qurrat

Hi guys,

I applied to the International Academy of Design and Technology(IADT) and got my I 20. I am a student from Bangladesh.Now that I am almost ready to go to the college (class starts at january 04,2010) I am finding some really bad reviews about the school. I am really in a bas situation, because I am kind of stucked in a course that I ABSOLUTELY hate in Bangladesh and I want to leave soooo bad.

I finally thought that I got my way out, but now....


as a solution I thought I may transfer my credits to the university of Florida. Then I came to hear that no college takes credits from IADT.


PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME OUT!!

are the info true or I am panicing for no reason??\
will I be able to transfer my credits later on to any other universities??

og god...someone please help me!!

happymomof1

You need to contact the other universities directly to find out if they do award transfer credit for courses at the IADT. Many won't because it has national accreditation rather than regional accreditation.

From the IADT website:
"The International Academy of Design & Technology is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. "

If you want transferable credits, you should look for a college/university that offers the program you are interested in and that also has regional accreditation. For institutions in Florida, this would be Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

For more information about regional accreditation vs. national accreditation, and about admissions to colleges and universities in the US in general, you should visit International Students - EducationUSA

Good luck!

qurrat

I saw the list of accredited colleges. Does this mean that I can transfer my credits to the colleges on the list depending on the program?

As this is a good opportunity should I go for IADT and then apply for a transfer?

I hear that its easy to transfer credits...within the limits

and thank you so much for the reply

happymomof1

You need to find out which schools do indeed accept credits from IADT. Some won't.

If there are no schools that accept the IADT credits, then you will have to repeat the entire year when you transfer.

qurrat

unfortunately most wont. but can I go there and then cancel my admission and go to another college??

T26E4

IADT is a for-profit company that markets itself to a wide variety of majors (fashion design, video game design, etc.). They are marketed to people with weaker high school backgrounds and little knowledge of what the industry really needs. For example: successful video game designers are great artists and technically sound illustrators. Anyone can be accepted into IADT's video game program -- if they are willing to pay. How many of their graduates actually get a job in this field? The game designers I know didn't go to school to do it -- they were just excellent artists.

In my honest opinion, I would hesitate to allow my children to attend such a school. They advertise during daytime television -- hoping to catch unemployed people at home.

The fact that IADT's credits are not transferrable should be an extreme warning sign. I understand your wish to leave Bangladesh but you will be horribly disappointed at the education you might get at IADT, I'm afraid.

My brother is an illustration instructor at a legitimate art college. Very few IADT students would even be admitted to his college. Most for-profit colleges like IADT have a bad reputation in the USA because they lure unsuspecting kids in, straddle them with lots of loan debt, and then if they graduate at all, they have a degree in a field that qualifies them for entry level jobs that don't require any degree!
As for going to another college, that all depends on your visa arrangements with the USA. By all means you should investigate other schools (since it seems you have the financial means to attend a US college). Once accepted, then alter your I20 visa. There may be others who will accept you for January 2010.

Best of luck to you. I don't want your first years in the USA to be mangled by an institution such as IADT.

T26E4

"In my honest opinion, I would hesitate to allow my children to attend such a school. "

I must amend this: I would absolutely refuse to allow my children to attend such a school.

fineartsmajormom

IADT is for-profit; much of their money comes from people desperate to get skills to change out of a job or because they don't have a college education and are having trouble finding employment. The vast amount of their income comes from government related loans..watch out for other for-profit "universities" or trade schools such as Phoenix also. they are poorly regulated and oversight by educational or government bodies is very lax so they can really abuse students--take their money with little effort to give a good education.

If possible, call or visit the fulbright office in Bangladesh..it is at the embassy, apparently, but they may be able to point you to some programs for which you are eligible.

Programs for Undergraduate and Graduate Students - U.S. Embassy Dhaka, Bangladesh

I am not sure how to activate this link. The Fulbright program has specific programs for undergraduate, graduate, and professionals that you may be eligible to apply for but also a wealth of information on how students can apply to US colleges, testing requirements, visa information, etc.

Good luck!

qurrat

Yes, you understand me exactly. In bangladesh NO ONE will ever understand my ambitions, so I want to come to the US. I am actually interested in becoming a game designer and work with EA games (pretty high ambition for a Bangladeshi girl i know)

I dont want to waste my time or money on IADT, and I am searching for colleges too, so I am planning to get out of that school ASAP upon getting visa.

Since your brother is a lecturer, you will know best, I want to become a great illustrator and I am ABSOLUTELY ready to face any interview relating to my ambitions and visions and ABSOLUTELY confident that I can do this IF i get the chance...but I am just not ready to accept that I will have to waste ly life just because I am not from the US.

can you please suggest any college that might be right for me??

I can handle the us payment, but I am not extremely rich.
can you help me??
can you?

Prussia!

If you're looking to join the game design industry, I highly recommend you check out the conceptart.org forums. It's basically the goldmine of talent and information for that industry... And it will show you who you're up against. It is a very cutthroat career, unfortunately.

qurrat

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REPLIED!!

I appreciate everyone for trying to help me out.
I have been doing some researches on more colleges, and I narrowed down to columbia college, chicago.

but before I proceed, is this college good??