<p>You're in California, right? Would a CSU be a possibility? (I know it's academically less than he is capable of - but sometimes a commuter school really is the perfect choice for a kid who has his mind on something else)</p>
<p>Alternatively, he might want to go the delayed admission route - 2 years community college followed by guaranteed admission as a transfer to a UC campus. The cc's offer honors programs for academically strong kids like yours, and that may give him the flexibility he wants right now. In the end, it's a UC degree no matter where he started. </p>
<p>Also, I notice that you wrote that he "does not want to GO TO college because" rather than "does not want to MOVE AWAY for college". Maybe your son really wants to focus on the dance stuff for awhile longer before moving on to college, so perhaps a gap year really is the best thing for him. Since he says he wants to major in biology, it is clear that he has an academic ambition that is very different from his dancing aspirations - he isn't saying that he wants to make a living as a professional dancer.</p>
<p>It is very common among dancers to look at other options besides college. I'm more experienced with kids doing ballet or other forms dance than ballroom dance, so its somewhat different -- but at least in ballet, youth prevails - for those with a professional career in mind, it is probably best to apprentice to a major company when they are in their late teens if the opportunity comes their way. The problem for ballet is that by the time you are in your mid-20's, if you haven't already made it, it's probably too late. </p>
<p>But I would imagine that along the competition circuit, timing is also critical - and if your son is at a level that puts him in the running for championship competition, he may be right to focus his attention there for now, deferring college to after he has had the chance to compete at whatever level he aspires to. I mean, it isn't the Olympics, but to dancers it probably seems every bit as important. If rank and standings based on current competitions are important in determing competition level, it may be very hard to take time off. It might not really be possible for him to continue with his art/sport at the level he currently is and divide time between studio practice and a challenging college curriculum. So the choice might really be to opt for an easy college, or wait. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that the discipline and focus that your son has shown in applying himself to dancing will carry on through life. He will probably do very well even if college entrance is delayed.</p>