FAQ

Should I apply to the Sonic Arts program and CUNY at the same time or in a specific order?
Please review our Application Deadline on the APPLY page. 

Who is on the Sonic Art Center’s Selection Committee?
The Committee is comprised of three faculty members from the Center.

What is the Selection Committee looking for in a candidate?
We’re looking for prospective candidates who have the potential to successfully complete our program. A candidate needs to demonstrate their creativity, musicality, technical facility, and possess a good academic record.

If I’m not accepted into the program do I have another opportunity to apply?
Yes, we allow prospective candidates to apply to the program twice.

Can I find out why the Selection Committee rejected my candidacy and how best to improve my chances a second time?
Yes, we can send you that information to you upon request. We are also happy to meet with you via Zoom.

Is an audition on an instrument or voice part of the Sonic Arts Center’s application process?
No. The Selection Committee assesses a candidate’s musical skills through the required Recorded Examples.

I have taken audio technology classes at another college. Will these these credits transfer? Will they allow me to start at a higher level in your audio technology class sequence?
The Center is committed to graduating students who have equivalent experiences and skills in audio technology. In order to accomplish this all of the students must have the bulk of their training here at the Sonic Arts Center. Therefore, we only allow students to be placed up to the first semester of the second year in the audio technology class sequence. To view this sequence please go to the Music and Audio Technology Course Requirements section of the Degree Program page.

If students begin their studies in the Spring of their first year any audio technology transfer credits will be applied as electives. If students begins their studies in the Fall of their second year we will accept audio technology transfer credits equivalent to the two audio courses in the second semester of the first year. All other audio technology transfer credits will be applied as electives.

Who makes the decision about placements into the first or second year of the audio technology class sequence?
The Selection Committee will make that decision once your application has passed a successful review.

I have taken music classes at another college. Will these these credits transfer? Will they allow me to start at a higher level in your music classes?
Please go to  THIS LINK to review the Music Department’s placement procedures. Credit transfers for classes in music history, performance, arranging, etc. will be decided by the Music Department Chair.

Who do I contact to discuss transferring my General Education credits?
Please contact Melissa Oden in the Dean of the Humanities and Arts Office at:  moden@ccny.cuny.edu

Should I provide more than minimum number of two evaluations?
The more professional audio practitioners and teachers that can speak on your behalf the better. But don’t forget: we only accept a maximum of four evaluations!

Do the evaluators have to use your form or can they just send in a letter?
They must use the form since it contains other information and evaluation questions that may not be included in their letter.

Can I send a sealed evaluation letter in my application packet?
No. We want to insure that the evaluation is completely confidential. This will allow the evaluator to create the most accurate assessment. We will not accept evaluations sent to us by the candidate.

Do you give tours of the Sonic Arts Center?
Click here to visit the Sonic Arts Tours Page. 

Do I need to take the prerequisite class if I already have the appropriate level of music and audio technology to apply?
No. Prerequisite classes are available to prospective candidates who do NOT have the appropriate level of music and/or audio technology to apply

Students are provided six hours of permanent lab time per week per audio technology course during the semester. That’s over ninety hours of studio time per semester for each audio technology course. However, since our facilities are open 24/7 students can sign up for additional time using our Flex Time schedule

Will I have my own studio time or do I have to share it with other students?
The majority of your studio time is individual. However there are times when you will share studio time with other students if you’re working on a group project or are involved in a recording that requires a team of engineers and a producer.

How is a student’s studio time determined? Does a students studio schedule change each week?
At the beginning of the semester we ask each student to submit all of the free time they have available during the week. This includes weekends and evenings since we are open 24/7. A master schedule is then created that remains the same for each week of the semester.

Sonic Arts students are required to enroll in our internship class while they are in the program. Our Internship Coordinator works with our students to help them prepare their resumes, sharpen their interview skills, and expose them to the expectations and practices of the professional workplace.