The Art Institute Of California Los Angeles - AiLA - The Art Institutes International The Art Institute Financial un-Aid Santa Monica, California

Every quarter seems to start out the same way, you go to the window, they tell you to go on a goose chase with all yours and your parent's financial information, and then, maybe 2 weeks down the road, you get money for books you needed 3 weeks before. You're already at a C, because the library has one copy, and everyone else is in the same situation. If you're in a class that requires you to buy materials to build with, better come with a job and a check for those expensive supplies, because you won't get them in time if you're depending on supply money from the school.

This quarter was different for me. I went in, dandy as a peach, thinking for ONCE that maybe I didn't have to go file more forms and sign my soul away. I was RIGHT! But wait... my money hasn't been disbursed? Ok, when will that happen, I ask. Well, It should be in by tomorrow. Just so you're aware of the time-frame, The check was sent from Sallie on the 1st, electronically, and I'm inquiring on the 4th. 

The 6th comes around, and I stop by to see if my money has been disbursed, mind you, this includes my funds for my RENT CHECK as well as my classes. They tell me, there may just be a time delay for the funds to be put in. Come back on Friday to check, they SHOULD be there by then.

So here I am, on the 8th, a Friday. I stop by the office to check, and catch my advisor coming back from lunch. He sees me and stops to tell me that he's e-mailed and called several supervisors to try to see what happened to the money. I ask him what he thinks we can do and if the school could possibly advance the money with the understanding that there is money on the way. He tells me there's nothing that can be done and that it's just lost for right now. He casually walks away from the conversation. I'm steeming. 

Thank goodness I have one parent left working in the government who can forward me an advance, even though I hate to ask, but I'm on the verge of being EVICTED. I got lucky. It's a matter of time before the check comes in, and right now, I wish I had a lawyer. I can't depend on this institution, and I wish I had stayed at the University. I would've saved money going to a real and expensive school.

From listening to stories in the hall way at this school, I'm not the only one who has suffered from these circumstances. The overall feeling is that the Financial Aid at AICALA is poor, the reps are rude and insensitive, and I'm not the first student who's money they've lost.

If you want to learn how to cook or film or do anything that AI teaches, go to a real school, meet with your advisors, get to know them, then invest in that school. Don't go to a college that takes everyone with a pen who can sing the dotted line, because when you go to a crap school, you'll end up dealing with crap. 

Lastly. PARENTs, please pay attention. They say if you fail a course 3 times, you fail out of school. They lie. They also lie about their lies. They'll keep you until the well dries up. There are some people who can't make it through college, but this school will let you write the checks regardless.