I'm in a little bit of a bind and I need some opinions

You'll enjoy your later years, too, if you get good grades that allow you to get a good job. :grin:

I agree with many of IbeAnEngineer's points, and I'll add this: consider putting in extra effort in your studies when you return from your trip. Don't just catch up, pull ahead.
I'll try to go ahead to do my work ahead of time so I don't have to worry about it in Vegas. I want to be stressfree in Vegas and not worry about anything but having a good time. :D
 
Depending on how crazy you get in Vegas, you may be sick enough to get a medical excuse from the dean in charge of absences

At Illinois, our add/drop deadline is two weeks into the semester, so professors usually don't really care to check for attendance until week 3. If you're taking senior/upper level classes though (i.e. the small classroom kind), I would be extremely wary of missing any time.

-Alan (Doesn't place pool anywhere near school on the priorities list)
 
Depending on how crazy you get in Vegas, you may be sick enough to get a medical excuse from the dean in charge of absences

At Illinois, our add/drop deadline is two weeks into the semester, so professors usually don't really care to check for attendance until week 3. If you're taking senior/upper level classes though (i.e. the small classroom kind), I would be extremely wary of missing any time.

-Alan (Doesn't place pool anywhere near school on the priorities list)
Don't think I'll get too crazy. Just want to enjoy myself whether we win or not. My summer wasn't all that great. I didn't go on any vacations and was working nearly every weekend. Working on weekends really didn't allow me to enjoy the summer fully because that's when all the fun stuff is happening.
Yeah I'm taking upper level classes:accounting 2,a programming class,and business statistics. The upper level classes I've been taking have only been 20-30 people.
 
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Back when dirt was rocks, I was in college. Back then, it was no excuses needed, none accepted. You either did the work or not. After, all people were there because they wanted to be...it wasn't high school anymore.

So, your choice...but if I thought Vegas had a chance of hurting my GPA, I'd probably have passed on Vegas. Gotta set priorities more and more as you get older. Choose carefully.
 
Not to sound disrespectful to the ones that replied but I'm almost regretting starting this thread. Just wanted some opinions on what I should tell my professors and if someone else had been in a similar situation,not whether or not I should go to Vegas or not. As long as I do my work in time and let my professors know that I will be gone for a few days I see no problem missing a few days. Plus my team is really counting on me to play. There are 2-3 members of our team that won't be coming and we would be unable to play if I didn't show up. I think I've got enough views on the subject already. I appreciate all your input.
 
If you already have your schedule set and know which professors are teaching your classes you could email them now and let them know you will be gone and see what your options are. It might be better than waiting until the first day of class which is only a week before you leave for Vegas. They will probably like you taking the initiative and it will give them the impression that you are taking your studies seriously.

I've taught labs as an undergrad and was a TA during grad school. Most of the time all you have to do is show that you are honest and willing to work.
 
Stay in school. Once you start making those 6 figures you can go to Vegas anytime you'd like.
 
If you already have your schedule set and know which professors are teaching your classes you could email them now and let them know you will be gone and see what your options are. It might be better than waiting until the first day of class which is only a week before you leave for Vegas. They will probably like you taking the initiative and it will give them the impression that you are taking your studies seriously.

I've taught labs as an undergrad and was a TA during grad school. Most of the time all you have to do is show that you are honest and willing to work.
Thanks I'll do that.
 
Not to be disrespectful

BUT...you werent really looking for advice, just someone to justify what you are already planning to do. At a higher level of class, your prrofessors will expect more. Let me ask, why are others on your team missing vegas....my 'guess' is that they have other things that are priorities, school is your priority now. Listen, when i was your age i went to vegas, screwed around, all that stuff, and it took me to long to finish school....cost me a LOT of money. But, i wasnt a great student to begin with :) Just my 0.02
 
Stay in school. Once you start making those 6 figures you can go to Vegas anytime you'd like.
Once again I'm not dropping out of school for good,I'll just be absent for a few days. And I wouldn't be going to Vegas if my team hadn't won the trip. No disrespect intended but I'm assuming you don't know play APA and don't know how important it is to win a chance to play in the national team championships. Any APA member on the board can attest to how hard it is to win the trip and much work it takes. Once again no disrespect meant to anyone but please stop telling me to stay in school. I know better than to drop out.
 
Here's the deal. My 8 ball APA team is going to Vegas next weekend for the national team championships. However I start college classes again this upcoming week and I will miss the full second week of classes of course. I can complete all the assignments I will miss either a week early or while I'm in Vegas. No worries about that. But considering it will be only the second week of school and the teachers will not know me well at all,I don't want to leave a bad impression. I will tell them the first day of class about missing that week but I haven't decided on what to tell them yet. I thought about telling them I have to go out of state to attend to some personal family things. I'm not missing Vegas for anything though,short of a death in the family or something similiar. I know the trip is not an excused absence but what kind of excuse would you give? Would it be better to just tell the truth and say that the trip had been won long before school was starting?
School vs. APA in Vegas.

School wins, no-brainer for me.
 
BUT...you werent really looking for advice, just someone to justify what you are already planning to do. At a higher level of class, your professors will expect more. Let me ask, why are others on your team missing vegas....my 'guess' is that they have other things that are priorities, school is your priority now. Listen, when i was your age i went to vegas, screwed around, all that stuff, and it took me to long to finish school....cost me a LOT of money. But, i wasn't a great student to begin with :) Just my 0.02
I was just looking for someone to give some advice on how to go about explaining it to my professors. I'm aware that my professors expect more but if I had known before hand that the trip would've interfered with school,I would have simply taken the money they paid us and kept it. But by the time I found out what time my classes started,it was too late to get the money back. I hate missing work for 2 weekends. I don't really like my job but in this day and age with the poor economy,I'll take it. If I really want to focus on school full time,maybe I should quit my job as well huh?
The other couple that wasn't able to make are having a baby later this year and the woman could not fly. They were prepared financially to go but her doctor said she could not fly with the baby on the way. I fully support and respect their decision and it won't be the same without them but they did what they have to do.
I'm not going to Vegas just to "screw around". I don't mean demeaning but it sounds like you're trying to relate your experiences in Vegas and your life to mine. Ask anyone who knows me well and they will tell you that I have a good head on my shoulders. I don't plan on gambling very much at all,maybe some low stakes card games and that's it. Hell I'm too cheap and stingy to play more than $5 a rack 9 ball. :D
If it turns out that just a few days absent from school ruins my GPA,then I will give you the benefit of the doubt.
 
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College athletes regularly miss classes in order to compete. Professors understand this, and adjust accordingly.

I would tell the truth and use this to support your decision.
 
College athletes regularly miss classes in order to compete. Professors understand this, and adjust accordingly.

I would tell the truth and use this to support your decision.
Never thought of that. Excellent point. So I can call myself an athlete,just not professional yet. :D
 
Same With College Competitors

Never thought of that. Excellent point. So I can call myself an athlete,just not professional yet. :D

About 99% of college athletes never make it to professional status as well.
 
I know it's not college, but my son is going to miss some school because he is going with me to the little League World Series later this month. I have already drafted a letter detailing the days he will be absent and asked for the Principal to exempt him for the trip. They did so, and he will be excused for his absence. He will also be responsible for the work and tests missed. Tell the truth and get to work on it Monday.
 
If your college participates in A.C.U.I Pocket Billiards, you should play.

Tell your professors this event will help you when you represent your school.
 
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