Why A Degree In Audio Production Is a Waste of Money

Read This Article Before Wasting $80,000 On A Degree In Audio Production

If you want to produce, record, mix, or master music for a living, then paying for an expensive university is a waste of money in today’s industry.

The Sad Stories Of Other Audio Program Students

The story from that video isn't the only person I've seen going through this. Here is a collection of other sad emails I've gotten from current or ex students:

All my life I was taught that college was the way to be successful. A degree does help, but no one told me about how much debt I'd be in. My parents didn't know much about college either.
I wasn't able to finish my schooling because I couldn't get anymore loans, and now I'm in the bloody hole. I'm married and have two kids, and with a mortgage. Although I did learn a lot from the college I went to, it would of been way better to do it the way you said it.M

It’s funny, because I am in the same exact position you state people get put into. Luckily for myself, i quit after a year and a half because I saw the scheme, but here I am in $23,000 in debt for something that I gained nothing from. M

I went to college for mixing and production at a in state college and didnt even really learn to mix when I got out. I had to teach myself how. L

I went to [redacted] in Arizona back in 2002. I learned more on Lynda.com and Masterclass.com than I did in school B

I have ended up with a £30k debt in the U.K. And although I achieved a 1st, I can't get a job. Even when I bid for work, I can't get anything because of a lack of experience so I do lots for free. If I had the same amount of money I could have set up a small studio space with plenty of gear. It's like the universities are cashing in on people dreams. C

I graduated from SAE London 3 years ago and I would say exactly the same thing your friend did! (after graduating) The record producer I first learnt under told me on the 1st day, “forget everything you’ve learnt because it was taught by failed engineers and it puts everything in a box”.L

Im currently at MTSU for audio production in my junior year. I'm also taking production lessons outside and in the year that I've done those lessons I've learned at least 5 times more than what I've learned at school in 3 years. It's extremely frustrating.J

I studied at SAE and it gave me just some basic education of which a half I already knew and second half that I could easily pick up over a week on Youtube. M

I attended SAE in 2009, and it left me with 30k in student loan debt, zero connections, plenty of self-doubt, and some life-altering bad habits.A

This is coming from someone who is still paying student loans from my time at Berklee in the mid 2000's. I tell anyone now that if they want to go to school for recording DON'T. Then I direct them to all those places you mentioned. N

I did a 3 year course in Brisbane, and although I walked away with a bachelor which got me a great job… but I also walked away with massive debt.

I went [to an audio program] because I was young and struggling to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Now I've finished it and realized I've just put myself in 50k debt. Now I'm thinking I could have learnt all the stuff they taught for like <10k but I just didn't know any better.D

Conclusion

The quotes you just read is simply a single drop in an ocean of unhappy students. If this article helps even ONE person make a more well-informed decision about where to spend the next 4 years of their life and $80,000 of their hard earned money, then I've done my job.

Share this will ANYONE you know who's considering getting a degree in Recording Arts, Audio Production, or Audio Engineering.<a data-s