I've been a successful graphic designer/computer animator for the past 7 years and it was because of my Art Institute degree that I was able to first get my foot in the door.
The Good:
- there are some amazing teachers at the school that provided real-world experience and wonderful mentoring skills
- being surrounded by like-minded students in a creative environment
- involving (and sometimes very challenging) assignments that tested my artistic ability
- some job-placement assistance
The Bad:
- tuition is expensive
- I had some really lousy teachers too
- some classes were a waste of time and money... I did not need to take "Film Study", really
Going back to The Art Institute as an alumni (graduate summer 2000), a lot of things have changed for the better. The school is equipped with the newest technology, there is a cafe that serves lunches and there are many more extracurricular clubs and functions to be involved in. Oh, they have added a parking structure too.