Please post your score (and videos if you have a camera) after you get comfortable with the exams. Also, let us know if you think the rating based on your score is an accurate description of your level of ability.This sounds great. I am looking forward to practicing.
In the future, we hope to have BU Boot Camps scheduled in many cities at different times of year. The only event we have planned so far this year is the Annual BU Summer School Boot Camp to be held in July in Fort Collins, Colorado. Bob and I are hoping some AZB'ers will attend the inaugural event this year.I would like to see the BU doing a road school like the pool schools Randy and Scott do.
Do you think the row corresponding to your score in the rating comparison chart is an accurate measure of your ability?
Detailed instructions for how to take the exams are in the BU Exam Instructions document and in the exam documents, which include the shot diagrams. For those who don't know, all of the exam documents and score sheets needed to take the exams are available here at no cost: BU Exam Resource PageIt put me higher than I expected. But I probably didn't do all of the drills correctly - I know I misunderstood the progressive drill scoring, because I scored my first shot as a 4 every time, when it should have been my next shot's starting point. So I would have had one more shot to score. And i did the drills separately rather than at one time. Probably doing them consecutively would be tougher.
You're very welcome. Please help spread the word.Thanks again for a great practice routine, and for all of the other materials you have available.
I forgot to mention that there is a factor in the score related to table size. If you take Exam I on a table smaller than 9', you're not allowed to take the Doctorate version of Exam II even if you score high enough on Exam I. In fact, this happened to me during my run at the exams (as summarized in the Exam I overview video). I got a 74 on Exam I, which falls in the Doctorate range (70-100), but since I took the Exam on an 8' table, I wasn't allowed to take the Doctorate version of Exam II. I had to take the Masters version instead, which has few points available. If I had taken the Doctorate version, I'm sure I could have earned more points than I did with the Masters version (even though the difficulty level is tougher with the Doctorate version), so doing the exams on a smaller table can limit your total score some.Here's a quote from the BU Exam Instructions document:... how does equipment variability come into play, e. g. bucket vs. tight pockets, 7 vs 9 ft tables, etc?
A 9’ table is recommended because the exams and rating system were designed for a regulation-size table. To receive a Doctorate diploma, both exams must be taken on a 9’ (or larger) table; however, a smaller table size (e.g., 7’ or 8’) is allowed for a Bachelors or Masters diploma.
We also collect table and pocket information (pocket point-to-point size and shelf depth) with the diploma application form, and publish this information with the scores on the official page that lists people's results. This will provide useful context along with the scores.
For this AZB thread, I thought people would just share their score, but they can also list the table info if they want to (for example, if they are proud of the fact they got a great score on a 10' table with 4" pockets!).
Thanks!This looks great!
I look forward to seeing your score (and videos if you have a camera).I cant wait to get started. (Tho I guess I'll have to, until I get a chance to print off the materials at work, home printer on the fritz, hey)
I agree completely. I personally feel like I stepped my game up a notch after all of the practice I got during the filming of the DVDs and while practicing before filming my official runs at the exams. And ever since then, it always amazes me how often I see the exam drill shots come up while I'm playing matches. When you see a shot that looks familiar and you have specifically practiced, it sure seems a lot easier.I really think that if I can allow myself the time to work on these drills, it will be a great help.
You're very welcome. I'm excited that it is finally out there after working so hard on it for so long (especially the DVDs).Really looking forward to it, thanks to you and all the rest of the faculty for putting it together and sharing with us.
After you practice some more, please post your score and let us know how well you think the rating matches your perceived level of play. And if you have a camera, please consider posting videos.You are providing a great service to the pool community. I would like to thank you for your contributions.
I played with some of the shots today. I didn't do as well as I would have liked,but I enjoy practicing with drills like this.
The BU is blessed to have such a "dream team" of professors. They were very helpful and provided excellent insight and advice while Randy Russell and I were developing the exams and rating system. Here they are again, to give them the credit they deserve:You are providing a great service to the pool community. I You have quite the cast of characters on your faculty. I have worked with Randy G, Jerry B, and Mark F. All are great teachers.
I don't travel much to teach, but if you ever want to visit beautiful Colorado, I'd be happy to work with you. Bob Jewett, Randy Russell, and I are offering the first annual BU Summer School Boot Camp this July. If you can swing it, try to come.I hope you get to the New Jersey area in the near future.
I'm glad you mentioned this. I will look into this.Great drills Dave! I notice you suggest having music playing in the background to validate the no edit but beware, you tube will automatically mute your video if certain songs are playing owned by a couple of the studios. This has happened to me on many occasions and I was just shooting pool with a playlist going from my computer to keep me company. And to make matters worse you will get an e mail from them about copyright infringement which means nothing but could make some folks nervous.
Thanks for the suggestion. I actually prefer the white (I have both), because I want them very visible, especially in videos people post.I prefer the Avery clear vinyl reinforcement circles #05722 over the white ones. They are thinner I think and almost invisible. Less than 4 bucks for 1000 of them. You can leave them all over the place and barely notice them when you move from drills to games. Sometimes you have to move your head around to catch a glare in order to even find them.
That's a great idea. Thanks JC (and Stan).I made a permanent 10 ball rack using my magic rack as a template with these and it works great just like the slug doctor. They are tough as hell and if one gets worn or damaged you can replace just that one to keep the whole rack in good order. I started with a normal spot that I punched a hole in the center and used the circles to make the rest (ok I got the idea from Stan Shuffet). Racks are immediate and tight and these clear circles are no factor to shoot over unlike the magic rack or the white circles which can skid a ball if hit just right.
Neil,Dave, do all the drills have to be on one video, or can you do each "set" of drills on a separate video? Camera I now have only records for 25 min.
Neil,
You can break up the video in as many pieces as you need to, but try to limit it to as few as possible, maybe 2-3 videos for each exam. If you feel like it, you can combine the videos in video editing software (e.g., the free versions of Windows MovieMaker or Mac iMovie); otherwise, multiple videos are fine.
I look forward to seeing your score and videos. Maybe you can be the first to earn one of the free diplomas.
Best regards,
Dave
I forgot to mention that there is a factor in the score related to table size. If you take Exam I on a table smaller than 9', you're not allowed to take the Doctorate version of Exam II even if you score high enough on Exam I. In fact, this happened to me during my run at the exams (as summarized in the Exam I overview video). I got a 74 on Exam I, which falls in the Doctorate range (70-100), but since I took the Exam on an 8' table, I wasn't allowed to take the Doctorate version of Exam II. I had to take the Masters version instead, which has few points available. If I had taken the Doctorate version, I'm sure I could have earned more points than I did with the Masters version (even though the difficulty level is tougher with the Doctorate version), so doing the exams on a smaller table can limit your total score some.
Thanks again for the good question,
Dave
... Could you or somebody else check the videos for me and let me know if the audio is muted? ...
[...] Could you or somebody else check the videos for me and let me know if the audio is muted? Thanks.
Again, we thought about several ways to do this, but none of them seemed useful or simple enough. I think having the equipment info posted with the BU scores is enough to provide the necessary context (see the page listing the official graduates). How difficult pockets play depends on many factors (point-to-point size, shelf depth, pocket wall angles, condition of the rubber and cloth on the pocket walls, humidity, etc.). I've seen some fairly big pockets play fairly tight, and some fairly small pockets play fairly loose. IMO, it would be too complicated to try to quantitatively incorporate all of these factors into the scoring system. That's why we just decided to list the equipment information along with the scores, and require a 9' (or larger) table for the Doctorate. This keeps things simple and yet still encourages people to take the exams on tough conditions (for pride, and to achieve the highest level of diploma).I know you said that scores on less than 9' don't allow for the doctorate. Have you considered taking the pocket size and shelf depth into consideration on that? Doesn't a 4 1/8" pocket with a 1 1/4" shelf relate to a 5" pocket with a 1 1/4 or 1 1/2" pocket pretty well? (that is, 7' vs 9')
Are you sure the videos are stored as JPEG, and not MPEG? That sounds like too long a time (unless you have a phone modem from the1970's). Hopefully, somebody out there will have some advice for you. Do you have somebody local you can ask for help?Also, anyone know the best way to upload videos to youtube? My camera has a memory card that I put in the computer to upload to my computer. That only takes a minute or two. However, when I go to upload that to youtube, they say it will take 8-9 hours!!?? I have it on my comp. as jpeg.