The Art Institutes

I am currently trying to apply to grad schools for public health, but I went to one semester at the Art Institute. The branch I went to is closed, so I can't contact the registrars office there, there is no headquarter or customer support phone number that works anywhere, and I guess the two transcript request forms I sent in got lost somewhere? I am currently in limbo, possibly not able to apply to grad school, because this one school is so incompetent it cant set up a working transcript transfer... Read More system. I'm basically doomed to spend months (and I mean I have spent a cumulative year contacting back and forth with the art institute to get my transcript sent to various schools over the past few years) for the rest of my life trying to get a transcript. Absolutely absurd. The first time I tried to get my transcript they tried to tell me I had a balance remaining, luckily I had a receipt to show I had paid it all off-- I wasn't going to let them pull that off. Horrendous school, should be shut down completely.

This school is overly priced; under educated; and ran into the ground by very poor functioning business "professionals." $85,000 for four years is what it costs for a Bachelors degree. This only includes classes, books, and $100 worth of art supplies they charge you $345 for. No meals, no room and board. Then, should you have an issue and not pay your bill because you have an issue. They don't care to kick you to the curb. Then everyone you speak with hears about the situation. I'm pretty sure my... Read More records are supposed to be privileged. They blatantly shared my information with everyone who could hear it previous to my arrival.Lastly they send me on a wild goose chase to find the person who can fix my issue; mind you he only works business hours, and I have a full time job working 8 am to 5:00 pm. There is no way I am ever going to be able to resolve my issue. Please share so that your kids or anyone interested in Fine Arts will know to steer very clear of this college.

I have tried three times to complete PHOA102 P02 without success due to the Institute's lack of help and lack of materials. The first time I tried to use Thinking Storm and it was a disaster. The tutor that I connected with would not help me do what was necessary to allow him access to my computer and the Adobe software to assist me. As I had not used Thinking Storm before I tried to explain this problem to him, but he just kept insisting that I do so. As a result, I failed that class and Academic... Read More Counselor Smith got my classes re-started. And my professor that time was no help at all. On the second attempt, I tried to use YouTube videos to get through it but because those videos were not the Institute they did not provide much help. So, I failed, and Mr. Smith re-started my class again. Also, there were no Instruction videos to help me through the steps to use the various Adobe software to complete the assignments during my first and second attempts to complete the class. On the third attempt I got connected with Professor Huerth. He was excellent. He took time every week to connect with me. Our problems were: (1) nobody showed us how to use Skype to work through my software problems so Professor Huerth could see instantly what I was seeing on my computer to help me; and (2) during the class Adobe updated Lightroom, Photoshop, Illustrator; and InDesign with 2018 Editions. Several things changed with these software updates and the tutorial videos on the Instruction pages for this software were trying to teach me how to use the replaced software (2017 Editions) so I did not know how to navigate through the assignments. Until I ran into this problem with the updates my Grade average was 95%. It should also be noted that even some of the tutorial videos were older than the 2017 Editions. Based upon the above, I have gotten a Pell Grant and student loans (which I did not get all my student loans because of re-starting the classes) and in return I got nothing but heartache because I wanted, still want, to learn the Adobe software for personal and business reasons. If things can go back to the point where I started, I can get the help I need to walk me through the Adobe software and assignments, and I get my full starting Pell Grant to pay the cost of a new class, and what student loans were taken from me, I would be willing to start again, But at this point I feel like the Art Institute stole my Pell Grant and student loans from me and have, and I am, considering legal action against the Art Institute for taking my Pell Grant, student loans, and not providing me with the materials and teaching to successfully complete my classes and get my Certificate as agreed on when I enrolled.

I did online classes with the Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division (I was living in Detroit, MI at the time). When they called me, they managed to get me to enroll even though I had no interest but ended up enrolling, they did waived the enrollment fee for me, however, when I was going through the student loan BS, they didn't explain it well, they told me to just sign it and they will take care of it for me. They claim that they are taking student loans on my behalf but I never consented on... Read More doing so. Classes were not even related to what I'm majoring in. I was majoring in Game Art & Design (I'm a PC gamer). I'm now and still am stuck with minimum wage jobs, but luckily, I didn't stick around too long so I'm stuck with $5K debt but after reading other reviews, I'm glad I dropped out before it was way too late. Right now because of Ai, my credit score is trashed when I finally was closed to getting it fixed. If your enrolled, drop out now before you collect too much debt. Didn't enroll yet, good, don't enroll. I got a family to take care of so I can't deal with student loans. I'm about to be enlisting myself into the US Army so I can take care of these debts unless I can find a way to clear it. Last thing I need is a bankruptcy in my credit report.

I started here in 2010 in hopes of getting a BA in Game Art and Design. Before I enrolled, I asked if I would have enough financial assistance to get my degree and was assured multiple times that it would be no issue. About 6 months after I enrolled, I was told I would have one week off a year from classes and that each class was being shortened to just 5 1/2 weeks. This was not an efficient nor appropriate amount of time to learn anything and having no real knowledge of the software, it was a miserable... Read More experience. There were a few times I had a teacher not sign into a class for over a week, leaving me and other students wondering what to do next or how to fix our work. I even had a teacher tell me that I couldn't have help to understand an assignment that was already graded because it was against AI policy. Then half way through my degree I was told I would have to pay out of pocket because my financial aid was used up (again after I was assured to have enough to cover my education). When I would ask for scholarships or payments options, my financial advisor would tell me I was "ineligible for any assistance" or would tell me to find information on my own. Another shady thing about this whole situation? Constantly getting different advisors every class. You never had the same person twice and it made trying to ask questions or get into the right classes difficult. STAY AWAY FROM THIS "INSTITUTION". They are not out to help you, and you can get a better quality education at a community college for not even close to this price tag.

Do not go through them! They told me it would be cheaper attending online and quicker and then 4 years later they told me it was more expensive to attend online because they leave the classroom open 24 hours a day. The instructors are very late at responding. They are there to grade and give you a feedback before you redo your assignment by the end of the week. I tried transferring to the art institute of tampa and they would only accept half of my 108 credits because they said different statea have... Read More different requirements. Do not go through this school! I tried contacting a lawyer but i had no written proof from them because they only discuss issues over the phone. I was working two jobs and told them i couldnt call them and be on hold and they refused to email me back when i had issues with financial aid. They have had a lawsuit filed against them from the federal government if that tells you anything. They claim they will send your portfolio out 6 months before you graduate and will help you find a job. They do not! They give you a list of websites you can post your resume and consider working at home depot mixing paint utilizing your art degree. Bad reviews have been posted to google about them and they get deleted. So hopefully my review will help someone before it gets deleted.

Was told to take classes that (A)where not even part of my degree, or (B)classes that later be came not part of my degree. Still had to pay for them all, some multiple times with no reimbursement. School also tried to get me (a petite woman) to take an internship with a 'company' that was one guy working out of his basement. Constantly gave me the run around when i would try to ask for help. Tried to use me as a success story for their job placement stats when i later started working at an arts and... Read More crafts store. Got some interest inmy portfolio, but was ultimately told by potential bosses they don't hire from the Ai schools because the students are typically too unprepared/unqualified, and not worth investing time into training.

I have been crying for the past two hours because they say that I have exhausted my loans and unless I want to pay $400 a month, I cannot get my bachelors. Now I am settling with an associates, still having to pay an absurd amount of money per month until they give me my diploma. This means, if I graduate next month, until I pay off $15,000, they will not give me my diploma. This financial plan has changed so many times since I have been there. First I was paying nothing, then I was paying $190 a... Read More month and now it is $400 a month. I wish I never went here. I will be in debt until I am 60, having attended "college" and have nothing to show for it. I wish I would have read reviews before I signed up.