Pros
I play music for a living. I taught at Berklee for 14 years. Being around like minded humans made working at Berklee ok, which is why I lasted as long as I did. My chair was awesome and protected me from admin power trips. Students started out being cool but Berklee let’s everyone in now with scholarships (if you don’t have one, you are a pawn in the scheme, sorry you were duped! It’s not your fault.) They want you to think you have a future in music so they use students with dreams of fame to continue their business. If you do have skills and talent, there are plenty of opportunities and great faculty members. Get as much knowledge and experience as you can and get out of that place. But don’t pay them a cent.
Cons
Admin! Runs Berklee like a business corporation not a place for musicians to train. If you are paying to go to Berklee you have been duped. They treat music masters like staff, musicians do not like working here. Staff turnover is high, nobody likes working at Berklee. People want to like it, but it’s the branding that makes you want to like it. The reality is, there are 2000 “singers” walking around messing it up for the serious musicians. They had to lower academic standards in all departments because the standard of admittance is so low now. Intro to harmony! Berklee wants this, more paying clients are singers who don’t know much but want to get famous. It’s a perfect business plan if you are a conman.
