ITT Technical Institute - Tempe

What I should have known (assumed) is that college is not as much of a breeze as high school. No one really 'babysits' you anymore. You are the one paying for it, so if you fail, you just pissed away a shit load of money. Bad idea. In other words: TRY if you are going to take the time and pay for that time. I also think I should have paid more attention to some of my classes I thought were "useless". Poor instruction will never help sometimes, not the student's fault, but the student can still learn from others or outside rescource. I could have put a lot more into it than I did at times. I would recommend that anyone looking into this really research the campus and program right for them and what they expect or want in the future. Don't spend so much on a tech school if you know you aren't fully committed and think it will be the quicker, easier alternative to a 4 year "traditional" school- it won't! Do what you really want to do, because there is no "easy" way out. The program may be shorter than a traditional college, but it also goes year-round with small breaks and costs just as much or more. Do your research and find what fits you best before you choose anywhere based on a name or price. The price of cost I paid has more than paid me off at this point, and I disregarded the warnings that my resume would be trashed if the employer saw I graduated tech school... I proved them all wrong. Aquire what you want but do your research and have a goal. Motivation.

Pros: The Tempe campus was very nice- a bit smaller and very comfortable. A good atmosphere I felt safe in a good area of town. There are some instructors there who are DAMN good and have the passion to go above and beyond, inspire their students and help them in any way they can. Financial Assistance was very helpful and friendly- couldn't have done it without them, plus the woman who recruited me opened my eyes to what my real passion was before I made the mistake of going lost into a 4 year "traditional education". ITT is what you may consider a "nerd" school... but the truth is, you get all sorts of people. Yes, some are arrogant and competitive. So many are friendly and the class sizes are so small that you get the opportunity to connect with others and I have life long friends from my expierence. We were a team and helped each other get to graduation, that is priceless. I think what helped make schooling more practical for me by my choice at ITT was that it was a focused degree, for something in specific I really wanted to do in the future- I got that but also a job in the field 1 year into my schooling. I also had to hold down a job full time during the day, so the night classes were what made it possible for my success.

Cons: Yes, I do agree it is a bit overly expensive. If financial aide weren't an option, this would not have been an option. There are also some staff members on the Tempe campus who are less than pleasant or desireable. When one tells you to "Hit F1 for the help menu" when asking a question and expecting instruction... it can get frustrating. There were one or two instructors who just didn't seem to care much, have any passion or want to be there to educate. That is not speaking for all campuses! I also was dissatisfied with the administration when I brought forth complaints of the lack of education I was receiving from some of these instructors- it seems they always took the administrative side. Go figure... Another con is that if you are well aware of all the material before even taking the class, they do fail to tell you that you can take an exam to "test out" and gain the credits by proving you already know the material (thus saving you money!) Go figure they pull that one, too. I learned the hard way. On top of what it costs to attend, I also payed $500 for books and materials. I can honestly say I never used ANY "materials" unless it was on my own personal terms. The books I only used 60% of them. Why give out a full "hand drafting" kit and force pay on it when we are there for COMPUTER drafting, not involving anything pencil or material-wise!? That pissed me off. Half of my supply fee was wasted. But like I said- you'll have cons with any school. There will always be something that won't work well or settle well with you. Goes with the territory of life! So my advice to anyone considering ITT, just research the campus you want to attend in general, first. It is a good place for education specified to one area in a good time frame and flexible schedule. The quality really does depend on the campus of choice (as would the facility and student body). So what if it isn't "traditional"?! I graduated runner up for valadictorian and gained 'Graduate of the Quarter' because I had the desire to persue what I wanted. I have been in my field for 5 years now (with TWO jobs) gaining one half-way through my schooling. It was worth it for me. Sometimes you have to take the negative aspects and jump over that bump in the road to get what you really want.