FAQs (Printer-friendly PDF version)

1.
I have not had the opportunity to gain experience in the field of audio engineering. Does this affect my chances of acceptance?

2.
I’ve heard of your reputation. Is it really hard to get in to the program? What are my chances of getting accepted? When is the program full?

3.
How intense is the course load?

4.
I have recorded music with my computer. Is this considered experience?

5.
How can I further prepare myself for the program?

6.
What high school courses are prerequisites?

7.
When does the next program start? How many start dates are there each year?

8.
What makes your school different than others that are out there and what do you pride yourselves in? Why should I choose your school over the others?

9.
Upon completion of the program, what do I receive?

10.
Do you offer any part-time, evening, correspondence, or distance education courses?

11.
Do you teach instrumental performance?

12.
Do I have to play a musical instrument in order to be accepted?

13.
If I have completed College or University, do you still require my high school transcripts?

14.
Can I apply as a mature student (without a High School Diploma)?

15.
Must I send an original copy of my high school transcripts or may they be photocopies?

16.
Why must I send in reference letters?

17.
Who should my references be?

18.
Am I qualified for any scholarships? What scholarships do you offer?

19.
Do you offer student loans to American/International students?

20.
What kind of career will I get after graduation?

21.
When do you start accepting applications?

22.
When does the program generally fill up?

23.
What age are your students?

24.
How many students do you accept each year?

25.
If I’m from another province do I apply to OSAP for my student loans, or my own province?

26.
Do I need to submit a demo/portfolio with my application?

27.
Do I need excellent credit to be accepted at OIART?

28.
Are there any students that were unsatisfied with your school?

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1.
I have not had the opportunity to gain experience in the field of audio engineering. Does this affect my chances of acceptance?
We review all of the application materials you submit, which may or may not include experience in audio engineering. Primarily, we're looking for clear evidence that you have both passion and enthusiasm for audio engineering and production. Ask yourself how you spend extra time and money. Are you consistently buying, thinking about, or using audio/music related materials? If the answer is an overwhelming yes, then chances are you're a candidate for a career in a sound related field as well as a candidate for OIART. Letters of reference that corroborate your level of interest are also important to our admissions department.

The level of experience and background of OIART graduates varies considerably. Every year OIART’s student body is comprised of individuals who have interest and/or experience in one or more of the following areas:

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2.
I’ve heard of your reputation. Is it really hard to get in to the program? What are my chances of getting accepted? When is the program full?
We process applications on a first-come first-served basis until each academic year is full, at which time a waiting list is created. As a result, everyone has an equal opportunity to be admitted to the program. There is currently no fee to submit an application and it only takes one to two weeks to process and review them. Applications are reviewed on an individual basis. Although we do screen applicants to ensure the right fit between the individual and the school, many aspects of each individual are considered. We don’t base acceptance on a single factor such as high school transcripts. We consider ambition, enthusiasm, experience, volunteer work, previous employment, academic potential and attitude. If you have any doubts concerning how appropriate your application is, or whether there are seats left for the upcoming academic year, please call us, toll-free: 1.866.686.5010, ext 27.

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3.
How intense is the course load?
Our audio recording technology program is an immersion program and you can expect to spend about 30 hours per week in class and labs. Aside from reviewing your lecture notes each day and preparing for labs, there isn’t a lot of homework given in the traditional sense. Almost all assignments and projects are practical in nature and are completed in your lab time. At first glance, the course load can seem heavy, but our design and delivery of the materials has been developed over two decades and every member of the faculty is an outstanding lecturer. In addition to that, you’re studying what you’re interested in and we have no 'filler' or unrelated courses that waste your time or interest.

The student completion rate at OIART is typically about 90%. This means that 90% of the students who start the program complete it successfully. Hands-on reinforcement of all classroom theory, a 5:1 student to teacher ratio, full time faculty, private tutorials and individualized career management assistance all help ensure your success.

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4.
I have recorded music with my computer.
Is this considered experience?
Absolutely. This is how many successful OIART graduates gained their interest in the field of audio. As technology evolves computers are becoming the primary audio tool and any experience with audio and computers is an asset.

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5.
How can I further prepare myself for the program?
Find opportunities to volunteer within your community or your high school. Join your high school’s A/V club or volunteer at a local studio, radio or TV station, theatre, or church. Start experimenting with digital audio recording and editing, there are many free and low cost computer programs that can be found on the internet for audio recording and music production. Above all, listen to everything.

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6.
What high school courses are prerequisites?
No specific courses are required; but music, electronics, computer literacy, fine art, science, communications, drama/theatre and media courses would help prepare you for an education in audio engineering.

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7.
When does the next program start?
How many start dates are there each year?
We start in September of each year and run until the end of July. We work with and for just one group of about 60 students per year and regard this as a key strength of the program. A small group of students simultaneously progressing through the same material fosters a unique culture both in and outside of the school ­ a culture that continuously engages in the world of professional audio ideas, practices and concerns.

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8.
What makes your school different than others that are out there and what do you pride yourselves in? Why should I choose your school over the others?
Simply put, we have a proven track record and a history of success. Founded in 1983, OIART was North America's first audio immersion program and it remains the only school solely dedicated to studies in audio engineering and production. Program completion rates (percentage of students who completed the program) and job placement rates (percentage of students employed 6 months after graduation) are almost 90%. We have a unique educational model that has been in development for over two decades. We are one of the only programs that employ a full time teaching faculty. Combined with our 5:1 student to teacher ratio, this allows unprecedented access to instructors. When you wish to speak with an instructor outside of class there is no "phone tag" or unanswered email. All of our instructors are on a first name basis and have an open door policy with regular office hours. Our lab time is faculty supervised. There is always someone to guide you through the learning process and answer your questions. In addition to our full time faculty we augment the program with adjunct faculty who provide a real world perspective to the education we deliver. View our list of our adjunct faculty.

We are completely audio-centric, i.e., the entire program is focused on audio recording technology and production. We concentrate on teaching this alone and do it extremely well. We focus on the tool set used in all aspects of recording technology, and as a result are a genuine technical training program. There is no filler material in the curriculum. Our course content is developed in consultation with our 40+ member advisory council of working audio professionals. As a result of our industry consultation we are always teaching skills that are current and in demand, often teaching technology before it becomes an industry standard. As an example of the effectiveness of our curriculum design, we were the first program in North America to teach the Pro Tools™ software (1992), which is just one of dozens of firsts we've accomplished.

All of our studios are on site and designed specifically for educational purposes. Our studio facilities are used exclusively by the students. We are not a commercial studio masquerading as a school. Our class time is reinforced with over 600 hours of hands on studio time. Hands on means you are working directly with the technology, not watching over somebody's shoulder.

We focus on all aspects of audio technology, not just the music industry. We cover the application of audio tools in the recording, live audio, post production, video gaming, internet, sales and manufacturing industries, providing an enormous range of career opportunities for our graduates. To ensure the success of our graduates, we offer personalized and life long career placement assistance. We take the time to find out your career aspirations and where you want to be, and then do everything we can to get you there.

Part of your research into any program should include talking to as many graduates as possible. The email addresses for our graduates are posted on our alumni pages. Pick a few names at random and send them an email asking them about their experiences in the program. We are probably the ONLY school (for any area of study) that makes graduate contact information available and encourages any individual investigating the program to contact any graduate of the program. That in itself speaks of the caliber of the program. Every year almost half of the student body is comprised of word of mouth references by former students. We have a global reputation. If you choose to attend you will be sharing the classroom with students from all over Canada, the US and around the globe. Why is that important? We are not flooding any particular workforce or geographical area with OIART grads. Last year, to our knowledge, only 2 graduates applied for the same job.

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9.
Upon completion of the program, what do I receive?
A college-level diploma in Audio Recording Technology.

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10.
Do you offer any part-time, evening, correspondence, or distance education courses?
No.

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11.
Do you teach instrumental performance?
No. Our program is audio engineering and production, not specifically music performance. If you are a performing musician, the knowledge acquired at OIART would be an indispensable asset in studio session-work, live performance and recording production and engineering.

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12.
Do I have to play a musical instrument in order to be accepted?
No. The focus of our program is not music performance. Some students may find a music background to be beneficial, depending on their career aspirations, but each year only about half of the student body are experienced musicians.

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13.
I have completed College or University, do you still require my high school transcripts?
No, we do not require your high school transcripts; just the most recent transcripts from the last college or university you attended. We require documentation of academic potential. In the case of an individual who has only completed a few courses or a single semester of university or college, you may be required to submit high school transcripts if the post-secondary school transcripts don’t provide enough information to indicate the level of academic performance.

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14.
Can I apply as a mature student (without a High School Diploma)?
Mature students can apply to the program but must include a copy of their most recent school transcripts. We don’t base acceptance solely on academic performance and in the case of an individual who hasn’t completed high school, their level of experience and references will be heavily weighed. As per the requirements and regulations of the Ontario Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities, if accepted into the program you may be required to write a mature student assessment test prior to enrollment. The test covers basic reading comprehension, logic, and mathematics skills.

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15.
Must I send an original copy of my high school transcripts or may they be photocopies?
For admission purposes you can submit a clear, legible photocopy, fax, or scan of your transcripts. If you are accepted into the program you will be required to submit your original transcripts once the program commences.

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16.
Why must I send in reference letters?
We consider a sustained interest in audio as a prerequisite for admission into the program. Successful OIART students are individuals who spend a significant amount of their time thinking about sound and sound related fields. We use the references to determine your level of interest in addition to other areas such as academic potential, communication skills, strengths and weaknesses etc. This information isn’t necessarily demonstrated in High School, College, or University transcripts. As mentioned, academic performance isn’t the only thing considered with each application.

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17.
Who should my references be?
Anyone who can attest to your sustained interest and/or experience in audio would make an ideal reference. Preferably, at least one reference should be a teacher (past or present) who can comment on your academic potential as well as your interest or experience. Previous employers, co-workers, counselors, and religious leaders also make good references. Friends and relatives are also acceptable, although not preferred over the other mentioned sources.

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18.
Am I qualified for any scholarships? What scholarships do you offer?
You may qualify for one of the scholarships offered. Please view the options and requirements.

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19.
Do you offer student loans to American/International students?
Unfortunately, most governments will not recognize private schools outside of their own country as eligible for student loan programs. OIART is registered with the Ontario Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities and is eligible for all Canadian provincial and federal student loans. International students should try pursuing private bank loans, lines of credit or other personal loans. In most cases the private and/or bank loan programs available are competitive with most government student loan programs.

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20.
What kind of career will I get after graduation?
Please view our career options page for a list of potential career opportunities available to you after graduating from OIART.

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21.
When do you start accepting applications?
We accept applications at any time for both the upcoming and future academic years. We process applications on a first-come first-served basis until each academic year is full, at which time a waiting list is created. As a result, it is suggested that you submit an application as early as possible. There is currently no fee to submit and review applications.

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22.
When does the program generally fill up?
Typically the program for the upcoming year fills by early summer, but seats continue to open up and be filled well into August, as individuals choose other options and the waiting list settles out. Simply call or email us to find out if there are any available seats in the program.
Toll-free: 1.866.686.5010, ext 27

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23.
What age are your students?
The average age is around 21 years old, although the age range varies from 17 to 40+

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24.
How many students do you accept each year?
We accept 60 students per year.

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25.
I’m from another province do I apply to OSAP for my student loans, or my own province?
You apply for government loans from the province in which you reside, not the province in which the school is located. Students from Manitoba, for example, apply for Manitoba student loans, even though OIART is located in Ontario. Every province now has online loan applications available from their websites. Ask a local counselor for the web address.

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26.
Do I need to submit a demo/portfolio with my application?
You are not required to submit a demo or portfolio with your application.

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27.
Do I need excellent credit to be accepted at OIART?
OIART does not issue loans to students and as a result is not concerned with your credit history. Having a less than perfect credit record may affect your ability to receive government, private, or bank loans to assist with tuition. In most cases, a less than perfect credit record may simply require you to have a co-signer for any loans. Consult your bank and provincial student loan program for more information.

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28.
Are there any students that were unsatisfied with your school?
Not that we know of. We encourage every applicant to make an informed decision. Read our website, visit the school then ask this question directly to our graduates. Go to the alumni pages for email addresses of graduates. You’ll uncover what we already know, the experiences of all our graduates are overwhelmingly positive.