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I saw an ad for iadt detroit. I had been looking to go back to school and thought fashion design may be a fun field and went to check the school out. I went there and was met by my admissions rep. She asked me about my college history. I told her i had my associates degree in liberal arts. She says, "oh great. So you have an art degree". I know i should have walked away at that comment. She asked me a few more questions, walked away for a few minutes, had me pay her $50 and shook my hand congratulating me on getting accepted at the school.
A few days later i had a meeting with financial aid. I met this guy, he set me up on a computer and ahd me fill forms out. I had asked a few questions and he was really weird about answering anything. I wonder now if it was protect his own butt. So i get approved for financial aid and I'm told everything will be covered. I was told to come back in a few days and I'll get registered for classes.
When i went back to "pick" my classes i was pretty much told what classes i was going to take. My schedule was class four nights a week for six hours a night or 16 credits a semester. It really was way too much. I was so worn out by my second week of school. There was also a two absent policy. If you missed more then two classes your instructors were calling you wondering where you were.
After a really rough semester i was burnt out. I did well and got a 3.7 gpa. I was sent a letter telling me i was on the dean's list (what dean?) - and decided i was going to take two classes nest semester. When i went to register for the next semester and told them i wanted to take two classes, i was almost harassed. I was informed we could only go part-time one time for the whole time at the school. Part-time was still four nights a week and four hours a night. I also decided to switch my major from fashion design to interior design. I was given flack for that as well. With that semester i got a 3.8 and the dean's list thing.
Next semester comes and i have a full load - 16 credits, four nights a week, six hours a night. It gets to be too much to fast and i decide i want to drop one class. I was told i am not allowed to drop a class unless i have a really good reason. My husband was sick and in and out of the hospital. I set up a meeting with the registrar at the school, since my admissions rep had been let go, and talk to her about my issues. Her way of helping me was to pull out my transcripts from the community college i went to and starts knocking out classes i don't have to take because they "transferred" to the school. I thank her and tell her i still want to drop my class. She refuses and tells me to sweat it out. I found out later their policy is if you drop after the second week you can't get money back, i was talking to her the second week of school. I got sick of being told i couldn't drop a class and decided to stop going. When i got my paperwork about my dropping classes the dates were all wrong, to cover their butts so i wouldn't get any money - at this point it wasn't about the money -
A few months later i was checking my grades. I was given an f in all my classes. I asked why and was told i didn't follow the rules they had about dropping classes. I explained my whole story and got nowhere. I went to talk to the register, and had to wait for her to "come back from lunch" when she did come back, she was told she had someone waiting to talk to her, her response was "that's too bad, i don't feel like talking to her" and walked away
I fought this school up and down about my grades. I went from a 3.8 to a 1.7. When i decided to go back to school last winter i was banking on my high gpa from iadt to guarantee me a scholarship. I was told by my school iadt wasn't even recognized as a school in michigan. I also found out their financial aid is owned and run by the same people who own the school. I attended that school for two full semesters and two weeks and my student loans are $23,000. The education I'm getting at my new school isn't going to cost anywhere near that
Iadt is not a school. It is a money pit. The amount of students that get jobs after "graduating" is very low. If someone graduates from iadt and gets a job in retail because they can't do anything else, it's considered "in their field". Their job placement rate is about 20%. The school is crap and their "instructors" are crap. It is a scam. If you are thinking about going there or sending your child there, rethink your decision.
to the person who defended IADT up and down, left and right, I believe Heather was the author, here is my response to your laundry list of items:
1) I did say I thought Fashion would be fun, that doesn't mean I picked the school on a whim. I picked the school because I saw an ad for it, one of the degrees they offered was Fashion and I am very into Fashion and am very interested in it. I didn't know everything that was going to be involved with getting a "degree" in Fashion from IADT
2 & 3) picking my classes: were you there when I was told what classes to take? you weren't? that's what I thought. I WAS told what classes to take. I WAS told I would be taking four classes and NOT given the option to take less than four classes per semester. if I had be given the option or even told I could take three classes, you can bet, for the sake of my sanity, I WOULD have taken three classes
4) I didn't complain about the attendance policy. I knew what was expected of me as far as attendance was concerned. what I did say is when I decided to drop out because it was too much for me, and I told my teachers what was going on through email, I was still called and almost harassed by teachers I didn't even have asking me where I was at
5) I was indeed sent a letter telling me I was on the Dean's List. unless you were looking over my shoulder, reading the Dean's List letter, I doubt you know exactly what I received in the mail. I did not receive a "great achievements" letter, it was a Dean's List letter. not sure what location you attend, but maybe things are done differently in Detroit? who knows.
6) full-time/part-time shouldn't matter. what does reconfiguring my payment have to do with anything? there was no "payment" to worry about. the loan I obtained paid the school - the school I attend now doesn't harass the students if they go from 16 credits to 8 credits, it's completely up to the student to decide how many credits to take. the school is still going to get their money either way - there was no lack of dedication on my part, I wanted to be in school. I did get burnt out and I did need a break
7) we agree about the Registar. good. I knew the policy of the school about dropping. what I had a problem with is that I wanted to drop a class and I was flat out told no (this would have been going from 16 credits to 12 credits - still full-time right?) I was told I wouldn't get my money back. I didn't care about getting my money back. I was two weeks into the semester, the semester got to be too much for me, I said something and was told no. I'm sorry, I'm an adult, I can make my own decisions on if I want to drop a class or not
8) IADT is not a recognized school in Michigan. my rep did not ask me about intending to stay at IADT, she was too excited to have bagged another victim. maybe your admissions rep knew more than my admissions rep. I was not asked anything about passion or dedication. I was unable to hve any of my credits from IADT transfer. if I went to another IADT location my credits WOULD NOT have transferred. I would have to start all over again - that leads me to believe IADT is not accredited ANYWHERE
9) the idea of job placement is a joke. their "Career Services" department is a binder with pages of fast food jobs. selling a $1.00 burger is selling, and you're wearing clothes, that must be considered "in the industry". if I had continued at IADT, graduated, moved out of state and applied for a real fashion job in say, New York, I would have been laughed at - not only because of the school I graduated from, but I'm sure I would have been completely behind with industry knowledge. my friend is working at Kohl's and just graduated from IADT, she is considered one of the school's success stories
10) again, what location do you attend? the lack of experience from my instructors was painful. I heard more about their person lives than anything else. no one had their own line, no one was a designer for movies and no one owned a franchise of any kind. good for you for having such experienced instructors
all in all I do not think my difficulty with the school had anything to do with my own "difficulty". how can a school function differently than other schools? college is college. if it's a school of design, engineering, social work or psychology - it's going to have the same basic function. yes, some things will be different than other schools, but there is a basic way schools function and IADT did not function like a normal school.
good luck with your forth (probably now fifth or sixth, since it's been a while since you posted your rebuttal) of your three year - did I read that correctly? a three year degree? I didn't know those existed. must be one of those "unique" things IADT does as a school. again, what location to you attend?
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
In 2003, after seeing ads about IADT, I decided to enroll in their Fasion Design Program. The biggest mistake in my whole entire life! Not only did they lie and misrepresent information, IADT wants me to pay for their financial mistakes. I have an Associates Degree in FD but can't even get that "dream job" they talk about. I am over 30,000 in debt. Their staff lack a tremendous amount of knowledge and training. Well maybe not, but have degrees in Bullcrap 101. The credits won't tranfer to another college-excuse me, they will tranfer , but are not accredited like everyone in the Financial Aid & Student loans offices said they would be. So what's the whole point of having credits transfer when they don't count towards anything? I could go on and on about the scandals, lies, and scams that took place at IADT. Even after audits, they still found ways to come up with more money schemes from students. I just can't understand how all of this is legal. To misreperesent so much to so many is wrong! Is that what the school was build upon? Upon a pile of cr*p? The school is definately a rip-off! It is really ridiculous. I don't mind paying for loans and my debts, but to pay and continue to pay for their mistakes.. Uhn! Uhn! Wrong answer, not me! Nothing against the actuall instructors, they were great! My complaints are against the Financial Aid Office and Student Accounts.
They ripped me off too. I would like to do a class action.
I went to the Academy of Design and graduated unfortunately.
All I can say is take my advice and stay away from this school!
The school is a joke! Some of my instructors were great, however the school is horrible.
The most annoying aspect of that school aside from there insanely expensive substandard education is the fact that there credits are no accepted by any other school.
I have been educated by another local community college, and thank god for that because the Academy will not educate you. It will train you, however bare in the mind the cost and the lack of transferability are what make it a school I would highly recommend avoiding at all costs!
I also got out of there before i was a lot more in debt. And i also went through the school for a loan lender. And all they told me was that my loans wouldn't have such a high interest rate with a co-signer. Well i got that so i thought that my interest rate was only going to be 6.8 like they said. Well 3 weeks into school i got a letter from the lender (sallie mae) and i found out that my loan was 14.8%. So on an 8,ooo loan i was paying 18,000 in interest - not cool! And i had the same experience. As soon as i walked in i gave them 50 $ and i was a student. Didn't even look at prior grades in school or anything. Hmmm red flag right there! There were people going to this school that couldn't even draw a freak square.
I will definitely do something with IADT. I got suspended unfairly from IADT Chicago and am in the process of making them regret their stupid Actions.
I have only been at IADT chicago for one semester and i am already confused about my money situation. I have decided to withdraw before i get any farther in debt. I know that nothing i have taken will be transferable so i have to start all over. Anyway i feel what you are saying and somebody needs to do something about it.