International Academy Of Design And Technology In Orlando Florida wow fashion design,Yeah right... Orlando Florida

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!