Art Institute Closure Shocks Students: A surprising announcement from the Art Institutes, a for-profit school network, surprised students and teachers nationwide on a busy Friday. The bad news? People are shocked and unsure about their plans for school if the remaining eight schools close.
The Art Institutes announced permanent closure on September 30. Both kids and teachers would be impacted significantly by this choice. Some affected sites included San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Tampa, and Virginia Beach.
The students were devastated by the news. Kaleb Adams, a senior at the Art Institute of San Antonio, felt he had wasted time in school. He said, “My heart dropped because it was so strange; it felt like the last three years at that school were for nothing.”
Quinn Shelton, an Art Institute of San Antonio student, said the same thing. She was confused by the news and worried about the future. I was very confused and started shaking. “All of a sudden, I realized I don’t know what to do next,” she said.
The news timing added to the chaos. On September 22, a week before school closure, students received a surprising email. The warning made Kaleb Adams feel “sketchy,” and others felt the same.
The Art Institute’s website mentioned partnering to assist student transfers. This was done to encourage students to finish their degrees at other schools. The concern about credit recognition for these students persisted.
This uncertainty and potential loss made students reconsider their choices. Quinn Shelton admitted that the unexpected events may make her rethink her goals. reporter John Paul Barajas asked, “Would that mean giving up on a dream?” Shelton replied seriously: “Absolutely.”
Since the pandemic, enrollment at the Art Institute of San Antonio has been low. Still, the closure reasons remain unknown. I left voicemails and sent a team to the school, but I have not heard back from anyone. Students and teachers were uncertain about their academic goals and careers due to the school’s strange closure.
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Our Reader’s Queries
How did the Art Institute mislead students?
The Art Institute faces allegations of illegal conduct, such as deceptive marketing tactics, making false claims about the worth of their education, and using aggressive sales techniques on ill-suited students.
Why did the art institutes close down?
In the last ten years, the Art Institutes has seen a drop in the number of students enrolling and has faced financial instability as various owners of the school system have grappled to ensure its long-term survival. The situation has worsened in recent years.
Why is the Art Institute of Atlanta closed?
Following the loss of accreditation in 2018, declining enrollment and financial uncertainty have forced the Art Institutes to close down its last few campuses.
Why is Art Institute of Houston closing?
The colleges were already grappling with the lingering issues from previous ownership. COVID-19 had a particularly detrimental effect on schools teaching hands-on and equipment-intensive programs like culinary arts and fashion design, which were unable to adapt to the pandemic’s impact.