Peer Advising Program

The Peer Advising program assists entering students during their transition to Berklee and the city of Boston, in order to succeed socially and academically. Every entering student (whether a first-time student or a transfer student) is matched with a peer advisor and a faculty advisor. The program's design, built on research about first-year students' experiences and success, provides new Berklee students with a support network, connection to resources, and sense of community.

Who are peer advisors?

• A diverse group of respectful, responsible, thoughtful, and knowledgeable upper-semester Berklee students
• Mentors trained to connect students with resources to succeed during their first semester at Berklee and beyond
• Initial points of contact for personal, academic, and extracurricular questions or concerns

Who are faculty advisors?

• Full-time faculty members who instruct the Artistry, Creativity, and Inquiry class that most incoming students take
• Supportive and trained mentors and valuable sources of information about Berklee and music careers

How does the program work?

• Peer advisors contact their assigned entering students several weeks before orientation, to welcome them and answer questions they may have before arriving at Berklee.
• During orientation, peer and faculty advisors facilitate meetings with groups of 10-20 entering students, giving students a valuable opportunity to learn more about orientation week and make social connections.
• Peer advisors arrange group events throughout the semester—some are social events, while others assist students with class scheduling and academic planning.
• Students can seek guidance from and request individual meetings with their peer advisor throughout their first semester.
• Overall, peer advisors help new Berklee students find the tools they need to succeed—and have fun and meet people along the way!

Why is Peer Advising important?

Studies have shown that entering students' success at college depends heavily on establishing friendships and important connections to students, faculty, and staff during the first few weeks of enrollment. At Berklee, we care very much about each student's adjustment and want to help them feel that the Berklee environment is comfortable, safe, and manageable.

In a recent survey, 94 percent of entering students reported they felt some degree of anxiety before arriving at Berklee. Peer Advising enables entering students to connect with one specific experienced student mentor, to alleviate those anxieties. In the same survey, 91 percent of entering students reported they found their peer advisor helpful or very helpful.

Parent information

The Peer Advising team is happy to answer questions regarding the program and how we can help each student succeed. However, we ask that parents respect the confidentiality of the advisor/advisee relationship and not contact their student's peer advisor or faculty advisor directly. Read more information for parents.

Contact us

For further information about the Peer Advising program, please contact:

Chris Purcell
Associate Director of Student Activities | Peer Advising
Student Activities Center
939 Boylston Street (via 921 Boylston Street, 3rd floor)
617 747-2349
peeradvising@berklee.edu