ɪnˈɪʃəli ɐ mjˈuːzɪk stˈuːdənt æt ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv bˈʌfəlˌoʊ, bˌʌt hiː tɹænsfˈɜːd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti tə hˈɑːɹvɚd jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾɪŋ sˈʌmə kʊmlˈaʊdi wɪð hɪz bˈætʃəlɚz dᵻɡɹˈiː ɪn fɪlˈɑːsəfi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti tˈuː.
Initially a music student at the University of Buffalo, but he transferred in 1920 to Harvard University, graduating summa cum laude with his bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1922.