How many strong EC do you need for very selective colleges?

He won’t apply to a music program. He knows that he will never be a top musician given the amount of work that needs. He will apply in English, likely. May be Classics. Who knows. But anyway, I will talk to the school. I just feel that missing a month out of the 8 months of school to visit colleges in 11th grade is a bad idea, and, knowing his school, that would guarantee a B average for that year.