Berklee

[DanielC]

I went to Berklee a year and a half ago...left because I ran out of money and my attitude towards the school sucked. I transferred to a university. I received no financial aid when I attended Berklee and only had loan money to pay for tuition (20,000) and living expenses (20,000/year). My parents divorced and I'm a dependent on my mother now. With one income filing for financial aid I was sure to get grant money if I wanted to return to Berklee. I thought maybe I could change my attitude and go to Berklee with grant money and graduate. I figured I'd make a lot of connections and use Berklee's false credibility to get me in the business after school. I applied for financial aid and received grant money for the summer. However, when I applied for the Fall/Spring semester, I received no grant money because I made 6000.00 more than the previous year. This put me above the level to get grant money. I appealed and it was denied. I have 4 semesters left to graduate. In other words, I have about 70,000.00 left to take out to graduate. I'm probably going to just withdraw and go back to the university to major in something else. I want to do entertainment law. Has anyone been in this situation before with financial aid at Berklee? Is a bachelor's degree worth the amount of money? Just want some feedback.

[Manos]

Have you tried applying for any and all scholarships? If you could get a couple, it might help put a dent in the debt.

[Derek DeFields]

Entertainment law is a great choice. I took classes in that for a couple years in San Francisco and it was really fascinating.

Any large University in a big music city will do; doesn't have to be Berklee for that. NY, Chicago, Nashville, the Bay Area, Los Angeles are all great choices where you'll make plenty of connections.

[peter c]

Can you transfer your credits,
say to the New England Conserv-
atory? I am shooting in the dark
here. I say NECM because you're
still in the same area and the
connections overlap.

The connections are worth some-
thing. That's why I suggest look-
ing into transferring the credit
to the NECM, up the street. Both
schools are up for the same gigs.

Harvey went to NECM.

[img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 08, 2004 11:53 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]</font>

[DanielC]

Thanks for the responses,
I'm from South Carolina and will be attending the University of South Carolina next year to major in Political Science. Not really something I want to study, but it's a good pre-law major. I hope to go to a law school that offers an emphasis on entertainment law. Nashville is close to home, but Vanderbilt is very hard to get into for law. Sounds like everyone feels Berklee isn't worth it. Thanks guys

[palmerlouie]

"berklee isnt worth it"....

uh oh what do mean? i leave for berklee next month.

[blake1]

Berklee was the best place for me to be. Where else could I hear 200-300 other drummers everyday and play almost 24 hrs/ 7 days a week with people from all over the world ?

Money is always going to be a problem. Music isn't going to make you rich, unless you are a pop singer/writer. It's what you want to do in life that is important.

We decide so much in our lives about money and forget that there are other ways of living.


Because of my connections in Boston, (Not just Berklee) I had the opportunities to travel and play in many different countries. It's a great way to learn about our world and how to communicate.

In the end, what this world needs is communication and respect for one another.


I respect whatever decision you make, because being a musician isn't easy. It's one hell of a way to go through life though.

[blake1]

BTW, I was turned down on financial aid and scholarship too, when I went there since I worked full time at a factory the year before. Later, I ended up getting good grades and got a bunch of little scholarships and the Zildjian award as well as grants and student loans.

I think I was really lucky, but I had a good attitude and would actually sleep under the pianos (so security couldn't kick me out) at school so I wouldn't have to go home.

It was the best time of my life, now that I've had time to reflect.


After I graduated I got a gig right away playing jazz 6 nights a week in Singapore. I payed off all my student loans after my second year out of Berklee.

So.... it can be done.