Art Institute

[red cloud]

Hey, anyone here graduate or accociated with anyone who graduated from an Art Institute school? I'm seriously considering the Art Institute in San Diego for Interactive Media but no one I've talked to really knows much about them. Otherwise I'm looking at UCLA.

I love advice!

[morea]

there's some information about the art institute around here somewhere, but I don't have time to look for it right now - try a forum search.

As for advice, here is the best I've got:
http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25079

be sure to read over our frequently discussed topics thread, too:
http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7892

[Jackimalyn]

Im looking into the art institute online right now. (a division of art inst. pittsburg) I LOVE the advertising program. Any idea if its worth the insane tuition, anyone?

[quiltfacearmy]

Im looking into the art institute online right now. (a division of art inst. pittsburg) I LOVE the advertising program. Any idea if its worth the insane tuition, anyone?

I just enrolled at the Art Institute Online for the Digital Design Diploma. I haven't started classes yet so I can't comment on that, but the admissions team that I have dealt with have been extremely helpful.

[Jackimalyn]

likewise. Ive applied and Im going to talk to a financial advisor and also a counselor to see what credits transfer and then decide my plan. Everyone has been great, (But for 30K, they better!)

If everything goes good, I'll be going back to school this fall! eep! Ive enjoyed my four months off!

[cnic]

I was looking into the Art Institute for a while, and found this forum.... its supposed to be a forum for students and prospective students of the AIO.

Some interesting stuff in there. You should look it over.

Here is the link. (http://www.aiostudents.com/forum/)

.

[morea]

someone posted on this site that they felt that they learned more at GDF than they did from AI Online... I can't remember where it was posted though.

[Jackimalyn]

thanks morea and cnic. I dont knnow how much id go with there morea. Its an online school, so i think youre pretty much in charge of what you learn. Im sure you can coast through without learning a lot or doing the reading. I mean, he might be right (who am i to talk, i didnt go there) but it could be him, too, Im saying. (I hope it is at least...)

[morea]

here's one:
http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=183439&postcount=25

I've given some thought to how I feel about the Art Institute Online. It's a loaded question. My feelings are mixed.

On the one hand, I would have absolutely no chance of getting a degree with a family to feed and house to pay for, if I had to attend a campus. So, the AIO has been a great blessing. I'm burnt out as all hell, but I'm managing to maintain about a 3.9 and work full time.

On the other hand, I think if I didn't have a raw form of that special something that just needs to be refined, I'd be screwed. Most of what I've learned before I started school is self taught, because I have a passion for design and a desire to learn. My first design job was acquired soley on my portfolio and resume of freelance work. So, the AIO is perfect for me because I am capable of gleening as much as I can from the books, resources, and online lectures. However, I think for students with less talent or drive, the possibilty to skate through and not learn nearly enough to succeed is all too real.

There is just something about being physically around other students, seeing what they are doing during the production phases and being inspired, rather than simply posting your work in a discussion group, that helps mold your abilities. I've had very little trouble staying at the top of my class, only occasionally encountering someone better than me. I'm not being concieted. It's actually kind of sad, because my classes seem to be flooded with sub-par talent. So, in the end, all of the comments I get are "Wow, that's great" or "I think it's awesome" instead of "Great work, try this." or "Watch out for this", which is what I'd rather have. I'm not in school to impress everyone. I'm there to grow and learn.

Luckily I have this great combination of school and real world experience working together. I learn something in school, I try it out at work. I learn something at work, it helps me with my studies. If it weren't for that, I think I'd be getting ripped off. I have to mention I went through one class were the teacher completely abandoned us and a replacement wasn't even implimented until a week later? We were all posting threads asking were the teacher was. No feedback from an instructor is just not conducive to the learning process. I mean, am I supposed to depend on Johnny "Lens Flare" in the thread below for my constructive criticism?

Wow, I didn't know I had all that in me. Sorry for the Diareah.

Anyhow, I like the AIO for the fact that I can get a BS in GD in four years and still work full-time. But if life were different and I had a chance to go to a ground campus, I'd rather do that.



here's another:
http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=189136&postcount=8

Ok, I'm going to admit to the world that I did indeed earn a bachelor's from AIU online. When I say earn, what I really mean is that I paid $27,000 for a basically useless piece of paper that did help me get my foot in the door of my current job andd it was a lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears as well. I was extremely lucky to get this job and I have learned so much more here than I ever did at school. At one point, I likened my online "learning experience" to being taken up in a helicopter and dropped into the desert without a compass and told to find my way home. By that I mean you are basically teaching yourself. I was lucky in that I already had one degree under my belt in the arts, so it was easier for me since I already understood basic design principles, color theory and the lilke. In essence I would not recommend this type of learning unless you are homebound, a single parent with no other resources or someone who has already had the benefit of some higher learning. Hope that helps...Another suggestion is to look at a post from yesterday about "job shadowing" This might be a terrific way for you to decide what you'd like to do and how to go about it before you jump in. Good LUCK!! :o

[Jackimalyn]

thanks a bunch morea. good things to consider

[D-Frag]

I graduated from AIPX in 99', good school, granted I didn't take any online stuff, but I did learn quite a bit. I did learn more out of school then in it however.

[Exodus]

I went to the Art Institute of Atlanta. It was okay but I'll be paying those student loans for a long time to come. (...and I had a few small scholorships. :eek:)

The admissions people are great when you are getting in. They aren't worth a damn afterwards though.

[doubting_thomas]

Designers I deal with that went to the Art Institute are either the best people
to work with or the worst. There are few in between. It leads me to believe that
you can learn a great deal there if you apply yourself, much like many other
schools. It seems expensive to me though.

[fingerPrint.Design]

I went to Illinois instutite of art chicago, I thought it was a great time. Learned a lot, had fun, meant great people. Only downfall, they teach you nothing about prepress, and the like. Which is the same with many schools I think. It does cost a ton, but I think it was worth it.

To see some of my student work you can go here
www.coroflot.com/james_markey

[budafist]

Personally, I couldn't have learned what I learned attending a course if I had to learn it by myself online. I just don't have the discipline to do it. I need directed study and I absolutely loved having other students to bounce ideas off of. That kind of learning is priceless. Which is why I feel like GDF is golden because I get to bounce stuff off like minded people.