Berklee Online Courses

[newbieguitarmaker]

Hey guys, I am a Junior in Highschool and I have already laid out some college plans for myself but I've been very interested in taking some online courses from the Berklee Online School that they just created.

I am not going to go to college on music since I have a job waiting for me that pays well and the degree I'll get will guarantee me a good job almost anywhere I go. But I would like to pursue music also, but have that safety net which would be my other degree I'll be earning at a Florida college (get in for free because of Bright Futures Scholarship so I'm not going out of state)

Do you guys think I should take these classes starting maybe this summer and work on them next year before I go to college (the FAQ says you don't need a Highschool diploma) or should I not take the online courses and just go to a music college once I am into my career?

[studentofshred]

It seems like it would be very difficult to go to music school full time while holding down a good career. I'm in the same boat at the moment. I intend to become a doctor of Physical Therapy. Either this summer or after I get out of college I will be taking online classes from Berklee or attending GIT if I can find a job in Cali.

[jb4674]

My advice to you would be to do it. If you're serious about finishing the berklee program before going to college full time, definitely take advantage of the situation because things won't be the same once you're out of college.

Jimmy

[Meedlyx10]

There's no way you could complete a music degree while working a fulltime job. Just isn't going to happen

[jem20thlover]

Originally Posted by Meedlyx10

There's no way you could complete a music degree while working a fulltime job. Just isn't going to happen

I have seen this done. I have also seen someone get a degree in Physics while working 60+ hours a week. It can happen, you just have to have the dedication.

newbieguitarmaker, I say do it up man. I wish I could turn back the clock and do something like that. You are young enough that even if it turns out to be a bad decision, it won't effect your life much in the long run. Go for it!!

[newbieguitarmaker]

thanks for the replies! I think I am going to do the courses and maybe after a few years in a Florida college (free for because of scholarships) doing my degree in economics, I could possibly transfer to a college in Boston and finish my degree (as long as they take my credits and have no problem with it at all) and then I could dual enroll and finish my music degree too. But I will probably just do my main degree in Florida and finish my music ones later. and yes I realize the job I will be doing will be extremely hard to be able to finish a degree at the same time, especially with the market being so crappy. (All I can say is credit putting false visions of money is the enemy >_<)

I am, however, going to use my upright bass and other musical instruments as a hook to get in the door at colleges. Some very respectable colleges have actually told me that because I play upright bass, not even counting my piano, violin, electric instruments and other ones I know, I can get into their college on a full ride. So I think even if I start the Berklee program (especially the Music Theory since it applies to all music) it would help me get into a college, even out of state if I didn't need the Bright Futures scholarship.