Monday Links from the Science Park vol. CXC

[amcdonald]

I think you're missing the point of the article. If you want to try to be a top-flight dancer, you have to go for it when you're young. Getting academic qualifications is something you can do later in life if you need to. There's no point abandoning the pursuit of your true ambition just because convention dictates that you "ought" to live your life in exactly the same way, and even in the same order, as "normal" people. Remind me when Bill Gates or Steve Jobs graduated with a nice, safe degree to fall back on?

To be fair they both got rich initially by exploiting someone elses idea (Dos/The Woz)

It's not a fair comparison

[Spacecadet]

I think you're missing the point of the article. If you want to try to be a top-flight dancer, you have to go for it when you're young. Getting academic qualifications is something you can do later in life if you need to. There's no point abandoning the pursuit of your true ambition just because convention dictates that you "ought" to live your life in exactly the same way, and even in the same order, as "normal" people. Remind me when Bill Gates or Steve Jobs graduated with a nice, safe degree to fall back on?

WHS

Fall back plans are for losers

[NickFitz]

No I caught the point and covered it with 'being exceptional'.

Top flight dancers are already recognised by the time they choose their GCSEs.

And that is presumably why she has a place on "a course at a top dance college, to even get a place there is a huge achievement" having "worked so, so hard for it."

[sasguru]

I think you're missing the point of the article. If you want to try to be a top-flight dancer, you have to go for it when you're young. Getting academic qualifications is something you can do later in life if you need to. There's no point abandoning the pursuit of your true ambition just because convention dictates that you "ought" to live your life in exactly the same way, and even in the same order, as "normal" people. Remind me when Bill Gates or Steve Jobs graduated with a nice, safe degree to fall back on?

As others have observed, if you have the talent to be a top flight artist(e) of any sort or a sportsman that should be apparent well before you leave school or have to decide about higher education.
The odds for most people is that they don't have the talent.
And that leads to plenty of feckless mediocrities who "followed their ambition" and are now on the dole.
Getting academic qualifications "later in life" is difficult, especially when you have to support a family, and only a small determined minority succeed.
As for Bill Gates/Steve Jobs didn't they have rich parents, so could take some risks anyway?

[vetran]

WHS

Fall back plans are for losers

precisely.

Now if you are a winner you don't need one, but to be certain you are a winner it makes sense to only decide that if you have already been recognised as one.

Otherwise you may be very poor while you aspire to become as rich as Dim was.

Her argument is 'If you have no choice you will try harder' now that may be but unless you are exceptional then you may well fail or starve trying. Bank some qualifications if you can.

[vetran]

And that is presumably why she has a place on "a course at a top dance college, to even get a place there is a huge achievement" having "worked so, so hard for it."

its not the Bolshoi, its a dance school. She has won the UK nationals & Internationals?

'Exceptional' not 'good'.

[Spacecadet]

Her argument is 'If you have no choice you will try harder' now that may be but unless you are exceptional then you may well fail or starve trying. Bank some qualifications if you can.

Qualifications can come later if she needs them. In the meantime they will only be a distraction from her ultimate goal

[vetran]

Qualifications can come later if she needs them. In the meantime they will only be a distraction from her ultimate goal

I personally wish her luck, you know however if she makes it big she will incorporate in a tax haven like Bono and lecture us on paying to save the third world.

If she doesn't she will end up on a reality tv show or JSA.

[Spacecadet]

I personally wish her luck, you know however if she makes it big she will incorporate in a tax haven like Bono and lecture us on paying to save the third world.

If she doesn't she will end up on a reality tv show or JSA.

She seems like the type who knows the value of hard work. I'm sure that once her dancing days are over she'll excel at whatever she tries next

[doodab]

Not for the faint hearted. I would counsel them to get a science/Maths degree then/while they follow their dream unless they are exceptional.

Getting a science / maths degree is surprisingly hard if you have absolutely no interest or ability in it whatsoever. Which probably sums up about 80-90% of the population or more.