I've been at AAU for two semesters now, and I woul...

I've been at AAU for two semesters now, and I would say that if you want to build your portfolio this is a good option. I'm attending online, and as such my experience is limited to this aspect of the school.

Here are questions you're probably here to get answers for:
Is this school worth going in to debt for?
Will I improve as an artist if I attend?
Do I need a portfolio to apply?

Q: Is this school worth going in to debt for?
A: It depends if you plan on working freelance or for a company when you finish your degree.

Freelance artist? probably not. This school is VERY expensive, at around 2,000$ per course. Go to a Community college that teaches Foundations in Art, as well as some business and time management classes. Some Community Colleges even offer entrepreneur programs that, in conjunction with art courses, would suit your needs just fine. as a comparison, a course at the Community college here in Salem, Chemeketa Community College, comparable courses run at 400$. The only difference is that community colleges do not have degrees that focus on specific areas like Game Design or Illustration. You'll have to go to a school like AAU to learn more about these fields.

If you want to find a firm to work for, attending AAU could be a great option. Especially if you've tried to get in to other schools but were denied because you didn't have a complete enough portfolio or had poor grades in high school. This is the situation I am in, I was a poor student in the past. Even with a decent portfolio, I would not have been accepted to, say, Digipen. Having a degree from an art school will help you in your job search, because completing the program will give you working experience of what is expected of an artist in the industry.

Will I improve as an artist if I attend?
Yes! If you are ready and willing to learn, you will improve. If you are expecting to immediately become amazing, rethink things first. Art takes time and effort, just like any other skill, so be patient and really apply yourself. Do not expect to grow your skill set unless you actually give it your all.

Do I need a Portfolio or good grades to be accepted?
No, AAU is one of those schools that will accept any student. As a result, many students that are not ready for college courses or are not able to manage their time wisely tend to fall by the wayside. They get overwhelmed, and have to drop out. If you know you're ready to apply yourself to college and put in the time (LOTS of time) to study, you should get in. Be aware of finances. If you don't like the school you will still have to pay off any student loans that you have taken out.

Bottom line: If you weren't able to get in to your first choice school but want a more focused program than a community college, look in to AAU. I have had good experiences, good teachers, and great results so far and will continue to work toward my degree. I am paying a very high priced tuition for online classes and feel I should have considered that more. I also feel that the Online experience is not the same as a physical campus. While it was the best choice for myself, a mom with a husband that works full time, Online classes still take a lot of time and can make budgeting time very hard. After my degree is complete I may re-apply to Digipen, which was my first choice.