My S was accepted at Oberlin College as well as the Conservatory. He has a strong interest in the College, and is highly devoted to (and obviously accomplished in) music. He wants to take advantage of everything the College has to offer - ExCo, January Term, activism, etc. His fear, and ours, is the Double Degree program will just be way too much work, and prevent him having a truly diverse and rich college experience. It’s not that he doesn’t want to work hard - he just is trying to be realistic about the demands of doing both degrees.
We would love any feedback you all might have, and are happy to answer further questions.
My son did a double degree at Bard. It was the best thing ever for him. I highly recommend it for the right sort of student - which it sounds like your son is. I would imagine the Oberlin program would be very similar, except that it’s mandatory at Bard so all the teachers in the conservatory are fully supportive, and some have even chosen to teach there because of it.
My son did a dual degree at UM. It was a great experience for him, he worked hard but seemed to have plenty of time to socialize and experience things outside of school such as going to many of the wonderful performances in AA and such. He was able to work some part time jobs and do some gigs while completing both degrees, it took him 4 ½ years.
He has said and having observed him over the years I think this is true, that his full immersion in music was not compromised by getting the second degree, he seemed to be as fully involved in everything as his colleagues in the music school who were not getting a second degree. He thinks he did not get as full an experience in his academic degree though. He thinks that if he had only gotten this degree he would have taken a lot more courses and explored more, but he pretty much just got the minimum requirements needed for the academic degree. That’s fine, that’s what his priority was.
My son took five years for his double degree, which gave him more electives. Also, in grad school at Yale School of Music he continued to take academic courses which he very much enjoyed.
Can’t the OP’s son start out as a double degree candidate and chooses to either keep or drop one after, say, a year into Oberlin? Would that screw up anything?
You could potentially lose department/program merit scholarships.
When we were at Oberlin for auditions, I had a brief conversation with one of the admissions officers at the Conservatory and she told me that about 30% of the Conservatory students were on double-major or double-degree tracks. She didn’t specify (I didn’t ask) what percentage involved a College+Conservatory double-degree track but I bet they would tell you if you ask. In any case, the takeaway was that they have quite a few students who are multi-tasking.
@TigerDad - Yes, he could start out with both and drop one.
@ScreenName48105 - Yes, I’m reasonably certain he would lose the aid that he had tied to a dropped program.
Oberlin has a relatively low wall between conservatory and college. Unlike many double degree programs, the conservatory and college are on the same campus (obviously). Conservatory students live and take classes with college students, and sometimes play in college productions (as you no doubt know). I think this makes the whole double degree experience more pleasant and perhaps easier.
If he dropped one of the degrees he would lose the aid, but if he didn’t enroll in the double degree program in the first place, he wouldn’t have had the aid in the beginning 
Is he trying to decide about double versus single degree, or trying to decide between schools? If the former, he can just go ahead and see how he feels. Or he can start with one degree and add another after a year. Either way, I can’t help saying, I am a huge Oberlin fan!
@compmom - Thanks for that. To answer your question, he would either do the double or do the (Arts and Sciences) College. We’re huge Oberlin fans too!
It seems like starting out with the double degree program might be smart, and avoid regrets , although no decision is irrevocable. He could audition next year. I always think it is easier to decrease intensity rather than increase, but others may feel differently. I don’t know him but I kinda hope he goes for the double degree going in At Oberlin, many students apparently do this (unlike some other schools where it is a very small group). Good luck!
I don’t have too much more to offer, other than supporting what others have said…sounds like he would be wise to pursue the dual degree and if he found it too much,drop down. It sounds like he would rise to the challenge. My daughter is in her junior year of dual degree at Lawrence, which is similar, in that it is a small campus and “low wall” so to speak. She has very good time management skills, which helps. She is a year round D3 athlete as well…something she had not really planned on but has made it work and I think it helps with stress!
What does he want to major in in the college? My d. was considering chemistry or math in high school and decided on math because the lab requirements would have conflicted with rehearsals, etc.
Go for it!