The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire

My daughter goes here. She LOVES this place. She is enrolled in Game Art & Design. I’ve seen her art grow and watched her grow with it. Granted she’s still in her first year, however, I wouldn’t want to change this past year for her at all!

Great education and students. We come here to eat at the culinary restaurant seasons. Most people don’t realize you can go to this gourmet restaurant with amazing chefs and future chefs. I am happy to support the arts and highly recommend you come here to learn from the best or just to eat an amazing meal.

I’m biased as I work for school but I am also a student in the Game Design Program so I think it warrants a review. You get out of it what you put into it. Game design is not for everyone but at least here if you have the desire and work ethic to learn they will teach you. It is hard work and there is no guarantees. Teachers are knowledgeable and care about there students. It’s not perfect but it’s good! Plus there are tons of free to attend workshops bringing talent to the I.E. From all over the entertainment design community!

I’m writing this review based on the free workshops that are offered every few months during the year. I did not attend The Art Institute and I will not have any comment on their programs. What I am reviewing are the workshops which center around conceptual art and the artist that the workshop is about. Every workshop that I have attended has been amazing. A few of the presenters have been Riot Games, Khang Le, Neville Page, Maciej Kuciara, Kim Jung Gi, Tyler West and Jomaro Kindred. The list of talent goes on and on. They all share their stories and their art techniques through live demonstrations. The only price is the long drive out to San Bernardino. But to have free access to these talented artists is priceless. I can’t wait for the next workshop!

Today’s open house was impressive and understandable why students want to go to this school. The instructors rock!

Worst experience ever attending this school I’ve had a teacher pick on me other peers making me cry just the worst school also they take all ur money and don’t wanna help you with nothing

I graduated from this school this past December. The only reason I am giving it more then one star is because of the teachers that I have had there. The teachers that I had are so good and caring. They made each and every one of their classes feel like a family and I am grateful from what I learned and experienced from my teachers at this school. The school it’s self is not good they tell you anything to get you to sign up. They screw your over when it comes to financial aid, grants and loans. It seemed like every quarter I was fighting with the financial aid and accounting departments. I personally wouldn’t recommend people going to this school just for that reason. All they want is money and don’t really care about you as a person. But I really did love all of the instructors that I had while I was there.

Love the FREE workshops that go on thanks to the staff. Many more in the future as well. The workshops also help with knowing the standards for the industry.

I have personally attended this school for close to two years and I would NOT recommend it to anyone looking to pursue graphic design. However, I did meet quite a few culinary students that seemed to be satisfied with their program, but I would advise anyone looking into the GD program to look elsewhere. If you have that kind of money to spend, it would be better spent on another school. I am still paying off student debt that I acquired over 5 years ago now and with nothing to show for it. The school is not responsible for making you a successful graphic designer, I will admit it takes more than just an education to bring success. However, I cannot recall a single person who graduated from this program and went on to be a successful designer and I think there’s something to be said about that. Please reconsider this school, it’s easy to get in and they are all very accommodating and encouraging in the application/​orientation process but it’s incredibly over priced for the sort of education you’re receiving in return. Please consider the number of students who drop out before graduation, please consider the sort of money you will be making as a graphic designer IF you make it through your program and graduate (assuming you find a job right out of school). Will that income allow you to live comfortably as well as cover your student debt? I met some very nice people through the art institute both staff and students, some that I became very close with and some that were very compassionate and helped me in my personal life, but strictly speaking from an educational stand point… I don’t feel the education I received was worth the price they are asking for. Hope this helps.

Just came back from a recent workshop held at the Art Institute of CA — IE, and for the past 5 to 6 years they’ve constantly held some of the best, free workshops in Southern California. It is absolutely unheard of having industry heavyweight Neville Page give a free workshop sharing his secrets, or having the one and only Kim Jung Gi come all the way to little San Bernardino to draw for students. Time after time this school has brought out some of the most exclusive and premier artists such as Tyler Wests, Jason Scheier, legend Marshall Vandruff, Jon Park, and I can’t even count it on my hand. Tom Brillante has a knack for being able to pull some of the biggest names and hard hitting artists to little old Ai, and has helped make a name for the school out in San Bernardino.
Honestly, I haven’t attended the school in over 4 years, so I’m unsure as to how the school is academically, but all I can say is no other school in Southern California, let alone academy, offers the 5-​star workshops that this school does. Easily puts it on the map for anyone who wishes to pursue any entertainment job.

Do not fill out their online application! You will get calls from them non-​stop! Different people every time. So it’s impossible to tell them you’re no longer interested.

When I first started it was horrible! I was told promises that were complete lies while thinking of enrolling. Once they told me these «lies» I believed them and began my enrollment. Little did I know I was in for a rude awakening.
Then you pay ALL this money for school. Yet many programs or items are not included with this HUGE amount you’re paying. In al honesty, I wouldn’t really recommend this school to anyone I know.
Don’t get me wrong the instructors I’ve had so far are so fantastic. They help in anyway possibly and understand those financial problems and stress.
But their admissions and other employees are HORRIBLE.
For example The man at the front desk was so RUDE to me it was crazy. I was seriously speechless because of how rude he was. I just walked out.
So from my current experiences. I say go research a lot more. Look at other school and keep your options open. Don’t just settle for this.

They threw away the students’ artwork without even informing them! They blamed it on a minor flood but the works were sealed on high cabinets! They did not tell the students they threw their work out nor did they give us a chance to see if our work was alright. This just shows me they don’t care about our artwork. The «oh well attitude» I received from the staff just puts alcohol on the burn. All they care about is money from us!
Not even an apology or compensation. The higher ups wanted everyone keep the incident hush! They had no right! They should have told the students. They had no right to throw away the students art work! It was not their decision to throw it away. We have to give them permission to display our work but no permission to throw our work away? What about all that copyright talks they give us. Where is our compensation for all the money and time we put into our work?
No excuse to throw it out and not even inform the students!
The institution’s #1 promise was to help us find jobs at the end of the year! But How are we going to present our portfolios to employers at the end of the year??? What will we show potential employers?

I am super happy with this school so far! My son will be attending this September to get his BA in Median Arts and Animation so I will definitely know more in the next 4 years. As of today I have been on several tours and LOVE the campus. New and fresh and clean! Always building and renovating which I like. Students there are exceptionally nice and talented. So are the teachers and staff. My daughter did a one week Art/​Photography Camp just about a month ago and she had an amazing time. It helped her to prepare for College when she graduates in 2014. I would highly recommend this school. I have a great feeling my son is going to enjoy himself and master his skills by attending this school. Also, on another note. I notice they are strong on security. I thought that was really cool. Nothing like a school with strong security to make your son/​daughter feel very safe. (And the parents, too!)

I’ve been at this school for almost two years now. I’ve had my ups and downs. I find it sad that I can go to one of there competitors and get a computer within my tuition with the programs I need and the tuition is a lot less. Where at ai I have to fight for a free computer in the «open labs» I think its ridiculous that with the tuition I pay that the school can’t afford to provide me a computer and the programs so I can succeed at school. Im only just gwetting by with my projects with what I have. But I want to excel at what I love. I only stay here because my instructors are great and if I transferred elsewhere id be back at square one. Don’t waste your money here.

Stay away! My son was dropped, owes a ton of money and nothing to show. He was sent a letter, dated ⁹⁄₂₇. It stated he had until ⁹⁄₂₈ to write a letter for reconsideration. The envelope was dated ¹⁰⁄₁ and we received it on ¹⁰⁄₃. Now we have a bill that isn’t correct and is $ 4000 more then before they drop him. This school is a scam, they are being sued by the state and federal government.
We don’t know why he is dropped, haven’t seen the courses he supposedly failed, then they claimed it is GPA, yet they don’t report what are the problem grades.

This review is just on Seasons, the Institutes Restaurant. Gone twice now. The first time we just walked in, no reservations. The waitress was SO NERVOUS, I felt so bad for her. It was very awkward. She was sweet though. Not sure if these students have any training really beforehand. Service was sooooooooooo slow. Drinks came out right before the food. We did get «bread» before the food AND drinks which was 2 tiny tiny tiny pieces of bread served to each of us on our own plate. Very goofy.
Food took absolutely forever to come. Good thing this is place is super small because had their been more diners, it would have been even longer. The 3 of us were there over and hour and half and this was on a 30 minute lunch break… horrible.
I got the chicken curry sandwich and 72 hour fries and it was worth the wait in my opinion. VERY good. I loved it. The sandwich was HUGE, so flavorful, and it was seasoned so well. Could have gotten more fries with the meal, I think it came with like 7. Yeah, I counted only because there were so few it was easy to.
Prices at this place are WAY WAY WAY TOO expensive for the service you get and sometimes even for the food (see 2^nd visit). THANKFULLY they give my company 50% off or else I would not go.
2^nd visit was just as bad when it came to service. This time I ordered prior to going so the food would be ready when we came in. They set a table aside and it said RESERVED so we didn’t have to worry about waiting to sit. Our drinks did not come out right away again and this time we were not offered bread (HA!).
It still took about 10 minutes or so to get the food I already ordered and asked to have ready at 12:45. My husband loved his steak and fries but my pan seared chicken was just so pathetic. Sad really. It was smaller than my palm with 3 green beans and it appeared to be about ½ of a ½ of a potato. Again, had I been paying full price I would not come and even at 50% this time I almost felt it was so not worth it. I asked for the dessert menu 3 different times to finally have someone say they only had ice-​cream. LAME!
Two girls across from us were seated before we came and by the time we left one of them still did not have her food!!! The one who got her salad obviously felt bad and was not eating until her friends food arrived but by then it had been almost 20 minutes. Pretty bad timing.
With all this, I WOULD go again for that chicken curry sandwich, omg it was delish. This time I would still pre-​order but to-​GO. Sitting inside is just so awkward and I don’t want to do that again for a third time.

i been going to school here since the school opened in 2006, i enrolled here as an animation student, then switched to graphic design bachelors then associates due to financial situation.
despite the high tuition, i will talk about the teachers, so far they have the best teachers out there. when i was in animation, they brought out high experience teachers from video game/​high-​end animation studio industry. and i learned a lot from them. sadly i had to switch because i learned that i hated 3D so i switched to graphic design bachelors, then it turns out that for being here too long, im running out of grants so it made me switch to associates, but you learn from the best, and plus you meet with other mentors, they really help you out finding a job, and they occasionally bring speakers, from the high industry and they share their experience with you.
not only that, they have the most updated computer labs in campus, every year they update their programs so you can have the best and most updated resources out there.
so even though the tuition is very high, but you’re also here to learn and do what you love, and if this is the best option for you then go for it. for me, being here is like my 2^nd home, but dont think drawing is easy, cause things gets very challenging and hard, but as long as you work hard, you will definitely reach your dreams.

The primary focus of the Art Institute — Inland Empire is to suck as much money out of you as they can for as little value as they can provide.
I hate to sound cynical, but there it is.
They tried to push me into degree programs I do not require, «financial aid» consists of listing their payment plans, and the male receptionist is quite possibly the most unprofessional person I’ve ever encountered at a business. It’s a meat market.
I realize in southern CA your options are limited, but if you can, try to get into an accredited school where your credits can be transferred to another institution, if possible. At this school, you need to sign a waiver stating that you understand they may not transfer, NOT EVEN TO A SISTER SCHOOL within the AI family.