<p>I would suggest you try and get some input from professors at your school as to their suggestions, experiences. Also, current juniors, seniors within your major are good sources. Most colleges have career centers that will allow you free access to industry job boards that you’d have to pay for on your own. There may well be paid and unpaid internships available.</p>
<p>So much of the industry is contact and networking. It’s putting your face and talents out there, and becoming known within the field. An internship or job at a bank should not be the primary approach. Try and find some summer work or internship at a performing arts organization, be it an orchestra, theater, summer performance festival in an administrative or operational area.</p>
<p>You probably already know that with the strain on the economy, the serious decline in music sales,and new technology (at home studios et al) that the “music industry” is currently in a serious state of flux. I live in Southern Cal and have several friends and neighbors in the industry and even the most established are struggling right now. Im not saying that there are fewer opportunities, but that the opportunities have changed radically over the last few years. I agree with violadad that you need to network and I mean network CONSTANTLY. For example, try and make it to a NAMM show. ([NAMM.org</a> | believe in music](<a href=“http://www.namm.org%5DNAMM.org”>http://www.namm.org)) You may have to ask one of your music industry related faculty how you can get someone to wrangle you a pass. I know that when my D went a few years ago, she met everyone from Robert Moog to Brian Wilson. Music Industry trade shows are a great resource.
By the way, the most successful person I know in the Music Industry got his degree in accounting and is traveling the world for Sony auditing their various branches. Not very musical, but its a living.</p>
<p>Hi
My son also got into Drexel for Music Technology as well as Northeastern, and is waiting on IU/Recording Arts. He is unsure about the real differences between Drexel and NEU. Can you share your impressions of the schools/programs? The atmosphere at NEU is really lovely while Drexel is funky, but my son was a bit more drawn to the Music Program at Drexel. He’s confused.
Thanks
Mom of musician</p>
<p>Trade shows are a great way to meet people in the business that would otherwise prove difficult to meet. As a younger person or student though, the price tag is often a big issue. So call up the people who put together the shows (often trade organizations or trade magazines) and offer to volunteer your help. If they take you in, they’ll get you a pass as a result. The other way to get in (particularly with NAMM) is to work at, or volunteer at your local music instrument shop. They often go to NAMM and can possibly drag you along if you’re of value to their team in being there. As I often say on my website, young people who are out there hustling have a huge advantage when looking for music industry and entertainment jobs and internships, because EVERYONE who is working there now, got there the VERY same way. Rock on, Doc</p>
<p>hey there, i also live in california and am hoping to transfer as a junior to USC and the Thornton school of music and major in the music industry. I know that it is highly competitive and was just wondering if you had any advice on how to strengthen my chance of getting in? What experiences did you have to add to your resume?</p>
<p>rosedale–have you heard yet from IU? My son got into Drexel as well in Music Industry. He had his interview for IU in January, but I know they were waiting until all of the interviews were over to make any decisions.</p>
<p>Hi, Im hoping to get into USC’s Music Industry program. Does anyone have any views/opinions on it? I know USC is a good school in general, but how well does the industry program rank among similar ones. I would doing a BSc. as my performing skills are very minimal!</p>
<p>I went to Belmont for two years and started out as a Music Business major. By far it is the best program in the country as far as I am concerned. All of the professors have real life industry experience and a ton of artists have graduated from Belmont. You don’t need to be a musician in any way, and don’t need to take any music classes…unless you want to. Most of the students can either sing or play an instrument, but I didn’t feel inferior because I didn’t. There are so many great opportunities at this school, especially if you like country music. Nashville is an awesome place to live! It is mainly why I stayed. The drawback is that during your first semester the profs try to scare you a bit. They lay out the harsh realities of the business for you on the first day. Most of my friends that have graduated can’t find very good jobs in the industry because everyone wants to be a part of it. You MUST be a great networker so that you can find the good internships/jobs. The other thing I didn’t like about Belmont were the convocation hours. They are split into different categories and you have to attend a certain amount to graduate. The other thing I didn’t like was the dorm rules. You can’t have members of the opposite sex in your room without the door cracked. The RAs on duty come around once an hour to make sure that this is enforced. There were also time restraints…I think they had to be out at 11 on weekdays and 1 on weekends but I dont really remember since I left the dorms as soon as I could. I felt like I was a little kid. On a positive note, the classes sizes are great, and your professors usually know your name after the first few weeks. I ended up leaving Belmont because I realized the industry was not for me. Definitely make sure this is what you want to do! Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions!</p>
<p>Ahhh Belmont is my dream school! My goal is to work at a record label or something else in the country music industry in Nashville!!!</p>
<p>But I’m trying to stay local for now at least because my parents won’t pay for airfare if I go to school too far away. I want to get into Northeastern here in Boston for their music industry major SOOO badly, but when I applied I applied undeclared because I wasn’t <em>SURE</em> that’s what I wanted to do and I am now waitlisted, ughhh.</p>
<p>I got into Steinhardt at NYU which has a great music business program, and also Emerson in Boston but Emerson doesn’t really have specific music industry/business stuff, so I don’t know what to make of it… they have like lots of film, tv, & radio arts and marketing types of stuff, and like an entertainment marketing concentration-type program <em>I think</em> but I really want to go to a school with a specific program for music business marketing, management, relations, etc… not sure what to do/think right about now!</p>
<p>NYU is so much money and they gave me a good amount of aid but I’d still come out like $80,000 in debt at the end… Emerson gave me a LOT of aid and I would only end up with like $20,000-$30,000 left to pay when I graduate but again, they don’t really have the program I want.</p>
<p>hey you guys, i’m a freshman studying music industry at northeastern university. for those of you interested in studying music industry/music business at an east coast college, you should definitely look into neu. we have a unique 5-year program that includes a co-op opportunity, where you can stay and work/intern in boston or go anywhere in the us or even abroad. i’m not blessed in the theory or performance aspects of music and i was looking for a school in a major city so neu was a perfect fit, esp. since i didn’t have to audition. we have an AMAZING music faculty and multiple music venues in boston (big and small) so i’ve seen tons of great shows since i started here last fall. i’m obviously biased but to be a little more helpful, i’ve heard great things from a friend in the bandier program at syracuse.</p>
<p>Im going to assume that you are talking about Berklee in Boston right? how can they be out of the question…? they offer music business/management majors. maybe i am not exactly sure what you are looking for. McNally Smith college of music also offers the same major. So it is the business side of music. When your done with your major you can directly get an internship and work for a music label, ect. but maybe you have alternative motives…?</p>
<p>Bumping this-- last post was May 2010! To anyone who previously posted in this thread, how are you doing now? What do you think of the music business program you entered?
To anyone else reading this thread and who can comment on the current state of music business programs at schools out west, I’d greatly appreciate your views!</p>
<p>I’m applying to USC Thornton for Music Industry and as my back up I’ve already been accepted to CSUN. I’m just waiting for my audition for the Music Industry program. I’m really crossing my fingers for USC though…We shall see…in time.</p>
<p>I have only been playing piano for 2 1/2 years. However, I heard the audition for the music industry program is fairly easy, but that’s coming from people who have been playing longer than I have. </p>
<p>You are required to play 2 pieces (1 classical and the other pop) for the MIS program. My audition is march 12th so we will see how it goes.</p>
<p>BfloGal, you might want to take a look through the prior years Master Acceptances & Decisions threads, and try and initiate private message or email contact with some of the students that have indicated acceptances or matriculations at the schools/programs that interest you. </p>
<p>I am a freshman at CSULB and want to transfer to USC my junior year. How competitive is admission into the program as a transfer? Also, did any of you that applied to USC get in? Any help would be great! And if you did or didn’t get in, how good were your academics or background in the music industry?</p>