<p>So I am going to be a junior in high school next year, but I am actively searching for schools and programs I am interested in.</p>
<p>One awesome program I found online was the columbia-Juilliard exchange. I would like to pursue an economics major, but at the same time, I would love to extend my piano skills/ musical knowledge. I have been playing piano since I was 4, and my mom has been teaching me from the start. I love piano and music to death. How "good" do you have to be to consider this program? Does anyone on here know anybody who has participated in this?</p>
<p>I mean, it’s Juilliard. You have to be very good to get in, like a professional-level musician. In addition, you have to be admitted to Columbia, an Ivy League school that accepts 6% of applicants.</p>
<p>The Columbia-Juilliard program is extremely selective.</p>
<p>Do you know about how many people apply each year, and how many get admitted?</p>
<p>I may not be completely prodigious, but I have consecutively been placing in top 3 in two states (I moved) since 5th grade. I also performed at Carnegie Hall twice. Could my level of performance put me into consideration for this program?</p>
<p>I don’t know how many people apply each year, but about 15 get into the Columbia-Juilliard exchange each year.</p>
<p>Winning competitions and performing at Carnegie are impressive, but I think the audition for Juilliard is the most important part. Harvard and NEC also have a joint program, and from what I know, NEC makes the final decision when admitting into the joint program (assuming the applicant also got into Harvard, of course). Apparently, it’s also a good idea to take a lesson or two with prospective professors, since they’re the ones accepting students to their studios.</p>
<p>As a sort of side note, I’m also a rising junior interested in a dual-degree in music and something else xD. I’ve played piano for a long time as well, but I’m probably going to “officially” study clarinet in college.</p>
<p>Clarinetkid, thanks for the info. I am aware of the importance of the audition- my mom majored in piano performance and she has plenty of stories about it lol. When can you schedule the private lessons with the professors? Summer going into senior year?</p>
<p>You’ll have to contact them beforehand to see if they’re available, but yeah, I think the summer before senior year is probably the best time, unless you live really close and manage to get a lesson before that, like in the spring or winter. There are usually several piano professors at a music school, so you’ll also be able to look for the “right” professor.</p>
<p>Well the thing with getting into music schools is that a professor has to be willing to take you into his/her studio. If you’ve taken lessons before your audition, you’ll probably have a better chance of being accepted, assuming you played well and made a good impression on the professor.
I’ve heard stories of mediocre kids who got accepted over “better” applicants because they had already been in a teacher’s studio for a number of years. Granted, these were at universities, not conservatories, but I think the same idea holds true.
And unfortunately no, I don’t know of anyone who’s done this program before.</p>
<p>Are the students applying to this program evaluated separately by Columbia and Juilliard? Like are their applications being viewed by Columbia in the regular application pool, and their auditions being considered in the regular audition pool for incoming freshman?</p>
<p>I believe you apply to both schools normally–Columbia either ED or RD, and Juilliard by December 1–but you have to indicate on both (or maybe just the Juilliard one; I don’t remember) applications that you’re interested in the exchange program. Once (if) you get in both, Juilliard decides whether to admit you to the exchange.</p>
<p>You must apply and be accepted to both schools.</p>
<p>When we visited Columbia last year, the admissions department told me that eight students were enrolled in the dual program with Julliard that year.</p>
<p>What does your piano instructor suggest? Preparing to audition for Julliard is no small task as I am sure you realize. You will need expert assistance. </p>
<p>Ditto your application for Columbia. </p>
<p>If you are truly interested in this program, please get some guidance from both your music and academic counselors right away!</p>
<p>Do you know how many applicants there were? Doing this exchange would be my ultimate dream since I’d have the best of both worlds: exploring economics and continuing with piano. My mom is my teacher. She has faith in me and believes I can do it if I really have the determination- however I’m not sure if she’s biased about these things because I’m her daughter. I haven’t talked about it with my school music teacher yet though. I’ve just started to develop the most demanding repertoire I’ve ever prepared, so hopefully I can carry through with it!</p>
<p>I think Juilliard accepts around 150 applicants every year, so that’s the absolute max that could be eligible for the exchange program. However, most of those 150 probably didn’t apply to/get into Columbia, so the actual number of applicants to the exchange is probably around 10-20.</p>
<p>From what I’ve read, I don’t think there’s a guaranteed number of admits to the exchange; they simply take who’s “good enough.” It seems that most kids who are good enough to get into Juilliard and Columbia would be REALLY skilled, so getting into the individual schools is probably harder than getting into the exchange after that. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, what repertoire are you working on?</p>
<p>It would be such an honor and accomplishment to be accepted to this program. I hope I have a chance- this is the only music school I am applying to.</p>
<p>I haven’t finalized my rep for this audition. However I have some ideas, based on the Juilliard requirements and my personal favorites: “Funeral March” sonata by Chopin (1st & 3rd movmt), Danzas Argentinas by Ginastera, Chopin </p>
<p>Is this the only music school you’re applying to because you want a dual degree? Columbia-Juilliard is super selective so it may be good to look at some other options (I assume you’re looking at top schools): Harvard-NEC, Johns Hopkins-Peabody, Princeton-Royal College, and Yale’s program with its grad music school. I think you audition for Princeton and Yale’s dual-degree programs during your freshman or sophomore year there though.</p>
<p>Chopin’s one of my favorite composers. Funeral March is a beautiful piece, but sadly I haven’t played it. You’re obviously really good, so you probably have as decent a shot as most other qualified pianists (although I’m not in any position to make that call xD). Just make sure you have a Bach prelude and fugue and a classical sonata ready as well.
…dang, I just realized it’s people like you who influenced my decision to pursue clarinet more seriously than piano T.T haha, good luck!</p>
<p>Wow Princeton has a dual degree!? How did I not know? (Im thinking about applying to Pton SCEA). But how does it work if Royal College is in London…?</p>
<p>I’m not all that good. There are probably so many more applicants out there who are international competition winners who would beat me out easily. I wonder what the repertoire of accepted students looked like…</p>
<p>I played clarinet for one year in 5th grade! It’s a beautiful instrument. I love the timbre of it the most out of all wind instruments. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>Do you have any idea what the breakdown of accepted applicants is in terms of what instrument they’re pursuing?</p>
<p>Princeton’s dual-degree program is a little different, to my understanding. Your freshman year is the same as a non-music major’s, so you would probably just take private lessons and play chamber music. In your sophomore year, you audition for Royal College personnel, and if they accept you, you’ll spend the whole first semester of junior year in England. After your senior year at Princeton, you go back to Royal College to get your Masters in Music. It doesn’t appear to be as “intensive” as Columbia-Juilliard (i.e. you’re not taking classes at both places for four years), but you end up with equivalent degrees.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t count yourself out for Columbia-Juilliard – while there may be international applicants who can “easily” get into Juilliard, it’s much harder for internationals to get into Columbia.</p>
<p>I can’t find an official breakdown by instruments, but the profiles I’ve seen of accepted applicants have all been of pianists and string players. I think that as long as you get into both schools, you’ll have a decent chance at the exchange, because the final decision is based on your musical skill.</p>
<p>“I think that as long as you get into both schools, you’ll have a decent chance at the exchange, because the final decision is based on your musical skill.”</p>
<p>^So does that mean that even if you do get into both schools, you still have to qualify for other things to get into the program…?!</p>
<p>Also, do you know the acceptance rate for Royal College of Music? I can’t seem to find it.</p>