The Academy of Art University
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The Academy of Art University - Comments and Student Experiences | |||||||||||||||||||
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I was the average student. I went to my classes, but can't say that I was the most dedicated student. I had other things to worry about--money, family, friends, etc. One thing I can say is that there were LOTS of students there who just weren't into it, which discouraged serious students like me. The morale was very undermining at times. Couple that with the jaded attitudes of the instructors. Most of them came to teach classes after their day jobs and by that time were very tired and grumpy. I can't count how many times I've witnessed teachers lashing out their bad day (and bad luck) to students. It's awful.
Anyway, I did my own thing, cuz what can I do, I've gotten myself into a serious student loan debt and so I might as well get that diploma.
The school did nothing in terms of my creativity. It actually discouraged its students (at least in the advertising dept) to be expressive and different. They had very hard lines which you were obliged to follow unless you don't care about passing the class. Now that I've been working for about 5 years, I now know which agencies are good or not, and the teachers who taught those classes came from real stuffy agencies--not one came from a creative place, so this very much reflected what they taught. Even now, as I browse through current student work, it's still hard-lined. They all follow the bland old-fashioned advertising rules. Blah.
I dunno, do I recommend AAU? For undergraduate, no. For graduate, yes. And this is only because I think only mature students can see through all the muck. Go there if you want the skillz to pay the billz. But don't go there for inspiration, cuz you ain't getting none of that.What sucks the most is that I'm always ashamed to tell people where I earned my BFA degree. No one ought to ever feel that way, especially if they paid so much money to get it.
I have gone here for over 2 years and the MAJORITY of the teachers are idiots. There are a handful of intelligent and helpful teachers but most are just out of work artists seeking someone to pay them until the can find a job in their field again.
I mean, a CLUE should have been their "open" admissions policy. ANYONE can go here, regardless of their past. I had a pretty good academic record so I could have gone elsewhere but this was the best option at the time in terms of convenience. However, I am immediately transferring to a REAL University next semester.
I have had MANY conversations with advisors and higher-ups about the pitiful apathetic teachers and their lack of knowlege. I have often known MUCH more about certain courses than the teacher teaching it! Also, to the advisors you're mostly just a number, not a person. I have done everything I can to make positive changes by complaining the entire time I've been there but they have not heard my, or MANY MANY MANY other student's cries for help and anger at paying $13000 per year for a crappy education.
Sure I could stay here, breeze through and get a worthless diploma when I graduate with a portfolio that has no soul. But what good is a diploma from such a lowly respected institution and one in which you don't LEARN much at ALL. What you learn is up to YOU, as in in college but here you practically have to buy Barnes and Noble's book section on Design in order to supplement the lacking education you get from these "teachers"
RUN FAR FAR AWAY FROM THIS SCHOOL. I thought I made a great choice but you will SOON realize that it's all a LIE.
Are you a student and about to sign the very first lease in your li... more→
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