IMany EDM fans might be surprised to find John Summit’s academic background. The chart-topping DJ and producer never started in a music program or spent his college years in recording studios.
John Summit chose the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and studied accounting. His experience from analyzing numbers in college classrooms to commanding massive festival stages shows an unexpected path to electronic music success. This piece explores Summit’s college years, academic achievements and how UIUC’s influence shaped his music career.
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Early Academic Years at University of Illinois
Summit enrolled at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign after his parents advised him to choose a practical career path. The university’s Gies College of Business stood out with its impressive credentials. Their accounting program ranked #2 nationwide, and their faculty ranked #3 in the country.
Choosing University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
UIUC appealed to Summit beyond just academics. The university’s bustling campus life attracted him, and Chicago’s music scene was just a short distance away. The school’s business education reputation gave him confidence about his future. Their accounting graduates achieved a remarkable 99% successful outcome rate.
Selecting accounting as his major
Summit immersed himself in Gies Business’s accounting program, which went beyond basic numbers:
- Data analytics training
- Professional communication skills
- Strategic decision-making expertise
- Leadership development opportunities
Gies accounting graduates earned an average starting salary of $66,678 in 2021. This practical path made sense to Summit and his parents.
Balancing academics with growing music interests
Summit’s love for music blossomed during his college years. His library study sessions transformed into eight-hour production marathons with Ableton software. He would often crack open his textbooks just four hours before tests. This unique approach didn’t stop him from earning both his bachelor’s degree and Master’s in Accounting.
Another UIUC alum inspired Summit – Curtis Jones, known as Green Velvet, who earned his Master’s in engineering at the university. This connection to a successful Chicago DJ sparked Summit’s interest in electronic music as he managed to keep up with his studies.
Summit taught himself music production between classes through YouTube tutorials and created his own tracks. His dedication led to an impressive catalog of over 50 releases in the following years. Sometimes life’s best lessons happen outside traditional classrooms.
Campus Life and Social Scene
Life at the University of Illinois meant more than spreadsheets and balance sheets for our favorite accountant-turned-DJ. A proud member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity, John Summit (then known as John Schuster) jumped right into the bustling campus social scene.
Experience in Delta Tau Delta fraternity
Summit’s fraternity days turned into much more than social connections – they became the springboard for his future success. His time at Delta Tau Delta shaped his networking abilities that led to his spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. The fraternity gave him his first audience to test his music and helped develop the social instincts that would define his brand later.
Building connections through campus activities
Summit became skilled at building relationships across campus while keeping up with his accounting studies. His path took an unexpected turn after he started working as a bartender at a local college bar. The moment that changed everything came right after losing his bartending job – he saw a chance to fill an open DJ position at the same venue.
“They said they needed a DJ and I’m like ‘okay, I think I can do this,'” Summit remembered about his first step into DJing. This quick thinking and adaptability became the trademark of his future career.
Early exposure to college party scene
The college party scene gave Summit his first real shot to test his DJ skills. His early sets included:
- Playing open-format music for 5-6 hours per night
- Experimenting with house music when venues allowed
- Learning to read and respond to crowd reactions
“I did all the college bars and was in a fraternity and all that, and so I did all the shitty frat parties,” Summit said honestly about his early days. These humble beginnings turned into a great way to get experience for his future career. He managed these late-night performances while keeping up with his studies, creating a perfect mix of business education and hands-on entertainment experience.
A simple way to stay connected with friends at the bar grew into something much bigger. Summit started making music in his dorm room between classes. This laid the foundation for his meteoric rise in the electronic music scene. His time at UIUC gave him more than just a degree – it helped him find his true calling while keeping the security of a solid education.
First Steps Into DJing
Life’s setbacks can lead to unexpected career paths. A 19-year-old Summit lost his college bar job, but fate turned this into a perfect chance when the venue needed a DJ.
From bartender to college bar DJ
“I still knew I wanted to work at the bar because I was good friends with everybody,” Summit explained about his quick switch to DJing. He embraced the role without any experience and learned through YouTube tutorials. His sets lasted five to six hours each night, and he played commercial music that kept college crowds dancing.
Learning to read college crowds
Summit learned his DJ skills through ground experience instead of formal training. His early sets included:
- Playing Top 40 and hip-hop that appealed to mainstream crowds
- Testing house music during late-night slots
- Managing crowds through trial and error
“And then for the very last 15 minutes of my set, when it was almost 2am, [my boss] would say, ‘John, you can play whatever you want,'” Summit recalled. These short windows became his playground to test house music, where he noticed dedicated dancers moving to his beats.
Building a local following
Summit got creative in building his audience without industry connections. He drove two hours north to Chicago and immersed himself in underground raves to draw inspiration from his favorite artists. Between gigs, he produced music in his dorm room.
His brand identity emerged during an opening set for EDM collective Cash Cash in Urbana. Minutes before showtime, someone asked for his stage name. A quick thought struck him: “I like skiing, I like mountains,” and John Summit was born. The name stuck, in part because it felt genuine while being unique enough to stand out in Google searches.
Summit’s reputation grew and better local bookings followed. He and his friends hosted warehouse parties because traditional venues weren’t available. This self-reliant approach helped him build his career beyond college shows.
Academic Achievements and Career Preparation
John Summit stood out among his college peers. While most students struggled with basic grades, he excelled in one of UIUC’s most challenging programs. This future DJ superstar proved he could master both academics and beats!
Excelling in accounting courses
Summit demonstrated remarkable academic ability at Gies College of Business while he devoted countless hours to music production. His accounting program carried significant prestige – it ranked #2 nationally for undergrad studies and boasted the #3 accounting faculty in the nation. The pressure was intense, yet Summit balanced the demanding coursework with late-night DJ sets and music production sessions.
Internship experiences
His academic excellence earned him a coveted internship at Ernst & Young (EY). The story gets interesting here: Summit tackled those grueling 80-hour weeks at EY, then rushed to his apartment to create music before performing his DJ gigs. Talk about burning the candle at both ends!
Earning his master’s degree
Summit followed the path of Chicago house music legend Green Velvet (Curtis Jones) beyond just a bachelor’s degree. He persevered to earn his master’s in accounting from UIUC. His academic accomplishments included:
- Completing the prestigious master’s program
- Earning his CPA certification
- Maintaining grades while building his music career
Summit later made a surprising admission: “I was a terrible accountant, because I didn’t care about it at all. That was just to pay the bills while making music and playing the parties every weekend”. Yet his performance still secured him a full-time position at Ernst & Young after graduation.
His accounting career sparked an unexpected turn that would surprise any college advisor. Summit’s accounting work actually powered his music ambitions. “I honestly credit [my accounting career] to learning music and getting good… cause my job was like so boring I’m like I’ll do anything, like I’ll work [exceptionally hard] to get out of this”. Who knew double-entry bookkeeping could inspire such musical motivation?
Summit’s time at EY evolved into the ultimate balancing act. He worked full-time as a CPA while emerging as one of Chicago’s most promising house DJs. Long office hours would end with him creating tracks in his apartment before heading out to perform. This exceptional work ethic ultimately led to his breakthrough in the music industry.
Notable Campus Venues and Performances
John Summit discovered his musical calling at UIUC’s campus music scene. His dorm room became a unique blend of accounting textbooks and DJ equipment. He evolved from a student mixer into an electronic music sensation through his performances at iconic campus venues.
Regular sets at Canopy Club
The Canopy Club in Urbana gave Summit his first real venue experience. This 30-year old spot offered more space than cramped fraternity basements and let him experiment with his sound. His performances quickly drew attention, proving he was more than just another college DJ. The venue now takes pride in calling him their alumni as they watch his rapid rise in the electronic music scene.
Red Lion residency
Summit’s shows at The Red Lion in Champaign became a turning point in his college DJ career. This venue became his creative space to test new sounds and gage crowd reactions. He spent hours between accounting assignments crafting setlists that kept people dancing until closing time.
His performances included:
- Extended house music sets during peak hours
- Special event nights during big campus weekends
- Collaborative shows with other student DJs
- Late-night experimental sessions
Building his reputation on campus
Summit’s influence in the campus music scene grew beyond typical college parties while he pursued his master’s degree. Each set showcased his commitment to his craft, regardless of crowd size. He made regular two-hour trips to Chicago’s underground raves and brought fresh ideas back to his campus shows.
Summit stood out by connecting with the college crowd while expanding musical boundaries. “I was playing five or six hours per night,” he recalled about his early days. “Because I was really into house music, they would let me play things like that”. This mix of mainstream appeal and underground elements became his trademark.
His growing popularity led him to organize his own events. Summit and his friends created warehouse parties when traditional venues weren’t available. These DIY shows became unforgettable experiences for UIUC students and offered an alternative to standard campus parties.
Summit lived a demanding schedule – playing long DJ sets, catching brief sleep, then heading to morning accounting classes. These venues served as more than performance spaces. They taught him crowd psychology, event management, and ways to keep a dance floor moving. These skills are a great way to get experience for his future career.
Where Did John Summit Go to College Frequently Asked Questions
Did John Summit attend a music school?
No, John Summit did not attend a music school. He pursued a degree in finance, which was not related to music. His music career developed outside of formal education, with his interest in DJing and production growing through personal passion and involvement in the Chicago music scene.
What degree did John Summit pursue in college?
John Summit pursued a degree in finance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Although he had an interest in music, his academic focus was on business, which he later applied to managing his career in the music industry.
Where did John Summit study before becoming a DJ?
Before becoming a DJ, John Summit studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There, he earned his degree in finance. His education provided a solid foundation for his future, but it was his growing love for electronic music that eventually led him to pursue a career as a DJ and producer.
Is John Summit a college graduate?
Yes, John Summit is a college graduate. He completed his degree in finance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While his career path ultimately led him into the music industry, he has a formal education in finance.
Did John Summit attend college in Chicago?
No, John Summit did not attend college in Chicago. He studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is located south of Chicago. However, after graduation, he became heavily involved in the Chicago electronic music scene, which helped shape his music career.
What college did John Summit attend for his music career?
John Summit did not attend a college specifically for his music career. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he studied finance. His journey into music was independent of his formal education, relying more on self-teaching and his experiences in the Chicago music scene.
