General Information
Attendance
Students are expected to prioritize consistent attendance at NEC classes, lessons, and ensemble rehearsals.
Continued participation in ensembles or the ability to pass a class will be reviewed for any student who
misses three or more classes or rehearsals in a semester. Please see specific information about ensemble
absences under Ensembles.
Student absences from private lessons for any reason do not qualify as refundable missed lessons. Make-up
lessons are at the discretion of the teacher and cannot be guaranteed if the absence is incurred by the student.
Please see specific information under the heading Private Instruction above.
Student absences from private lessons for any reason do not qualify as refundable missed lessons. Make-up
lessons are at the discretion of the teacher and cannot be guaranteed if the absence is incurred by the student.
Please see specific information under Private Instruction.
Bookstore
Although NEC does not run an institutional bookstore, Music Espresso, located at 295 Huntington Ave,
carries a wide selection of sheet music, music theory textbooks, and NEC logo items.
Bulletin Boards
All information about room assignments for lessons, coachings, rehearsals, workshops, and recitals is
posted each Saturday on the Preparatory School bulletin boards located near the entrance of the Jordan Hall
building and the St. Botolph building. Please check these bulletin boards each week as you arrive for upto-
date information about all Preparatory School activities.
Handbook
Download a copy of the NEC Preparatory Student/Parent Handbook.
Instruments
There are many options for renting and purchasing instruments in the Boston area. Please consult your
child’s private teacher for specific recommendations if you are considering acquiring an instrument. Childsized
double basses (for students taking lessons) and certain auxiliary wind instruments (for students
assigned to play these parts in an NEC ensemble) are available for students to borrow free of charge. Please
contact the Concert/Ensemble manager for more information.
Libraries
The Harriet M. Spaulding Library (located on Gainsborough Street, directly across the street from Jordan
Hall) houses 75,000 volumes of music and books, and over 275 journals, newsletters, and newspapers.
The Isabelle Firestone Audio Library (located in the basement of the Jordan Hall Building near Brown
Hall) contains over 35,000 recordings on LP, CD, tape, and videotape. Use of the materials and listening
rooms is available to all Preparatory students with a current ID.
NEC Career Services Center
New England Conservatory’s acclaimed Career Services Center is available to Prep School students and
parents. The Career Services Center has a wealth of information on competitions, summer programs,
music study abroad, college programs in music, etc. The Career Services Center is located in St. Botolph
Room 226, and is open Monday-Friday, 9-5. Please see www.newenglandconservatory.edu/career or call
617.585.1118 for more information.
NEC Undergraduate Admissions Information
The NEC Admissions Office is located on the first floor of the St. Botolph building. The Admissions
Office is closed on Saturday. If you would like information about undergraduate admission to NEC, to
schedule a tour, or arrange an audition, please call the Admissions Office at 617.585.1101 between 9:00
a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Parking
The limited parking in NEC lots is reserved for faculty and staff only. All others will be towed. There are
several public parking facilities in the vicinity of NEC, plus some metered on-street parking.
Nearby public parking options include the Gainsborough Garage, 10 Gainsborough St., 617.266.7260 ($4-$25, depending on length of stay); Church Park Garage, 35 Westland Ave., 617.437.1577 ($4-24, depending on length of stay); Westland Ave. Garage (Avis Rent a Car), 41 Westland Ave., 617.534.1400 ($15/day); Renaissance Garage, 835 Columbus Ave. - walk through Northeastern University campus to NEC, 617.267.9677 ($5 on Saturdays); Greenhouse Apt. Garage, 150 Huntington Ave., 617.247.0588 ($5-$24, depending on length of stay); and Prudential Center Garage, entrances on Huntington, Dalton, Belvedere, East Ring, and Exeter, 617.236.3060 ($5-$38, depending on length of stay).
Photocopies
There are two coin-operated photocopy machines at NEC. One is located in the Spaulding Library; the
other is located in the basement of the St. Botolph building outside of Room G03. The other photocopy
machines at NEC require a departmental code, and are not available for student or faculty use.
Practice Rooms
Rooms at NEC may only be reserved by Preparatory School faculty for lessons, coaching, or classes.
Preparatory School students may not reserve rooms for practicing or ensemble rehearsals. Students may
practice in any vacant unlocked studio or classroom on Saturday, 8:00 am –6:00 pm, but must vacate the
room immediately if it is needed for a lesson, coaching or class.
Public Transportation
NEC is easily accessible by T or bus. The nearest public transportation options are the Symphony stop
(Green Line “E” train), Massachusetts Avenue stop (Orange Line), and buses 1, 39, and CT1.
Registration
All students participating in NEC classes, ensembles, and lessons are required to register and pay the
applicable fees. Attending classes or informing instructors of the intent to register does not constitute
registering for courses. Registration is complete only when the registration form and payment have been
received and processed. Payment is due at the time of registration. Invoices will not be mailed. New
students must register in person. Returning students may register by mail, fax, or in person. Registration
forms will be mailed to returning students in August and December (for private lesson registration only), or
may be downloaded and printed from the NEC website: www.newenglandconservatory.edu/prep. Phone
registrations are not accepted.
School Closings
The Conservatory may be closed in some cases of inclement weather. The following radio and TV stations
and website will announce school closings: WBZ 1030 AM and Channel 4; WRKO 680 AM and
Channel 7; WCVB TV Channel 5; WLVI TV Channel 56; and www.wbur.org. Announcements will be
updated regularly on the automated attendant at the NEC main number, 617.585.1100. If school is
cancelled due to bad weather, every effort will be made to make up lessons and classes.
Student IDs
All NEC Preparatory students receive a Prep School photo I.D. upon registering. This I.D. card allows
access to the NEC campus and libraries. Students should be prepared to show their I.D. card in order to
enter NEC buildings.
Student Lounge
The Howard Student Lounge, located near Brown Hall, is available for use by Preparatory students on
Saturdays. Use of the lounge is a privilege contingent on maintaining an atmosphere which is welcoming
to all members of the NEC community. Use of the computers in the student lounge by Preparatory
students is strictly limited to checking email and doing web research. There is a 15-minute time limit on
computer use by Preparatory students.
Withdrawals and Refunds
Students may withdraw from courses and ensembles within the first three weeks and receive a partial refund
(please see detailed refund schedule). Students must request withdrawal from a class in
person or in writing to the Registrar. Informing an instructor of a decision to withdraw from a course,
stopping or withholding payment, and not attending classes do not constitute withdrawal from a course.
There is no refund for year-long Preparatory School courses dropped mid-year. Exceptional refund requests
will be reviewed when the request is made in writing with adequate documentation.
Because private instructors set aside time slots on the basis of registrations and often refuse other students,
the amount refunded to a student who wishes to withdraw from lessons mid-semester must be agreed upon
by both the instructor and the student.