FullSail school in Winter Park, Orlando

[dtmoney]

Maybe my friends are the problem, huh? Ok.

Maybe next time I'll think twice before I try to help strangers. God forbid I have an opinion that's different from yours.

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

Don't you think it is an extreme statement to say "avoid Full Sail at all costs"? The constructive thing to say would be make sure you are right for the program and to talk to lots of people to get the pros and cons and make your own decision. I don't think you were helping anybody.

[tamcim72]

BOTH of my brothers in law attended....one is doing EXCELLENT in his field working for a well known company, the other barely works. They have totally different personalities and the one that is doing so well is a real go getter type A personality. I think it's like any education....it doesn't guarantee a job...you have to make it happen.

[dtmoney]

Yes, it is an extreme statement. That was the point. Due to my experiences with students from that school, I feel like the best way I can help people is to tell them to avoid it at all costs, much like you think the best way you can help people is to recommend they go there.

I have no problem with you recommending they go there. I don't think you should have a problem with me saying people should avoid the school. I thought the point of these forums was to hear the opinions of many different people. No?

To be honest, I tried to be as positive as I could in my initial post. I didn't air out all the different reasons I have for saying people should avoid the school.

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

Personally, I would never recommend just anybody to Full Sail. People have to understand this is an accellerated program and not everyone has the stamina to pull it off. The information you offer is 2nd hand, from your friends. If your friends were offering the information, it would be more credible. My 2nd hand information is directly from my daughter whom lives with me and someone I've known for 20+ yrs. I see her enthusiasm and love for the school. I see her grade point average, I see character with regard to her living and breathing the program. That's all the information that I can offer but she would personally love to answer anyone's questions. When someone says to avoid it at all costs, I just think that is such a gross understatement.

Also if your friends graduated awhile ago, I have heard there have been many changes there.

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

I just think that is such a gross understatement.

Sorry - I meant misrepresentation

[dtmoney]

The fact that you discredit my source because it is second hand when your source is also second hand speaks for itself. I lived with two of my friends while they were attending full sail. I still live with them two years later. I know all about their experiences with the programs (film and recording). Much in the same way you know your daughter and that is good enough for you to take her as a credible source, I know my friends and that is good enough for me to take them as credible sources.

Perhaps it is just my perception, but it feels like you have repeatedly implied my friends are lazy or somehow otherwise responsible for having bad experiences with full sail. I'm not going to get defensive, but let me say if I am correct and that is what you believe, then let me tell you I appreciate that about as much as you would like it if I assailed the character of your daughter.

I don't want to be rude and I am tired of arguing about this. My patience is wearing thin. I really don't want to keep going back and forth about it, so this will be my last post on the matter. I repeat my initial statement that this school should be avoided. My concerns are not over the accellerated nature of the program. Should anyone be interested in hearing my reasons, I will be happy to share them.

Thanks for welcoming me so warmly to the city-data.com forums! My initial post in this forum was only my second post ever.

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

My last post too. Who's arguing, I'm not. Just making some positive reinforced statements to your negative. As you said, isn't what these boards are about? All I'm saying is what the other poster said as well. Everyone is different with their career searches depending on their personalities. I'm not implying your friends are lazy but when you present a picture of total strangers having bad experiences, how do we, as readers, know thier whole story. That's all. Maybe they made a bad choice going to Full Sail in the first place? You really should know your limitations and not be star struck attending this school because a lot of young kids are. Not saying your friends were!

I repeat my initial statement too. It can be a great school if you're serious.

By the way, welcome to city data boards. Once you've been around long enough, you will see exactly how negative and frustating this place can be!

[gorkysmith]

Originally Posted by ANewChapter

Wow thank you everyong for all the info! My best friend and I want to go for the film degree so we can learn all aspects of the filming process. Our dream is to become Sitcom writers out in LA and FullSail is the only school I've found that actually teaches the differences in TV and the Big Screen writing and other aspects! All of your positive words make me very happy about the school!

I can't say that I've been all that impressed with their digital curriculum. I'm not a student - I actually work in the advertising industry. There's not understanding of the marketing aspect (and trust me - that's a huge part in terms of _any_ creative development) of the business.

I have to be a bit biased regarding film. Maybe because I've lived both in NYC & LA -- arguably meccas for that business -- I would strongly advise you to see if you can get into a true 4-year program before you plunk a lot of money in what amounts to a BFA but really is mostly vocational degree. Similar programs to Full Sail exist in NYC and I can say that grads out of NYC/UCLA/USC often fare better. Really ask for a lot of referrals and true %'s of their career development program. Sure they have the latest & greatest equipment but if that school does not provide you with a strong alumni and recruitment network -- ESPECIALLY for film -- you may have issues post-grad.

Orlando doesn't offer a lot of opportunities for internships or networking in that industry. Therefore weigh that as a very important thing. Most people I know in the industry spent a lot of time as production assistants or donating their time on projects to build up connections and their resumes.

That being said, no matter where you go - it's up to you to succeed. Not the program or the school. But the reality of your chosen direction is that much of your success is dependent upon the connections you make. Therefore be sure you can make them.

[SiddharthaGautama]

I went to school in Florida for film but not at Full Sail. I considered FS and went and checked it out and read the reviews and decided it wasn't for me. First off its extremely intense, meaning its opening 24/7. You could have a class at any hour of the day or night. And you are going to class 5 - 6 days a week with only 1 day off. With a school like that theres not much of an activity scene. With all the work and class you really don't have time to do anything else. With that being said if you are a student that likes that rigorous schooling then it might be for you.

I would definitely do some research about what other students have said about it. There are a lot more students that have something negative to say about it than positive. I know a few people personally that graduated and are working in the biz. They learned a little bit, but nothing they couldn't have learned on the job. Now they've got a hefty price to pay back. A few years or so ago there was a lot of bad things being said about FS. Some students even created a website to talk trash about the school. FS eventually had the site removed. Personally I wouldn't want to go to a school thats got that many pissed off students. Sure some of them were probably slackers and didn't want to work, but maybe not. If I had to do it all over again I would have gone to USC, NYU, LA film school or just got a job.