Juilliard might get you a job at Starbucks

Most responses to our reports on Juilliard’s decision to raise tuition fees this year have ranged from hostile to furious. Many readers are questioning the value-for-money offered by a Juilliard degree.

Our Reader’s Comment of the Day comes from Gerry Feinsteen:

I don’t think Starbucks cares about Juilliard degrees.

The word means a lot in Asia, but probably not for much longer. This isn’t the 1960-1980 Juilliard, it’s 2021 and being led by a dancer.

Many students and parents and light co concertgoers will always have a soft spot for the romance of Juilliard and NYC, but consider the influential names today and we’ll find a wider range of education backgrounds.

Consider the numerous musicians who have made great careers over the past decade and also have something special in their playing. Few went through Juilliard or even the US system.

The biggest point of consternation about degrees is _how much did the schools actually help the students?_ If it is so difficult to enter Curtis or Juilliard, then clearly the most significant work was done pre-audition. This isn’t like Harvard or Cambridge where one settles on a major focus and then gets his/her work underway; the kids arrive at a top performing level.

Countless times someone does not get accepted to Juilliard or Curtis, attends a school like New England or Cleveland and then for graduate degree does get accepted for Juilliard or Curtis. —so which institution (more specifically teacher-student) deserves the credit?

Again, Starbucks probably doesn’t care too much about a degree from Juilliard.