Complaint Review: International Academy Of Design And Technology

I posted a rebuttal here earlier but it hasn't shown up yet, a few hours later...so at the risk of a double-rebuttal appearing tomorrow,  I will summarize my thoughts...

Above rebuttal poster said :One thing I didn't do was take it to a public forum. Oh, I wanted to, but felt that I was going to pursue this further, in a more professional manner. "

Good for you for pursuing a professional resolution to your problem. But as for the complaint you are responding to, I am proud of this person and grateful that he made his experience public. As a pattern begins to show, as it clearly has, people who come across this website, and who may be considering entering one of these "schools", will at least come away with their eyes open, realize some questions that must be asked of schools before handing over money, not to trust the school's word, but to ask other schools if credits from these schools would transfer...ask people working in their field of interest about the reputation of these schools and the preparedness of their students, the quality of the education compared to other schools, etc. Then they will have a chance to spend their money more wisely and not waste precious time.

I WISH I had seen this website before signing up to study at IADT. Unfortunately most people who read these complaints have probably already been burned... but hopefully people will become more aware of this site and check here before investing in schools or anywhere else.

The best reason to post is that there is power in numbers. I feel a lesser burden knowing I am not the only one who has been ripped off. I would never have the time/money to fight on my own. Hopefully if enough people complain, the power of numbers will prevail.

You did a good thing by posting your experience on a public forum, unlike what above poster suggested. Unfortunately people who visit this forum have probably already been burned. How few people actually know about this website, I just learned about it myself...yet look at all of the postings. Just because there are only 40 odd negative postings does not mean there are only 40 odd disgruntled (ex-)students. When I saw this site and the postings, and actually posted a comment, I felt good getting it off my chest, it gives me the comfort of knowing I am not alone, Hopefully, some prospective students will have the good fortune to check here before signing their money away...I WISH I had known of this website before I did. The best thing I can imagine coming of this is, if enough people complain, who knows, maybe something can actually be done about it. I cannot go up against this "school" and perhaps even Sallie Mae alone. There is power in numbers... Mostly I hope people will read our comments before they sign anything. If our comment pursuades someone considering going to that place to check accreditation...ask other schools if IADT credits would ever transfer there, ask employers their opinion of IADT... and then look at some better options, that will be at least something good that came from our loss.

I am an instructor for IADT and have been for over a year. I am also an instructor for another school outside of IADT but also accredited by ACIS. As someone stated earlier, this is a valid accrediting agency. They are a national accrediting agency.

I understand being upset and that you feel you have been ripped off. I understand, because I attended a university (NOT IADT) for my MBA. Before I started my degree with this university, I specifically asked if with this degree if I would be able to teach at the very institution I was studying at. They assured me that I could. Like you, $30K went down the drain. One thing I didn't do was take it to a public forum. Oh, I wanted to, but felt that I was going to pursue this further, in a more professional manner.

I am not teaching for the university I wanted to, but perhaps that isn't all bad. I have to tell you, I love teaching at IADT. I love my students and I love watching them learn. The most joy comes from students (after leaving my class), telling me they got a job doing this or that. You can hear the excitement in their voices or their emails. I also enjoy the department I work for as well as my director. In fact, I wish all online universities were half as organized as this one. As far as credentials... trust me... teachers are scrutinized over their credentials, so I am not sure where you are getting your information. Background checks, credentials are all part of the process. I "have" worked within the industry I teach and bring quite a bit to my students. I have earned the trust and continued friendship of students even after they have graduated.

So, do me a favor... if you're angry.. place that anger toward those who truly impacted your life and you feel did you a disservice. Don't give up by any means as that never solves anything. If you have a valid complaint... look to find those who can help you. They are there... you just have to find them. I wish you well and hope that one day, you will be able to get past that anger and find solutions to your situation. The answers are there... you just have to look for them until you find a solution that is suitable for you, your life and your situation.

I am currently enrolled at IADT and found it to be a great school. One: the instructors know what they are talking about and have experience in the field, such as one of my current instructors was once a programmor for Westwood Studios. Two: I have learned more and better than I have ever before, after my first drawing class I was able to draw still life with such near perfection than I when all my drawings lacked depth. Three: So far compared to other schools that I looked at this one offers all that I need, even if it is a bit of a drive a way UNLV would be no closer. Furthermore IADT seems to have the best Game Design program and I have no wish to leave.

I was very alarmed by this report when I first saw it, since I'm enrolled in an IADT online BFA program (4 years, 60K in debt).
I decided to check the facts.

This is from the US dept. of Education website:

"The U.S. Department of Education has published the "positive list" of schools that are accredited by accrediting agencies recognized by the Secretary of Education. The list can be found at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation. This is a list of postsecondary institutions and programs that have chosen to be accredited by accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education."

I followed the link. Clicked on the button on the top right to begin my search.

Guess what? It's there.

The US Dept. of Education considers this (International Academy of Design and Technology, Tampa FL) an accredited Institution.

Since I know all about non-transferable credits (I previously studied abroad), I can tell you this: It's very upsetting to know that you spent all this time studying, and none of it counts. This doesn't mean it's a scam. No school is obligated to accept credits you earned in another school, and IADT didn't lie about their accreditation.

*** I am not an employee of IADT. nor have I ever been. and I'm still at the point in my own experience with them where I can back out and owe them nothing. I have no reason to defend this college other than facts stated above ***

quote of the anonymous IADT empoyee:

As I read there posts, most of them are filled with misinformation, poor grammar, abuse of the English language and misspelled words. I then wonder if their experience and failure at college is due not to the institution, but to their academic aptitude.




my comments:

or maybe it's your lack of academia that caused so many to fail? i mean, i remember learning the 'there, they're, their' rule in second grade.

you have the balls to call the person on it after you use 'there' for 'their' and then claim to be more educated than us.

there was only one teacher i actually respected at IADT in pittsburgh and he taught psychology. all the others, i danced circles around with them trying to keep up with my ideas and most just stopped trying to correct me, as i always cited proof etc. you cite nothing.

most of us are just waiting for certain politicians to cycle out so that the class action suit that *WILL* be brought against CEC won't be immediately quashed.

my personal story, IADT owes me the 27,000$ that is still on my credit report, the 6,000$ from the loss of material goods that were stolen from me by the collegiate housing company's illegal practices (as IADT fully endorsed them and gave them direct power and access to my financial information, etc...not to mention they literally robbed my apartment -- no joke) and another 30,000$ in damages sustained from having a poor credit score with the stipulation that the 30,000$ awared would be paid directly to a real collegiate institution so that i may finish a real degree.

quote of the anonymous IADT empoyee:

As I read there posts, most of them are filled with misinformation, poor grammar, abuse of the English language and misspelled words. I then wonder if their experience and failure at college is due not to the institution, but to their academic aptitude.




my comments:

or maybe it's your lack of academia that caused so many to fail? i mean, i remember learning the 'there, they're, their' rule in second grade.

you have the balls to call the person on it after you use 'there' for 'their' and then claim to be more educated than us.

there was only one teacher i actually respected at IADT in pittsburgh and he taught psychology. all the others, i danced circles around with them trying to keep up with my ideas and most just stopped trying to correct me, as i always cited proof etc. you cite nothing.

most of us are just waiting for certain politicians to cycle out so that the class action suit that *WILL* be brought against CEC won't be immediately quashed.

my personal story, IADT owes me the 27,000$ that is still on my credit report, the 6,000$ from the loss of material goods that were stolen from me by the collegiate housing company's illegal practices (as IADT fully endorsed them and gave them direct power and access to my financial information, etc...not to mention they literally robbed my apartment -- no joke) and another 30,000$ in damages sustained from having a poor credit score with the stipulation that the 30,000$ awared would be paid directly to a real collegiate institution so that i may finish a real degree.

CEC representatives need to get lives and layoff students that have credible ripoff reports to file. Quit clogging ripoffreport.com with rediculous cut/paste rebutals, it's getting old.

CEC knows they're running a chopShop for-profit institution and the proper authorities are notified.

CEC Truth Advocate Group on Myspace.com and Facebook.com

Myspace Link: http://groups.myspace.com/Theiadttruthadvocate

Facebook link: http://academy.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5604847490

If it's such bad grammar, then how did you understand any of it? Just from reading your BS, I would say your definitely over 40 (probably over 45 at least), single, a teacher that most students dislike, and probably work for IADT. Nobody cares how you like the school. This is a RIP OFF REPORT SITE, READ THE WEB ADDRESS n00b. Nobody gives a dam about correct grammar and spelling, this is the Internet. If it's not worth reading, then why are you sitting there crying and writing a book about how much you love IADT? IADT is a peice of crap, poor excuse for a college, and it always will be. Now quit your crying and move on. The website is RIPOFFREPORT.COM, not ILOVEIADTCUZIMANIDIOT.COM.

You state: when they try to pay there bills you SHOULD have written when they tried to pay THEIR bills. You don't even grasp the English language! Why would anyone want to read further! AGAIN you state that CEC owns ACICS. DID YOU LEARN HOW TO READ OR DO RESEARCH? If yes DO IT! The owners you speak of are actually share holders as CEC is a publicly traded company again DO YOUR RESEARCH.

Whoever the person is that is praising IADT, most likely works there or owns stock in it im sure. The people who think they are getting something good out of that school will soon realize the truth when they try to pay there bills or further there education at a REAL accredited college. That school exists for one reason, and one reason only: TO MAKE THE OWNERS RICH AS HELL. I've done so much research on that college that I probably know more about it than half the people who work there. The same people who own the school, ALSO own the accrediting agency. That lets them say "Oh yes, we ARE accredited." It's a load of bull and they should be shutdown.

International Academy of Design and Technology wasted about 2 years of my time and a LOT of my money ($33K of it to be exact). Now I'm stuck with a no good diploma from a crappy school that doesn't even offer my program anymore (because it was a trial program) and if I want to further my education at a real college, I HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN FROM THE BEGINNING. Thanks a LOT IADT, I hope the school gets shut down for good.

When I came across the posts here, I was horrified. Horrified by the complete falsities and inaccuracies given by former students of the Academy. My first reaction was that of anger. As an educator and educated person, I realized that the negative experiences of a few must be tempered with the positive experiences of hundreds of thousands of students.

As a result, my anger has turned to compassion. Yes, it is unfortunate that a few students have had bad experiences with a college. Then, I remembered my college experiences. While earning my Bachelors and Masters Degrees from not-for-profit regionally accredited universities, I had some negative experiences myself. Rather than reacting in a public forum and giving false information, I chose to do my research and find the answers to my concerns. Doing research is a responsibility of any student. As an educator, it is my responsibility to provide accurate information in this forum. This post is not an attempt to disregard the feelings of those that have posted here previously, rather, a response regarding my compassion for them and attempt to educate them (and others) with truth.

As you have read, there ARE differences between for-profit and not-for-profit colleges in the United States. There are also two types of accreditation for degree granting institutions in the United States: institutional and programmatic. I will refer to institutional as this was the topic of several posts. Institutional accreditation can be divided into two types: regional accreditation and national accreditation. Also keep in mind that in the United States, accreditation is voluntary. Depending upon your experience and personal view, you may find negatives and positives for each.

The International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT) is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) to award associate, bachelors, and master's degrees. The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Additional information regarding the accreditation of the International Academy of Design and Technology may be obtained from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. On poster here claims that Career Education Corporation (CEC) http://www.careered.com/, IADT's parent company, owns ACICS. This is another statement of pure inaccuracy! Do your research by going to the links for both ACICS and CEC.

So what's my opinion of the difference?
Teachers!:
A nationally accredited institution, such as the Academy, requires the faculty have an equivalent degree plus certifications, an equivalent degree plus life experience or a higher degree plus life experience. A regionally accredited institution requires the faculty have a higher degree. What does this mean if you want to study graphic design (for example)? An instructor at a nationally accredited college, such as the Academy has an earned degree and experience! Experience from the real world that can be taught in the classroom. An instructor at a regionally accredited college is required to have a higher degree. They can teach what they learned from their professors or from books but do not necessarily have ANY real world experience.

So when it comes to getting a job after college would I rather be taught by someone who has been there, done that or someone who speaks of the theory behind how to be there, do that? I'll take someone who has the education AND the experience! As I mentioned, I attended regionally accredited universities where, the faculty had no idea what really happens on the job, but could theorize about it all day long. The instructor with ACTUAL experience may be few and far between in a regionally accredited college. Why does this matter? Well, we all go to college to get good jobs right?

Placement:
Yes, we all want a good paying job. This is one area where the Academy excels! They are a for-profit college that is required to provide placement rates in all degree programs to their shareholders. Remember, the Academy is a for-profit publicly traded company. The placement rates are based on actual placement in the field in which the student studied. The Career Services department will assist any graduate in obtaining employment anywhere. A regionally accredited college however, is not held to the same standards and usually has no such department dedicated to helping students obtain employment in the field of which they studied.

Admission:
Regionally accredited colleges consider SAT, ACT, scholastic achievement, school activities, personal character, application deadlines and legacy (a family member attended previously). The Academy is an open enrollment college. To enroll in the Associate or Bachelor degrees, a student is required to have a high school diploma or the equivalent. This type of college provides opportunities that students may otherwise not be afforded due to test taking ability, or parents attending the same higher education institution. As far as transfer of credit is concerned, acceptance of credit by ANY college or university is based in its ENTIRETY on the ACCEPTING institution. For the posters that claim their college credits will not transfer: again, it is the responsibility of a student to do research.

Curriculum:
The Academy provides college degrees in relevant areas of study. Relevant to the profession and industry. When a degree program begins, it is continually reviewed by industry professionals (Advisory Boards) to determine if:
1) There is a continued industry need in that area. If it is determined that there are not opportunities in the future for gainful employment (that good job), the program is taught out. Meaning: the students enrolled continue through the program but no new students are enrolled. WHY? The Academy does not want a student to spend money on an education that may not provide good employment opportunity due to the changes in the industry.
2) There are reasons to change or update the curriculum. The curriculum is continually under review by the program chairs and Advisory Boards in order to keep the information in the classroom industry current (hardware and software). The equipment is update and replaced on a regular basis. A regionally not-for-profit institution cannon do this primarily due to funding issues.

Are there negative and positive things that occur at every college? You bet! I've never met anyone that loved every class, every administrator, every instructor, every loan debt and every first job right out of college. However, a college such as the Academy provides great opportunities for students. When I read the posts by former students, I question several things. There are students claiming poor education and poor instruction. As I read there posts, most of them are filled with misinformation, poor grammar, abuse of the English language and misspelled words. I then wonder if their experience and failure at college is due not to the institution, but to their academic aptitude. If a student is incapable of doing appropriate research or (as you can see by a post below) cannot even correctly spell the word illiterate (for example); would they have had a different experience at any other college?

While yes, I do have compassion for the posters here, remember that the negative experiences of a few must be tempered with the positive experiences of hundreds of thousands of students. As an educator, truth and accuracy must supercede compassion.

If you are considering attending ANY college or university in the United States, it is your responsibility to do the research. This research will help prepare you for your college experience and provide you with accurate information. And finally, even my post must be tempered with your research!

Best wishes to all in finding the college for you. I do hope you enjoy your college experience!

This is also the same "Accreditor" for ITT Tech. Be very careful with what learning institution you give your money to! Most of these too goo to be true degrees usually are and the 'school' and the 'accreditor' are usually one in the same. The best thing to do is check out the U.S. Dept. of Edjucation, they have a lot of articles dealing with this subject on their webiste. Please do your research on the subject!

Thankfully my husband and I looked into it BEFORE we got sucked in. We figured we were looking at $20,000 a YEAR for just one person! Um, if we had that kind of money per year, we'd be sitting at Tulane University!

I also attended IADT Tampa. After i started my third semsester I realized nothing productive was being accomplished in any of the classes. No teacher had exhibited any knowledge of being able to create a solid lesson plan. I decided I was fed up with spending $365 a credit hour to sit in their building for 4 hours a day. So i withdrew from the school and set up a meeting with the dean to go over my issues and concerns. It was then I was told that the school did not require certifications for their teachers. This blew my mind. After this I too started to research in depth the schools accreditation and also discovered the ACICS is linked back to the owners of the school.

I believe with the right action from enough students a settlement can be reached. The school has practiced dishonest marketing practices by lying to prospective students about transferability of credits. Also they misrepresented the ACICS and make students believe it is the same as a regionally acrediting council. Plus they do not inform students they do not require their teachers to uphold the same academic standards as regionally accreditied institutions.

There is no reason this school and others like it should be able to get away with such practices. There is no reason we should put an end to our education because we are now in such ridiculous debt.

Whoever agrees please contact me at (((ROR REDACTED E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR SECURITY PURPOSES)))

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.