Full Sail University Reviews

Their degrees are not valid in the real world and leave students in extreme debt. Do not be fooled by their marketing. This is not a school! It is a high priced amusement park.

Well I went and currently in the Masters if Internet marketing program. I got my bachelors in Digital cinematography. With the degree alone I can't say I got a job with it cause I have my own hosting business.

As for the accreditation I was able to get a in the alternative teacher program to teach technology applications in the school district here in Frisco, TX so technically I am working now at first I was doing PR however it was not challenging I switch to masters in marketing which is bit hard either depending on your personal goals would be to determine if this is the right school I have never had a problem when it came to being an accredited school

For anyone thinking about the school - go somewhere else - my experience starts when I could have done a job transfer at a popular retailer in the area like most college students do, but reject due to the school itself & nothing on my side that was even before going. This was my first red flag & it didn't leave ever since. These negative reviews are always going to be more right than any of the positives which sadly made even the nicest person a recruiter for a cult.

I want to start with this statement "you get want you out into it", I went through a burnout just to be there even if I did well & showed my talents in projects. I also worked there & didn't get a chance to move up like everyone should. So, imagine that - I wish I just got to go somewhere else & making it happen. So, that isn't true & if you are in situation where you are burning out like that - that is a very dangerous statement. And if you are this type of student - BS!

I had a classmate who hated the major to the point of just not showing up & made the group do all their work. This is in a lot of reviews - and it creates a false image of the school that students need to completely stop for this reason alone - it is too much like a cult or a pyramid scheme to do that. The school's policies except for the clause about negative comments (hint this comment is why it doesn't work) are so badly forced that I saw classmates who have been even kicked, come back & just become more popular. There is a lot of bullying at the school & it does go to the sexual parts.

I was in a sexual harassment case where I had to drop it because I was to look like a stripper when I wasn't because it was reported to a teacher & all I got was an email that was very clearly a trap that I didn't respond to it (for very good reason). I wanted out as long as I got that & only believe they had the opportunity I was seeking except I found other places for the same opportunity. Background checks are needed as many students are just around questionable people that just manipulate others to point of being taken advantage of - if the group you were in wasn't strong enough to say no - it was a nightmare for you.

The school stalks your social media accounts & if you are thinking - they will act fast to keep you. This is the only personal part - I went to a job interview that the school disagree with & forced out to bring me to work in an office when I didn't state & was only using what others thought just to keep me in a toxic place. I was getting gaslighted on job postings & I know this as one of my job postings had a skill I didn't require enough of to make a career of. They do this to every single student they don't like. I learned that I was getting better responses with a community college degree from another state than Florida & job postings from Indeed that when they finally did the last act to keep me there - I just wanted to do a college transfer which is why if the comment - if you love to be in a career in the media - don't go here - most will have to leave & will be in misery.

Also, I'm making it clear - to anyone who hates full sail & going there right - get out before the degree including your last class - I know, but graduation- this school doesn't care & take care of your health & have a part time job - it will get more than being called a recruiter for a college that has that same behaviors as the MLM selling leggings that rip holes even before you wear that.

I really do not understand how people had a negative experience at full sail. If you do the work, and use the resources, you learn a lot. I was in the graphic design program and learned more at full sail than I did at a large university.

I was online , and yes you have to had a little more drive, but my portfolio was large and had projects in every area in GD. was able to land a job in a month.

Not sure why you guys are speaking so negative about Full Sail University, I am a 2 time graduate and I loved their programs, they have taught me everything I need to know for the real world. I have received an handsome raise at my job.

I know several alumni such that work in very lucrative jobs in the music industry (Leslie Brathwaithe Grammy award winning producer) as well as the movie industry (Keicon Cherry-The Voice, Katalynn Crawford-Fox Sports). Do your research before jumping on the bandwagon of negativity.

Full Sail is not a traditional school but is well worth it. By the way other universities do in fact accept their credits but also remember each university doesn't have to accept any credits from any school so singling out Full Sail isn't fair. Any questions please feel free to email me at [email protected].

I am EPTV Channel 22 Station Manger or you can got to Eastpointcity.org and look under the office of communications and find my information. Thanks to Full Sail and my education I was able to obtain this job.

Mike Dimock

You're better off pursuing a practical degree path. Financial aid is a joke. They WILL find a way to keep your approved Financial Aid money from you. Instructors offer little, if any, assistance with assignments.

COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!

I went to Full Sail university and I have to say, it was NOT WORTH the money. I'm now $60k in debt and unable to pay. They promised job placement and have offered none. They promised a comprehensive education in my field and NONE of the instructors had ever even worked in the field. Hell, I found that one of the courses; every single test was taken (word for word) from another college's tests. It's a farce and I really hope that people are able to see through the crappy value they offer better than I did.

Attended Full Sail in the summer of 2013, By 2014 I was disillusioned. Playing games was a common theme. Work pace of lessons too quick and nothing is transferable. I took web development, why they were pushing gameplay is beyond me. Another issue was with communication. This high tech school was using AOL IM! I wonder what they now use since AOL finally pulled the plug on that ancient architecture.

I graduated from the Internet Marketing online master's program in 2016. Guys, I really wanted to believe that the program was worth it. I really did.

I started out with considerable work experience in the field, so I thought that a higher degree was the smartest next step. I bought the motivational discourse and chose to "invest in myself".

2 years after graduation, I am still unemployed. This degree has left me in major debt and zero help from their Career Placement office. They called me once to see if I was working, but apparently "working on a project" qualifies as self-employed, which means you are not their problem anymore.

This is what makes Full Sail a scam.

Why is it scam? The government requires for-profit schools to maintain a 30% employement placement rate in order to receive federal funding. By categorizing graduates who are freelancing (ie. Struggling to survive and defaulting student loans) as "employed", Full Sail is meeting that minimum with a loophole. So they not only scam you, they're scamming tax payers, too!

Sure, you can't expect them to find you a job. However, you ARE assured that you will receive interview coaching, help with your resume, and a lot of other crap that simply is NOT true.

To make matters worse, the Internet Marketing field is so over-saturated that their "degree" is worth shit. The master's online program is nothing but an overview of topics that are general knowledge, at a pace so ridiculous that it makes you believe that you're learning something.

I've started deleting FSU from my resumes and applications to improve my chances, and I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that it will get shut down one day. Full Sail is the worst mistake I've ever made.

This school is absolutely terrible, you could learn most of what they teach through Youtube and Lydia. Its not worth how much money you're putting into the programs and the credits are non transferable. The staff is not looking out for your best interest and only want your money.

I am a former student AND Full Sail employee. I worked in the admissions department for a year before enrolling and graduating from the Film Program in 2000.

Worst decision I have made in my entire adult life. Seriously, if I could change just ONE thing, I would never set foot on the Winter Park property.

When reading reviews, notice the following: GREAT reviews come, most often, from current students or people who have gone on the tour and are considering enrolling. The few other positive reviews come from the same few people who post repeatedly. One has to wonder if those "cheerleaders" are getting paid to advocate for this "school".

The majority of negative reviews come from graduated alum who now have no job in their field, but staggering loan payments. (You are more likely to have to move back in with your parents than finding a real job in your field.)

Notice, as well, how the same lines are repeated, over and over again in the positive reviews: you get what you put in to it. You can't succeed if you are lazy. You didn't finish, so you were never fit for it to begin with.

I heard that brainwashing EVERY DAY, even 17 years ago. These people are just repeating what they are told and desperately want to believe... I mean, for the kind of money they are paying, who can blame them?

Truth is: Full Sail profits greatly from lies and propaganda and cashing in on people's dreams. That last one is what really burns my *ss.

Do current students like it? Sure they do! But consider this: would you sink yourself into debt for the bulk of your adult life just to attend Space Camp? It's a great experience, sure, but at its completion, you are not an astronaut and you will not be going into space. It really won't matter how good your grades were.

I was at the top of my class, moved to Chicago two weeks after graduation, and despite my hustle, learned to go hungry.

A few people WILL find work, for sure. Good for them, really. You could also play the lottery, and maybe, eventually, you'll win big and never have to work again.

The worst part of it is that people DO work hard, they DO hustle afterwards. They go hungry, live with their parents, agree to work unpaid internships and end up with careers at Walmart.

It's the SCHOOL that isn't working for its high-paying students.

For the price, Full Sail simply does not benefit even half of its graduates in the "Real World".

Full Sail Fails.

Amelia Lasar -2000

I didn't go to full sail and am considering enrolling in either the audio production or music business bachelors program. I can't give any input about Full Sail, however, I did attend and graduate from an audio technology program about a year ago and can attest to what all of these Full Sail grads are saying about securing employment in the industry. I know engineers who don't have a lick of higher education (some not even having a high school diploma) who are doing very well for themselves as freelance engineers. I also know engineers who graduated from schools like SAE (where I studied) and Full Sail who either own and run successful studios or get steady engineering work as freelancers. There are people achieving success at all kinds of companies in my field and I PROMISE you that the ONE thing employers in the music industry care about more than anything is EXPERIENCE. And if you don't have that, you BETTER be happy getting coffee, making food and beverage runs, cleaning the dishes and bathroom, taking out garbage, and doing any documentation an assistant engineer would do for a lead engineer on top of all of the intern stuff. These expectations aren't because you're a rookie or because where you got your degree isn't impressive, but rather to see how badly you really want to be there. And if you do want to be there, you will do all these things happily and patiently wait for that golden moment to step up to the plate when an engineer is needed and the lead engineer has an emergency at home. This isn't how you get your foot in the door but how you kick it down, guns blazing, ready to show and prove you do the job better than the engineer they initially booked anyway. I have been able to secure a lot of freelance work since graduating from SAE Miami (a FOR-PROFIT school that ONLY awards certificates), and the pay is really good too. The work isn't very consistent but that is because I am still building my brand. Im confident that an education from Full Sail (or one of the other universities I am considering) will earn me the knowledge I need to apply to my business and take it to the next level. Stop making excuses. If I can find employment in the entertainment industry with a simple certificate, there is no excuse for someone with an actual degree to not find work. No school anywhere on the planet, promises or guarantees job placement. Thats a very stupid reason to slander an institution for higher learning and shows me that your lack of success is your own fault and that you lack the maturity to accept responsibility for your own life. Grads from Harvard and Yale and Stanford even have to network to find the jobs of their dreams (if they aren't coming up with their own ideas to make money). Why should grads from an art school be handed anything ? When I read all of the griping and see all of the incessant scrutiny on youtube, its obvious the people making the comments are just bitter because they thought they were going to be able to coast through an art school and land a job at SKYWALKER RANCH right out the gate. Thats just pathetic. You all sound like a bunch entitled brats that were never told "no" and given participation ribbons for every competition you didn't place in. The school has been operating for almost 40 years and began as full sail recording workshop. After ONLY a year of educating, they received so many awards for education, they were able to change their name to Full Sail College. And it wasn't long after that they had everything they needed to call themselves a University. Bottom line is, this school is doing something right. The main reason its come this far at all is because of all of the recognitions for education. Do your research. Naysayers are usually only naysayers because they are cantdoers and quit because of it. The entertainment industry is a competitive industry. Its the one industry almost EVERYONE wishes and dreams they could work in but don't even make an attempt to because of how intimidating it is. Well, its intimidating for a reason. Its the DREAM COME TRUE career for damn near any american.

I graduated from Full Sail summer 2016, valedictorian of my program. My program was 100% on line, audio production. Looking back I can honestly say I probably could have learned most of it myself via YouTube, Lynda, etc. there are tons of well produced tutorials on line that can teach you just about anything recording related. With that said it still was a great experience for me. I learned a lot, made great connections, and am the better for it. It's really about your personal goals. Mine is to teach youth, so the benefits of going through the program off me are different than most. Do you need to go there to make it in the industry and learn recording? No. Really depends on your end goals

look I know what I'm getting myself into with FSU And I know it'll cost me a lot of money but I start my classes in may and It's always been my dream to work with games! And nothing comes easy not even dreams it take's hard work and the way I see it is just like with everyone else they are just giving me the tools to do so it just depends on what you do with it you can sit around and complain or apply yourself it get it done!

It's too expensive for what you get, they are really good at selling you a reality that doesn't exist in their environment. Not even close to the quality of learning you get on a normal university. Go to a real university, one that has a respected accreditation in the world of education.

I started at Full Sail University in July of 2015, pursuing a B.S in Game Design. Currently I am in my second year of online courses and I think I can give it a solid four star review. As some reviews have stated above, FSU isn't easy and it is expensive. FSU claims that with at least 25-30 hours worth of work you will succeed, while this may be true for some, for others like myself who have a full time job and a family, it can be very difficult. But I am succeeding because I want to. It's all about what you put into it. If you think you can just sit back, relax and collect a good grade, you're wrong. There is a lot of hard work that needs to get done and you need to devote your time to FSU or else you will not learn properly.

I see a lot of reviews about FSU using Lynda.com and YouTube a lot for their assignments, but to be honest, that's most schools. I have family members and friends who tell me the same stories about campus schools. But Full Sail also has some really great courses where I have learned more in those 4 weeks than I ever have before. It's all about the individual, if you want to learn, you will, if you want to succeed, you will. Sure, FSU has some courses that don't really apply to your degree of choice, or are sometimes "poorly" taught, but I realized that even this boring classes offer something. Maybe they taught me how to write better, or send a more professional looking e-mail. It's these little things that go a long way in my opinion.

So, to make a long story short, I am really enjoying my time at FSU, I have spoken with many industry professionals who have also attended FSU and they all greatly enjoyed their time there and do not regret a second of it. Sure, it's a little expensive, but I have already landed a part-time paid job in the gaming industry and I'm only about half way through the program. So please, do your research and talk to ACTUAL people who have spent time at FSU. I did, and I made the choice to attend. I don't regret it.

This Spag person seems like an employee lol

I'm a former Full Sail University student. I graduated in September of 2013 from the Game Art Degree program. I was class Valedictorian, Advanced Achiever Recipient, and got 3 course directors awards. After graduating I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area at the beginning of 2014 to look for jobs. I did a some art tests but found no luck. Then I moved to LA at the end of 2014 to try and find a job. To make the story shorter: At Siggraph 2015 I saw someone from career development from Full Sail and talked to him. Turns out he was looking for companies to recruit because Full Sail was holding an alumni network event just for Full Sail graduates in LA and wanted companies to be there and see if any of us could be a good fit for them. BINGO! I was interviewed by a company called The Third Floor Inc. Right away they offered me a paid apprenticeship for 3 months and if my work was good, I was then going to be hired as a junior artist. On the other hand, a friend of mine was also interviewed by them and got the job right away. He had industry experienced before, so no apprenticeship was needed for him. On January of 2016 I started my apprenticeship with Third Floor and in April 2016 I was hired as a Junior Artist and I have been there since then. I love working for them and the wait was definitely worth it!

Most of my closest friends from Full Sail got industry jobs. Some of them took a longer time to find it than others. Most of the people that I know that went to Full Sail that got jobs are very talented and hard working people. Unfortunately I do know of some friends that didn't get job after graduation and are still looking for jobs and the worst of all is that most students that go there, only a few graduate and the few that graduate, only a few get jobs. So why is it that some of us make it and some of us do not? Well, this is where I believe Full Sail fails and there are 2 main reasons for this:

A) They accept everyone. Regardless if this person is talented or not for their degree, they will accept him/her and as long as they can pay for it, they will keep going there. Some students do really bad work, and even though we are all still learning, some of them were not meant for their degree, even if it is their passion and what they want to do. A lot of students don't do that well in their classes because for some reason they don't take it seriously. They think that Full Sail is the type of college that you can actually go out and get drunk and unfortunately it isn't. I noticed that the newest students that get in are recent high school graduates and are still too young to figure things out and therefore they get bad results.

B) Some instructors do not teach as good as they should. In some classes I learned really good stuff, in others I barely learned anything and I completely blame the teachers for this. A lot of them got prior industry experience, unfortunately just because they had industry experience doesn't mean they can teach. They might have a lot of knowledge and experience, but it takes a special type of person to be able to be a mentor. Unfortunately what I learned in some classes I could learn over the internet. They definitely need to re-enforce this!

The entertainment industry could care less about your degree. They are not going to deny you a job just because you graduated from this school or any other school. If this were true, how is it that I got a job and so did my friends and other students that got really good jobs? Eventually they have what is required: a very good portfolio that can give you an entry level position to a company/studio, then you start to build up resume and walk up the ladder. No other way to put it. Unfortunately because of point A that I mentioned before, most students that eventually graduate end up with a poor portfolio or a portfolio that doesn't stand out from the rest.

My conclusion is that Full Sail could be a better university! And if I were them I would make the program at least 30 months for the same price. I don't regret going there because I believe that part of learning also comes from what we decide to do. How much students put into is is how much they get back. Full Sail will give you the pencil and show you how to draw, but you are the one that is going to have to draw by yourself and practice as much as you can.

I probably will be in debt for the rest of my life, but to me waking up everyday and loving what I do and not hating my job (like most people do) has no price. This might sound crazy but I rather be in debt and doing what I love from Monday through Friday and getting paid for it, than not be in debt and hate my job from Monday through Friday waiting for the weekend to rest from my job because I hate it. What is the point of living like that?

I recommend Full Sail to those who are talented and have some type of "experience" in whatever they are going to do. Nonetheless there are some degrees that are a waste of time and you are better off learning by yourself. Nonetheless thanks to Full Sail I manage to get this industry job and I hope that now I will walk up the ladder! It wasn't easy but definitely not impossible! However, I also recommend looking at other options and see what fits for you. College is not for everyone and Full Sail is not for everyone either. Good luck out there!

My son graduated from Full Sail in the Recording Arts program. The school was very expensive, but his hard work, determination assisted him in getting in the industry. Full Sail did play a big part in his success. He was able to obtain an internship after graduating and the rest is history. He has several credits as an audio engineer with some very well known artist and producers. He has worked on Grammy nominated projects, and has received several RIAA awards for his work. This school is not for everyone. There are a very small number of people who actually make a success out of being graduates of this school. I was not in favor originally, as I believe a traditional education would be more beneficial. My son tells me all the time he is glad he didn't listen to me. It can happen if you remain dedicated and an unwavering mind.

I graduated with many honors from Full Sail University and worked my butt off to get them. After all, once someone has paid the money to begin their education, employment is needed to fulfill the obligation, and even if you withdraw, the monetary obligation remains.

The school seemed to study the students as much as the students were learning. They'd administer questionnaires inquiring of our interests in the field we were signed up to learn. While some of the instructors took pride in what the students were learning and provided valuable feedback, the amount can be counted on one hand. Many of them were so concerned with flaunting their tailfeathers with past experiences or spouting off videos they'd discovered through Vimeo and YouTube that we could have located ourselves, the cost of $1,300/month was a waste. Personal opinions also seemed to clutter their judgment, rather than the work performance, in delivering grades.

The focus was generic, dabbling here and there, but not giving core concepts to the field of interest. In the particular course of Creative Writing, we learned one month of gaming, one month of screenwriting, etc., but weren't able to venture into the core of the subject unless we continued with a Master's program.

Afterward, I found that in this field the degree doesn't qualify for nearly what was anticipated. If you're wanting a bachelor's degree, you can get that from any accredited school for a fraction of the cost. If you're more in tune with what you want to study, locate individual classes online -- some colleges offer courses al a carte.

As with anything costly, I would suggest you do your due diligence in making the determination that fits your needs.