Cracking Colleges

Taught by Ari Herstand along with Sophie Low

A hands-on training on breaking into the college entertainment market and landing a booking agent with Ari Herstand.

The college market is the hidden secret of the music industry.

Only in the college market can you make $1,500 for 70 minutes of original music with absolutely zero fanbase. I know, I’ve done it. My gigs have ranged from $800 – $3,200 for a 70 minute set, but I’d say I’ve averaged $1,500 + expenses. That’s the other thing, colleges will cover ALL of your expenses from plane tickets, car rental, hotels, food, sound and lights.

Even though there are about 4,000 colleges and universities that bring music to campus, each only bring a few artists a year. There are exceptions, some bring an artist a month (or week!), but most bring 2-3 a semester. If you do it right, you can make $50,000+ a year like I made my first year. And I know some who make $100,000 a year.

But breaking into the college market takes time, money, planning and some rejection.

It’s definitely not for everyone.

Before you apply, pay attention to this next part. You may not be right for colleges. That doesn’t mean you suck. It doesn’t mean you won’t go on to have a very successful music career. It just means that colleges may not be the right avenue for you.

The acts that do best are singer/songwriters, pop/rock, dance, spoken word, conscious hip hop, DJs, high-energy catchy anything.

Comedians and magicians also do really well.

Acts that DO NOT do well include hardcore rap, death metal, screamo, hard rock, punk, politically charged folk, instrumental jazz, lounge, anything far-left of center, or any artist that does not appeal to 18-22 year olds.

Acts that succeed in the College market

This course is extremely hands on.

My team and I will guide you through the process of putting together a bulletproof package for colleges and help you secure showcases at the biggest conferences around the country. This isn’t just dumping info into your lap and wishing you the best of luck. We will be with you every step of the way.

The course will culminate with (digital) showcases in front of top level college booking agents.

70% of students in previous years got signed to a top 10 college booking agency!

Additional Information

NACA and APCA

If you’ve spent any time researching the college market I’m sure you’ve stumbled across NACA (National Association of Campus Activities) and if you’ve dug even deeper you’ve heard of APCA (Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities). You may come away thinking “man, all I have to do is attend these conferences and I’m golden!”

You’d be so, so wrong.

Whereas, yes, NACA and APCA are extremely important conferences in the college space and yes if you want to crack the college market you have to attend them, you should not go at this blind. Besides the fact that these conferences are cost prohibitive for most indie artists (see the breakdown below), to be effective at these conferences takes a full understanding of the nuances in how they work. You can’t just show up, sit in your booth and hope by your sheer wit and charm college reps will just throw money at you and beg you to come play their campuses. It sounds absurd, but I can’t tell you how often I have seen this happen.

I’ve personally showcased at 5 NACA conferences (including Nationals) and 4 APCA conferences. As I was standing in my booth with a long line of college reps waiting to take photos with me and offer me bookings on their campuses, I would glance to the booth next door to see an artist hopelessly attempting to get people to come talk to them. In the end, I’d have a stack of secured bookings for the coming year, and the next door artist who went at it on their own would have exactly 0 bookings (and spent thousands MORE than me to be there).

How did I get to attend these conferences without spending all that money and get so many to hurl show offers at me? That’s part of what you will learn in this course.

We vet out applicants to make sure they are the right fit for this class. If accepted, the application fee is deducted from your enrollment fee.

70% of our previous students got signed to premier college booking agencies!

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Ari Herstand

“The poster child of DIY Music” – Forbes

Ari Herstand is the CEO and founder of the music business education and artist advocacy company, Ari’s Take. Started in 2012 as a blog, Ari’s Take has become the go-to resource for independent musicians on how to run a successful music career in the NEW music business. He is also the author of the best-selling book, How To Make It in the New Music Business which is a #1 Amazon best-seller in 3 categories and has been adopted by over 300 universities and translated into multiple languages. Herstand’s well-researched, relatable, no BS approach is why so many musicians continue to trust him for advice. He offers encouragement without condescension and maintains a “we’re all in it together” attitude not found elsewhere in the space.

He is also the host of the Webby Award winning podcast, The New Music Business Podcast where he interviews innovators and experts in the music industry. Since its launch in March of 2020, over 1 million people have listened to the show.

An independent musician who has played over 1,000 shows around the country, he has performed on Ellen, has had his music featured in countless TV shows, commercials and films, and has charted in the top 10 on iTunes.

Herstand has written for many of the top musician trade magazines and websites including Variety, Music Connection Magazine, American Songwriter, Digital Music News, Playback Magazine, CD Baby, Tunecore, Roland, Discmakers, ASCAP, Hypebot and others. He has been a featured speaker at SXSW, Music Biz, BBC One’s Amplify, NAMM, ASCAP Music Expo, SF MusicTech, CD Baby’s DIY Musician Conference, UCLA, Berklee College of Music and in music business classrooms worldwide.

Sophie Low

Agent, Degy Entertainment

Sophie Low is a dedicated Agent at Degy Entertainment, where she leverages her expertise to connect talent with exceptional opportunities in the entertainment industry. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Business from Belmont University, Sophie combines a solid educational foundation with hands-on experience to drive success for her clients and foster impactful industry relationships. After graduating, Sophie began her career in the industry as the assistant to CEO/President of Degy Entertainment, Ari Nisman. She has since transitioned to a full-time agent position, working with clients across diverse markets on events of all sizes. Her keen insight into the music and entertainment sectors, coupled with her proactive approach, ensures that she consistently delivers outstanding results.

Outside of her professional life, Sophie is an avid animal lover with two dogs: Rosé and Justice, enjoys being outdoors, traveling, and trying new workout classes!

Cracking Colleges

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Cracking Colleges is closed.

Over 6,000 musicians, industry professionals, and students trust Ari's Take Academy.

Where you've seen us

WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY

"I would honestly say there is nothing that I have done for my career that has made me more money and kept me more in the game than this. If you're on the fence, my recommendation is 10/10 highly recommend."

Angie K

Musician and ATA Student

"The most empowering thing I've done for my music career. I'm so grateful. The teachers are great and the community group is great with all the students helping each other. Definitely take these courses because they're so, so powerful!"

Cas Park

Musician and ATA Student

"I can't thank Ari enough for creating this course and I highly encourage everyone to sign up it!"

Kevin Chambers

Musician and ATA Student

Sue from Bass/Schuler Entertainment Agency

I wanted to reach out and let you know that you are doing a great job with your articles and webinars and everything you're doing for people interested in the College Market. We've had a few recently submit their stuff, and we are interested in all of them, and it is 100% due to the fact that they took your advice on everything. I think there is a lot of bullshit out there when it comes to truly helping people, but you are really doing a service not only for those acts but also on our behalf and I want you to know it isn't going unnoticed."

Lauren Frihauf

"What I really loved about the Cracking Colleges course is the instructor. She was so amazing. She walked us step by step through the process, giving us very constructive yet positive feedback, so we could really craft a solid video to showcase to the colleges. There is also a really great sense of community amongst the artists taking the course, we're all just rooting for each other and trying to help one another end up with a product that we're proud of in the end. I was really fortunate to get on with a college agency and I honestly don't think I could have done it without ATA. So for anyone who is looking to get involved in the college entertainment market, I highly recommend enrolling!"

Ross Newhouse

"I took ATA’s Cracking Colleges course in the fall and ended up signing with an agency that I'm really proud to partner with. Now, this course isn't for everyone, but if you have a captivating live show, offer something unique and are looking for high paying college market shows, this is the course for you. Ari and his team walk you through all of the knowledge that you'll need about the college entertainment market while simultaneously getting your showcase video up to speed and then ultimately pitching that video live via Zoom to a handful of amazing agencies. I ended up signing with a really great agency. They've been extremely hands-on so far and his team are extremely hands-on throughout the process. One-on-one Zooms to be able to get my showcase video to where I wanted it to be, and to ultimately get signed. That's the goal. I would highly recommend this program as well as all of the other programs. It's a really quality organization and it's an absolute resource for an upcoming musician like myself, or at any level that you might want to gain some additional knowledge."

Kev Ohm

"ATA is a great tool for working musicians. I just finished the Cracking College's course and if I had known how much value I was going to get out of this when I signed up, I would have had zero reservations or doubts about the cost of this course. The relationships that have been able to develop via the introductions made from this course are going to be vital in moving my career forward. I urge any working musician to believe in themselves enough to invest in themself via any of the courses that ATA is offering because I know it's good stuff."

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When does this course start and finish?

The course begins November 4th, 2024 and culminates with agency showcases in February and March 2025.

Why is there an application fee?

To cover the costs of reviewing all of the applications and to weed out the people who are not serious, we need to set an application fee. If accepted, the application fee will count towards enrollment. THIS IS NOT TO RECEIVE PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK.

If accepted, how much does this course cost?

The course costs $1,997 up front with the ability to use a Buy Now Pay Later option via Affirm, Klarna or Afterpay.

When will I be notified if I have been accepted or not?

We will let everyone know their application status on September 30th.

Will this be applicable for other kinds of entertainers such as comedians and magicians?

While this course is intended for musicians (and managers), the content, strategies and practices will apply to other entertainers who work well in the college market.

I am an agent, will this cover how to go about booking my acts?

This course is specifically setup for musicians and managers looking to get college booking agents and play the college market. This will not breakdown how agents can book their acts at the conferences and on campuses.

Is this applicable for artists outside the US?

This course is specifically for musicians and managers based in the US and Canada. All of the conferences and booking agencies are based in the US or Canada and you will be required to attend these conferences. It will not be worth the cost for you to fly overseas to attend the conferences and shows.

How is this course different from the chapter in Ari’s book?

This is a hands-on training. Ari and his team will be guiding you through this entire process with review sessions, live Q&As, a members-only community, and a showcase in front of top level booking agents.

If I don't get accepted can I get my $25 back?

The application fee is to cover the cost of the review process. Because we will be taking great care with these reviews, the application fee is non-refundable. The application fee is NOT for personalized feedback.

Where is the application?

As soon as you pay, you will be directed to the application page (and sent an email with the application included).

Where does this course take place?

It is an online course. We will have regular video calls. The weekly assignments will be reviewed with thorough feedback given by our student advisor.

How much time will I need to allocate to this?

About 10 hours of work/week is expected.

I have more questions

Shoot us an email at awesome@aristakeacademy.com.

Cracking Colleges

The college market is the hidden secret of the music industry.

But breaking into the college market takes time, money, planning and some rejection.

It’s definitely not for everyone.

The acts that do best are singer/songwriters, pop/rock, dance, spoken word, conscious hip hop, DJs, high-energy catchy anything.

Comedians and magicians also do really well.

Acts that DO NOT do well include hardcore rap, death metal, screamo, hard rock, punk, politically charged folk, instrumental jazz, lounge, anything far-left of center, or any artist that does not appeal to 18-22 year olds.

Acts that succeed in the College market

This course is extremely hands on.

The course will culminate with (digital) showcases in front of top level college booking agents.

70% of students in previous years got signed to a top 10 college booking agency!

Additional Information

NACA and APCA

We vet out applicants to make sure they are the right fit for this class. If accepted, the application fee is deducted from your enrollment fee.

70% of our previous students got signed to premier college booking agencies!

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Ari Herstand

Sophie Low

Cracking Colleges

Cracking Colleges is closed.

Where you've seen us

WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY

Sue from Bass/Schuler Entertainment Agency

Lauren Frihauf

Ross Newhouse

Chris Moreno

Teghan Devon

Yaniza

Kevin Daniel

Tiphanie Doucet

Gospel Lee

Sanjana Deshmukh

Kev Ohm

Kenna Childs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Enrollment is closed.