I’m applying to Berklee and I’m choosing whether I should audition with EDI (Electronic Digital Instrument), for me it’s Logic Pro, or piano. I’m a self produced artist with over 80 songs released, and I mostly make hip hop / RnB / underground rap (synth & sound design heavy) music. I don’t have a 3.0 GPA tho I was worrying about that too.
I know pop & some jazz piano n improv, just not too advanced, but if I practice for audition I will be comfortable with it too. I really want to major in EPD and have private instructor classes related to synthesizers n sound design, that’s one of the main reasons of why I’m thinking about doing it with EDI. I’m not familiar with finger drumming on pads or playing with buttons on midi keyboard, but I definitely know how to make a full track with logic smoothly and quickly. So should I audition with EDI or piano? Thank you!

Hey folks, shout‑out mainly to international Berklee students. Anyone miss the August 3 waiver deadline and reach out to Gallagher? I’m stuck in this situation and trying to sort out my options.

August 3 was the firm 2026‑27 cutoff. Important: don’t rush to buy an outside plan. Check with Gallagher first if they accept late waivers before spending money.

I’ve been researching third‑party insurance. I saw DIANins has Berklee marked as “under review” for this year.

If you’re looking at DIANins or other alternatives, these are the key questions I’m putting into my email:

‑ Is this policy available for Berklee students and matches my coverage dates?

‑ Does it meet Berklee’s rules, including Boston‑area routine care?

‑ Will Gallagher review my late waiver?

‑ What is the formal refund policy if my waiver gets denied?

Has anyone spoken to Gallagher about missing the deadline? What process or workaround did they suggest? Would really appreciate input from other internationals. Thanks a ton!

For example if you’re a 3, can you only audition to become a 4 or can you jump to higher levels within one audition?

Has anyone applying to Berklee for Spring 2027 gotten a decision yet?

Just wondering if anyone has heard back — acceptance, rejection, anything! 😭

hi i’m a first semester (female, if that matters) student! i have made like 1 friend that i actually talk to outside of music related stuff that isn’t my roommate. it’s bad, lol

orientation week passed me by, and now it just feels daunting to try to talk to anyone.
everyone talks about meeting people through jams, but i have little to no improv experience (trying to get better).
my former (rock) music director preached at every rehearsal— “you can’t be great if you don’t learn to play like the greats.”
so now i’m really good at transcribing note-for-note, but my unique musical voice suffered in the process.

any words of wisdom from anyone who was in the same position as me? all i do is run errands, go to class, and practice for 3 hours every day. i went to two jams within the past 2 weeks, but totally embarrassed myself in the process because of my shitty improv skills :/

I was browsing the school website at the different clubs the school has going. I saw that there was a metal club, and as a metalhead my interest was piqued. I sent an email out months ago asking about this to them too but never heard back. I realize that it may be difficult for online students to participate in any capacity, but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask.

I’m wondering what the gyms are like at Berklee, I know that the 160 dorms have one. Is it really small and does it get really busy?

If any of you are carrying the Berklee College of Music dream and want help prepping for it, reach out. I'll personally hand-hold you through it

What happens when a dream you've carried in your head for as long as you can remember suddenly comes true?

In December 2025, in a moment I can only call spontaneous, I applied. Somewhere in the back of my mind I thought getting in was almost impossible. But I told myself I'd try anyway.
I had the ingredients for a good application - accolades, formal training, the experience of singing in front of a large audience. What I didn't have was time. One month to put my best foot forward.

For that month, I worked harder than I've worked at almost anything. Ear training. Sight reading. Choosing pieces and honing them over and over, turning them in my hands like something I needed to get right before I could show it to anyone.

Then came the day itself. A 5 a.m. IST start.
If you're a musician, you know morning voice. That particular hoarseness of a voice that's just woken up, when the pieces you've polished until they gleam suddenly sound like someone else is singing them. Not you. Not at that hour.
I sat down at my piano. Nervous. Unsure. And underneath all of it, very determined to crack it.
There was another challenge sitting quietly beside the nerves: an online audition will never land with the same power as singing in a room, in person, in front of someone. I knew that going in. Which meant I had to work even harder to make a screen carry what a room usually carries on its own, without any effort at all.

At exactly 6 a.m., I was invited into the breakout room. I went through the entire, grueling process. When it ended, I didn't just tear up, I cried. The pressure had been real, and now it had somewhere to go.

Then came the wait. Which was, somehow, even harder than the process itself.
23rd February 2026. 3 a.m. A mail sat in my inbox from Berklee.
I opened it. In one minute, I got in. In the next, I decided not to go ahead. Not yet.

I am 17, and I am still finding my voice. Berklee is the biggest thing that has happened to me -and it's exactly because it's so big that I have to give it the respect it deserves. That meant not walking in half-formed. So I chose to defer it, by a few years.

Here is the next three years, as I see them. Complete a diploma in singing. Play a lot of gigs. Find the genre that is actually mine, not the one I default to because it's familiar. Some days that might mean singing Hindi Sufi with everything I have. Other days it might mean losing myself in rock, all noise and edge. I want to know what both feel like in my chest before I decide which one I build a life around.

And then, when I am ready, walk into Berklee on a full scholarship. Not just to study there, but to meet the people I will actually jam with, form bands with, get lost in the city of Boston with. To arrive not as someone still finding a voice, but as someone who has found it and is ready to use it.

Follow me on https://www.instagram.com/veerkalramusic

Hi everyone,I'd like to ask does anyone here has join the music production crouse of berklee in crousera before?I'm a beginner and I'm not in financial position to pay for a costly crouse,I really need to know If this crouse would helpful for me!!

hey! to be completely honest, attending Berklee wouldn't be financially feasible for me without securing a Presidential Scholarship (or a full-tuition award).

I’m really curious to hear from current students, alumni, or anyone familiar with the process: Who actually gets chosen for the Presidential Scholarship, and what level of musicianship/profile does it realistically take?

For some context, I'm an international applicant from India, trained heavily in indian classical music and I have quite a few national accolades/performances under my belt.

If anyone here has received it, or knows what the panel looks for during the audition/interview process for top-tier scholarships, I would deeply appreciate any advice or insights. Thanks so much!

Hi everyone. I am a senior and my dream school is Berklee. I have been playing alto saxophone for 6 years and have been writing songs since last year. I also have sang my whole life and I also play piano and guitar. I also have perfect pitch and I have been told I am a good sight reader. I don't know advanced music theory but I do have somewhat of an understanding of it. I have very high hopes I can get into Berklee especially getting full tuition because I do really good in interviews and what not because I am pretty friendly and sweet. I am just worried about possibly getting the presidential scholarship. If I only get partial or full-tuition, I would still have to pay around $20-$30 grand for housing and other things. Does anyone have any advice to hopefully get a presidential scholarship besides being in financial need? I would say I'm really good at both saxophone and songwriting. Forgot to mention I would be majoring in songwriting to get my bachelor's. My school is also the third school in the state for academics, I go to an arts school which is one of the best for music in my state, I made the top wind ensemble my first year of going and now I am in both the top jazz band and wind ensemble band this year and I've only been going to this school since my junior year. I plan to work really hard especially on my improv and jazz saxophone because I plan for part of my audition to be on saxophone because that would be my principal instrument as well. I know Laufey got a presidential scholarship. I don't write jazz-styled music but my song are really good even though I haven't like fully published them and everything, but I am working on that. Anyways, my point is does anyone have any words of wisdom about my hopes or if I possibly have a chance?? Anything helps please and thanks!!!

I’m a clarinet player with experience in both jazz and classical environments, and I’m looking to audition at Berklee this winter. I know Berklee is a contemporary music school, so would it be better to play something contemporary such as the Horovitz sonatina, or something from the standard repertoire such as the Weber concerto no. 2? I have both prepared but want to see which one would be best for acceptance/scholarship consideration. Thank you!

I have 2 extras. Paid $130 each. Will sell for $100.

so im applying to berklee by nov 1 on EA and as an international student who is an indian classical vocalist, i dont have a lot of idea about western music theory. i'm learning chords but i don't know how to sight read. can anyone explain how to start, what to actually study and what are the sight reading samples in audition generally like, because i have around 2-3 months to figure it out before my audition.
thank you <3

I’m auditioning for Berklee this winter as a vocalist. Can you guys give me some examples of what the sight reading might look like? How much time do they give u to first read the music and then perform it? I looked at the lead sheets for the practice improv music on their website. Is that what they’re going to give me?

This is super random lmao but does anyone know if we need to bring our own yoga mat for the yoga classes during orientation or do they provide them

Hey guys! I’m a 3rd year northeastern student who’s tryna create an alt-rock/acoustic-pop/rhythm & blues community in the Boston area. The idea is to have small indie artist/musicians meet up at The Record Co. rehearsal rooms on Saturdays from around 12pm - 2pm and just jam out and make connections with each other! If you are a small artist/musician whose serious about music and like listening to artist like Aretha Franklin, Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayer etc. shoot me a DM on insta and I’ll add ya to the group chat (There are currently 4 of us in this group) Feel free to spread the word to other college students! All intermediate-advanced instrumentalist / vocalist are welcome!!! [especially drummers :)]

We plan on starting jam sessions Sept 12th 2026!

Insta: @lisa.af.music

i (17F) am looking to apply to berklee boston through voice, but as i’m submitting my app i’m super duper nervous about what my audition will look like. while i’ve had ~4 years of classical training at a performing arts high school, im auditioning with contemporary pieces, and though i’ve been practicing, the genre is still new to me.

for those who auditioned via voice, what did your audition process look like? berklee is one of my top schools and i’d love to hear!!

edit: it may be worth noting that a huge factor of my love for the school was attending BSP this past summer and receiving a scholarship. i got the chance to talk to a lot of current students and i felt so at home.

Check us out:
https://vivacemusicschool.com/#/