What do you think about the Art Institute schools?

[Vespa]

I am currently a photography student at the Art Institute in Indianapolis. I like the school but I sometimes wonder if a for profit school has my best interest in mind? I get a little nervous that I don't see many successful graduates on this forum or anywhere that I know of. (None of my teachers went here) I am going to this very expensive school on vocational rehab. after being wounded in Iraq so the money is not coming out of my pocket but I still want the best education for my time. Would love to hear what people think about the chain of schools and would love to hear from any past grads also. Thanks for the feedback

 

[PASM]

Hi Vespa. I know nothing about your institute. When I read your post I thought..how would a not-for-profit be able to provide good facilities and quality tutors?

 

[jritz]

I've heard nothing but good things about them, I can't really speak on how the education is from personal experience. I got a small private school in Cali, and while it's not know as a "top" art school, the individual attention is great, as well as we have had many sucessful grads in the past. Also, we are a big part of the San Fran AIGA chapter which helps us a lot. I'm a Graphic Deign Major Photo Minor in case you were wondering. I have a lot of ins here at school from friends needing shoots, to more recent gigs with the school itself and thier events and my current job shooting sports and doing Graphic Design for the Marketing division here. So far im loving it, and I have a lot of clients already. I guess to each his own, but I love it here.

 

[Derrel]

They have the best TV commercials of all the art schools!

 

[quiddity]

just because they are not for profit doesnt mean they dont have lots of cash

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

It's a for profit school. He is wondering if a for profit school is concerned more with making money, or education.

 

[Vespa]

Bitter jeweler gets it. And how big is the advertising budget? Still looking for a successful graduate also. I am learning a lot and it is convient, so I guess I shouldn't complain to much.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I don't know anything about the school. I want to ask if you get an honest to goodness BA Degree? Whether the school is good or bad, you should be getting great instruction that you can grow from. What you do with what you learn and how far you can take it depends more on you, I think. My choices for art school were based on distance, and what I thought of the work of the instructor for my area of concentration. If you are in the early years of the education process, you have the ability to do more research, and maybe find someplace else to go to fine tune your education to meet your needs, if that is feasable. It is also my opinion of the creative arts fields that a degree is less important than the work you produce and that is what will be looked at and weighed most heavily for future employment, if that is the route you choose. Others may correct me if I am wrong or misguided.

What is your end goal? What do you hope to do with photography in the future?

 

[Forkie]

Why would you expect to specifcally see graduates on this particular forum? The internet's a big place, maybe they just post somewhere else or have one of those lives which means they have to go outside.

 

[ann]

We have a divison here in Atlanta. I have visted more than once and they have all the lastest and greatest equipment. I work with several people who have taught there and they are very knowledgeable and successful, but would not be found in many forums. They are out in the field, one for NG and others doing commerical work.

I have had several students come to my classes, sepcially for darkroom work, as they closed their' several years ago and focused on digital as they generally prepare folks for the commerical field. Several had good backgrounds and one was clueless. Was this a result of the school or their work ethic? Hard to say, but i am quessing "their lack of wanting to accept direction"

just my 2 cents, for whatever that is worth.

 

[Vespa]

It is a BS in Photography, fully acredited. My goal is to have a second career in news and editorial photography. And to let forkie know, if you watch tv for 10 minutes in the states you will see the adds for the school.