��Vlog: Performing & Visual Arts Blog

Video: Surviving College Applications for Performing Arts Students

2026-04-25T11:07:04.019045-04:00

So you’re lost and confused in the college application process, and there’s so much work to do between schoolwork, the SAT, sports, applications, and finding time to socialize. You’re probably wondering how you’ll survive this crazy schedule! Student vlogger Ashton is currently in the process of applying to schools for performing arts, so she feels your pain. For tips on how to survive college applications for these schools, watch her video below.

Organize

Use a paper or digital planner to write everything down so you don’t forget anything. It’s scientifically proven that if you write something down, you’re more likely to remember it.
Always prep the night before. Pack your backpack with everything you need before bed so you’re not rushing in the morning.
Submit your applications early! Prescreens and transcripts can take a while to upload—and audition videos could take anywhere from 30 minutes to six hours. Start your upload at least two days early so you don’t miss the deadline due to technical difficulties.

Practice

You have to find time to practice and hone your craft if don’t want to fall behind. Ask your teachers if you can use rooms to practice during study halls or lunch.
Try mental practice. You might not be able to sing out loud in your downtime, but you can go over the song or performance in your head.

Relax

Using your only downtime to practice makes it hard to find time to relax, so be sure to schedule time for yourself. You don’t want to strain yourself. Put the work aside when you feel you need to and take care of your mental health as well.
Indulge in activities that you find relaxing. It may require some trial and error if you’ve been working hard, but you’ll appreciate your downtime more for that.

Check out and connect with all our featured performing arts schools on CX, and find even more to add to your list with our College Search tool.

9 of the Best College Jobs for Artistic Students

2026-04-25T11:07:04.015997-04:00

You can get just about any job to help pay the bills in college, but there are certainly jobs you’ll enjoy more than others. If you’re an artistic person, finding a job that stimulates your creative juices can be difficult. Add being a full-time college student to the mix, and you may be hard-pressed to find a gig that fits into your schedule and piques your interest. But this doesn’t mean you have to trudge through your days in misery doing something you don’t really enjoy. There are plenty of part-time jobs that let you showcase your creativity. The nine examples below are of some of the best jobs out there for artistic college students.

1. Photographer

Photography is a great job to have for several reasons. Your artistic eye will allow you to find great shots all around you—and in order to get truly incredible photos, you'll get to visit some amazing places too! If you’re adventurous and like to see where the camera lens takes you, you’ll love having this job in college. Photography also allows for multiple forms of income. You can sell stock photography online to make a passive income while also taking pictures for the school newspaper or charging for wedding, engagement, and baby announcement photoshoots. As a college student with some creativity up your sleeve, you can design your own sets and make them unique and fun. People love themes, so creating your own can help draw clients in.

2. Digital designer

If you dabble in the digital art field, try finding a position that allows you to be a digital designer. Usually digital designers must have a degree already, but plenty of designers could use some help to create fun digital content. You could be an apprentice or assistant while still being hands-on with the designing. Most of this type of work is available remotely—like from the comfort of your dorm room—so you won't have to worry about taking a big chunk of your time going to and from work. If you feel confident enough about your skills, there are plenty of online job boards that promote jobs for digital designers. It won’t matter to some of those seeking digital content whether you have a degree or not; they’ll let your work speak for itself. In this instance, you’ll need to create an online portfolio to display on your profile.

3. Freelance writer

For some artists, their canvas is a blank page, and they create art with words. If you’re the wordy type, your perfect college job is freelance writing. There are many different types of writing too: technical, copywriting, short stories, blogging, and more. This allows you to fill your writing plate to the brim or focus on one niche you know you excel at. Freelance writing provides a flexible schedule that’ll work around your college courses, and you also have the ability to set your own rates. As with digital design, your work speaks for itself if you’ve curated a stellar portfolio.

4. Art teacher’s aide

Do you love kids? Do you enjoy teaching? You should be an art teacher’s aide! If spending your days helping little ones develop a love for art through gouache and glitter sounds like fun, this is definitely the job for you. As an art teacher's aide, you'll assist by going from student to student offering help and giving them a little extra boost in their creative confidence. You may also set up before a class and clean up after, but the kids will make it all worth it. This is another job that could require a degree, but there may be more flexibility with your required qualifications.

5. Baker

A bakery job may involve a lot of cleaning and cooking, and it'll potentially demand very early mornings—but there’s still the chance for you to be creative. Imagine the fun you’ll have decorating cakes and cupcakes with icing and sprinkles. If you’ve watched every season of every baking competition show out there, you’ll fit in splendidly at a bakery. Plus, leftover bread and other treats at the end of the day is never a bad thing.

6. Makeup artist

If your idea of art involves enhancing the human face, your dream college job could be to work at a beauty store. Many big beauty store chains like Sephora and Ulta hire college students as desk clerks, but you may even get hired to do makeovers. (You can also do this at big department store beauty counters.) If you enjoy applying makeup and helping people find the right colors for their face, you should follow this path. Plus, most of these stores provide a generous employee discount on their makeup products! If you can’t find a beauty store looking to hire but you’re confident in your skills, consider becoming an independent makeup artist and network to find clients.

7. Tutor

If you’re pursuing an Art degree, you can tutor students who are taking classes similar to your major. While teaching, you can grow your art skills while helping others find their own artistic calling and improve their grades so they can thrive too. Tutoring on campus also allows you to branch out and meet more people at your school!

8. Social media assistant

As a college student, you likely know what’s trending. You can use this knowledge to create memes, social media posts, and blogs that’ll speak to your generation. Because social media is such a big part of online marketing, many businesses are looking for workers in the know. There may even be opportunities for this on your campus, like in the admission office. You'll keep their social media presence on target and handle speaking to their audience. This job can be done remotely with flexible hours, so it fits nicely into a college student’s schedule.

9. Independent vendor

Not into traditional jobs? Would you rather focus on your craft but still need money? You can do that! There are many online marketplaces where you can sell your products. If they’re tangible products, you can create an account on Etsy or Amazon Handmade and sell them there. If you create digital products, you can still use Etsy, but Sellwire and SendOwl are more geared toward digital goods. This way, you get to do what you love and make money!

As you can see, there are plenty of jobs out there that allow you to be creative and help pay for college. Apply your creativity to not just your art but your life in general. You'll notice that you’ll find plenty of opportunities that are just what you want.

If you’re unsure where to start looking for a new job, check out this blog highlighting 7 Valuable Job Search Sites for College Students.

Easy Ways to Get Involved With Music in College

2026-04-25T11:07:04.012466-04:00

Whether you’re a Performing Arts major, a Business major, or anything in between, music is something beneficial to get involved with in college. Music helps you get to know people and connect with others, and who knows—you might make some lifelong friendships along the way! Finding different ways to get involved in music on campus can sometimes be difficult, especially for non-Music majors. Here we’ll cover the ins and outs of music organizations you can find at most college, plus how you can get involved.

Choir

Choir programs in college are a bit different than high school. Instead of typically having one or two singing groups, many colleges offer a lot of other programs, such as a capella groups, musical theatre, and show choir. If none of these options are for you, there are still many more! There’s also the opportunity to start your own student group or band, perform at talent shows or open mic nights, or even use your voice as a tool for activism.

Band

Band is a big program at many colleges. You’ll find a lot of ways to get involved and make friends through band, from marching to orchestra to concert to jazz. I sat down to interview my friend Dallas for more information about the subject. Dallas is studying Music Education at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Because she’s majoring in Music, she participates in music every day, but she also shared some of her favorite ways to get involved outside the classroom. She loves performing, whether it’s a solo, ensemble, or full band. Her major also requires her to watch other’s performances, which is another great way to enjoy music on campus. She further explained that getting involved early as a freshman is the best way to do it. When you start early, you can ask more questions, find upperclassmen who can mentor you, and much more. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the whole music scene has changed some, but Dallas still gets the opportunity to make friends and perform with others—just with increased health and safety precautions.

Classes and unexpected Music majors

Along with the basic and more traditional Music majors and classes, there are many areas of study that revolve around music. These include Music Technology, Music Business, Music Education, Audio Production, Music Performance, and Music Therapy, just to name a few. All of these require a basic understanding of music and are an excellent way to pursue your passion. If you don’t want to major in Music but would like to enjoy it for a semester or two, there are many music classes you can take as electives. At New York University alone, there are around 24 music classes, including Music Theory 1, 2, and 3; Aural Perception; and Medieval and Renaissance Music. Many music-based electives are available to non-majors in college—especially “Music Appreciation” classes—but it’s best to check in with your advisor to see if you can take them and if they’ll help you with your graduation requirements.

Overall, music is a great thing to get involved with as a college student. It not only helps you make friends but teaches you valuable skills and appreciation as well. In college, you have a lot of opportunities to get involved on campus, whether you major in some sort of music field, take a few classes, join an ensemble, or attend concerts and performances. If you’re looking for an enjoyable way to enhance your college experience, take a chance and get involved with music!

Looking for a great college that appreciates music as much as you do? Check out all of our featured Performing Arts School Profiles.

Join These Art Clubs to Boost Your High School Résumé

2026-04-25T11:07:04.008256-04:00

When it comes to high school extracurriculars, usually it’s not great to box yourself into only one kind of club or activity. But when you’re planning to apply to art schools and programs, there are a few different clubs that are going to benefit you far more as an applicant than joining the chemistry or math club. Here are the art clubs you should be joining in high school to give your résumé a boost and impress colleges when you apply.

General art clubs

A general art club is a great place to meet other artists and develop skills within all sorts of mediums. The benefit of a club like this is that there are more varied project opportunities—providing you with a more diverse portfolio. If your portfolio can showcase your ability to create in any form, you’ll be at a great advantage when you apply to colleges.

Best for students interested in these fields:

Any—but specifically fields that may be too niche to have their own clubs

Drawing club

In nearly all forms of art, there are basic shapes and figures that you need to know how to manipulate. An introductory drawing class, group, or mixed-level club can provide you with tools that you’ll use for the rest of your career as an artist.

Best for students interested in these fields:

Drawing
Painting
Sculpting
Storyboarding

Yearbook club

Joining yearbook provides extensive experience with group work, editing, graphic design, meeting hard deadlines, conducting interviews, advertising, and customer service. You’ll likely also dabble in photography, leadership, project management, and pitching ideas. Developing these skills will showcase your knowledge of every aspect of art and art sales. Plus, the high-stress environment will surely thicken your skin.

Best for students interested in these fields:

Cinematography
Photography
Photojournalism
Videography

Photography club

Joining a photography club can benefit your résumé in a different way from the previously mentioned clubs because it can help aspiring photographers and other artists. It can only benefit you to have the ability to photograph your work well for your portfolio—that’s what really makes this club stand out. When applying to any art school, you’re going to need to present a body of your work, and most artists showcase their drawings, paintings, sculptures, or videos in documented photos rather than the work itself. Your portfolio will only be improved with the tools and skills of a good photographer.

Best for students interested in these fields:

Cinematography
Photography
Photojournalism
Videography

All in all, each club is valuable in its own way, whether it’s art based or something else. While branching out and joining different clubs can be great, it’s important to remember that most art schools prefer highly skilled and focused artists. So if art is your passion, pursuing these résumé-boosting art clubs is smart. By finding a balance between you, your extracurriculars, and your art, you’ll come away with great skills and projects to impress colleges with.

For more advice about art schools, programs, and more, check out our Performing and Visual Arts section.

A Quick Guide to Majoring in Illustration in College

2026-04-25T11:07:04.003615-04:00

Do you love drawing and creating art? Do you want a career as an artist? Do you want to go to college and study something you love? If you answered yes to all these questions, Illustration might be the perfect college major for you. Majoring in Illustration allows you to identify your strengths in the art field and can lead to a surplus of jobs, from graphic designer to concept artist or even a freelancer. Pursuing this type of career is very rewarding but it takes a lot of time and effort to get there. A great first step is majoring in Illustration in college to prepare you for all your future opportunities. Here’s what else you should know about this major and the career paths it can lead to.

All about Illustration

With a stroke of a pencil, artists can bring their creativity and emotions to life. At most colleges and universities, you’ll only be able to get a simple Fine Arts degree. This degree covers a wide range of art areas like painting, sculpting, and drawing. But majoring in Illustration is quite common at art schools, where students home in on a specific set of skills. When majoring in Illustration, you’ll be learning more in-depth about topics like drawing, design, and color theory. This major covers both traditional and digital techniques to make you more of a well-rounded artist, allowing you to collaborate with authors and preparing you for your future career.

Colleges with Illustration majors and famous alumni

Colleges like the University of California, Los Angeles; Savannah College of Art and Design; and the School of Visual Arts in New York City are known for their high level of teaching in the art field. But many colleges offer majors or minors in Illustration and produce excellent and highly successful alumni. Here are a few artists that you may not have known were behind the cartoons:

Derek Drymon (School of Visual Arts ’87) is a storyboard artist for many Nickelodeon shows like Spongebob Squarepants and CatDog.
Tracy Yardley (Savannah College of Art and Design ’01) is a comic book artist who worked on Sonic the Hedgehog.
Eric Teitelbaum (University of California, Los Angeles ’68) is a cartoonist who created the comic strip Pink Panther.

Art courses in college

Basic courses like drawing, design, art history, and graphic design are prime examples of what many colleges make you take as an Art major. Classes like Drawing 101 and Design 101 will be courses you’ll take in the beginning of your academic career. After your freshman year, you’ll start to dive deeper into more specific courses related to your Illustration major, like color theory and character design. When taking art classes in college, you should expect to spend a lot of time on your art projects and homework. Spending hours on details just to make your art look visually appealing is common. You have to enjoy art and have a love for your craft to succeed.

Careers Illustration can lead to

There are so many things you can do with an Illustration degree. Illustrators work in a variety of fields, from fashion and digital media to map and book illustration. But you don’t have to become an illustrator; you could also become a graphic designer, an animator, or even a muralist. All your hard work will finally pay off when your passion turns into a job. You can work for companies like Disney and Pixar, bringing other people’s characters to life, or work for yourself and be your own boss.

Related: Alma Maters of Cartoonists

In the end, deciding on a major is hard, but knowing and following your interests and hobbies can make it so much easier. Taking artistic courses in college will help you decide if you want to become an artist for your career. College is a time to explore and determine your strengths, helping prepare you for your future. By majoring in Illustration, you can explore your artistic abilities and launch yourself on many amazing creative career paths.

Looking for colleges with top-notch art departments and majors? Check out our featured Visual Arts School Profiles and request more info in just one click!

How to Use Great Independent Projects for Art Scholarships

2026-04-25T11:07:03.999740-04:00

There’s a common misconception held by many art students that for each grant or scholarship you apply to, you should apply with a brand-new project. While it’s important to pay attention to the rules and guidelines outlined in the terms of each scholarship in case a new project is required, it’s generally appropriate (and encouraged) to reuse projects and simply rework the brief piece of writing applicants are required to write that connects the artwork to the prompt or theme.

Let’s walk through how to do this with a (fake!) scholarship example: Costco’s Student Advert Scholarship Competition. This fictional competition requires a one-minute video ad or one-page flyer advertising Costco’s latest Student Membership Program.

Choosing the right piece

With our example project, there are no guidelines outside of formatting. This means you have a lot of creative freedom—something perfect for reused projects. With this in mind, don’t simply choose any random work of art. You want to be thoughtful and creative! If you’ve painted fruits and vegetables, you could take a photo of the piece and layer it with some paint-like fonts on your computer to make a stylized flyer. If you’ve taken videos of you and your friends grocery shopping, you could clip those together into a short musical advertisement. Out-of-the-box thinking is what will win you the scholarship, so utilize it, but also respect the time and energy of the judges and try to refrain from forcing a photograph of your dog onto a flyer about Costco. You should be intentional in choosing your piece for your audience.

Reworking the piece

Let’s say you chose the painting of fruits and vegetables and decide to use a font that imitates painted words. Something you could do to bring the piece to life is create your own font! Utilize your freedom and make this piece seem like it was made for the scholarship. You could also edit the work by using selective coloring or heightening the contrast to suit current trends and catch the eye of your target audience: young adults. If you do want to create a font, there’s a wonderful site called Calligraphr you should try out to really get into the details.

The writing portion of the application

With nearly all art scholarships, you’ll need to submit a piece of writing that explains your art in relation to the scholarship. I wouldn’t recommend blatantly stating that your work was reused, but if you think you can word it well and it would benefit you and your work, feel free to alert the judges to the fact. What I would recommend is to remove the original work’s inspiration from your mind and dig around for the draw of the work to the scholarship. What made you think this painting was a good fit for what the scholarship is asking of you? Do you think advertisements targeted toward young adults are often out of touch and your piece fits right into the current art trends of your generation? Did you analyze Costco’s general and student demographics and see that the majority of customers are women and, therefore, sociologically more prone to take interest in certain colors or patterns that you incorporated into the piece? Use whatever you possibly can to convince the panel that your ad is the ad.

The key to expediting scholarship applications is working smarter, not harder. You won’t win every scholarship you apply for, so unless the rules state otherwise, there’s no reason not to reuse the art projects you worked so hard on for multiple scholarships. Be creative and pay attention to the writing prompts, and you’ll be raking in the scholarship money in no time.

Start searching for art scholarships you could win using our Scholarship Search tool.

A Look at Where Your Favorite Celebrities Went to College

2026-04-25T11:07:03.997015-04:00

Sometimes it’s shocking to learn that celebrities are just normal people like us. Whether it’s because of the way the media portrays them or how they are treated, it’s hard to imagine big stars doing things that everyday people do—for example, going to college. It’s a prestigious honor to attend college, as it should be. But a college degree isn’t required to make it big in the entertainment industry, especially for those who were born with silver spoons in their mouths or stars who got an early start to their career. Still, a lot of actors and musicians worked hard to hone their craft during their college years, which I find intriguing! So here are some of our favorite stars and where they earned their degrees (or briefly attended).

Dylan and Cole Sprouse

You may remember the Sprouse twins as the stars of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and The Suite Life on Deck. After some amazing TV and film performances from such a young age, they went to college to pursue fields that have nothing to do with acting, both attending the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University. Dylan graduated with a degree in Video Game Design, while Cole earned a degree in Archaeology (Geographical Information Systems & Satellite Imaging, specifically).

Connect me with NYU!

Tina Fey

Comedian Tina Fey is recognized for countless movies and TV shows, including some of our favorites like Mean Girls, Saturday Night Live, and 30 Rock. She attended the University of Virginia, where she studied acting and playwriting. She graduated in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in Drama.

Lady Gaga

Stefani Germanotta, known professionally as Lady Gaga, is famous for her wild outfits and amazing music. But did you know she was also admitted to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts? She spent a year studying in the Collaborative Arts Project 21 after being accepted when she was only 17. She dropped out of college to pursue her music career, but the fictional MTVU did bestow her an honorary degree in 2011 for supporting college students through her constant crusade for anti-bullying and individuality.

Kourtney Kardashian

Kourtney is one of just two Kardashian children who went to college and earned a degree, along with her brother Rob. Mainly recognized for her role in the reality show Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Kourtney went to college at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Texas before transferring to the University of Arizona. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Spanish.

Connect me with SMU!

Elizabeth Banks

Known for her eccentric roles in The Hunger Games and Pitch Perfect, the talented Elizabeth Banks went to school at the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. She graduated with honors in 1996, earning a Communications degree and Theater Arts minor. She went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco in 1998.

Gal Gadot

A previous model, combat fitness instructor, and Miss Israel 2004, Gal Gadot is most well known for her role as Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe. After two years of military service required by Israel for all citizens, she went to Reichman University—a private research university in Herzliya that was inspired by the Ivy League model—to study Law and Government. She completed one year of college before she was contacted by a casting director, and the rest is history.

I think it’s pretty cool that these stars went to college—not just because they extended their education to benefit them personally and professionally, but because it makes them more humane. Celebrities seem untouchable and unrealistic sometimes, and it’s very inordinate and eminent. Hopefully, this brings some satisfaction to the fallacious perception we have of famous people and inspires you to pursue what you love in college.

Interested in learning about other colleges that produced famous alumni? Check out the College Trivia section of our Lists & Rankings to discover the alma maters of celebrity chefs, comedians, musicians, and more!

Top 5 Art-Based Side Hustle Sites for Creative Students

2026-04-25T11:07:03.994029-04:00

Are you starting to think about ways to make money? You’re not alone! Many high school and college students are in the same boat, trying to find a way to save up some cash. As a creatively inclined student pursuing the arts, I know the idea of a classic 9-to-5 job can seem dull. That’s why I’ve pulled together five of the best art-related side hustles out there to give you some ideas of where to start. Check out these great sites that can help you get paid for doing what you love.

1. Etsy

Etsy is a popular online selling platform famous for its niche products. It’s the perfect way to start your own business without having to worry about the legal side of it. With Etsy’s simple setup tools, you can easily sell anything you want—from handmade zines to digital art prints—to millions of Etsy users around the globe. You get to stay completely in charge of your brand, pricing, and customer communication. Plus, you get to keep 95% of every sale you make on Etsy.

2. Alamy

Do you love photography? If so, Alamy is the perfect side hustle for you! This stock photography agency works with well-known companies like Netflix, Penguin Random House, and Pixar to sell their contributors’ original photos. It’s easy to sign up and there are no contracts. Plus, students with Alamy get to keep 100% of the profit from sales of their photos, helping empower the next generation of artists.

3. Redbubble

The popularity of Redbubble has recently spiked due to widespread social media exposure. I’m not usually one for trends, but this one is worth the hype! With Redbubble, you can upload one artwork to be printed on a ton of products (like stickers, T-shirts, and tote bags) all at once. Then sit back and relax while Redbubble takes care of selling and shipping your products. This online marketplace has a set fee for each product, but you have the freedom to choose your own profit percentage by increasing your prices.

4. Fiverr

Fiverr started out as a freelancing website that allowed users to hire artists for custom projects at a maximum price of $5. But now sellers have much more control over pricing their gigs. On Fiverr, you can design logos, write short stories, paint portraits, touch up photos for influencers—the possibilities are endless! Selling on this e-commerce website requires a lot of responsibility (you’ll be held to strict deadlines and will have to actively communicate with buyers to complete orders), but it’s great experience for the art industry. You take home 80% of your sales on Fiverr.

5. Printful

Unlike the other options on this list, Printful doesn’t actually sell anything for you. It’s a print-on-demand service with hundreds of quality products and no order minimums. Printful easily syncs with many online retailers like Etsy and Shopify so you can sell your designs without having to print or ship the products yourself. You pay Printful a flat price for its services and then have total control over how much you charge your customers. Printful even offers mockup tools, tips, and tutorials to help you start and grow your business.

Selling your art can be a daunting task, but I hope these five side hustle ideas have made it a little less scary. Online options like these are perfect for making a little money on the side so you can get back to what matters: bringing life to your creativity. Now get out there and start earning!

Looking for colleges that can nurture your artistic talent? Check out our lists of schools with great Visual Arts programs across the country.

Get Real! Myths and Advice About Arts Majors and Careers

2026-04-25T11:07:03.989740-04:00

What is one college major you always hear people say to avoid? You may have heard it’s a big waste of time to invest in an Arts major. But it's only a waste if you make it a waste. There’s a lot of anxiety around choosing your major in college; you don't want to make the wrong choice, but you also want to major in something that will bring you success and happiness in life. There are many rumors and myths about being an Arts major, so let’s talk about some of the most common ones as well as reasons people pursue this field despite it—plus why you should and how you can!

Common myths about Visual and Performing Arts majors

“Art majors are useless.” “Art isn’t a good investment.” “You don’t learn any real-world skills studying Art.” Do any of these comments sound familiar? Sure, if you invest your time in the arts, there’s a 10% chance of making your primary income from the arts. But don't let that fact consume you. The key word is primary as well as the complexity of the idea of the "real world." Your everyday life and schedule may not be the same as someone else's. As an artist, you could have multiple streams of income from various endeavors. And it’s a very subjective thing to say that anyone who studies the arts isn’t learning real-world skills—because the world requires a lot of types of skills.

Pursuing a creative major for the right reasons

There are around 200,000 art school graduates who are currently making their primary income from their art in the US, but a real artist typically doesn’t care about the money. It’s the beauty and passion of sharing your emotions and feelings through visual presentation, physical movement, or even sound. If you pursue art, it’s important to not make your main goals for the future revolve around money. Most graduates can make money from their art—just not enough to make a living. But there’s nothing wrong with having a secondary job to help with your income, so you can do something you love and also something that will make you money to live comfortably. In art school, it will show who’s there for the beauty of art and who’s there with a money mindset.

Learning how to advertise yourself

If you want to be loud with your art and get people to notice you, you have to learn how to advertise yourself. And you can learn these things in college—about your art and how to make yours stand out from the rest. College will also show you the middle ground between your fun passion and the commitment necessary for a job. If you graduate from college with the determination to pursue art, you always have the option to teach it for financial stability while you keep advertising yourself. Never give up on the dream that someone out there will recognize your unique art and want you to paint for them professionally or sign a label because your music tells a story. It makes you wonder if you would be as good as you are if you didn't go through the proper schooling first; the answer for many is no.

Committing yourself to your craft

You can conquer the creative world—you just need to have the motivation. Don't let the end of college come and go feeling like you wasted your time. The only way the arts could truly fail you is if you’re committing to it with little to no interest in your work. Think before putting your money into an endeavor. If you've been painting for 10 years and you know that's something you want to do for the rest of your life, then go for it and paint what you love. But if you just started making clay pots and you’re not even sure if it’s your thing yet, don’t commit four years of tuition to it just yet. You need to make sure it’s what you want to do for the long haul. It's hard to know exactly what you want to do in life, and that’s why college is a place where it’s okay to make mistakes and explore your interests.

Looking to the future

The future can be scary, which is why it’s important to really determine the options you have laid out in front of you to make the right choices. Others might have opinions about your path, but what really matters is if you're happy at the end of the day. They aren't the ones putting in the work—you are. Keep your best interests at heart when making tough decisions like this one. Art is a beautiful thing, and if you see it seriously contributing to your future and want to commit to it, it will be worth it. Listen to the people around you and try to see the argument from all perspectives, but make your decision based on your needs and goals.

Ready to pursue your college career in the arts? Start searching for the school to make your dreams a reality by connecting with our featured visual arts colleges and featured performing arts schools.

5 Major Career Benefits to Earning Your Music Degree

2026-04-25T11:07:03.984900-04:00

People considering getting their degree in the arts often worry it will slow down their career trajectory or cost too much money. Even though some famous artists—like Taylor Swift—didn’t go to college, plenty of them—like Lana Del Ray—did, and it has helped them with their careers tremendously. College could play an important role in your musical development. Learn more about the types of programs available to you and the benefits of pursuing a Music degree to help further your career.

Types of Music degrees

While you could get just a general degree in Music, you’re not stuck on a single path. There are many myths about pursuing a degree in the arts, and this is one of them! You can specialize in your passion based on which school or program you choose. You can enroll in a traditional Music program at a liberal arts college or university or pursue courses through a program like 1500 Sound Academy, a professional music school in Los Angeles. The path you choose is totally up to you depending on your preferences and goals. In addition to a Bachelor of Arts in Music, here are a few other music-related degrees you’ll find at many traditional colleges that may interest you:

Bachelor of Music in Performance
Bachelor of Arts in Music Therapy
Bachelor of Music in Composition
Bachelor of Science in Music Education

5 benefits to studying Music in college

You might start out your university career thinking you’re interested in singing and songwriting only to later find out you actually love conducting therapy through music or prefer sound engineering behind the scenes. Pursuing any one of these kinds of programs has many benefits, including the following.

1. Studying what you love

Are you ready to study music day in and day out? Earning your Music degree will allow you to learn your craft while developing your education and expanding your knowledge. You’ll have the chance to improve your techniques and skills while also learning about the theory behind the notes. If you feel like you’re lacking in any aspect of music performance, receiving music education at an organized school can provide you with a stronger background in your chosen art form.

2. Learning about more than just your instrument

Whether your instrument is your voice, a guitar, or something else entirely, enrolling in a Music program will provide you the opportunity to practice and perfect your skills—that’s obvious. However, that’s not all you’ll get with a music education. There’s a lot of breadth to programs at a traditional university, including music history, music theory, software engineering, and an overview of the modern music industry that often layers in business learning. Some courses even teach you how to write music and how to write about music so you can pursue other careers as well. The more skills you build through higher education, the more career paths you can explore.

3. Opening up more career opportunities

Not everyone who’s passionate about music wants to be a performer. Some people just want to compose, produce, or write for others, while others want to advise about music for movies and video games. Whether you want to compose music for traditional music boxes, DJ at clubs around the world, conduct a philharmonic orchestra or write about music as a journalist, a solid first step is a degree from a university that offers Music majors and programs.

4. Building your confidence

Some people desperately want to pursue their passions, but they don’t have the confidence to get up on stage or even share their work with others. When you attend college for Music, you’ll surround yourself with like-minded students and teachers who are all there to support you and encourage you to thrive. Leave the nonbelievers and negativity behind; college is a space that encourages passion, self-expression, and risk-taking. You’ll find yourself on stage, singing or playing your heart out in no time! (If that’s what you want—building confidence is important for behind-the-scenes work too!)

5. Expanding your network

College is a great place to learn and grow on an individual level, but it’s also the perfect place to meet people and build your network for the future. You might be attending classes with the next big music producer or conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic! Going to college and attending the same classes offers you the opportunity to bond with people who may be important to your life and future career. You should also take time to participate in clubs and activities to further help you meet people in the music world both on and off campus.

Is a Music degree worth it?

There are always those who believe getting out and doing the thing is more valuable than expanding your education first, but this list shows you that getting your Music degree can be incredibly beneficial to your personal development and professional ambitions. Finding the right program can help you meet others on the same path and show you a whole new world of opportunity. So take a minute to explore your options and see if this has changed your tune about college.

Find great programs to take your music career to the next level with our College Search tool.

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Types of Music degrees

5 benefits to studying Music in college

1. Studying what you love

2. Learning about more than just your instrument

3. Opening up more career opportunities

4. Building your confidence

5. Expanding your network

Is a Music degree worth it?

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