People have already given excellent advice, so I don’t have much to add in that way. However, my D is thrilled with her education at UArts, where she is a sophomore MT major; feel free to PM me with further questions if you’d like.
My D wanted the same things you described your S wants. When she was considering her accepted schools, her coach told her that one benefit to UArts is that she would be surrounded by other mostly driven (in a positive way) people focused on their art, and she was right. (She phrased it so much better than I’m remembering right now, but I hope you get the gist.) It was something that was obvious during our visit there (and continues to be), especially during the performance we viewed: the audience members were and are incredibly supportive and into the performances, which is just a sign of the support and passion there. It was incredible to witness the first time and continues to please me. If this is the type of environment he wants (and it sounds like it is), will he be satisfied with a BA at the schools on his list which offer a BFA?
UArts students are given a lot of flexibility within their curriculum. For example, if your S decides he’d like to dabble in or focus on playwriting on top of MT, he can. (I offer this as an example because it’s something my D has been encouraged by faculty members to do–which also points to the attention that the faculty gives the students; individualized education is a priority.) Would he be able to minor in science or business, etc., at UArts if we wants to do something like that as a plan B? Probably not (and I assume a minor would be difficult or impossible at the other schools he’s waiting on unless he has AP or dual enrollment credits–but I can’t be sure). He could take, for example, some business courses at UArts, though, if that would be interesting to him–or other fields that he may want to concentrate on a bit outside of MT–if that’s what he wants.
My D entered UArts as a strong student concerned with intellectual as well as artistic development. She was an excellent writer who found her writing professor to be helpful in advancing her writing skills. To be honest, my D thought that her one other writing prof did not help her writing skills as much, but that can happen at all colleges. She has felt that she has been challenged academically, especially within her major, and that she’s grown intellectually and academically. I’ve actually seen that growth, too. (I specifically addressed writing as a response to another poster–not to take away from her obviously valid experience, but to offer another one.)
I believe that the other schools you and your S are waiting to hear from would fit what your S is looking for, also. (My D auditioned for 2 of the 3, so we had looked at curriculums, etc., of those schools.)
Good luck with the decision, and, as I said, feel free to PM me!
