Hopes and Wishes of Life

[MattAvino]

Dear r3v,

I never thought I would irritate you guys with my personal life like some other members have done on here, but I could use some opinions, advice, and guidance. I decided to post here because it is related to cars and the automotive world.

So here goes: I'm currently 17 and a junior at a private college prep high school (painfully expensive). They really only have liberal arts. They do not have any classes relating to anything mechanical or relating to physical building or construction (essentially, they offer very little education on things that are actually significant in the real world). Very few students and teachers actually know how things are built and work around them.

Ever since I was much younger, I knew my future would be with cars. My big dream has been to race professionally. It has not helped at all that no one in my family knows anything about cars or motorsports and my school wont help for shit. My two older brothers attend Georgetown University and Cornell University. (School of Foreign Service and business and what not)
So where do I go from here? Im looking into Auto Engineering at Kettering but that's not REALLY what I want. I dont know of any good colleges/schools that offer what I really want (racecar engineering, fabrication, mechanics, racing)
I know a lot of the pro drivers started young on karts, but thats so damn expensive and my family would think I'm silly (which I am, but I think you need to be a bit nuts these days to get anywhere in the world).

So, tell me what you guys know.
If you read it, thanks.

[chadthestampede]

If you want to get into professional motorsport at your age, you'd probably be better off trying to get into the business aspect of motorsport. Racing professionally is like any other professional sport, you have to get into it very early. That being said, getting out of Buffalo is only going to help you.

Also, a quick search reveals that RIT has a Mechanical engineering program with an automotive option, something to consider if you plan to stay around here for college.

http://www.rit.edu/~w-me/undergrad/bsme-automotive.htm

[lambo]

I am of a similar age and I have the same dreams as you do. However, as I have found out...it is a difficult field to get into. After talking to a bunch of people, including numerous on this forum, I have decided that I want to go into Aerospace engineering versus automotive engineering, save for some sort of motor sport engineering. I just don't want to find myself getting "burnt out" on cars, I'd rather be able to keep it a hobby that I enjoy and separated from my work life.

On the other hand, I have a friend, same age as I, and he has been doing work in a VW performance shop for a long time and now he is studying ME at CU and he is working for an ALMS and as a lead mechanic for a World Championship (I believe) team. I'm hoping to, somehow, get a foot in the door through him, but who knows.

Moral of the story: I think it's mostly who you know versus what you know.

[george graves]

.... I just don't want to find myself getting "burnt out" , I'd rather be able to keep it a hobby that I enjoy and separated from my work life.

Same reason I didn't go into gynecology.

[lambo]

Same reason I didn't go into gynecology.

[MattAvino]

If you want to get into professional motorsport at your age, you'd probably be better off trying to get into the business aspect of motorsport. Racing professionally is like any other professional sport, you have to get into it very early. That being said, getting out of Buffalo is only going to help you.

Also, a quick search reveals that RIT has a Mechanical engineering program with an automotive option, something to consider if you plan to stay around here for college.

http://www.rit.edu/~w-me/undergrad/bsme-automotive.htm

That looks like an awesome program. I went to RIT to check it out about a year ago, but I didn't really give it a close look. Ideally, I would like to go a bit south but I will consider this. I really wish I was able to start racing ages ago, I'm not sure what the first step I would need to take if I were to start now.

[MattAvino]

I also have tons of business ideas (Im not gonna list them lol) that I wish I could get off the ground. I just don't have the time.

[Joe G]

you're 17, make the time. Not trying to sound like a dick, but if you wanna see what having no time is like work 40hours/week and go to college and pull good grades ha. I think back on all of the 'shoulda coulda woulda' moments of my highschool and college career and i wish i had done a lot differently.

As for your dreams, i hope you do achieve them. However, I too had/have? the same aspirations but realized with my lack of funding and background my best bet is to do well for myself and get to a point where i can afford to race without needing someone else to pay my way.

[freeride53]

I'm looking at it from the other end.
I'm 19, have loved cars since I was in diapers.
However, I'm more interested in the business/economical aspect of the automotive industry. I'm currently pursuing a degree in Economics and a minor in Business at the University of California, San Diego.

Try your ass off and go to a good school.
I remember *almost* getting into Penn for rowing, but my SATs were 200 points off and lost that chance.
That didn't phase my caulky senior-in-hs ass who went around bragging about getting recruited to a big university.

I hope to get some sort of internship related to what I like next summer (which is when you typically start geting internships that will help you out in the future).

I strongly recommend going after a more traditional degree, such as Business/Econ, or Engineering .... THEN look into the niches of automotive industry, hit up dem internships, etc...

[chadthestampede]

I'm looking at it from the other end.
I'm 19, have loved cars since I was in diapers.
However, I'm more interested in the business/economical aspect of the automotive industry. I'm currently pursuing a degree in Economics and a minor in Business at the University of California, San Diego.

Try your ass off and go to a good school.
I remember *almost* getting into Penn for rowing, but my SATs were 200 points off and lost that chance.
That didn't phase my caulky senior-in-hs ass who went around bragging about getting recruited to a big university.

I hope to get some sort of internship related to what I like next summer (which is when you typically start geting internships that will help you out in the future).

I strongly recommend going after a more traditional degree, such as Business/Econ, or Engineering .... THEN look into the niches of automotive industry, hit up dem internships, etc...

I would say the opposite. The world is swarming with business majors.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_162-37244200/8-reasons-not-to-get-a-business-degree/

On a lighter note:

[Massimo]

Well what do you really want to do and is salary a concern to you?

If you want to get into motorsport business then got and learn mech eng, don't worry yourself to much if it does or does not have an automotive option. While that is nice, it is not the be all to end all. The motorsports industry is not just about how much power you can put out from an engine, or how much you have learnt. Reliability, Serviceability and Power for Purpose is what you need, budgets are not of the greatest concern while still a factor, they are usually big enough that is should not cause an issue.

The way I see it is you have to paths to choose, if you take the business side.

1. Average performance shop make custom stuff for budget teams, using past experience or common knowledge for what they do, have a good reputation dose good work and makes a good living.

2. Extreme side. Looks outside the box spends money to developed new techniques, parts, formulas. Big portion of the budget is spent on R&D. You will have a great reputation and will be suppling parts to Lemans, F1, WRC ect.

If you want to take on the second option, learn everything you can, and start learning how to stress test and analyse your results. Start doing that now at home on small things. That is what separates 1 from 2.

Here is a good example of and extreme tuner shop.

Extreme Tuners 2000hp 2L 4G63

Extreme Tuners

These guys buy like 10 titanium cranks and stress test them at $50,000 each. They are scientists, mech engs, physicist, and mathematicians. With a love of cars. They build parts and engines for F1, Lemans, WRC, ALMS, NASCAR and so on.

If you want to become a professional race. Well I think you are to late, most professionals are usually looking at going big time by 18. But never say never if you are dedicated, focused, and have the want anything is possible.

[xwill112x]

Everyone wants to be a racecar driver man

[Jonny Cash]

Go into a shop, ask for a job doing grunt work, work hard and dont feel entitled, be humble and stfu. Be consistant, and try to be the best at whatever youre doing.

Put yourself around respectable stand up people. People you want to be like. (racers)... EVeryone you grew up with went to HS with, dont talk to them anymore unless theyre on your exact page.
You will get your oppurtunity.
hope this helps.

[LJ851]

Speaking with the voice of experience, the quickest way to ruin your enjoyment of an interest is to get a job doing just that. That being said, if you are true to yourself it is hard to get too far away from your life's calling. Sorry for the lack of advice, i still haven't figured it out even though i am 15 years down the road from you and i can't imagine doing anything else.

[Sputnik]

...Couldn't help myself