The Academy of Art University

First of all, you need to know the bad side. The school is expensive and drains your money from you. It's all in the administration at 79 New Montgomery. This is my third semester, and I have had my advisor changed five times in the last two. Advisement is probably one of the worst parts of this school. If you want to make it, you're going to have to know how to be independent; choosing your own classes, making sure your classes meet the requirements, keeping up with everything. They will not help you. They are nice to an extent, but the majority of the advisors are very busy and have very low patience. It seems like they treat students like high schoolers. If you can know or learn how to do what you need to do on your own with out much help from them, you should be good. Another negative thing about this school is the housing department. This is a for-profit school, and housing finds a way to squeeze you for more and more of your money. If you can stay off campus, that would be best. First year housing is nice to meet new people, but there's a lot of drama, especially at the dorms on Sutter, aka "Slutter".

The best thing by far about this school is the education. A lot of the instructors are douches, but they do their job- they prepare you for the real world. They don't always know how to teach well or deal with immature students, but they are working professionals (for the most part) and give you the best insight on what it's really like out there. I personally would rather have a hard ass teacher who was a prick, but taught me how to survive in the industry rather than an instructor who was nice, sugar coated everything, encouraged me, but did not show me what the industry is really like.

When going to this school, you have to do two things mentally- the first is accept that you're going to art school and that it isn't always taken seriously. What you are choosing to do with your life is difficult, and you have to be ready to take on the challenges that you WILL have once you graduate. No one is going to hold your hand. Despite this, the other mentality you will have to hold onto is the creative side that can take you where you want to go. Often when you get discouraged (which happens a lot, if not every day at this school), you tend to lose some of your creative energy and not focus well or try as hard. This causes you to not do so well or just slack off and get angry with the school for "not teaching you right" or some other lame excuse.

You have to understand that you're the only one you can really blame for how you do after you leave the school.

A lot of people come here and get distracted by the city and the social life. I see it happen every day. If you can have fun, but take your work seriously and learn how to put that before anything else, you should do great! Working hard is the number one key though. You can only be so good, but if you aren't putting in the hard work, you're not going to make it. Even the best ones sweat.

There are some programs at this school that might not suit you like you think. It's best to look through the degree breakdown online and then look through the course book and see each class description. Ask yourself "Am I going to be passionate about all or most of these classes?" If not, maybe you should change your major or find another school. Also ask, "Is what I learn here right now going to correlate to the future, or will things most likely change (making this degree worthless)?" That's a big one to ask, and the answer isn't no like a lot of people that go here think. It's what you do with what they teach you that counts.

It all comes down to "Am I willing to work hard all the time, spend a lot of money, and handle the mental stresses of juggling hours of homework, partying, possibly work, and anything else going on all at the same time?" If you don't think you can, then don't try. If anything, start in the summer semester and take two classes to see if you can handle it. If you can't, it isn't the right school, and at least you haven't wasted as much time and/or money as you would have if you'd have started in the fall or spring.Best of luck!

1st Year Male -- Class 2014

Surrounding City: A+, Individual Value: F

Im a senior and i want to go to this school..is it still good if i take online classes..will this school help me to be a better photogrpaher..i dont think im good yet and im hoping this school will make me better..will it? i need advince i need to know if im making a right choice for the future....

1st Year Female -- Class 2011

I am going into my second year at AAU, I transferred to AAU in 2009, completing a year at my community college to complete my liberal arts. I am an interior design major.

- First off, if you plan on coming to AAU, wait a year and go to a community college or state school to get your liberals done, it will save you a TON of money, theres no reason to pay 2200 for an english class when you could pay 200 for it.

- Also if you enjoy having a ton of time to hang out with friends and party, think twice about coming here, the homework work load is intense, especially in the IAD major. During finals week, which in reality is like the last 2 weeks of the semester, you wont see the outside of a drafting table of computer screen.

- The teachers in the IAD major are overall good, if you the right ones, there are a few that are not that great. Also when it comes to taking the survey classes, take them online, the teacher is really boring and in my case ended up falling asleep every class.

- The teachers to get are Stephanie, Eric, and Molly. Molly, you will probably hate from start to end, I did, but in the end you WILL learn to draw perspective like no other person who didnt have her.

- It is hard to get to know people outside of your major because the campus is all over SF, thats what great about this school and not, you get to see all parts of SF, but its hard to meet other people in other majors.

- Try living in the dorms at least for a year, that way you will get to know a TON of people in different majors, my best friend is a fashion major, which led to meeting other people.

- This is school is VERY competitive, people in your major are always seeing whose the best and what theyre doing, so they can bet you. You have to be on top of your game and do your best because when you have to hang ur stuff up in front of class, your classmates are going to tear you apart. You HAVE to be strong and not be afraid of people when they say things about your work

- Find a few REALLY good friends in your major, they are the ones that are gonna challenge you and help you along the way, its like an undercover competition, but they are always going to be there to help and encourage you.

- With the IAD major, teachers wont tell you where to find fabrics or floor samples, but thats part of the learning process, at first you will be running literally all over SF to find a wood floor sample, but eventually you will find where you can get amazing samples. Thats another things, if you dont know where to get materials, dont be afraid and ask another student where they get theres from, and you can always trade materials with fellow friends and class mate. Thats why too, in your 1st semester in materials class, GO TO FIELD TRIPS! you learn soo much! (Eric takes you on a ton of field trips, which means a ton of free flooring and fabric samples)

- Lastly, art school is expensive, AAU is actually one of the more least expensive art schools, and art supplies are VERY expensive and more than likely you will be running around the city and buying art supplies every week, thats why you have to be serious and know you are going to have to work really hard.

1st Year Female -- Class 2012

Collaboration/Competitive: A+, Social Life: C+