apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

not really a design question - but sort of : i'm looking at Academy of Art University in San Francisco (for the Interior Architecture and Design major - that's where it's design related!) and I was wondering if anyone knew anything about it? And about any college student (hopefully married by that time) priced apts in the vicinity. thaaank yooou.

I'm not a design student, but friends who have more knowledge of the area tell me Academy of Art is not the most respected school, and tends to attract wealthy international art students who want to live in the Bay area. They also are known to gobble up real estate downtown for their school and dorms, and charge outrageous rents to their students. These are old articles from the SF Chronicle, but illustrate some of the problems. Hope this helps.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1998/05/22/BU652.DTL&hw=academy of art&sn=011&sc=555
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2004/09/14/carollloyd.DTL&hw=academy of art&sn=012&sc=546

dern. my uncle lives in meadow vista (i know, not sf, but they wanted to build a house - and it's pretty cool - except they don't use air conditioning) and he told me he knew a lot of people that went there but didn't know what they did after college.

the reason i was looking at it was for their interior architecture and design major - i looked at the classes and they seemed very interesting - like studying construction terms, etc., and studying bathroom fixtures, etc (obviously i'm not being very detailed - i don't have time to go back to the site and get the correct wording). but basically it's 20k less than the other schools i was looking at (parsons in ny for example) and i really want to live in sf. although, after looking at prices for apartments - i pay 600 for a large 2 br that's newly renovated in a great part in bham - but the university in here (UAB) is a medical school; i.e. not the best (of the best) design department.

any other schools that are good for that type of major would be a big help in research, though. i'm finding that looking at out of state schools (and on an extremely tight budget - will be working full time as well) is proving to be very difficult.

``How do you think the instructors feel when the president drives around in a limo with a license plate that says `I love art,' but they haven't had a raise in 10 years?'' said Ken Light, a former photography teacher at the Academy. ``They put money into buying buildings and equipment, but the human side of the equation is problematic. . . . They act as if teachers are the least important part of the equation. People who work there describe it as a plantation.'' - wow

look in the classes at UC Berkeley Extenstion. They have top rateed Interior Design classes. The Design Dept is downtown SF. It geared more for students who already have a college degree, but regardless you can take classes. I highly recomend it, especially as a way to discover if you really are intersted in Interior Design. price is comparable to Academy of Art. As for living...your own your own , there are places in the city, but not so cheap.

(in the interest of full disclosure - I actually work at an art school here in SF)

If you are looking for BUDGET, the UC Berkley Extension classes are really great. And I believe they also have a certification program - not the same as a degree, but something nonetheless. The extension classes are also easy to work into a full-time working schedule.

You won't find an apartment that cheap here, but you'll also probably find a higher paying job.

Have you looked into CCA? I have no idea how much it costs, but it's a fabulous school.

Forgot to add - look into staff jobs at an art school. I knew where I wanted to take some classes but couldn't afford it. I kept an eye on their job postings and when the right opening popped up I sent a resume asap. As a benefit I can take classes for free and I take full advantage of that.

yeah, totally. that's what i'm trying to do here; the people i know don't have any openings right now and they don't know the people who do and for those jobs, i don't have enough experience. but that's such a good idea. then all my money can go to an apt!