Best Sound Engineering College?

My only recommendation is to NOT go into debt -- many of these private schools are essentially loan mills -- encouraging hordes of bright eyed young would-be recording "engineers" to borrow many tens of thousands of dollars in hard-to-evade government loans (can't bankrupt your way out of them anymore -- they follow you to the grave, now) to learn a craft that will be increasingly hard for the oodles of debt-burdened recent graduates to find any meaningful, well-paying work in.

Yes, just as in the past, the very cream of the cream will work and possibly live quite well.

But it was hard to find work BEFORE the loan mill recording schools popped up and think about what it will be like as more and more studios close...
 
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theblue1 said:
My only recommendation is to NOT go into debt -- many of these private schools are essentially loan mills -- encouraging hordes of bright eyed young would-be recording "engineers" to borrow many tens of thousands of dollars in hard-to-evade government loans (can't bankrupt your way out of them anymore -- they follow you to the grave, now) to learn a craft that will be increasingly hard for the oodles of debt-burdened recent graduates to find any meaningful, well-paying work in.

Yes, just as in the past, the very cream of the cream will work and possibly live quite well.

But it was hard to find work BEFORE the loan mill recording schools popped up and think about what it will be like as more and more studios close...
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It's probably best to go to a school in state because out of state tuition is usuall more expensive and try not to go to a private school because more expensive as well. Your best bet is going to a school with transferable credits too because if you don't you could be shooting yourself in the back because then you have to do everything required all over again which is a waste of your time and will probably cost you more too. Look into some kind of sound engineering or multimedia degree. Look around compare prices and see what the courses offered are, but it's best to start looking locally.
 
Well, at least Berklee is a real school with real standards and giving real, accredited degrees. But, yeah, I think, like any commercial (or most out of state public) schools, it's expensive. (Good rep, good connections, though. You know, if you go in for that stuff.) Get a Masters from there and you could teach at a community college, quite possibly. Of course, that's not exactly stellar money.

FWIW, I attended "pioneering" programs at two community colleges (overlapping -- I'd do anything for free studio time :D ) back in the early-mid 80s and they were as different as night and day in almost all ways but both were really worth something. One because the teacher really knew something (and we had a small but nicely appointed studio, a Neuman U87, some 441s, the usual allotment of '57s and '58s, a couple 451s, a D12 IIRC, a little Neve board, a 16 track 2" machine) but we had little hands on for a number of reasons -- and the other school was always a mess, gear was always broken or missing, but there was a great pool of jazz, funk, and rock musicians and if you were dedicated you could usually wangle a good amount of studio time.

I learned the right way to do it at one school and I learned how to do it at the other.

If that makes any sense.
 
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I've read and heard a lot of ppl say "Spend that money on books and gear and study your ass off on your own. Internships... get one!".

I spoke with one local engineer (went to Full Sail - still owes like $20,000) and heard the very same information. He wished he had spent the $$ on books and gear, and interned for free at a studio.

Yes you can learn a lot at these schools, but ppl should know that a certificate form Full Sail will not on its own make someone a successful engineer/producer.

If I was 18 and getting out of high school and wanted to be in the business, I would stay living at home with mom and dad, and bust my ass as an intern at a studio. Stay away from the drugs/alcohol, learn and ask questions, get a good computer. By the time your friends graduate from regular college, you'll be 22 with 4 years of usuable experience under your belt and most likely debt-free.
 
And you could even do what the kity whisperer says AND take some classes at a community college, if you're lucky enough to be near one with a meaningful class or two.

But recording -- particularly studio recording with "real" instruments like drums, horns, strings -- is something you really learn by doing.

Another important lesson from a realworld internship -- or what we used to call "hangtime" which was basically the same thing, hanging around until you could be useful, even if that -- all too likely -- meant going to get burgers or coffee -- another valuable lesson is how the real world works -- and all too often doesn't quite work. Or just plain F's up.

One thing, though, in the real world it would probably be a good idea if you made it absolutely clear to whoever you're working or volunteering for that you don't mind cleaning toilets (or whatever) but you will not be available to go out and procure either drugs or hookers (or guns, if it's that kind of joint :D ). That might sound picaresque -- but I guarantee you that it is something that DOES come up -- even in studios that specialize in religious/church music. (I live just outside Orange County, which is kind of the "Hollywood" of the mega-church scene, lots of Christian recording studios and people who frequently work in them. It's a big, darn world. And a little nasty, sometimes.)
 
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Get an internship somewhere. Unless your loaded...then go to school. I owe 60k to school and living expense loans for my one year at Full Sail. It is simply is not worth living in such a serious debt. Most loans you won't pay back until you graduate...(wow, not till I graduate!). Problem is when you graduate, you will move to some major city and get an internship (maybe). Internships pay nothing...this could be your reality for 6 months to a year. How will you pay rent in this new big city and how will you pay for your 60k plus school loan??? Damn, I sure wish someone would have told me this is 2003, when I moved across country to go to Full Sail. Some people might read this and say, "No, it worked for me, I got this kick ass job at (insert studio name here), and I only interned for 3 months and now I make good money". Good for you! You make up the 1 percent of graduates that month to actualy make it. Wanna mix? Read about it, learn it, start doing it for little bands around your way, then decide which way you wanna take it.
 
YOU can enter sae when you have money... its not so "special" like in the past where people first must take a test....
 
FWIW, I know 5 people that graduated from Full Sail, 3 in music production and 2 in the video game program. Only 1 of them has a job in his field (video games) and it still took 2 years for him to find that one. I wouldn't put too much stock in any of their claims of job placement.
 
School of Audio Engineering (SAE) is one of the best. I atended the Melbournce Australia Branch for a short while then finished up in New York City. Absolutely loved it. I was producing and tracking for 8 years prior to atending and let me tell you, they teach you the "right" way to go about doing things and connect many peices. If your going in as a beginner, you'll learn everything from the ground up. Not to mention they have school in 40 or so countries if I am not mistaken. Anyway, I got out of school and got into broadcasting. I ended up in Myrtle Beach, SC reporting traffic and then finally landed a gig in Market 1 New York City at Fox News Networks. Can I give credit to SAE, no... but it definitely helped me on my way up.
 
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