Audio Production Degree?

I am really happy to see such a great discussion taking place about my post over musicianship in the recording industry. I'm glad that it stirred up a bit of a debate on some discussion boards out there. I want to thank everyone that joined in on the conversation and to those that continue to check up on the blog. I took a little bit of a breather during finals week at school, but now that I have a bit more free time again, I will continue providing content for my blog. The next question I want to pose to everyone is:

What are your thoughts on going to school for audio production?

As someone who is currently enrolled in school for this subject, I have my own thoughts on the subject. I am someone who throws himself into his passions. I've played and pursued music for most of my life. While involved in one of my music projects early on I got introduced to the behind the scenes aspect of being in a band. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by people that were interested in the same things I was, not only playing music but also recording it ourselves.

We threw ourselves into it and experimented a lot. We were on an extremely low budget, so a lot of what we did was limited to the equipment we could afford. But we loved what we were doing. I learned while in this band that I had a passion for the recording arts so I looked at my options.

I had heard stories of recording engineers and mastering engineers that got their start by seeking out individuals and becoming their shadow, learning everything they could from that person, until they knew enough to branch out on their own and make a respectable living. I personally felt like these days that is much harder to do and that those types of stories are few and far between. The recording field has become much more competitive. I wanted to stand out amongst a crowd.

I decided that the best way to do that would be to learn as much as I could about the subject before I entered the job market. So I enrolled in school. Love it or hate it, school is a great place to make connections and network with your peers. I'm learning beside people that are going to be in the same market as me. Those connections and relationships built there will last into the professional world.

While I think that every art school for the recording arts has it's drawbacks, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I've gotten to use equipment that I wouldn't have had the chance to use otherwise. I've gotten to work on projects that broaden my skills and prepare me for being in a studio with a paying client. I've gotten to work on sound design projects and do voice over work. I've also met a pretty great group of people to experience these things with as well.

I don't think that going to school to get a degree in audio production is necessary by any means. There are people that do it everyday. All I am saying is that going into it without the proper education can sometimes seem a little overwhelming and daunting. I can say that going through a degree program and learning what I have, that I am a far more confident engineer than I was before I started. I am coming up to my graduation date, so I am interested to see how receptive the job market will be, but I am happy and content with my decision to go to school for audio.

Please, share your thoughts on the subject in the comments section below. I am eager to hear what you all think about this topic.