Academy of Art University Reviews of Bachelor's in Fashion

My experience at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco was amazing and changed my life. From the moment I saw the campus and visited the city of San Francisco I was hooked. There was so much diversity in the other programs they offered and my education was broad with the 4 year B.A. program. I learned so much about myself as an artist that I did not know existed prior to this edcuation. The professors were working in their field of study so, it was such a dynamic team of instructors that... Read More you could soak up there intelligence as well as their experiences in the real world. I would highly recommend any art student considering this university to enroll.

I have not officially gone to Academy of Art University; however, this review is for those who are considering, just as I did before my experiences drove me away. I'm sorry if this is long, but PLEASE read this if you're considering. I, as a student looking to begin my career and formal training as a fashion designer, immediately saw Academy of Art listed as one of the "top" choices- I put in my information and was immediately contacted to begin my journey into applying. My advisor that was paired... Read More with me seemed professional, and encouraged me to complete many of the steps hastily- something I saw as a strength, but would later reveal itself to be one of the biggest red flags along the way. It was not too long before I was accepted. I had so much pent up hope and energy put toward being accepted... Only to find my first red flag, the 100% acceptance rate. They will take anyone with enough money to stuff their pockets with, which allows undergrads with no artistic experience or skill to enter the art fields because it's convenient or even "fun". It was a bit of a downer to learn my punctuality, formalities, and professionalism didn't go nearly as far as I thought it did in the application process. Upon telling my family the good news, my mother (whom I credit for her wisdom) did a little research. She found, in turn, the Forbes article about AAU entitled "Black Arts- 800 Million $ Family Selling Art Degrees and False Hopes". Red Flag Number Two. I read the article, and although it was very opinionated... Something about it struck a hunch in me. I decided to do my own research. I found DOZENS of reviews, articles, and the like showing astoundingly negative thoughts and experiences. You'll find them here and on gradreports, as well as googlereviews and niche. The more I read, the more they all sounded the same; "don't go here", so many of them stated. And now I'm saying it too. Here's why. I'm never one to be passive, so as soon as I gathered enough information, I immediately went to my advisor. I told him my concerns, and his response? "No one ever takes the time to write good reviews, and you can never believe what you see online"... Tell that to the thousands of positive reviews for similar schools like FIDM and RISD. He then tried to persuade me out of my "negative thinking" by talking up the school until his feathers were fluffed enough to end the call. The feeling didn't go away. I just kept seeing more awful reviews, about the staff and how they're barely professionals, the student life, and also about the sheer amount of money they strip away from you, only to leave you hundreds of thousands in debt. Not to mention the 900$ of supplies PER SEMESTER that you need to pay for out of pocket. After careful deliberation, I decided this school wasn't for me and it was a wise decision to move in a different direction. Now, you would think that once I made this decision, declining their acceptance and moving on would be respectful, clean, and professional. Quite the opposite here at Academy of Art. Upon learning that I was no longer interested, my advisor was extremely crude and disrespectful. I was immediately bombarded with questions about why I was making this decision, other schools I was thinking of (and subsequently bashing said schools), and for the icing on the cake... Told me in a serious tone, "you're making a big mistake. This is a bad decision". And thus repeated this same dialogue several times. I was appalled, and taken aback to the point of tears. I was threatened by an advisor that was respectful until I said something he didn't like. It was absolutely unprofessional and disrespectful; I have never ONCE in my academic search come across an advisor who has done this. Academy of Art has burned a bridge with me. I am not interested in a school that manipulates current and future students into forking over cash for an awful experience. There is no care for the students. Money matters. All 800 Million of it.

They have classes others don't which are good, but some have BOGUS YOUTUBE curriculums and material that your advisor might recommend. I could feel hands in my pockets as I was told how to shake hands and greet someone, sew a straight 4 inch line on a standard machine, that BOGO is a great way to increase amount of units sold. Triple DUH!!! You'll be finished and think wow I might've learned more in a weekend or at a community college. SO be absolutely skeptical of your admission/academic advisor.... Read More I came in with transfers and was told I'd finish in 2 years which turned into 4 years because a professor thought I needed to learn to scrapbook the AAU way not even kidding it was ridiculous. A teacher who wanted to really help their students would've said let's set up a time for a crash course and get you on the same pg...I should've left but I'd already moved to sf. There are countless shared stories similar to this amongst students across majors. There have been lawsuits in the past...They're good at their PR I'll give them that. Beware. If you're going to spend the amount they charge for tuition, just be warned. I wish I knew so I'm putting this out there. And for fashion students who want a free fashion show, you compete for this incentive and your designs are not completely up to you.

I am currently a senior at AAU. I have taken all my classes online. The classes are not easy. In fact, I think taking classes online is even harder. The camera doesn't lie and can point out flaws in your work you didn't see with your naked eye. I feel that I am getting an excellent education with people who are teachers, but also working in the industry. I have had very good teachers. If you are ready for a challenge and will step up to the plate, this is for you. I have thoroughly enjoyed my classes.... Read More This is an accredited online fashion program. I have gone to New York Fashion Week several times with my school. They are one of the few schools that show at NYFW. I highly recommend this school, but it is not easy.