Full Sail University

Date: Nov 06 2012
Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)
I can't speak for students in degree programs here that teach graphic arts or game design, but if you're here to learn the modern technology and practices behind recording and producing music, go somewhere else. First off, it's $80,000 for a two-year Bachelor's degree. Lotta money. They recently bumped up the price from $72,000 after they included Pro Tools in the included software for students (an $8,000 increase per student for a $250 software package). It would be fine if they taught you all you'd ever need to know about the subject, but they don't…at all. You can expect to learn two things while at Full Sail: a) how to be minimally proficient at working a large mixing console and b) how to be a good little Pro Tools monkey, all the while being constantly told that no matter what, your first 4 or 5 years in the industry after school will be spent making coffee for your overlord producer bosses anyway. Great, so why am I even here? A funny thing about it is that though it's called a "Recording Arts" degree, you may spend 8 hours a YEAR actually doing any recording. In fact, at least a quarter of your time here will be spent in redundant classes like math or writing, which most schools have to have for regional accreditation. Except…Full Sail is not regionally accredited…Yeah, think about that one. My main goal in coming here was to learn the technical practices of modern music, just like most people who come here, but almost all of the knowledge I have about the topic was gained through personal time spent using my software and videos online, mostly Youtube. One thing Full Sail definitely does well is advertising. They market their school to a vulnerable demographic (kids who want to make it in the music industry), and lure them in with false promises before getting their hands on a boat load of their money. If you want to learn how to produce modern music, get yourself a Macbook and maybe sign up for a good online music production degree like those from Berklee Music or Dubspot. You'll learn a lot more and actually be learning the things you want to learn. I laughed a bit when looking at this critique and realizing that the only things I rated well were the school's security, cleanliness, and maintenance. Once they get your money, they're sure to use it to buy lots of expensive gear you'll rarely get to use, keep it all in good shape, and have plenty of security to keep thieving hands off it. Another grievance I have with Full Sail which may or may not be the school's fault but is none-the-less important to guys is that if you're in the Recording Arts degree program as I was, expect for girl sightings to be like Big Foot sightings. In a class of 80 students, 3 or 4 may be girls, 1 or 2 attractive girls. The ones who are attractive have boyfriends already and will have 4 or more male students hounding them for attention at all times. I know I'm no prize anyway, but when you put a bunch of nerdy, down-on-their-luck, overworked, desperate young men in an environment where one of life's basic pleasures is even more guaranteed to be out of their reach, spirits don't stay high. Add that to the chaotic class hours, sometimes grueling project deadlines, apathetic teachers, and frustrating lack of real education, and the morale of the place stays about as high as that of a North Korean Gulag. If you want to be an audio engineer and have your hands tied with Pro Tools quick keys doing 20+ hour shifts editing the vocals of Disney pop stars for the rest of your life, Full Sail is for you; otherwise, don't waste a great deal of your time and money here. I've found out recently how greedy and underhanded Full Sail can be after they get you to sign your money away. I told them months ago I wanted to withdraw, taking my (worthless) Associates Degree and leaving, and they've since charged me another $20,000, including a charge for a class I told them I wouldn't be there for. When trying to speak with someone at the school to resolve the charges, I only get the run-around. I go to one place, they tell me I need to go to another, round and round I go. Please, it's too late for me, but don't fall into Full Sail's schemes yourself. It's a trap!