Berklee College of Music Top Questions

Find what college best suits your needs and the area of study. College is very expensive so you want to make sure that you are able to get the most for your money in terms of the academic, social and professional environment. College should feel like home away from home. So I think that if the student feels comfortable when touring the campus then most likely he will be comfortable. And last, don't go to a college just for the sake of going to college. You are wasting your time if you are not there with a plan! But most importantly, have fun and enjoy this time in your life. The friends you meet at your school may become long lasting companions for life.

To ensure that you find the right college It's important to tour the campus AND talk to all the students there. Most colleges have students who help prospective students answer any and all questions. Also talk to the professors and sit in on the classes if you can. After all it is the education that is most important.

Choosing the right college or university can be a very difficult task. I believe that deciding the right school depends on the student?s career goals. Next, the student should do online research and more importantly ask advice as to which degree to pursue from someone working in that field. Then, create a list of the schools that have that degree program. Next, The student must decide on their preferences on location, facilities, population, living arrangements, faculty, demographics, and price. I believe that price should be one of the last factors when selecting a school, because of scholarships, grants etc. After my second year of school, I became a Resident Advisor, which covered all housing and meal costs. After selecting the right college it is very important to make the most out of the experience. I more than tripled the amount of people that I knew while attending college and I did this by joining organizations that aligned with my interests. Also, I learned more about myself mainly as it pertained to my likes, dislikes, hobbies, and learning style. Lastly, it helps to find an older mentor who is successful in the program and learning from their past experiences.

The key to finding the right college for you and making the most of your college experience is passion. Passion for what your interested in makes the process of searching for the right college that much easier. I always knew that I wanted to study music, since I had a passion for music at a young age. Also visiting the college prior to applying is a good idea. I attended the Berklee Summer Performance Program my Junior year of high school and that experience helped me realize that Berklee was the right school for me, so I applied for early admission. By visiting the college I was able to experience the classroom environment, peer/faculty interaction and the amount of knowledge that I would be receiving during the regular school year. Once you find the right college for you, making the most of your experience is easy. Force yourself to get involved and pick a major that your passionate about. If your passionate about what your learning that will encourage you to go that extra mile, thus allowing you to get the most out of our college experience. It is all about having passion!

There is a mysterious cloud surrounding the word ?College? to anyone who has never experienced it. That haze makes it extremely difficult to decide which college is the right match for the individual. When choosing a college, one of the most under-investigated features is the area of concentrated study. The applicant puts a lot of thought into the location, the campus, and the class size but not the college?s main function? the education! I suggest that the individual chooses a field he or she wants to study by asking ?What do I like doing?? Then, through a little research, the applicant should look for a college that offers the corresponding field of study. Some good questions to keep in mind are ?What skills will I have when I complete this major?? and ?What careers are open to me with these skills?? After finding a program that seems exciting ? go for it! It?s not an irrevocable commitment. Choosing the right academic program will exponentially increase the chances of a gratifying college experience.

I would advise students to search within themselves and to follow where they believe they ought to be. Live everyday as if you will never have a chance to live it again, because you simply won't. College goes by incredibly fast; it's important to appreciate and take advantage of it as much as you can.

Just wait and look for the place that really feels right to the student. They have to feel excited to go or it's not worth it at all.

For those lucky students and parents finding the right college, Talk, talk, talk to as many people as you can; most importantly, talk to students or alumni. Find them on Facebook or any internet source and ask them questions. College websites tend to do whatever they can to market to students. It's so important the student knows the realities of a college, roughly, before they give four years of their life away to it. Once you get to college, take advantage of every opportunity you get. This time of your life is for exploration and learning what it means to be you. Therefore, put yourself out there, but surround yourself with good people who will support you along the way. Most importantly, follow your heart. Don?t do something for anyone but yourself, because in the end, it?s you who will live with those actions. And, yes, know the possibilities are endless. Enjoy the ride.

Geography is much more important than you can imagine. Make sure you can picture yourself there for four years. If you are unhappy with the town/region in which your school is located, it can have a serious effect on your attitude, grades, etc.

I would say just be true to what you really want to do in life and everything will work itself out.