Hi,
Does anyone have any experience with Clumbia /Juilliard exchange vs Eastman/ Rochester University?
I have friends in both programs! I know that Eastman/Rochester is pretty reasonable, but the amount of work involved with Columbia/Juilliard is too crazy for a lot of people. But, if you got into the program, I’m sure that you’ll be fine! Everyone I know in C-J is more than qualified for such a demanding exchange.
Wait is this a double degree or double major? There is a difference. Read this: http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html
Have you been admitted or are these programs you are considering. If the latter, read the whole article linked above; it can be helpful.
Columbia/Julliard is not a dual degree program. There are two levels of the exchange program (they have different names, I don’t recall them off the top of my head and too lazy to look it up:). At the first level, Columbia students can take lessons at Juilliard with a teacher, and I believe can do chamber, too, and I believe there is an acceptance criteria that includes some sort of audition. The second level, which students in the exchange program can apply to (I’ll call it the joint program, that may be the official name), if they are accepted means they finish their BA/BS at Columbia, then move on to Juilliard for an MM. A lot of students finish their Bachelors in three years, so can come out with a BA/BS and an MM in 5 years. It does add to the kid’s load (the commute is not a big deal, maybe 20 minutes on the 1 train), but they are going to need to keep up with their practicing and any ensemble rehearsal/practice, to be able to keep in the program and then get into the joint program. The exchange has a lot more students then the joint program, I think the joint program is usually less than a dozen kids or so.
The BA/MM program IS a double degree program, it would seem, just like Harvard/NEC…but it doesn’t sound like that is what the OP is asking about.
I think what they were looking for was a BA/BM kind of program, where you get two undergrad degrees at the same time (like Bard, or like NEC/Tufts)rather than a sequenced BA/MM program. Usually with the BA/MM programs, you finish the undergrad degree then move into the MM, there is little to no concurrency (other than the lessons they take during the whole time)…
Musicprnt, that is not true. At least for the Harvard/NEC degree.
With Harvard/NEC the first three years the student takes lessons at NEC but does their academic work at Harvard, in the 4th year they finish the academic degree and start doing MM coursework, the 5th year it is all MM. That is how the juilliard/columbia program works as well. Most students tend to finish their academic degree in three years and spend the 4th and 5th year working on the MM stuff in my experience,hence my comment. For others there is concurrency in their 4th year.
You just corrected yourself 
Now it is accurate.
With the Columbia/Juilliard program, the first three years are in the Columbia/Juilliard Exchange, which involves both weekly lessons and participation in a Juilliard ensemble. At least on the jazz side, ensemble rehearsals are twice a week with an ensemble coach who is a member of the Juilliard faculty, and the ensemble does several performances a year. As a junior, students in the Exchange are eligible to apply for the joint degree program and, if admitted, they spend their next two years at Juilliard getting their MM degree. At the end of the second year at Juilliard, the student gets both a Juilliard MM and a Columbia BA. But the student also loses his/her senior year at Columbia. A number of the students in the Columbia-Juilliard Exchange opt not to apply for the joint degree program and just continue in the Exchange for a fourth year, getting their Columbia BA and not getting a Juilliard degree.
Musicprnt, therefore the two programs, Harvard/NEC and Columbia/Juiliiard, differ in regard to that 4th year. I should have been more specific and said that your corrected information on the Harvard program was accurate. Jazzpianodad I am glad you corrected the info on Columbia/Juilliard.