Getting accepted to Berklee College of Music is a major accomplishment. But if Berklee is your goal, your preparation shouldn’t be focused on acceptance alone.
For students, good preparation means walking into an audition ready to demonstrate your strongest musicianship. For parents, it can mean something more: helping your student make the most of a significant financial investment in a Berklee education.
Liz brings an unusual perspective to Berklee preparation: she graduated summa cum laude from Berklee in three years and also worked in Berklee’s Registrar’s Office. She understands not only what it takes to prepare as a musician, but also how important it is to approach your time at Berklee strategically.
The work you do before your Berklee audition can help you become a stronger candidate for admission and merit scholarships. It can also give you a head start on the musicianship skills you’ll need once you’re there—including material assessed through Berklee’s Entering Student Proficiency Assessment (ESPA).
Strong preparation can therefore matter at both ends of the Berklee journey. A student may be better prepared to compete for scholarship opportunities during admissions and, once accepted, better prepared to demonstrate existing knowledge, receive credit for introductory core coursework and begin at a more advanced level.
For parents paying Berklee tuition and the cost of living in Boston, getting ahead can have real financial value.
When families are preparing to invest significantly in a Berklee education, investing in preparation beforehand can be a relatively small part of the overall cost—with the potential to help a student arrive much better prepared.
That’s why Berklee preparation with Liz Zabala looks beyond one audition.
Prepare to get into Berklee. Then prepare to make the most of the time and money you’re investing once you’re there.
Students can begin working with Liz months, or even a year, before their audition, giving them time to develop musicianship rather than simply rehearse an audition piece. Vocal coaching sessions with Liz can be purchased online, with lesson options and pricing available on her website.
Your Berklee Audition Matters for Scholarships, Too
Your Berklee audition is your opportunity to show the school who you are as a musician. It’s also important because Berklee considers eligible undergraduate applicants for merit-based scholarships through the admissions process.
For families looking at the cost of Berklee, that makes the audition particularly important.
A strong audition doesn’t guarantee admission or a scholarship. But with both acceptance and potential merit aid at stake, you want to give yourself the best opportunity to demonstrate what you can do.
Through Liz’s Pre-Acceptance and Berklee Audition Coaching, students can work on:
- Prepared repertoire
- Improvisation
- Sight-reading
- Ear training
- Musicianship
- Interview preparation
- Performance confidence
- What to expect during the Berklee audition process
Instead of simply hoping your talent comes through on audition day, you arrive prepared to show it.
If you’re still learning about the process, read Liz’s guide to the Berklee audition for a closer look at what to expect.
Audition Prep Can Also Give You a Head Start on Berklee
Here’s where Liz’s approach goes beyond the audition.
Many of the skills that make you a stronger Berklee applicant are also skills you’ll need as a Berklee student.
During pre-acceptance coaching, Liz can identify areas that need development and begin strengthening ear training, harmony, music theory, writing skills and overall musicianship.
That means you’re not investing in coaching that’s useful for only one audition.
You’re developing skills that can carry into Berklee and eventually help prepare you for your ESPAs.
Think of it as one continuous process:
Audition prep → Stronger musicianship → Acceptance → ESPA prep → Berklee
For parents, this means the same preparation you’re investing in before admission can continue providing value after acceptance.
After Acceptance: Your ESPAs Matter
Once you’re accepted, the next stage begins.
New students complete Berklee’s Entering Student Proficiency Assessment (ESPA) to determine where they should begin within the college’s core music curriculum.
Areas assessed include:
- Ear Training
- Harmony
- Writing Skills
- Music Technology
Students can also demonstrate more advanced knowledge in certain areas.
You can review the current requirements on Berklee College of Music’s official ESPA page.
Strong ESPA Results Can Help You Start Further Ahead
If your ESPA results demonstrate that you’ve already mastered material covered in an entry-level core music class, you can be placed into more advanced coursework and receive credit for the lower-level material you’ve tested out of.
In other words, you may not have to spend a semester taking a basic core music class covering material you already know.
The purpose of preparation isn’t to memorize answers or “beat” an exam. It’s to make sure you’re ready to demonstrate your actual level of musicianship.
If you know the material, you want Berklee to see that.
For Parents: Getting Ahead Can Save Time—and Money
Berklee is a significant financial commitment, and tuition is only one part of it.
Your student is also living in Boston, one of the most expensive cities in the United States. Families may be paying for housing or rent, food, transportation, flights home and everyday living expenses on top of tuition.
That’s why getting ahead academically matters.
If a student can receive credit for entry-level core coursework, begin in more advanced classes and combine that progress with strategic course planning and other eligible credits, they may be able to complete their degree more efficiently.
Consider what even one fewer semester could mean financially.
Then consider an entire year.
That’s potentially one less year of:
- Berklee tuition
- Boston rent or housing
- Food and groceries
- Transportation
- Flights and travel
- Everyday living expenses
For a parent making a substantial investment in their child’s music education, preparing early isn’t simply about getting a better audition result.
It’s about helping your student make the most of every semester you’re paying for.
Liz Graduated From Berklee in Three Years
Liz understands this personally.
She graduated from Berklee College of Music summa cum laude in 2024, completing her degree in three years instead of four.
That meant an entire year she didn’t have to spend living in Boston as a Berklee undergraduate—with the tuition and living costs that would have come with it.
Liz also worked in Berklee’s Registrar’s Office, where she gained firsthand experience with degree requirements, course planning, transfer credits, proficiency assessments and the academic systems Berklee students navigate.
That combination is an important part of her approach to coaching.
Liz isn’t only helping students prepare a song for an audition. She understands the bigger picture of what happens before admission and after acceptance.
For parents, that means coaching isn’t focused only on getting your student through the door. The goal is to help them arrive prepared to use their Berklee education strategically.
Before Acceptance and After Acceptance
Liz offers coaching for both stages of the Berklee journey.
Before You’re Accepted
Through Pre-Acceptance and Berklee Audition Coaching, students prepare for the audition and interview while strengthening the musicianship skills they’ll need later.
Starting early means that if ear training, harmony, theory or another area needs work, there’s time to actually improve it.
After You’re Accepted
Once you have your acceptance, the focus can shift toward the ESPAs.
Through Post-Acceptance Coaching and ESPA Preparation, Liz helps students identify gaps, strengthen weaker areas and prepare to demonstrate what they know.
Students who began working with Liz before acceptance already have an advantage: they’ve started building the foundation.
Who Is This Coaching For?
Berklee coaching with Liz may be a good fit for students who are preparing to audition, want to strengthen their overall musicianship before applying, have already been accepted and need to prepare for ESPAs, or want to enter Berklee as strategically prepared as possible.
It’s also designed for parents asking:
If we’re making this significant investment in Berklee, how can we help our student get the greatest possible value from it?
The answer starts with preparation—not only for the audition, but for what comes after it.
Berklee Audition & ESPA FAQs
Can a strong Berklee audition help with scholarships?
Berklee considers eligible undergraduate applicants for merit-based scholarships through the admissions process. A strong audition doesn’t guarantee a scholarship, but thorough preparation helps you present your strongest musicianship when it matters.
Can doing well on my ESPAs help me skip introductory core music classes?
Yes. If you demonstrate proficiency in material covered by an entry-level core course, you can be placed further ahead and receive credit for the lower-level material you’ve tested out of.
Should I wait until I’m accepted to prepare for ESPAs?
You don’t have to. Pre-acceptance coaching can begin strengthening relevant skills such as ear training, harmony, theory and musicianship while you’re preparing for your audition.
Can getting ahead save money?
It can. Receiving credit and starting further ahead can help you progress through required coursework more efficiently. Depending on your overall degree plan and other credits, completing Berklee in fewer semesters can mean savings on both tuition and Boston living expenses.
Start Your Berklee Preparation With Liz
Whether your Berklee audition is months away or you’ve already received your acceptance letter, you can start preparing strategically now.
Learn more about Pre-Acceptance and Berklee Audition Coaching or, if you’ve already been accepted, explore Post-Acceptance Coaching and ESPA Preparation.
When you’re ready to begin, view Liz’s lesson options, pricing and purchase your coaching sessions.
For official assessment information, visit Berklee College of Music’s ESPA page.
Don’t prepare only to get into Berklee. Prepare to make the most of your investment once you’re there.
