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This school is not good Value for Money!

Posted By lbchild

University : American InterContinental University London
Course title : BFA Media Production
Year of graduation : 2007


1 out of 10
Overall opinion

This was stressful, all of it. Finance always messes up the loan disbursement, so many students were stranded with no money for the first two weeks of EVERY quarter. I am a good student and loved the chance to excel, but this is often hampered by other students who act like 6 year olds and don't take the programme seriously. Not a fun place.



1 out of 10
Quality of course and lecturers

I went to this uni for only a year and a half - and now have $100,000 in student loans that I have no idea how to pay off. Their admissions process is bogus - they admit anyone. Some (not all) of the students there are a complete joke and are not serious about studying at all. The Media Department only has three professors. They are good at what they know, but that knowledge only goes so far - three professors is NOT substantial enough to provide a thorough BFA programme. For example, you learn editing in Edit Post 1, but after that you don't LEARN any more editing. The professors expect you to know everything already. When you ask to learn about other techniques and programmes (After Effects, Smoke, grading, special effects, etc) they either say that you should learn on your own, or that they don't have anyone there who teaches it. This school is part of a larger multi-billion dollar business of several "schools" that target students who want to get a "career-oriented" education - and they absolutely rip you off. No one in the Finance department speaks English properly; they are rude and can never give you a straight answer as to why tuition is so high. Basically, unless you are really rich (or your parents are), and have the money in a bank account already to pay the tuition and living expenses, DON'T GO TO THIS SCHOOL!!! If you have to take out student loans to go here, DON'T. Look at an English University, or just do a semester of study-abroad. I did learn a few good things, but not nearly enough to justify the cost. They need to have more staff and a more in-depth programme - half the courses in the catalogue aren't even offerred because they don't have anyone there to teach them!



3 out of 10
University facilities

Library is okay, but their media stuff is ancient and for any proper research you have to go to the BFI library - where you have to pay. There is no school bar, but plenty posh bars around since it's in Marylebone. No sports.



5 out of 10
Student union

The events are okay, but they could do more.



1 out of 10
University societies and clubs

There are basically NO societies or clubs. I think there was a GLBA at one point, but not much beyond that.



7 out of 10
University life

It's Central London, so that's obviously amazing. Marylebone, so a very posh area - but expensive too! Lots of cinemas, shopping, sights, etc. Best pub is probably the Marylebone Tup, although there is a Wetherspoon's right near Baker St Tube station. You could easily be up all night!



7 out of 10
Accommodation

The university accomodation I stayed in was well nice - right next to the campus. But again, it's Marylebone and so REALLY expensive. Flats have 2 bedrooms, 1 lounge, 1-2 bathrooms, with 2-3 people per room. Fully furnished and recently refurbished, so pretty nice, but just really expensive and not a lot of privacy - and you cannot have any overnight guests, no matter the gender. There is a guard too.



1 out of 10
Job prospects and careers service

There is a career counselor, who is really sweet, but I got my jobs on my own. They have some job postings and occasionally a professor would ask a student to help on their own project, but you are basically on your own. There is a lot of promise, but no follow through. My Dean said that it would be "easy to pay off student loans" because I could "just direct a few music videos after uni and they'll be paid off." Yeah right!



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