Reviews of Kansas City Art Institute (College)

Lauren Bahr

I stayed in the dorms and had a roommate who at first glance appeared to be quite ordinary until the evening of my 4th Tuesday here. I returned to my dorm to find my roommate cloaked in black. She stood in the center of a pentagram of candles. She threw salt at me. At first I was confused but then I realized how blessed I am to be attending such an institute. Best experience of my life.

S

I was in the animation major, and the department is not only severely underfunded but overall at this school the teachers are extremely biased and unable to teach in an effective way. Students have to take turns to use the equipment and then get told it's their fault when they're unable to meet deadlines. I personally have problems with learning computer programs, and when I asked for help I was told to "Google it". I'm paying $30,000 a year in tuition, I expect to be helped, not told to do something I could do on my own. The teachers also, instead of teaching, would have "video tutorials" for students to watch and would refuse to help and instead redirect students to the videos, which were only good if you had a Mac computer. They made no sense if you used a PC, which is what 80% of the students in the major had. The school says it embraces creativity, but the classes expect you to do things in a very specific way, and if you don't do it you're docked on your grades for it. The school itself is also very elitist. I was told by many students who take the foundation classes that they were strongly advised against getting jobs while at school, but then we're also expected to buy expensive art supplies. Not only that, but the school itself shows blatant bias against the applied art majors like animation and illustration and graphic design. They also showed no care or concern for the interactive arts major. They actually closed the major down when there were students halfway through finishing and told to move to other majors. Signing up for classes is a nightmare. Advising counselors don't help with sign up whatsoever, have admitted multiple times via email they don't know which classes count towards required credits for degrees, and half the time there's not enough room in the required classes or there's classes you need that aren't being taught/available. This was especially prevalent during senior year which was absolutely ridiculous and stressful. The buildings themselves are very underkept. They're building new buildings while the baty house and illustration department building are infested with cockroaches and mold. Their student website also is really bad. It constantly locks you out and makes you reset your password, and the school itself has bad wifi connections. They are impossible to get in contact with, I would send multiple emails asking for help with admissions or signing up for classes and would only be redirected to multiple people, all who showed very blatantly that they didn't care. Teachers use the website called Moodle for their online assignments, which sucks because Moodle is one of the worst websites I've ever had to use. Not only is it stupid that this school doesn't have online classes, which for a lot of people I know would've helped a lot, the website they do use looks and works like it was made and last updated in the early 90s. The neighborhood around it is also bad. It's relatively safe around the Nelson, but that's because they have good security. The school, however, does not. There have been mutliple instances while I've been there where students have been robbed at gunpoint. Another family had their car stolen off campus. The school sends out a monthly crime report of everything going on around the school and it's usually a couple pages long. It's ridiculous the amount of crime that goes on around and on campus. The only reason I came to this school was because it was closer to my hometown than other animation schools, something I really regret doing now. Personally, if you are considering going to this school I would say to give it a hard pass. Keep your options open, because this school will not hesitate to screw you over. It costs too much for what you're getting in return, and you'll be on your own because it's impossible to get help from anyone who works there.

Anonymous Gopher

Honestly a really crappy school, their buildings are disgusting and falling apart, their food is awful, wifi works maybe once every few weeks. Their school program is great but honestly everything else is such a whirling storm of crap that with all the money you're paying you wonder where your money is even going. If you do decide to go here DONT live in the dorms, also they'll make everything so stressful that you might end up having a phsycotic breakdown, because seriously somebody had one. If you asked me if you should go here I'd say no. Even if their program is great their facilities and services and care of their students is so poor that not even the great classes can make up for it.

Jarod Abel

Awesome museum. Check it out!!!

Rachel Doll

I just graduated and overall I very much enjoyed my time here in the illustration department. Foundation year is a pretty hellish bootcamp but once you get into yhe major you actually want to be in it is much more fulfilling. The illustration department is great and all the professors are wonderful and very invested in the students and I feel like the genuinely care for each of us. Though illustration truly deserves a bigger building as we are the largest department in the school! Those dang painting kids are spoiled and their building and studios are huge and much nicer than illustration’s. The work load can be kind of overwhelming at times especially taking into account liberal arts on top of your studio classes, and i have pulled a few all nighters to get things done. but i managed to graduate and keep all of my scholarships and got A’s and B’s for the most part while also working a part time job. I have seen many classmates drop out or stay back a year from not being able to handle the workload in addition to whatever was going on in their lives though. In my experience the work load becomes much more manageable as you progress and have more freedom to do what you want in junior and senior year. The school is super inclusive for LGBT+ students and puts a big emphasis on respecting pronouns and most buildings have gender neutral bathrooms, or are in the works towards making them gender neutral. I’ve heard bad things about the living center but i did not live there myself so i can’t say, but they are currently building a brand new living center which will hopefully be a big improvement! there is also relatively affordable off campus apartments reserved for students that are pretty nice! The school has 2 art museums on either side which is a huge great resource for art history. There are usually plenty of on campus activities going on if you want to get more involved. A big downside of the school is the safety of the area. There is a lot of crime in the immediate area and i have heard of many students being the victims of muggings. Someone even got shot and killed right outside of my apartment one night just a few blocks from campus! it can be very scary walking home from night classes, as many students do not have cars. But the school does offer security escorts up to a few blocks off campus at night! Other complaints are mostly administrative, like them waiting until the last minute to cancel school when there is unsafe weather conditions or not cancelling at all. One day the temperature was so low there was a frostbite warning if you went outside and they still had school despite many student having to walk 15 minutes to get to class (like myself), most students skipped that day. That reminds me, there is a pretty strict attendance policy! this is not a school where you can only show up for tests. in my department if you missed more than 2 classes you lose a full letter grade and beyond that you fail. most classes are only once or twice a week though so that makes it a bit easier to manage attendance wise. Don’t skip at the start of the semester!! save your absences for when you need them, and if you still have them at the end of the semester then you can skip if you really want and it won’t hurt your grade. Overall I have really enjoyed my time at KCAI and I feel like it has definitely helped me figure out the path I want to take my art career!

Chris Pham

This school is a sham. They don't care about their students, except the couple favorites that they pick out of the class. They will not help you find a job after you finish your degree. This place is really shady, I recommend you STAY AWAY.

Kelsey Marie

Awesome dreamed about it since I was a kid

Shelby Robertson

Impossible to sign up for classes, and classes you can sign up for are either at the same time as other required credits or not enough seats for everybody who needs to take the class. Came into school thinking I wanted to be an animator-came out being berated and belittled to the point where it gives me anxiety to even considering drawing. Teachers either never show up to class or show up, take attendance, and tell students to google everything before bailing out early. Not enough supplies for everyone to use, pushed by assignments to focus on quantity over quality. Costs too much for what you're given in return, don't bother coming here.

Rose Starr

July 2019 Amazing Summer Art Classes for school age children. They are in the process of remodeling and adding on. The Nelson Atkins Museum is across the street. Lots of parks and shops near by. Kemper Museum of Art is next door. Always something Arty going on. Lots of FREE activities!

Odalis Araujo

My dreamed about Arts. I want successful Arts, if good save money for job! hope i want must foucs work arts like someday all days cool. I never bored.

Jim Stanford

Love this place. Fun to visit and chat with students.

J B

Great fun

Blake Barnett

Quality education

frances gardner

great school