There is no other place like the Young Americans. There is rarely a greater joy than being a Young American.
If you are interested in becoming a professional performer, The Young Americans campus is located only about 75 minutes away from the Hollywood entertainment capitol. The Young Americans College of the Performing Arts provides for a great career back up in terms of “music education” and if you complete the program with an additional 12 units through a partnership with the North Central Michigan College, these credits can be transferred to a four-year college. Financial aid is available.
It only takes 1 year to “establish residency” in California so once you are finished with the YA program, you can apply to the public universities and qualify for in-state tuition ( about 25% the rate as out-of state) in California. According to US News & World Report, California has many top 25 universities at a great value: UCLA, Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, UC Irvine, etc.
If you have been accepted after a competitive audition and you can capture the opportunity at this moment in your life, I just don’t think you can go wrong with the Young Americans college. It is so inexpensive for college in the States. It is the ONLY place I know that offers the traveling (for free), performing and teaching experience. The kind of joy that you experienced in the YA workshop is the kind of joy that is experienced at the college all of the time. The education has proven to be world-class and applicable to the professional performing arts world (ex. there was a Young American in The Voice last year and one this year). Your incoming freshman cohort is only about 100 people each year.
With the Young Americans, not only is the training comprehensive, but you perform A LOT. In a traditional college, you’ll have to wait to get cast in that season’s musical or play. Most will not get cast, you are stuck just taking classes and NOT performing. In a single season with the Young Americans, your transformation will be night and day.
Here is their YouTube page:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL7hjJyIsAsQP5d-TKXAv9Q
SUCCESS
Here is an impressive partial list of their alumni:
https://yacollege.org/alumni/
I would loosely say that the Young Americans creates a success rate of world-class talent competitive to the top 1% of 4 year programs including NY Tisch, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, etc. One reason is because of the location. Students can access world-class opportunities, have access to talent agents and auditions (Broadway shows, TV, movies, music industry). Second is the immersive training and performing experience. Third, self-confidence is key as a professional performer and the Young American’s rare gift is to see the unique beauty of every individual. Competition is healthy, not destructive, pushing the individual farther and better than they could’ve imagined.
I am a proud Young American alumni. The Young American work ethic and nurtured self-confidence are carried forward in life. My small cast from my summer at Boyne Highlands Dinner Theatre includes a lawyer, a judge, business executives, a Disney producer, two professors, stage and TV actors, a Broadway actress, a movie star, a policy analyst in Washington DC. and a professional LA songwriter.