Academy of Art University

Academy of Art University International Student Insurance

The Academy of Art University, located in San Francisco, California, is a private, for-profit art and design university that was founded as the Academy of Advertising Art in 1929. The school is notable for its open admissions policy and its 100% acceptance rate; the only prerequisites for registration are a career counseling session with an admission representative and completing an application. The school’s website comments, “We’ve found that our students’ potential doesn’t depend on their past elsewhere, but on their future with us.” The Academy of Art enrolls about 11,000 students each year. Its colors are red and black.

The Academy offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in about 25 fields, including acting, animation & visual effects, art education, fine art, game development, interior architecture & design, jewelry & metal arts, motion pictures & television, web design & new media, and writing for film, television & digital media. Many of its classes are available online; as of 2015, about 35% of the student body were online-only students.

The school has recently faced criticism about its graduation rates. In 2016, about 7% of students finished a four-year degree in four years, while 31% of students finished a four-year degree within six years. Among online students, only 6% completed a degree program in six years.

On Campus

The school is home to the Academy of Art University Automobile Museum, which features an impressive automobile collection started by the family of the university’s founder. The museum exhibits more than 200 classic cars like Alfa Romeos, Bugattis, Jaguars, Packards, Cadillacs, and the collection’s crown jewel, the Tucker 48.

Notable Alumni

Notable alumni of the Academy of Art University include actresses Lauren Conrad, Heidi Montag, and Raven-Symone; director Vicky Jenson; Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Deanne Fitzmaurice; cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto; painter Henry Asencio; and Academy Award-winning makeup artist Rick Baker.

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