Art Institute?
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- sevenonethree
Any one graduated from this school? i'm thinking about going there next semester.
thanks for the replies
- inhaler0
art institute where?
of chicago?
of SF?
Philly?
theres like a million of em.
- sevenonethree0
of Houston =D
- Raind0g0
AI is a horrible school - waste of your money. Check out Portfolio Center or Creative Circus... ATL...
- PonyBoy0
Enter response:
i graduate from the phoenix one (an extension of colorado I guess) and actually had a few 'transfer teachers' from Houston....
... eh... it's a tech-school, dude... if you can draw and hold your own in design - you'll do fine... but if you're looking to enhance yourself from a 'style' and 'intellectual' standpoint... I'd advise looking into something like the Rhode Island School of Design.. or similar.
If you're just looking to hook up your 'beginner' tech skills (photoshop, illy, AE, Flash.. whatever program you choose)... then yeah... the Art Institutes rock... but if you've got a lil 'talent' as it were - be prepared to be disappointed w/the caliber of 'artists' accepted to the school - A.I. has a tendency to crank out diplomas - their REAL-WORLD style of training is okay I guess... but a waste of time if you're kinda... talentless.
My point: A.I. accepts just about anyone... they didn't want to see what I was capable of when I toured the school in phoenix - they actually threw a sales pitch at me...
... talent doesn't matter to them - I believe they're also a PUBLICALLY TRADED company now... which means quality will always suffer as their are stockholders to keep happy.
- sevenonethree0
... talent doesn't matter to them - I believe they're also a PUBLICALLY TRADED company now... which means quality will always suffer as their are stockholders to keep happy.
PonyBoy
(May 13 06, 15:49)thanks ponyboy, i dont know if oyur still up but that was really helpful. it just that i need to ahve a BA to prove to my parents that i can obtain a 4yr degree and at the same time i wanna be able to do something i love which is designs.
but yea it is quite expensive, soo.. i might be taking a student loan. =\ just that in houston there isnt that much good art schools that are credited. i cant go out of state which sucks
- Chief0
what about getting a bfa at a state university? i'm sure UT's got a decent art program, and it'll be a whole lot cheaper. 50% of it is what you put into it. i did the art institute in atlanta for a year and a half before transferring to uga's digital media program. best move ever.
- tkmeister0
uhmm, u need to prove to your parents u can finish 4yrs of college??
i think UT at austin must have a decent program. work hard and get a scholarship. it's really easy to get one in a state school. also UT will probably offer more diverse courses and allow u to explore other fields.
- nope0
problems
-most aren't accredited so you graduating from one of these = you graduating from hamburger university
- you can't transfer your credits. if you give up on art, you're stuck paying off loans on a degree you don't really want.
-most times, these schools don't develop talent. you can get a fairly well rounded education at some of the school listed above or going to a state college. if you want to take your degree further, i fully suggest portfolio center or art circus. think of them as finishing school.
-there's absolutely nothing there that you can't learn at any other college for a fraction of the price.
yes, it's basically a corp college. forget it. run away.
- same0
those places are scams.
What you need to do is the following, and im not joking.
1. go to a normal college that has a Graphic Design/Web Design program.
2. Dont just do assignments. The people that do well in art school learn on their own. Build websites on the site, do posters on the side... do ANYTHING. If you do just the assignments you will have a tough time finding a job after school no matter what school you go to. Most of the best designers I have seen never went to school, they learned on their own.
3. Going to a normal college gets you away from the art freeks, 90% of kids at art schools are just crazy art kids that think they are so smart and deep. Going to a normal college gives you a broader range of people and alows you to take other classes in other disaplines. Buisness, Computer Sciences, blah blah.
Over all you will be wasting your money. Nobody that hires cares if you went to the AI or if you learned at home. it is all about your portfolio and that you are not insane.
In face I dont think I have worked with but 1 person from the AI. In all my years.
- same0
And PS. you will save tons of money, and have more fun at a state college.
Go to like the U of Texas or something.
- sevenonethree0
thx chief, same, nope and tkmeister for your 2cents.
UT sounds great it was my first choice actually. but getting in it is not possible. you see i'm not booksmart and its hard to go to school while maintaining a full time job(that doesnt pay much) with tons of bills.
Once awhile i would get a web gig or a graphic.
but yea i hear what ya saying. as long i have the skills i'll be ok at AI cuz ijust want a BFA cause like you said they will take any one in.
UT their GPA requirement is 3.5 =\ i'm sitting at a 2.0 still on my basics. reason why my parents are rushing me to get a degree is because they want to retire and live back in their country Vietnam.
If i could i would love to go to college and work my way but kinda hard with job, bills, and the pressure from teh parents rushing me to get done with school.
Taking the university path would take a long time. because i know i would be taking school part time and work full time. im 23 i feel like i am getting to old for school. =(
kinda lost guys sorry i just gotta vent it out. but i will look into UT research it maybe see if they have a 2yr program or something.
thanks again.
- sevenonethree0
what about ITT?
- skelly0
not sure if it matters, but I think AI's graphic design program gets you a BS, not a BFA.
- nope0
don't fret about your gpa. if anything, go to a community college affiliated with the major one and then transfer when you're done.
- ornj0
I'm finishing up at Drexel University in Philly. You come out of the Graphic Design or Digital Media program from here with a Bachelor of Science so you can apply that pretty much everywhere. Also there is a co-op program. They tell you it's strong and that's true for other industries. For Graphic Design or Digital Media you would want to go find your own co-op or risk being on bitch detail for 6 months. Also you want to be damn sure it's what you want because the credits don’t transfer because Drexel runs on a different cycle.
The only bad things I have to say about Drexel's program are that a lot of the teachers have very limited knowledge and are basically only two steps ahead of you. Mostly these are just the adjuncts and if you get stuck with one for a class they are pretty much useless. The actual professors for the most part are people who actually work in the industry so they can usually give you some great suggestions if they can't help you directly. Also the Digital Media program at least tends to listen to the students TOO much. They make decisions concerning curriculum changes on the opinions of incoming freshman. I don't understand why you would take the opinion of some teenage kid who's only experience is the web site for his dad's landscaping company and a "logo" he thought was appropriate to design in Photoshop.
That aside, the school has a good reputation, especially in the surrounding area. Every one knows how technical the school is. Your entire experience there is very hands on so you come out knowing what you are doing on the technical side.
One more note, Drexel doesn’t require a portfolio so you do have those kids who’s drawing skills aren’t much beyond drawing a stick figure and Drexel requires you to take very few fine art courses. The kids who focus on 3D are in for a rude awakening when companies ask for traditional art examples.
- tkmeister0
the question you need to ask is, where do you wanna be in 5yrs. then figure out how to get there. though school does offer a great opportunity to build your foundation, it isn't everything.
don't just go to school because u feel the need for a diploma.
best,
- kyl30
im 23 i feel like i am getting to old for school. =(
thanks again.
sevenonethree
(May 14 06, 11:54):( I got my bfa at 33, best thing I could have done. Fortunately I still get carded otherwise I'd be depressed
- Seanbot0
JoshClancy and I both goto the Minneapolis Ai on scholarship.
Needless to say, if I wasn't going there for near-free, I wouldn't have even considered going there.
- same0
Whatever you do, dont go to the AI.
Apply to UT and other state schools. Go out of state also. Check it out. you will be surprised that you might get in. But seriously, stay away from AI.
- traut0
ive heard some good some bad about AI's i went to the pitt one for a demo course and hated it the instructor seemed to act bothered when people would ask questions and just shit like that.