I tend to agree with @toowonderful. My S did not attend a pre-college program but he was accustomed to the very long and intense days of school and rehearsal for multiple things at the same time. There was no doubt in his mind a BFA was what he wanted. In his case, had we had a clue (LOL), we may have used some directed college coaching.
D1, on the other hand, also attended the PA HS but we were less sure a BFA was the right path for her. She had more widespread interests (also around the arts but more geared toward costume design and other aspects of fine arts). She attended the CMU pre-college program primarily to test drive the major. I will say she came out of her program with 1. certainly that the BFA was what she wanted to pursue and 2. (bonus) an excellent head start on her audition package and had narrowed down her school lists - so much so that we did not feel the need to hire an audition coach.
Along comes D2. We are in the process of deciding her Jr-Sr year summer. We are looking at pre-college programs for her and have been discussing using a national college audition coach but likely on a limited basis. She is experiencing the BFA life in her schedule now 1/2 day PA HS, 5 academics and 2 shows rehearsing at the same time (arrives at school at 6:40 am and arrives home M-Th most weeks at 9:30 pm) but, much like D1 (and unlike S), I’m not getting from her “this is what I want my college experience to be.”
Both S and D1 made the right choices for them but they have given up (as you will hear from most of the BFA parents/students on this forum) a “traditional” college experience. Neither participate in Greek life, go to college sporting events or socialize much outside their company members and their roommates. The schedules are difficult and all-consuming; you need to know what you are in for and it is certainly not for everyone. It is certainly NOT your typical HS theater experience.
know the pre-college programs and coaching are pricey. As for the pre-college program, I wanted to be sure with D1 (and likely with D2) that they were all in for the experience. Tuition is crazy expensive but paying for 5 or 6 years of college for one student because one decides to change majors would be very difficult!
I believe if you are certain the BFA life is really for you, some directed college coaching could be very useful. Keep in mind you will get some of the benefits of coaching in a college program depending on which program you choose (I can only speak with personal experience to the CMU precollege program but most will publish detailed curricula from which you can discern whether it meets your needs).