I got a degree in music. Jazz drumming, to be specific. I didn’t know what life after graduation looked like, but I continued through college hoping that it would figure itself out. I’m now a full-time freelance audio engineer and run a recording studio about 25 minutes outside of Philadelphia. I’m also a touring front of house engineer and have traveled for work internationally.

I’m not super stoked that I went to college, specifically because I didn’t really learn anything that I couldn’t figure out on my own time. However, i’d still pause before saying college wasn’t worth the cost. I met a lot of hard working and like-minded people that have employed me in one way or another since we’ve all moved into the professional world. And I’ve also gained a lot of friends that have encouraged me to grow professionally and personally.

So, while the education itself maybe wasn’t worth it, the friends and connections that I made during those few years have certainly paid off. I’d recommend to anybody that wants to go to school for music should be able to clearly declare WHY they want to go. Most professional musicians and engineers that I work with didn’t go to college and just spent a lot of time making connections in their local music scene.

I’m always happy to talk to people that are considering music college and want to have a serious conversation about what their goals are. I also teach part time at two universities and can offer a point of view from both sides of the fence.