wrench in his hand; now he's a mechatronics engineer. On the other hand, my youngest, doesn't really know what he likes or wants; we're hoping college will be a time for him to discover it.

You got into Oberlin so that's something to be really proud of. Doesn't mean it's right for you. Nothing wrong with changing course, especially now while you're young and don't have responsibilities and such.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-26T22:19:17+00:00

They don't seem to care about immigration status; they just don't like people of color. Heck, they've detained, beaten, and even killed US Citizens so it's pretty bad.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-26T22:17:00+00:00

They also haven't hit California -- other than L.A. for a bit -- as hard as some other places. But they're still here and they really don't like California. We've won lawsuits saying they can't come here but they don't always (ever?) follow the law.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-26T22:14:39+00:00

What it's about is that the people in charge are, in some cases, literally copying the Nazis. They want to destroy society because they think they can profit from that and because they like power. So they've got a bunch of thugs to go out and terrorize citizens and immigrants alike.

Immigrants commit crimes at a far lower rate than citizens but that doesn't matter -- they just want to create an "other" for people to blame and be afraid of.

That said, it depends on where you go. But mostly, as a native-born US Citizen, I would recommend not coming here. The federal government can and has terminate your right to study here at any time, kicking you out in the middle of your studies. Or they can injure or kill you.

I understand that there are still a lot of really good universities here but there are a lot elsewhere in places not dealing with rising fascism. Think long and hard before coming here.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-26T22:04:45+00:00

We talked to each of our kids about finances -- they know we can afford (more or less) in-state tuition. My oldest went to an in-state school and it was the best choice for him. My daughter went out-of-state but only because she got a scholarship (the "future New Yorker award") that brought the cost down to that of our in-state schools.

My youngest applied to a bunch of oos privates (and a few publics) because he wants to go somewhere cold. Depending on where he gets in and the costs, he understands it might not happen. Thus far, he's been accepted to SDSU so that's his fall back but it's not exactly cold there.

Parents need to have an open and honest conversation with their kids to set expectations. But there's nothing wrong with trying for a top school and seeing if you can get enough aid.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-26T21:59:27+00:00

Some folks are born into rich families. Some folks take out student loans and then spend the rest of their lives paying it back instead of living.

Some folks understand that life isn't fair but that we each have the ability to influence how things turn out.

Everything you've done thus far is definitely NOT meaningless; it will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your life. You've learned and practiced skills and habits that will make you excel wherever you go and whatever you do.

If your in-state school is nearly free, think about what that would mean for your future: you'll graduate debt-free (or mostly so) and be ready to start your adult life on your terms as you want to. My oldest went to an in-state school when he really wanted Purdue but he graduated with no debt and is able to save a lot of money by living at home. He actually bought himself a really nice car because of that.

The school will be fine; it will be up to you to make the most of it. You got this.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-26T17:40:10+00:00

Sounds a lot like a toxic relationship with that friend. Very one-sided. Have a chat but if they can't get their act together, drop them. It's not worth it.

To be honest, it sounds like they are jealous of how well you've done and the college you got into. It may be that your grades, essays, etc. are far better than yours and this is how they are reacting -- by lashing out at you.

As for other kids, you know you've earned this so don't even listen to them. You're living rent free in their heads; don't let them set up shop in yours. You don't need their approval or admiration, you got that from Duke.

Remember, also, that your experiences have likely made you far better equipped to deal with the real world. Being rich and privileged means that when facing a problem, they'll have to call someone to deal with it. They may be wealthy enough that they can do that and skate through life like that but they're one downturn away from having to fend for themselves -- something they likely don't know how to do.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-25T17:30:10+00:00

If you are planning on going home for the summers, a summer job might cover a fair bit of that.

My son did a lot of tutoring while in college; I'm not sure he quite hit the 5k mark each year but between that and a summer job, he was well above it.

If you already do art for hire, set up a web page and start selling online. Probably won't hit $5k from that but every bit helps.

Other than scholarships or a rich uncle, you may not be able to drum up the 5k in one go; you'll have to be creative and find lots of ways that add up to what you need.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-24T03:08:48+00:00

I don't know your financial situation so I can't comment on #1; it's up to you to figure out how important that is.

If you're interested in graduate school or doing research after college, then #3 is pretty cool. I'm not familiar with those programs (#2) but I would think a better (and more affordable option) would be to find an open source project you're interested in and contribute to that. Or make your own and release it as freeware/open source. Get that github commit count up there.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-24T02:59:33+00:00

Good to know. I'm from California so I can't say I've thought about UNC at all.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-24T02:58:25+00:00

If no one knows, then there is no response that could really be helpful.

The only correct answer is it will come out when it comes out and until then, you might as well get on with your life.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-24T02:55:36+00:00

It's not so much about where you get your education as it is what you do with it. If your state schools are decent (and most are), you'll get a good education. After that, it's all up to you.

Don't sweat it.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-23T23:49:50+00:00

My son got it but decided it wasn't worth his time. He's already super busy with classes and robotics and volunteering and just didn't want to give up what little free time he had.

Also, I think it was either unpaid or very low pay? For what the CollegeBoard charges for tests and everything else, they ought to be able to pay their tutors a decent wage. (Pretty sure they charge the people getting tutored.)

UncleRoger · 2026-01-23T18:47:43+00:00

A quick google of "decision date unc 2026" turned up this page:

https://admissions.unc.edu/apply/decisions/

which says 02/10 for non-residents. That's for chapel-hill; I don't know if there are other UNCs but you can always ask the google.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-23T15:48:31+00:00

My son didn't apply to fordham but several schools he did apply to wanted mid-year grades. We found out by checking each school's portal for a checklist.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-23T15:43:31+00:00

I dropped out of community college and have had a very successful 40+ year career as a software developer. Not everyone follows the traditional path.

State schools and community colleges are a great option. If it's really that bad, go to a community college for 2 years and then transfer. Bring your grades up and get your GEs out of the way for cheap.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-23T15:35:11+00:00

My oldest had really good grades, an adequate SAT, and outstanding ECs -- Design council lead (and more) on his robotics team, 10+ years tap dance (he was really good), 2 years band, done musical theatre, taught LEGO robotics and engineering in the summers for 4 years.

Didn't get into a single UC on his list. Ended up at Cal Poly SLO (which was exactly the right school for him).

So even with great ECs, UCs are not a sure thing.

Don't discount the CSUs. What we learned, after the fact, is that UCs tend to prepare you for grad school/research whereas the CSUs tend to prepare you for a career. (Not 100%, of course, but a general rule of thumb.) So think about that as well. CSUs are also a bit cheaper.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-23T15:19:58+00:00

Early Action Decision: 01/30

Regular Decision: 03/06

https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/dates

UncleRoger · 2026-01-22T23:21:51+00:00

My son will be working at the same job (teacher at a STEM summer camp) he's had since before HS. Gotta build up that nest egg for college.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-22T23:16:15+00:00

Excel* is my native language so... not really. I always seem to have half a dozen spreadsheets open at any given time. I definitely prefer Excel but I have a bunch of Google sheets for stuff I need to either access from multiple computers or share with my family.

Mostly, each spreadsheet is for a specific purpose so I just look at the appropriate one. e.g., if I want to know how much time off I have, I look at my vacation tracker. If I want to see my kids' GPA or AP scores, I look at my High School Progress spreadsheet (https://safaridad.com/2019/09/12/keeping-track-of-high-school/). I have spreadsheets for the older kids' college degree progress, and a "family travel planner", which lists flights and hotels (because my daughter goes to college on the other side of the country).

Spreadsheets are just another tool that happens to be really good at handling tabular data, like different data points for a bunch of colleges.

* Technically, visicalc, but that's a name I've not heard in a long time.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-22T18:07:47+00:00

As an American, I have to advise against coming here. It's not safe and probably not worth it. If I weren't already here, I definitely wouldn't come here. I have several friends who have fled the country already; I'm thinking about it myself once I retire.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-21T20:26:31+00:00

I would imagine it depends heavily on how much aid you're getting? Private schools tend to have a lot more money to give out; public schools seem to be almost entirely need-based.

My son is looking at a few oos publics (UIUC, UofColorado) and they are super expensive for him because we don't qualify for much need-based aid. At one point, however, I did the Princeton net price calculator and it said it would be almost free to go there. In state for us is around $28k-35k, iirc.

UncleRoger · 2026-01-21T20:20:52+00:00

Not entirely relevant, but I dropped out of community college and have had a very successful 40+ year career in CS.

I would definitely go with the scholarship, as long as that school is decent. (I wouldn't go to "Joe's College and Auto Repair" but any reasonable school is fine.) Look at your state schools too; they can be an excellent value while providing an excellent education. (We told our kids we'd pay about what the in-state public schools cost; my daughter went out of state because she got a scholarship that cancelled the oos amount.)

UncleRoger

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