Any SAM students
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,955
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From: Houston / University of Texas, Austin
What I can tell you is most shops in the NHRA (from pro stock to top fuelers), Offshore powerboat racing, IRL, NASCAR and many more smaller sanctioned racing series ALL have SAM graduates working for them all the way from engine builder, head porter, to tuner, crew chief, owner, etc.
Hell a lot of the shops around here in Houston (LME, HKE) are owned or employ SAM graduates.
it is a simple solution, you get out what you put in. Study, PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE on the machines!!!! (Can't stress that enough)
I know more people than all my fingers and toes that have accomplished SAM and have been doing VERY WELL in their respective fields.
Hell a lot of the shops around here in Houston (LME, HKE) are owned or employ SAM graduates.
it is a simple solution, you get out what you put in. Study, PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE on the machines!!!! (Can't stress that enough)
I know more people than all my fingers and toes that have accomplished SAM and have been doing VERY WELL in their respective fields.
Last edited by | Powered by Satan |; Jun 29, 2010 at 11:11 PM.
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (21)
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: Franklin, TN
Yeah well thats about anything in life, you get out what you put in. I do appreciate that it helps ease my mind a tad, only issue I have is finding a way to pay and live for the 9 or so months I am there lol.
FormerVendor
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,065
Likes: 6
From: Houston, Tx.
If you are really interested in building and working with racing and high performance engines SAM is just about the only place that even specializes in this. Plus everyone there is there because they love racing and building high performance engines. There are never any promises from any schools but the guys I know that wanted to work in this area all are doing what they wanted. Just make sure you are doing it because you really love it and the rest will happen over time. Also there is no reason (well besides money maybe) not to do both as a regular degree and SAM are possible as well and probably a good idea for some. When I was there we had many guys that were already degreed professionals and many students I had also went on later to also get a university degree as well. Plus someone with the experience of SAM or work at a race engine shop has a new appreciation of say mechaincal engineering or physics etc.
We have morning and afternoon class. That way if you need to have a part time job to pay bills, you can manage your school and work schedules around each other. Also, if you're looking for a part time job, we can help you find something.
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Hopefully jobs aren't too hard to find in the Houston area. I'm looking to come over to visit the school, check out apartment cost, and to look at the availability of jobs. Its going to be quite a move from Florida, but if everything pans out when I visit, I think it will be a good move and well worth it.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,955
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From: Houston / University of Texas, Austin
Pot meet kettle. 
Sweet blanket statement with a University being greater than another educational entity.
I also attended SAM and spent almost 4 years there working with Judson and the rest of the crew including David (DMSZ28).
I absolutely loved it and have certainly reaped the rewards of being there. I am not finishing my education as I am about to finish my Engineering degree so I can tag team whatever I want in the automotive industry if I so choose. I know KCS and another friend of mine are finishing their BSME so they can move even further into the industry. My other friend of mine was working for Costhworth in California in the Cylinder Head department before leaving to finish his degree. HOW SHITTY.
The school solely relies on how hard you are willing to work and sacrifice to get to the end result. If you put in your time in the classroom and down in the shop, you will reap the benefits of Casey Schneider, Shawn Hooper, Judson, and the rest of the gang there. They are some of the best in the country at what they do and offer SO much to learn. Take advantage of an uncapped plethora of knowledge.
-Gray
Sweet blanket statement with a University being greater than another educational entity.I also attended SAM and spent almost 4 years there working with Judson and the rest of the crew including David (DMSZ28).
I absolutely loved it and have certainly reaped the rewards of being there. I am not finishing my education as I am about to finish my Engineering degree so I can tag team whatever I want in the automotive industry if I so choose. I know KCS and another friend of mine are finishing their BSME so they can move even further into the industry. My other friend of mine was working for Costhworth in California in the Cylinder Head department before leaving to finish his degree. HOW SHITTY.
The school solely relies on how hard you are willing to work and sacrifice to get to the end result. If you put in your time in the classroom and down in the shop, you will reap the benefits of Casey Schneider, Shawn Hooper, Judson, and the rest of the gang there. They are some of the best in the country at what they do and offer SO much to learn. Take advantage of an uncapped plethora of knowledge.
-Gray
TECH Junkie
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,726
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From: Fort Collins, CO
I graduated from SAM so I thought I'd add my input.
If you're passionate about racing and you really want to learn from the best and have a foundation that can take you anywhere in motorsports that you'd like to go, SAM is the only place to go. There are SAM graduates working in every form of professional motorsports you could imagine.
The school will take you absolutely as far as you're willing to go, but it's totally up to you how far you'll go once you're in the school. Show-up early, take good notes, pay attention, ask questions, stay late, work on the projects, go to the races. Ya don't grind ya don't shine.
If you're passionate about racing and you really want to learn from the best and have a foundation that can take you anywhere in motorsports that you'd like to go, SAM is the only place to go. There are SAM graduates working in every form of professional motorsports you could imagine.
The school will take you absolutely as far as you're willing to go, but it's totally up to you how far you'll go once you're in the school. Show-up early, take good notes, pay attention, ask questions, stay late, work on the projects, go to the races. Ya don't grind ya don't shine.
You're simply not in any position to tell someone that they would be better off at another school, only because your friend failed to do well... or is he even done yet?
You don't know the OP, and you don't know what constitutes as "better off" for him. For me, I went from a tour in Iraq to testing 150 MPH Powerboats in the Gulf of Mexico in just over a year, thanks to SAM. I have several years of real world experience now, which REALLY helps getting these physics classes to stick to memory, since I see how they can be and will be applied. That experience and those certifcates will also look very good on my resume against another young ME graduate who is fresh out of school.
Do everyone a favor and let the people who have experience with SAM do the talking. If your friend's experience needs to be heard so badly, I'm sure he can figure out how to sign up on LS1tech and tell us all about it.
You don't know the OP, and you don't know what constitutes as "better off" for him. For me, I went from a tour in Iraq to testing 150 MPH Powerboats in the Gulf of Mexico in just over a year, thanks to SAM. I have several years of real world experience now, which REALLY helps getting these physics classes to stick to memory, since I see how they can be and will be applied. That experience and those certifcates will also look very good on my resume against another young ME graduate who is fresh out of school.
Do everyone a favor and let the people who have experience with SAM do the talking. If your friend's experience needs to be heard so badly, I'm sure he can figure out how to sign up on LS1tech and tell us all about it.
I actually went and took a tour of the school today, I'm very very very impressed with it and actually made the decision to attend next year. OP do yourself a favor fly out and stay for a day or two and actually tour the school and houston and what not, if your serious thats about the only thing I can recommend. I think the thing that made me bite the bullet is I got to actually talk to the kids who go there and they absolutely love it, Its one thing to talk to an instructor who wants your money and will tell you anything to get it but to hear it from students is just awesome. Bottom line is like any other school you get what you put in, most of the people who fail and bitch about school usually never show up for class or are just plain lazy and retarded.
I actually went and took a tour of the school today, I'm very very very impressed with it and actually made the decision to attend next year. OP do yourself a favor fly out and stay for a day or two and actually tour the school and houston and what not, if your serious thats about the only thing I can recommend. I think the thing that made me bite the bullet is I got to actually talk to the kids who go there and they absolutely love it, Its one thing to talk to an instructor who wants your money and will tell you anything to get it but to hear it from students is just awesome. Bottom line is like any other school you get what you put in, most of the people who fail and bitch about school usually never show up for class or are just plain lazy and retarded.
I completely agree with you on the instructor thing. It is nice to hear about the school from them, but I also like to hear from the current students themselves and the graduates. I was fortunate to talk to both students and a few instructors in Memphis 2 years ago at the Shootout. I'm just trying to get some time off work to go visit and hopefully that will seal the deal for me as it did for you.