<p>I have trouble thinking of a 17-year-old as unusually young for college, but I guess that student ages keep creeping up. I hadn’t turned 18 when I entered college in NYC, and I knew plenty of students who were younger than I was. My husband and I both went away to boarding school at 13, and sent our sons away, and so I don’t think that your daughter is too young to leave home. It’s usually much more traumatic for the parents than for the kids.</p>
<p>Juilliard famously rejects most young applicants (ie. high-school seniors). Its BFA program runs for four years, regardless of when people start, and so many people transfer into it. Without a scholarship, this is prohibitive for many people, but it’s Juilliard. Juilliard is a long-shot for even the most talented young artists, but there are many other excellent programs out there. Some are easier to transfer into than others, but almost all conservatory-style BFA programs want students to train according to THEIR methods, and can get pretty stingy in accepting credits for core classes from outside. </p>
<p>Your daughter seems to be doing quite well, as it is, and to have a strong sense of her path in life. Remember that in much of the world, and even here, until recently, seventeen-year-olds have had to shoulder full, adult responsibilities. Most of them can handle college.</p>