<p>There are lots of good composition programs, at all sorts of different settings - from stand alone conservatories, to conservatories and schools of music connected to a college, to just strong music departments within a college. So much depends, as the others have said, upon what kind of composition program he’s looking for - both in terms of aesthetics, and in terms of the curriculum offered.</p>
<p>There are many threads in this forum discussing different aspects of studying composition at the college level. This is one thread you might want to start with: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/497283-best-schools-music-composition.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/497283-best-schools-music-composition.html</a></p>
<p>For an academically talented composer, Ivies to consider would be Yale, Princeton and Cornell. If he would like to pursue both music and academics at an equal level - i.e. the double degree route - on the East Coast Johns Hopkins/Peabody, Bard College Conservatory, Tufts/NEC, and Eastman/Rochester stand out. Oberlin College/Conservatory and Lawrence University if he’s willing to go to the midwest.</p>
<p>Tell us more and we’ll be happy to share what we know (which is quite substantial!)</p>