Academy of Art University
Locations: San Francisco, CA (main campus); satellite campuses in Canada, China, Taiwan, Korea
Degrees: Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's
Programs: Film/Television, Music Production/Sound Design, Fashion, Animation, Graphic Design, Game Design and more (18 total)
Tuition Range: 20,000 - 30,000
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Located in San Francisco, California, the Academy of Art University has a solid reputation for educating students in the art and media disciplines. Billed as a school established by artists for artists, the school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in 18 fields of study, including Film/Television, Fashion, Game Design, Animation, Fine Art, Acting, Music Production/Sound Design for Visual Media, Photography and more. The school also offers online studies and pre-college courses for high school students, and has satellite schools in Canada, Taiwan, China and Korea.
The Academy of Art University offers arts/media related education in a traditional school environment, meaning you should plan for about a four-year commitment for a bachelor’s degree. Tuition is generally lower than most major universities; expect to pay about $20,000 per year (including fees) for an undergraduate degree, and around $23,000 per year for a graduate program. Campus housing is available for an additional charge.
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One Student Review
Located in San Francisco, California, the Academy of Art University has a solid reputation for educating students in the art and media disciplines. Billed as a school established by artists for artists, the school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in 18 fields of study, including Film/Television, Fashion, Game Design, Animation, Fine Art, Acting, Music Production/Sound [...]
Review by David M.
June 24, 2012 1.8I attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco from 1996 – 2000 part-time. I was living in Richmond Virginia before film school. I owned an art gallery in Richmond for local mixed media artists and decided to sell everything I owned (except my car and girlfriend) and drive across country to attend film school. I did not graduate… I was three semesters short of graduating, but my career took off so I never went back to finish up the BFA program.
As an older student, giving college a second try (I went to business school in New Hampshire and hated it) I was much more focused and driven to succeed than I was in my late teens & early 20′s. Especially, since I was paying for everything myself. I would say it met some of my expectations, but what I have achieved in the entertainment business had little to do with my time in the corridors of AAU.
I started working in the entertainment business within a year of attending the Academy of Art University. I worked as a receptionist/assistant in post-production, then as a facility manager and finally switched to the production side of the biz and worked my way up from PA to Producer/company owner.
That’s a tough question… my view at this point in my life is the film school experience needs a complete overhaul (at least at AAU). More practical, hands-on work of making a film from idea, development stage to distribution. Very little of what to do with your film was covered in my time at AAU.
Debt Accrued: Greater than $50,000
Found work after graduation? Yes
Review by David A.
June 7, 2012 1.8I went to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California. I just moved back to New Jersey, probably, two weeks ago, where I left my recent boyfriend that I met in class in September. I’m finishing up my last semester at this school online, so I’ll be graduating in May 2012. The reason I moved back was because, obviously, I couldn’t afford to live there anymore. I’m slammed in student debts and financial aid. Probably enough to be paying it off for a long time.
The school met my expectations. I think the best thing about it, though, was meeting my boyfriend. I’m kind of stuck here in New Jersey right now looking for film jobs and internships and it’s so difficult that I’m not really sure what to do next. I really am, just, so lost. I haven’t found, really, any recent work. I was supped to get a job with Sun Center Productions in Pennsylvania and that fell through. Every day I send out applications and internships and resumes, recommendation letters from my teachers, and nothing so far.
I would recommend this school for most people. Because I find it to be a really good experience over all. You could probably go to any school in San Francisco but going to the academy, I met a lot of cool people, I met my boyfriend, who’s not even in my major. It has a prestigious and if it wasn’t so expensive, it’d be a good school, but it’s super-pricey and right now I don’t have any work so I have no way of paying anything back. If I was to do it all over again, I’d probably would have still went. Because I’m a completely different person that who I was when I first went.
Debt Accrued: $25,001 - $50,000
Found work after graduation? No
Review by Shane P.
January 27, 2012 2.8I still attend a film school based in California. The name of the school is Academy of Art University and I take it online. It’s a private art school and very expensive. I will graduate with my Associates in 2013.
So far, it’s meeting my expectations. I think because I have never attended a college before and I’m almost 40, I’m not sure what to expect from another college.
I have not found work yet although from time to time I have looked on craigslist. I applied here and there, but imagine I won’t get any responses or I would have to look into getting my bachelors in order to be competitive.
I think that getting a degree is a necessity in this day and age. I would do it again because that’s what I love doing. Even though the outcome would be the same, I might look into another less expensive school perhaps.
Debt Accrued: $25,001 - $50,000
Found work after graduation? No