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I attended The Art Institute of Philadelphia. They blatantly lied about the transferability of their credits, quality of education and reputation during the enrollment process.

They violated housing laws by not providing me with a working HVAC for an entire year in student housing. I had no heat or AC, but they still feel they are justified in charging me 2,500 a quarter for housing. I complained many times and the problem was never fixed. They even went as far as to bolt down my windows.

I am in the process of filing a lawsuit against them. Do not go to this school as you will be stuck with a useless degree and very high student loan debt.

Location: New York, New York

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Guest

Credits for AI don't transfer any, *** -.-

Guest

Honestly, what you learn, or lack of at Aii..you can do by watching all the COUNTLESS Youtube videos. I have learned more from those videos then in the classes at Aii.

I have a full portfolio of my Art work, 3D animation and some Logo design I learned outside of the classroom. And it didn't cost me 90,000.00 just cost me my time, supplies and practice, all the 90,000.00 you are paying for is a piece of paper that states you are in debt for 90k and the BA GAD Degree.

Guest

From day one to the last day, it was money coming out of my pocket and never coming back in. Almost 5 years since I graduated from Ai of Dallas in Graphic Design and no job, no options just COLLEGE LOAN DEBT of $134,000k to Sallie Mae.

Every job I've applied to.. the door shut in my face. The Sent section in my Email is endless of pages of jobs where I emailed my resume. They promised the world and in the end nothing.

This school is the biggest rip off scam artist that exist in this world today, they are nothing but FALSE ADVERTISEMENT. Several months ago I had an endless email conversation with one of the Career Service staff members and all she tried to do was for me to admit that it was my fault and not theirs, but I told her to stick it in her ***. She also said you might need to comeback here to school, I said no *** way I would not even go there for FREE. The government is suing them for $11 Billion, I hope they win and leave them in the *** street with no money and job.

When I graduated one of the Career Service staff member named David Elias, said “lets stay in touch”, almost 5 years later and I have never heard from that piece *** ever again. I wished them the worst.

PS The world famous PORTFOLIO SHOW was a big joke and waist of money, in my Graphic Design class it was 40 students displaying their Portfolios and only 15-20 companies attending. Small local companies paying salaries $10-14hr.

How and the *** are we suppose to pay a debt of $100k to Sallie Mae.

Do the math. Its *** sad.

Susen Mbj

I have read most of the comments here and 100% agree the art institute is a scam. I come from a poor family and i was the first member of my family to go to school. In high school I had a 3.7 gpa and the Art Institute was no different i made the deans list and presidents list, I worked my *** off for my associates from "instructors" that claimed they had little to no experience (they actually would say that to the class).

also I was paying a lot of money that I wasn't told I would have to spend, we're talking hundreds of dollars on supplies that I was told if I bought this starter kit I would save. The starter kit was 1500$ and it had books I didn't need, and various other supplies that went unused even after my graduation. All that did was make them extra money.

My brother died and I was dis enrolled for missing two weeks even though I cleared it with the dean and my instructors before hand. (I was allowed back in, but the point is that should never happen to anyone)

I was promised a career, but they won't even give me my diploma until they get their money. This school is responsible for ruining my perfect credit and good name, destroying my dream, throwing me into massive debt, and wasting my valuable time.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Susen Mbj

I'm sorry you had that experience...but that is your campus. Not everyone else's.

I have noticed that everyone who hates AI, hates on Philly, Dallas, Chicago, etc. I go to the Tampa campus. It's a branch of a major Miami university. My campus is ACCREDITED and is one of the best schools in the country.

I checked. They didn't lie. You also got cheated...my starter kit was around $400, not $1500, and I was more than aware that supplies would be used up and replaced as time went on. Have some common sense.

I am truly sorry you had a bad experience. My teachers are insanely qualified in everything they do, and they do not hide the fact that AI is a corporation. They truly care for the students' abilities and work their butts off to teach us and improve us. We have graduates working at many animation/video game companies around the Tampa/St Pete area.

It's MANDATORY to do an internship before graduating to give us work experience, and a bigger chance at a job.

I don't know what your campus did wrong, but it's not fair to hate on everyone just because you're bitter. This is my dream too.

Guest

Im sorry . :sigh i hit wrong button . What the above poster says AI is a scam is 100% correct!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-601553

Took my son to Nashville AI and all they did was lie to him and wife ssi and wanted us to pay so much money to them is was a joke thanks for all the post so at least my son is only out 50 dollars and not a bad school and every dime he has

Guest

I had a problem with this school too they told me that everything would be covered there would not be loans and when I keep calling them to solve the problems of not telling me the information on why I had to pay they told me that I signed for the loans and are forcing me to pay for the costs that they had promised I would not have and are causing me a lot of problem and troubles also even though I had completed my classes and withdrew from the school they all of a sudden told me you can't transfer the credit that you have and keep trying to convince me to stay I'm live with a family of 5 and only one of us works so we have a low income yet when I when there to talk about how to pay they lied to me about how I could go without have to get anything extra like loans when I attend and also every time I call they keep trying to push me to another person or try to convince me that I had to pay anyway and that they told me about the loans when they haven't told me a thing about it.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-560991

That's insane. My campus never lied.

My campus in Tampa is accredited as one of the best colleges in the country, AI or not. They never once lied about anything financial. My mother and I are 100% aware of all the scholarships, grants, aid and loans in our names. I don't see why they lied to you.

That makes no sense. I'm sorry you had that experience.

Guest

I am sooooo not going to this school anymore!!!!

Guest

I work for Eventbrite game company and all Im gonna say is The Art Institute doesn't care about you, all that school wants is your money. The game industry NEVER hires anyone from that school. My boss says to get rid of all applications that have the words Art Institute on it.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-500016

That's hilarious actually. My campus in Tampa REQUIRES an internship to graduate so that we get work experience and better chances at jobs.

I have SEEN graduates of my campus working at animation and gaming companies around the state. Dunno where you went or are, but clearly it's not EVERY case.

Guest

I wish I never attended the Art institute of Pittsburgh!! I went for game design.

Although it seems like a good school when I went to visit for orientation, it was all a scam.All they wanted was my money. The Faculty and staff smiled in my face and i fell for it. They promised me a job after i got my degree, i didn't get one. Employer basically laugh at me when I tell them what school I went to.

Now Im broke, still paying off loans, and cant get a job. Please take my advice and don't go.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-500012

Every time I see someone hating on AI, it's on Dallas, Chicago, Philly, etc...I go to the Tampa campus and they never once lied to me. I checked through EVERYTHING and they were nothing but honest.

They never lied about finances. The professors were MORE than qualified. They never even promised me a job! They explained that internships at that campus are required to graduate so that we get work experience and a better chance at a job.

Graduates from my campus work at a bunch of animation/gaming companies around the state.

I have SEEN it. I'm sorry that your campus was a bunch of bs, but mine is not.

Guest

I start at The Philly Art Institute Oct. 1st.

For my Bachelors of Science in Fashion Marketing. I'm super excited to start but after seeing this I'm a lil on edge.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-465566

Find a better college closer to home, Pittsburgh and most people there are great!-but I knew that credits can NOT be transferred. My personal experience was the best and most teachers were too...that's PERSONALLY...

but class wise (except for the 1st quarter), it was mind bending!

trying to deal with classes and knowing of personal tragedies that were to follow for me. You may enjoy it,-sincerely I hope you do- but know of what you can't do before this big step.

Guest

These stories bring back a time when I interviewed with AI of Philly for a recruiting job. I was sought after heavily for a period of several weeks, brought back for numerous interviews, called constantly to come back and meet someone else.

On the last interview, the person who had been pursuing me did a 180, acted completely cold, and went out of her way to keep me from coming into contact with certain employees. I found out later that one of the employees I wasn't allowed to speak to had already been hired for the job I was interviewing for. I have no clue why I was still being drug into the city to keep interviewing for a job already filled. IDK if there was some speculation that the person chosen wouldn't work out?

Still, I hate lack of honesty in the interview process.

If a candidate says anything that leads a company to doubt even the smallest piece of information, you are sure passed over in a hurry. Too bad some employers like AI doesn't realize it goes both ways.

Alyssa H Hzo

I just transferred from Ai Va Beach. DO NOT GO THERE.

I am a filipino/white female & I have dealt with so much racism as a housing student there. The director of housing, who is black, tried to make me do 25 hours of community service because I had a friend over past "curfew." But my room mates, who were black, proceeded to rip up my bills & any other mail I received (which is a FEDERAL OFFENSE). Not to mention the constant white girl/cracker remarks ... & after all of this & a number of complaints, the DOH didn't do ANYTHING about it.

So unfair.

Not to mention the DOH actually spread a RUMOR about me to all of the staff there & even my RA/students ... Ridiculously immature.

Guest

This is the biggest waste of time and money. My boyfriend got the 10k scholarship, lost it and now they are making him pay it all back.

Scholarships are gifts and you shouldn't have to pay that back.

I am beyond mad. I am horrified at everything I've read about this place.

Guest

Even as a Senior with a 3.7 TOTAL GPA, I feel like I am not comfortable going into the real world with this lack of confidence in my education/knowledge gained from my instructors. This AI campus is fairly new.....

I have been taught "high school quality" education and have been the "GUINEA PIGS" of the my major. They have changed our classes/credits so much, that I was fortunate enough to not have been victim of, but I know of friends who took certain classes that were "required" to graduate at one time, and have been revised so many times that it is not considered a "class" anymore, so basically it was a waste of money AND effort for the students involved. Another "tactic" I believe the school gets money from the students.

For as long as I have been a student, I have seen many crooked/under the table/gossip/rumors that keep circulating about how the school runs.

I honestly wish I would have never came to The Art Institute.

The quality of education and lack of professionalism is unbearable. The $100,000 I am giving to The Art Institute was the worse decision of my life and I regret every penny.

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