Georgia is home to many prestigious and reputable colleges and universities, such as Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Morehouse College. However, not every school in the Peach State can boast of high academic standards, low tuition costs, and high graduation rates. In fact, some schools in Georgia have been rated as the worst in the nation by various sources.
One of these schools is the Art Institute of Atlanta, a for-profit institution that offers degrees in art, design, media, and culinary arts. According to Washington Monthly Magazine, the Art Institute of Atlanta is the third-worst college in the country, and the worst in Georgia. Here are some of the reasons why this school has earned such a dubious distinction.
High Cost, Low Value
The Art Institute of Atlanta charges a hefty net price of $28,676 per year, which is higher than the national average of $16,790 for private for-profit institutions. However, the high cost does not translate into high quality education or high return on investment. The average student debt at the Art Institute of Atlanta is $31,190, which is higher than the national average of $28,950.
Moreover, the default rate on student loans is 19.1%, which is also higher than the national average of 10.1%. The graduation rate is a dismal 18%, which means that only about one in five students who enroll at the Art Institute of Atlanta actually complete their degree.
The median earnings of former students 10 years after entering the school is $30,700, which is lower than the national median of $34,300. These figures suggest that the Art Institute of Atlanta does not provide a good value for money for its students, and may even leave them worse off financially than before they enrolled.
Poor Quality Education
The Art Institute of Atlanta claims to offer a “creative education that prepares graduates for careers in their chosen fields”. However, the quality of education at the school is questionable, as evidenced by its low rankings on various measures of academic performance.
The school has a low retention rate of 45%, which means that more than half of the students who start at the school do not return for the next year. The school also has a low student-faculty ratio of 17:1, which means that students may not receive enough individual attention and feedback from their instructors.
The school does not have any regional or national accreditation, which means that its degrees may not be recognized or accepted by other institutions or employers. The school also does not have any research or community service activities, which are important indicators of academic excellence and social responsibility. These factors suggest that the Art Institute of Atlanta does not offer a high quality education that prepares its students for the real world.
Conclusion
The Art Institute of Atlanta is a for-profit institution that offers degrees in art, design, media, and culinary arts. However, the school has been rated as the worst college in Georgia, and the third-worst in the nation, by Washington Monthly Magazine. The school has a high cost, low value, and poor quality education, which may leave its students with high debt, low earnings, and low satisfaction. Therefore, prospective students who are interested in pursuing a creative career should look elsewhere for a better education and a brighter future.