Contact a Full Sail University Advisor today if you are looking to find more information than this article provides.
Founded in 1979 as a recording arts program, Full Sail University is one of the few online institutions that offer entertainment-related Bachelors and Masters degrees. Located in Winter Park, Florida, Full Sail University prides itself on its innovative programs that further the education and career options of those interested in working in the entertainment industry. Full Sail University’s campus houses an intensive, high profile, multifaceted entertainment production complex, but they also have a robust online program. As Full Sail University says, “If you’re serious about your dream, we’ll take your dream seriously.” With 33 different degree programs to choose from, Full Sail is committed to making your dream come true.
Pro’s
1. Full Sail University is, essentially, a unique online school.
Full Sail University’s primary focus is upon the entertainment industry, and you’ll be hard pressed to find another school quite like it. There are many entertainment-themed programs to be found at traditional institutions, but at Full Sail, this focus makes their university absolutely unique.
2. Full Sail University’s degree programs are considered “accelerated.”
Full Sail University is famous for their accelerated course study, where the majority of programs offered can be completed in under half the time of similar programs at traditional universities. This fast-paced system is ideal for the career oriented student who is excited about working in the entertainment field.
3. Full Sail’s tuition price covers all costs incurred, including supplies or books needed.
At many traditional and online schools, there are many costs incurred in addition to the base fee of tuition. Some of these additional costs usually include fees, supplies and text books, to name a few. At Full Sail University, all of the student’s additional costs are covered in the price of tuition. This makes financial planning and expectation for the prospective college student that much simpler.
4. Advisory boards make for an exceptional learning experience for Full Sail students.
Another great aspect of Full Sail University is the school’s advisory boards. The advisory boards at Full Sail are usually headed by industry insiders and experts, these boards are who write and control the curriculum. This is a huge benefit for the Full Sail University student, as they know that their education mirrors what is currently trending in the entertainment business. What a great career advantage!
5. Faculty at Full Sail University consists of experts in the entertainment industry.
Students at Full Sail University benefit from learning from faculty with genuine industry experience. Faculty at Full Sail have years of experience in the entertainment business, in addition to a college education and an excellent portfolio. This experience makes the faculty at Full Sail University most beneficial for students who want to have a hands-on, real world educational experience.
6. Tuition is locked at Full Sail University. There are no changes or surprises in price.
The price of attending Full Sail University varies with the type of degree and discipline you choose to complete, but one thing is for certain—once you start, your tuition won’t change in price. This is another benefit of attending Full Sail, as the prospective student can plan their educational path with complete confidence.
7. Full Sail University is committed to helping graduates find work post-degree.
The main focus of Full Sail University is career development. Since this is the primary objective for the institution, they are committed to assisting their graduates not only find work, but work in the fields that are relevant to their degree. Full Sail boasts a vigorous career development department and a well-connected alumni network to help graduates achieve their dream of working in the entertainment industry.
Con’s
1. Full Sail University is nationally and not regionally accredited.
Full Sail University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). This is a national and not regional accreditation, which means that transferring credits to a traditional institution will be difficult, if not impossible. This does not reflect upon the high quality of the instruction at Full Sail, but it is something for the prospective student to consider before enrolling.
2. Full Sail University’s course schedule is considered demanding.
At Full Sail University, there is no traditional semester or quarter based system. With new classes starting monthly, each course is generally four weeks long, with students taking two to three classes at a time. Because course time is short, a lot of information is packed into each class, and many have called the coursework “intense.” This type of condensed schedule may not work for some prospective students.
3. The price to attend Full Sail University is rather high.
Why does Full Sail University’s tuition seem high? Because the program is so condensed! Credit for credit, tuition at Full Sail is competitive with traditional schools, but students who apply themselves at Full Sail will graduate with an accredited degree in half the time of a conventional university. Also, it is important to remember the pro above, that fees, textbooks and supplies are included within the tuition cost.
Full Sail University prides itself on its hard-earned reputation for career centered excellence. Full Sail graduates work in every facet of the cut-throat entertainment industry, and the experience that they gained from their education at Full Sail can be credited for their immense success. If you are interested in a career in film, design, video games, animation or web development, it will pay to take a closer look at Full Sail University to see if its programs are a good fit for you. You may agree with what 34,000 Full Sail University graduates are raving about. Full Sail University is looking for the brightest creative minds to launch into today’s entertainment industry. Do you have what it takes?
Contact a Full Sail University Advisor today to get more information on tuition costs, class schedules, curriculum etc.
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Full Sail has no business calling itself a university. They accept anyone with a pulse and a checkbook.
fullsail university review blogspot
google it, read it and repost it
Can you give us a little bit of a better idea of where they have failed as a University? Negative comments about an Online University can be a good thing if we all better understand what it is they are doing wrong.
I am currently attending Full Sail and I love it. They helped me get my financial aid and are teaching me the skills necessary to pursue a career in my chosen field. Isn’t that what a university is about? Gaining the skills you will need to enter the job market? I will continue to fly my Full Sail flag, while using the Mac, given to me by Full Sail, wearing my Full Sail sweatshirt and sipping from my Full Sail coffee mug.
Hold on now. Nancy sounds angry because she or a friend took out student loans and attended FSU without realizing the difficulty level. This is a tough school. And, while it IS true that they’ll take “anyone with a pulse and a checkbook”….so will MANY “real” schools. If you want a degree in 1/2 the time, and especially if you want to do it online, FSU may be the school for you. BE FOREWARNED: it is hard; it takes a lot of work; it’s expensive; there are NO promises of getting a job just because you went there or even if you worked hard there! Sounds a lot like the real world. Period.
There are plenty of poor reviews of this school and what they do. It’s not for those afraid to bust their asses. If you work hard and commit your time and energy to doing well, you will graduate. And if you work hard and commit yourself to finding a job afterwards, you will! Hard work is lost on many in my generation, including myself at different stages. Don’t hate the school, though. Sounds like it wasn’t for you.
I’m 28. I went to private and public schools. I’ve done quite a bit of drugs in the past. I’ve been a slacker and a workaholic.
Good luck to EVERYONE!
Full Sail is a GREAT institution. I graduated from their Entertainment Business BS program this past April (2011). The coursework was fairly intense, the instruction was great, and I believe the degree I received is world class. Full Sail is VERY reputable in the Entertainment Industry, not just in the states but all over the world.
They do take a bad wrap from a lot of disgruntled former students and even alumni. This is because either the student didn’t fully understand what they were getting into when they enrolled, or graduated and went back home to BFE in hopes of magically finding a job where there’s no market for their skills. And lets face it, sometimes people just have a bad experience and never really get the taste out of their mouths. It happens.
I can attest, though, that Full Sail is the real deal. Since graduating I’ve received freelance worked at ESPN, and successfully run a freelance graphic/web design business. I’ve even acquired some pretty high profile celebrity clients due in no small part to my affiliation with the school. I made a ton of lifelong friends and professional connections that I would never have met otherwise. So, if you’re thinking about Full Sail as your prospective school my advice is DO IT. But only if you’re truly serious about a career in the Entertainment Industry. Like the article reads, it’s a cutthroat business, and just because you hold this degree doesn’t mean you’ll be able to find work right out of the box. You’re going to have to sacrifice a lot, and go where the work is. You’re also going to have to be relentlessly ambitious! Commit to going the road less traveled.
Hope this helps anyone who may be sitting on the fence in making their decision. Good Luck!
JAnsell84 – I am actually really interested in the Online Entertainment Business Master’s program – could you tell me more about what you did in the BS program?
Their game dev program can’t be beat. If you want to do game programming or any form of software development, go here.
Do you know anything about the Game Art degree, is a good course to take?
It is, Chase. I had no idea how game art was created before attending FSU. And I am very satisfied of the knowledge and skills that I now possess thanks to them.
Hi, I’m Pablo and I’m from Argentina. I’m 18 years old and I was thinking about studying Show Production at Full Sail. What I really want to know is if going there worth or not, because it would cost a lot of money to me!… I really love going to concerts and every time I do that I pay attention to the stage, the lighting and the coordination of the show in general… I don’t know if that is related to the career that Full Sail offers… but I would love to do so! And I was wondering if there is another university that offers this kind of degree… and which is the best one. Apart from that I want to know if the job opportunities are good or not… and if u can have the chance to work for an important celebrity or with an important company.
Thank u! Paul…
I am going for web design at full sail and yes it is hard but I like it so far….anybody that has graduated have any tips on finding work afterwards
i plan on going for the game art degree or the computer animation degree…. i was not sure how reputable their computer animation degree is in the real world. One thing that really bothered me was that the housing is not included in the tuition…what kind of problems did that bring forth for anyone, i myself am currently at a community college knocking out gen eds trying to lower the price before i go to full sail
If you want to know what the music biz is like I have been in it for over thirteen years and it is fast pace crazy cut throat and a world you always need to be on your toes. I have gotten a call one night on the plan the next day and studying the stage plots how many mixes who wants what in what mix right down to what the drummer wants for skins. You need to have it all right the first time no room for errors. Your only as good as your last gig and you are always working for the next gig.
You market yourself…. I myself have never attended Full Sail. However i have worked with their graduates on a number of events. Every single one said they thought they were going to die because of the intensity. But I also had them say thank God it was so hard because it really got them ready.
Even after they still had to hunt down a job and prove their metal…. So my point , The day I start looking for fresh blood that is hungry for the road and being one of the folks in black.
First pickers will be the ones sporting their Full Sails..
I’ve heard extremely bad, as well as extremely good things about fullsail: So I’m just going to have to make it what I want it to be. I have a question or two, if thats alright.
Is it hard to get a cheapish apartment? or at least get roommates?
Is the three year, less accelerated program as intense?
I’m going to debunk some of this Full Sail is okay stuff… Please visit http://alostcookie.com and see this “resume”; it’s from the former course director of their film program. He has no real background in the industry and now he left to go to LA & is asking his old students to get him production assistant jobs!! http://www.hirejasonblanchard.com – he’s also begging his students for money to stay in LA on http://www.gofundme.com/jasonblanchard. These are the level of people you’re spending your education dollars on! On his “resume” it clearly says he designed their film program. It’s so sad to see so many grads leave this school, and go to LA (many of whom I’ve employed) only to realize what they were taught was pure bunk. This is an actual first lecture taught to these poor students. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW0qg0CcbJs He uses the “F” word multiple times and gives the worst advice I’ve EVER heard. USC, NYU… no one would ever DARE to say these kinds of stupid things. Maybe he should check his ego at the AZ/CA border, because as he says in the video “there should be no egos in film school, you all suck equally”. Please, I’m begging you to get real industry experience or go to a reputable film program. Don’t waste your money. Please!
Hi!
I’m enrolling for Education Media Design and Tech at Full Sail (online). I just want to know how hard one class per month would be? Any experience!?
I to got duped by attending Full Sail University. This is nothing more than a business lining the pockets of the exec team. Garry Jones is a prime example of that with his $4m home. Anyway, the education was a joke. It was mostly youtube like videos that scratched just the surface of what really needed to be learned. After a few months, I threw the towel in because I had a question for my instructor and after not hearing from him for 2 weeks ( I was an online student) my fears were proved true…..get as many students signed up as you can and leave the “education” on the back burner.
I’ve done a lot research on this school and want to help future students not make the mistake I did. Please check out my website for the real “behind the scenes tour” of Full Sail University.
http://www.fullsailreveiws.net
I’m currently enrolled in their Internet Marketing Masters program. I’m in month four and almost all of my instructors have had doctorate degrees. It is very hard work staying on top of all of the assignments. I love that we are building our professional portfolios as we learn. It is totally worth the money. THe only thing I wish for is longer breaks….then again, I wouldn’t be graduating a year after receiving my bachelor degree. This is not a school for the lazy. If you are dedicated to learning, then you will do well.