Conservatories/Music Schools

[kriskicksass]

I'm looking at the following conservatories/colleges. Can anyone tell me anything helpful about their programs/faculty? What about "tiering" (if there is any)?

Columbia/Juilliard: BA/MM Program
Harvard/New England Conservatory: BA/MM Program
U of Rochester/Eastman: BA/BM Program
John Hopkins/Peabody: BA/BM Program
Yale: BA/MM Program
Curtis (because everyone can dream!)
Manhattan School of Music

As you can see, I'm looking at double major programs at most places, but I know about all the academic sides. I just want to know if anyone here has any personal experience with particular members of the faculty at these conservatories or (hopefully) in these double major programs.

[le_poete_mourant]

U of Rochester/Eastman: BA/BM Program

Don't go to Eastman.  They will kill every aspiration and love of music you ever had. 

Seriously, man, at the Eastman, they have a select few who they nurture.  The rest they leave alone, toss them aside, really.  Props to them, they have some great faculty members.  But... I don't know realistically if you'd ever get to study with them.  I just think that, based on my experience and the experience of others, if 50% of students at a school are discontent with the way things are going, something is wrong.