Frequently Asked Questions

1. ACCREDITATION
The Collective has recently been granted accreditation through the National Association of School’s of Music (NASM). This means that credits earned at the Collective are more likely to be accepted as transfer credits at other institutions. However, it is up to the receiving institution to decide as to the acceptance of transfer credits from a particular school. We recommend that you check with the institution in advance.

2. AUDITION PROCESS
An audition is required for all programs. Auditions may be taken in person, by sending an audio recording (no videos please), or by E-mail, via MP3, or zip files. Please review the audition requirements by clicking on the link below. Available spots are limited, therefore, it is recommended that you send in your audition material as soon as you can

CLICK HERE for Audition Requirements

3. APPLICATION PROCESS
The application for all programs can be filled out online through our Admissions page. You must first pay the Application fee prior to filling out the application. Please follow all directions when filling out the application online. Click this link to apply to The Collective.

4. CURRICULUM
Our programs are designed to prepare our students for a career as a performing musician. Everything we do focuses on helping our students develop the skills they need to succeed. Courses fall into one of four categories:

(1) Musicianship, including reading, music theory, etc.

(2) Style Courses, which focus on learning the important styles in a hands-on way performing with professional
musicians. Styles include Jazz, Funk, Rock, Fusion, Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Afro-Pop, and Hip Hip/Drums
& Bass.

(3) Professional studies, including studio recording, and real-deal type rehearsal situations.

(4) Concept courses, including business savvy, health & welfare, and other non-music topics, of which young musicians need to be aware. Students also have individual private study, as well as individual practice time, and have the opportunity to attend master classes with artists-in-residence, and perform in school sponsored jam sessions.

Note: Arranging and composition study is done on a private lesson basis.

5. DEPOSIT / FEES
Enrollment in a custom program requires a non-refundable registration fee of $75.

Once you are accepted to a program, a deposit (approximately 1/3 of the full tuition) is required to reserve your space. The balance of the program fee is payable on the first day of the program, unless you have made arrangements for a payment plan. Payment plans are available for multiple-semester programs only.

Each Fulltime student will be given an I-pod loaded with course material to use during the semester. A $500 refundable deposit is required for this item.

See “Refunds” for detail on our refund policy.

6. DIPLOMAS & CERTIFICATES
Diploma requirements at The Collective are a minimum of four semesters, including the successful completion of the Certificate, and Advanced Performance Programs. All other plans of study are warded Certificates of completion.

7. EVALUATION PROCESS
Students are evaluated twice before being assigned a program or class. The first evaluation is the audition, whether in person or on recording. The second is a live evaluation by members of our faculty on the first day of class. This method helps to insure that a student will be placed in an appropriate level class.

8. FINANCIAL AID
Student loans are available to US students from the SLM Financial Corporation, which is a subsidiary of the Sallie Mae Company. Financial aid is not available for international students.

9. GENERAL INFORMATION & HISTORY
The Collective has been in existence since 1977. During that time we have graduated thousands of young professional musicians who have been able to go on to create a career in music on the highest professional levels. We offer programs for drums, bass, guitar, and keyboard in plans of study that range in length from ten weeks to two years. Our course offerings can accommodate students from advanced beginner to pre-professional levels. We are located in one of the city’s transportation hubs – at 14th Street and Avenue of the Americas, just north of Greenwich Village and within walking distance of numerous of world-class music venues.

We have an international student body, with students from all over the world. The typical student demographic is from 18 to 25 years of age. We are a small school with an enrollment capacity of 60 students for full time programs. Teacher to student ratios are typically five to one, or four to one, in the more advanced programs. Our faculty are among the finest professional New York musicians, each of whom bring their own expertise and performance experience to bear in their teaching.

10. HEALTH INSURANCE
The Collective does not offer health insurance coverage for Full time students. We recommend that students make arrangements to extend whatever coverage they currently have to cover you while they are studying at The Collective. It should be noted, however, that we are just two blocks from St. Vincent’s hospital, which has a first-rate emergency room facilities.

11. HOUSING
The Collective maintains a list of non-school affiliated housing sites that we can give you to follow up on. These sites are privately run and have been used in the past by Collective students. Please see our Student Housing page for affiliate and non-affiliated housing sites.

A. I-20 APPLICATION
International students are required to apply for I-20 M1 visa, which the Collective will supply upon request. This form will ask the biographical and financial information that is required by the US government for all student and exchange visitors to the United States.

B. I-901 FORM & FEE
Upon receipt of the form I-20, each applicant is required to pay a $100 Immigration and Customs Enforcement fee to the US government.

NOTE: Any additional questions regarding passports and visa should be directed to the US Consulate in your region.

14. JOB PLACEMENT
The music business makes it difficult to establish a “job placement” process. However, requests for recommendations, and audition notices come in at a regular basis, and are posted, or emailed to current fulltime students. Studying at The Collective will give you the opportunity to maximize your potential and become the best musician you can be, assuming that you do your part in terms of consistent effort. There can no guarantees as far as future work, but without good preparation and a solid foundation, there can be little chance of success in any endeavor.

15. LANGUAGE SKILLS
A rudimentary level of English proficiency is all that is required to study at The Collective. However, it is recommended that students record all classes to insure that everything that is presented is retained

16. MATERIAL FEES
Most courses have books, which will need to be purchased for the course. These books can either be purchased directly from The Collective, or are available at The Guitar Center Located one block from the school.

17. NON-TUITION EXPENSES
The following represents a summary of projected monthly living expenses for fulltime students studying at The Collective. Although a semester is ten weeks, the computation is for three full months.

NON-Tuition Expenses	MONTHLY	SEMESTER
Housing	$1000	$3,000
Food	$600	$1,800
Transportation	$100	$300
Entertainment	$100	$300
Total=	$1,800	$5,400

18. PAYMENT OPTIONS
Payment may be made by Credit card, wire transfer, International money order, or with a check drawn on a US bank.

WIRE TRANSFER
Wire Transfer information can be provided upon request

CREDIT CARD
You may pay by Visa or MasterCard. You can call us and give us this information over the telephone, or you can send it by e-mail. We will charge the deposit to your account.

INTERNATIONAL CHECK OR MONEY ORDER
You may pay by international check or money order payable in U.S. dollars. The check must be drawn on an international bank with a New York branch affiliation. All checks should be payable to the Collective and mailed to:

The Collective School of Music

541 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Floor

New York New York, 10011

19. PAYMENT PLANS
Payment plans are available for all multi-semester plans of study. Payment plan inquires for specific programs should be directed to the Admissions Director, John Castellano: johnc@thecoll.com, or (212) 741-0091 x103.

20. PRACTICE TIME
The Collective includes individual practice time as part of every Fulltime program. Individual practice time is usually scheduled in two-hour blocks in one of the school’s fully equipped practice rooms from 8am to 10pm during the week, and 10am to 10pm on weekends.

21. PROGRAM EXTENSIONS
Students opting to extend their program must do so prior to four weeks (1 Month) before the start of the next semester. For international students, the deadline is 60 days prior to the start of the next semester.

“Add-on” programs, although billed at the individual program rate, will apply towards a diploma or certificate award, as required by the over-all plan of study.

22. PRIVATE LESSONS
Most programs include at least one elective private lessons per week during the semester. Elective private lessons are those lessons which the student can use to study with any Collective faculty member, including those who teach other instruments besides the student’s primary instrument. In some cases, such as with the EIP course, students are assigned private lessons (called program lessons) with a particular teacher as part of the course program of study. In some cases students, who have specific weaknesses, or who are falling behind in their studies, may be assigned a particular teacher for the purpose of special tutoring.

23. READING PROFICIENCY
Incoming students are first evaluated as part of the live audition process, or submit a reading self-evaluation as part of the taped recorded process. A second evaluation takes place on the first day of class of each semester. Generally speaking, reading levels do not impact the program decision, which is based on technical skill, and performance experience. However, minimum reading presidency levels are required to receive a diploma from The Collective.

24. REFUND POLICY FOR FULLTIME PROGRAMS
Full refund of tuition up to two weeks before the start of the program (usually a Monday).
65% refund of tuition up to the 1st day of classes.
40% refund of tuition up to the start of the 2nd week of classes.
No refund after the start of the second week of classes.

PROCEDURE

1. Refunds are paid in check only. Allow 3-4 weeks.

2. Registration and application fees are non-refundable.

3. Account credits are non-refundable after a period of one year.

4. Students dropping out of multiple-semester programs will be billed the individual program rate for programs already taken and the balance will be refunded according to the Individual program refund policy.

5. Unused private lessons that are part of a full-time program must be taken before the end of the program and are non-refundable.

6. Unused private lessons not a part of a full-time program, must be taken within one year, or lost.

7. If a private lesson, or ongoing class workshop block is cancelled before all lessons are used, the balance of the unused lessons will be refunded at the individual lesson rate.

25. SCHEDULES – WEEKLY
Programs at The Collective usually run from either 10 to 4, or 9 to 5 – Monday through Friday, depending on the specific program. In additional, there may by special events, jam sessions, or other events scheduled in the evening at or school. Most classes are two hours in length but may vary according to the size of the class and the program.

26. SEMESTER SCHEDULE
The Collective is on a quarterly system, with each semester lasting ten weeks. Start dates are usually; Winter – 2nd week in January, Spring - last week in March, Summer - 2nd week in June, and Fall - 2nd week in September.

There is usually a five to six week break between the end of the fall semester, and the beginning of the winter semester. The school remains open for most of this period, and active fulltime students are given access to practice rooms for individual practice time.

Fall '08

Sept. 8th - Nov. 14th

Winter '09

January 12th - March 20th

Spring '09

March 30th - June 5th

Summer '09

June 15th - August 21st

Fall '09

Sept 14th - Nov 20th

Winter '10

Jan 11th - March 19th

Spring '10

March 29th - June 4th

Two Year Diploma	$42,500 (or $21,250 per year)
Six-Semester Diploma	$34,000
Six-semester Certificate	$31,500
Year-Long Certificate 2	$25,000
Year-Long Certificate 1	$22,500
Two-Semester Certificate Program	$13,000
Two-Semester Prep Program	$10,000
Single Semester Prep program (by permission only)	$5,200
Single Semester section of the two-semester Certificate program (by permission only)	$6,700
Performance Musicianship	$5,700
Elective Intensive Program	$5,200
Advanced Performance Program	$7,800