Berklee College of Music Top Questions

Make sure to visit the school and talk to atleast 5 different students just walking by about their feelings on the school.

Go visit the college. See what it has to offer and where does it compare to another college you are looking into. Also compare and see if the college will take you where you want to go in life.

You have to go to each individual school and check out whose around. Do you think you'll fit in here? Is it worth the time and money here? Where will you live? What will it all cost for a complete 4 year time span? Do they have what you'll need while you're there? Is it really the best you can do?

Study hard and have fun!

Do your research and ask students attending the college how they feel about their experience prior to even considering the school

When looking for the right college, take your time. Not every person is meant to go to college and not every person belongs in college immediately after school. Also, just because a school is well-known and they have a D. 1 football team doesn't mean that its the "best" college around and that is where all the fun is. The same should be thought about the Ivy-league colleges. Finally, the student should be the individual to make the final decision. Parents should help, but they should not be the biggest factor in deciding the outcome.

Make sure to keep your School information orginized!

Research. Find out what you are getting yourself into. You can ask former or current students, visit the campus, etc. Most colleges have friendly admission departments whose job it is to consult prospective students and parents. Take advantage of this! College will be such an important part of your child's life and every aspect of the university/college is important, not just the reputation of the school or the specific academic program it offers. You should consider the student body, campus size, class sizes, overall impression, drop-out rates, whatever information you can find. The best source of information is students that have attended the college and if possible those in the field you are interested in. Sometimes a college promotes itself as being one way but does not live up to this description. Also, with regards to money, it is my opinion that you should always follow your heart and/or passion no matter the costs or clear job path. As for making the most out of college, keep an open mind because college is a time to be exposed to new ways of thinking. I think you will find it is worth more if you do that.

don'y send your son or student to Berklee unless they're passionate, motivated, and work for their music.

When looking for the right college, it's imperative that parents and students are happy with options for majors at the school, and, amongst a variety of other factors, they need to feel that it is a place the student can expand their learning horizons to the maximum degree. It needs be in the right location; when a student walks onto their new campus they will know what that feels like. Parents and students alike need to be completely satisfied with the way the college presents itself. Making the most of the college experience will be easy if you know that the school has given you the proper tools to learn, study, and be active both on and off campus. The way I look at it is, my parents and I have worked countless hours so I can get the education I want and need to be successful-- so there's no way in the world I will just let my college experience happen; I'm going to make it happen.

It is most important to talk to students who ALREADY ATTEND the college of interest (students who both like AND dislike the college). Also, it's most important for incoming freshman to truly understand that they most likely have not been fully prepared for embarking on a career path just from high school, and that they will probably change their mind about how they'd like to build their future multiple times throughout their college experience. Lastly, it's cliche, but true: Make sure to pursue things you love, things you enjoy, and things that make you happy - all the way from classes to prospective jobs and careers.

The best advice that I could give to the new hunters of a worthy education, is to visit the campus and talk to everyone you see. Only the real students attending the school are the ones that have the most and truest voice on how the campus is. Speak to the students first, and everyone else later.

If you or your child has a clear idea of what they want to do when they graduate, he/she must choose a college in which he will get the most out of for their selected path. You must also do what is in your heart. And get to know people, because you will never know who might help you out in the same industry when you need it.

First of all, forget your GPA, your SAT scores, your AP scores. Forget what classes you're taking, what classes you already took, what classes you think you have to take. Forget how badly you did on your math test, and how well you did in history. In fact, do yourself a humongous favor, and completely wipe high school from your brain. Then take a deep breath, and say this out loud: "I'm doing this for me." Don't let yourself be consumed by the judgemental numbers and superfluous pre-requisites that high school has forced upon you. Yes, high school is important, and yes, you should take it seriously, but don't EVER let anybody tell you that grades or course choices will decide your future. Only YOU can make that decision. College isn't just about "getting an education"--it's about making you into the person that you will be for the rest of your life. Think about the kind of person you want to be. What do you want from life? What do you want to offer to the world? Forget all the numbers, think about you--this isn't a test. This is life.

Start looking early. If you have many interests and talents, find the best schools for each. Make a Pros/Cons list if you have trouble deciding and follow your heart. Once you get there, get involved with anything and everything you can. You never know how the skills you learn there or the people you meet will be of help in the future.

Students looking for the right college should definitely take tours of lots of prospective schools. They should make sure to meet students and teachers at each school that they visit as well. When making the final decision, I went with my strongest immediate feeling, and it was the right choice. After choosing a school, to get the most out of your college experience, be sure to stay focused on work and get your money's worth. Make sure to take advantage of extra curricular activities, such as clubs and sports, and make sure to get the most out of your classes.

In this time of economic crisis, no one wants to waste any money on something they're going to quit in a couple of months. Researching the right college will save money and time. Also, in these uncertain times, you want to look for a school that will adequately prepare you for challenges to come, no matter what the will be.

I don't think students should come here just for a music degree and then go to a "real college" to get a "real job". It's no good to the parents or the students (considering paying off debts. I know too many people who have done that, and many more who ARE doing that as I write this out. The "right college" doesn't mean the one that all of one's friends are at, or the one that is focused on only ONE subject that one prefers. That's just not how life works, so one shouldn't think that a college would be any better/different. What I've learned, is that if you don't feel comfortable somewhere...TRANSFER. It is poor for your lifestyle and who you are, to stick around where you do not feel that the education is suited to your needs. That's the lovely thing about life; one has choices and decisions that can ultimately come to benefit oneself. In fact, that's just what I love about being in college; I find myself having to apply an increased level of maturity and end up growing and learning from it.

It's not about doing what you love, it's about getting what you want while you're doing it.

Do not go to a school because you feel like to have to . Study something you love, no matter how much or little money it will make you. Work hard because you love doing what you do. Research the schools that have acclaimed programs for the feild you want to study, then pursue them