International student online success at The Art Institutes
Don't let boundaries stand in your way. These international students didn't. Read what they have to say about The Art Institute Online classes.
Click the targets to view testimonials from students in that part of the world.
Jennifer Ann Lee
International Student
Illinois Institute of Art — Schaumburg
Home Country: Canada
Q: What was the best thing about the online course?
A: The short period of study. The pace was perfect; I tend to get bored in classes that drag on.
Q: Comment on socialization aspects of online class.
A: The United States culture is very similar to Canadian - and having taken an online class before I pretty much knew what it would be like. One of the really interesting things to hear was the other students' backgrounds. Although brief, many have experienced a lot - including the teacher - and were able to share their little piece of the world with us, including a little bit about their geographical surroundings (a big interest to me). It is very interesting to see how people participate online as opposed to in the classroom too. The discussions held were of a more formal nature, than a casual classroom discussion.
Q: Why did you take the course; did it satisfy your needs?
A: Yes, I was looking to study Art History quickly and the course was a very complete course. The teacher was wonderful and didn't hesitate to provide any information needed.
Q: What would you share with other international students considering the online program?
A: If it interests them, they should go ahead and do it. If English is not a strong language for them, they should make sure that they have a heavy interest and are willing to commit. On the other hand, it could possibly give a very good first-hand experience with the written English language to help them in that aspect too. Nobody should ever be afraid to try something though.
Robin Petersson
International Student
The Art Institute of Phoenix
Home Country: Sweden
Q: Do you see any barriers in taking online courses in your home country?
A: No, as long as I don't have to be there physically at some point, I don't see any barriers.
Q: What was the best thing about the online course?
A: There are a lot of good things about online classes. You can do them whenever you want and you can "go" to class in you pajamas. I take the bus to school, which takes 1.5 hours back and forth. Instead of wasting time on the bus, I can be doing online classes at home for that time. What I think is the best though is that you can be more honest and open online than you would be in a normal classroom. I never hesitated to debate with my classmates about sensitive topics, which you would probably never do in a real classroom. One more thing that I found very good about the online classes: They were only 6 weeks long, so if I took the class the first half of the quarter I had the 6 last weeks of the quarter to finish my finals in school.
Q: Why did you take an online course, and did it satisfy your needs?
A: First I wanted to try an online class (because I am online a lot anyways). And I found it extremely efficient and took about five more online.
Q: What would you share with other international students considering the online program?
A: That it is pretty demanding, but for a short period of time. I think it is worth trying. I don't think your level of English should stop you from taking an online class. It's a great way to learn the language as well.
Milos Spisak
International Student
The Art Institute of California — San Diego
Home Country: Slovak Republic
Q: These courses contain a lot of reading and writing in English - was it a problem for you?
A: I think I am better in writing and reading than speaking, so it was easier for me than in regular classes.
Q: Do you see any barriers in taking online courses in your home country?
A: No
Q: What was the best thing about the online course?
A: I can manage my time better; I use dictionaries, Internet and other resources; and I can know people from different regions of the United States of America.
Q: Could you imagine completing your entire degree online?
A: Yes
Q: Could you imagine completing a quarter online from your home country?
A: Yes
Q: Why did you take an online course, and did it satisfy your needs?
A: I just wanted to try it. Because of English, it's better for me to take general education classes online.
Q: Are there any changes you would make to the course to make it friendlier to international students?
A: People were nice to me, and they appreciated that there was someone in the class with different cultural background and experiences.
Q: What would you share with other international students considering the online program?
A: Generally I think it's a good idea to get out of your home country for couple of years and study school abroad. Online class could be something similar, possibly a virtual trip.
Stephen Tavonga Chikazaza
International Student
The Art Institute of Colorado
Home Country: Zimbabwe
Q: These courses contain a lot of reading and writing in English - was it a problem for you?
A: No
Q: Do you see any barriers in taking online courses in your home country?
A: Not really. I think if the books and materials are available, it can be done.
Q: What was the best thing about the online course?
A: I enjoyed being able to go online at my time of the day and evening. I also enjoyed interacting with others.
Q: Could you imagine completing a quarter online from your home country?
A: With the right materials, I see this as a possibility.
Q: What would you share with other international students considering the online program?
A: I would tell them to follow the basic instructions that the teacher gives out. These are usually straightforward. I would also tell them to do their work well ahead of time.
Kyunghee Lee
International Student
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
Home Country: Seoul, Korea
Q: These courses contain a lot of reading and writing in English - was it a problem for you?
A: A little difficult, but I liked it anyway.
Q: What was the best thing about the online course?
A: I can stay in the comfort of my home and take a class.
Q: Can you comment on the socialization aspects of your online class?
A: I can still joke with people online, but when the class ends, the relationship ends.
Q: Could you imagine completing a quarter online from your home country?
A: I could imagine it.
Q: What would you share with other international students considering the online program?
A: I would encourage them to pay close attention and go to class every day, spending enough time to keep up.
Soorim Lew
International Student
The Illinois Institute of Art — Chicago
Home Country: Korea
Q: Do you see any barriers in taking online courses in your home country?
A: No
Q: What was the best thing about the online course?
A: It was good that I could do my work at home.
Q: Why did you take the course, and did it satisfy your needs?
A: I wanted to try, the result came out good, and I enjoyed it.
Q: Could you imagine completing a quarter online from your home country?
A: This is nice that once in a while I can do this.
Q: What would you share with other international students considering the online program?
A: I think it is a good challenge to learn different ways.
Carlin Ng
International Student
The Art Institute of Phoenix
Home Country: Singapore
Q: These courses contain a lot of reading and writing in English - was it a problem for you?
A: No. The instructions were easy to follow.
Q: Do you see any barriers in taking online courses in your home country?
A: No
Q: Can you comment on the socialization aspects of your online class?
A: I personally feel that it is much easier to meet people in an online class. Everyone seems friendlier than someone I might meet at school, but it may just naturally be that everyone let their defenses down when one doesn't know and will probably not meet the other person. It is also easier for me to put my thoughts into words; I have come to realize that it's hard for people to understand my non-Americanized accent sometimes.
Q: Why did you take an online course, and did it satisfy your needs?
A: Yes, it did help a lot in a sense that it saves travel time from home to school and back. Also because each online course is only 6 weeks, it leaves me more time after the first session to concentrate on my on-ground courses.
Joyce Lay Lin Loh
International Student
The Art Institute of Colorado
Home Country: Malaysia
Q: These courses contain a lot of reading and writing in English - was it a problem for you?
A: No
Q: What was the best thing about the online course?
A: Able to do on my own time.
Q: Could you imagine completing a quarter online from your home country?
A: Yes, it is possible.
Q: What would you share with other international students considering the online program?
A: Ask a lot of questions, and don't be shy.
Athikom Asvanund
International Student
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
Home Country: Thailand
Q: These courses contain a lot of reading and writing in English - was it a problem for you?
A: No
Q: Do you see any barriers in taking online courses in your home country?
A: No
Q: What was the best thing about the online course?
A: Convenience
Q: Why did you take the course ,and did it satisfy your needs?
A: I took online courses to give me more personal time to work on my portfolio.
Dahlia Tjia
International Student
The Art Institute of California — San Francisco
Home Country: Indonesia
Q: These courses contain a lot of reading and writing in English — was it a problem for you?
A: Sometimes, but I rather see and think of them as ways to improve my reading and writing skills.
Q: What was the best thing about the online course?
A: Convenience; I don't need to waste hours commuting. I can study whenever I want; I don't need to wake up early to go to the morning class, and I can finish the course earlier.
Q: Can you comment on the socialization aspects of your online line class?
A: When I took the professional development class, I read my classmates biographies, assignments and gave them comments and vice versa. Through these experiences, I felt like I knew them in person or at least I can imagine what types of people they are. Unfortunately, Western culture cannot be learned easily in this way because we hardly shared about this culture in that class. However, I learned business culture instead.