FIRST: COLLEGE ?

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by Cory

Why pull mentors away from high school kids, who haven't made their career choices yet, to allow college kids (who already made their career decision) to drive robots on the field?

Because I want to, darn it!

Actually, mentor matches are awesome, in my opinion. Lets the adults have a chance to play with the toys they helped create. I got my chance this year at the Capital Clash, and it was hella fun. Now I just need to move home and help them build a mobility system that works.

Wetzel

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by Wetzel

Because I want to, darn it!

That's reason enough for me. FIRST is fun to be involved in as an active participant. Yes I have moved on from HS, but yes I still want to build the robot, and I still want to drive, and I still want to be a human player, and do everything that the HS students do. But I can't, and that's why we need a College FIRST, not because we need it, but because we want it.

[KenWittlief]

all the college level competitions that exist now are way more interesting and challenging than anything you ever did in FIRST

and if you find you have free time on your hands in college, do what DK did - start your own company

FIRST was only a taste to get you interested. If you are attending an engineering university, you need to hurry up and get through the 7 stages of grieving over the loss of your HS years, and look ahead to your future.

[Conor Ryan]

I'm just thinking here, but everyone here is looking at a college level FRC, what about a College Level Vex Division? Since the vex season is much much shorter and cheaper it could be a place for colleges to grow. However because of the mentorship that college students provide, I'd never let a full blown robotics competition at the collegiate level take place. But maybe a Collegiate Vex, you never know after playing around with Vex you may get more mentors all of a sudden.

[Freddy Schurr]

Thats an interesting idea.