• Hello everybody! We have tons of new awards for the new year that can be requested through our Awards System thanks to Antifa Lockhart! Some are limited-time awards so go claim them before they are gone forever...

    CLICK HERE FOR AWARDS

Video Game Schools



REGISTER TO REMOVE ADS
Status
Not open for further replies.

sdr08

New member
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
376
Age
33
Location
USA
hey guys,

I am thinking about getting my Bachelor's Degree online for gaming design...and was wondering what are the best Video Game schools out there, any info would help.


also is Westwood really a scam, I seen lot of complaints about it.
 

inasuma

i'm gonna be
Joined
Dec 28, 2005
Messages
1,289
Awards
23
Location
Indigo Plateau
The only school I know of that is considerably legit is Herzing. I have two friends there, one in Game Design and another in Drafting. They should offer online courses, too.
 

Eric

Retired.
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
4,859
Awards
5
Website
discord.gg
Could try one of the art institutes as well. Or full sail (although most people would disagree).
 

Key

Exile
Joined
Nov 27, 2009
Messages
1,199
Awards
1
Location
a blank space where ideas flourish
Columbia College Chicago is is a pretty good choice, their Game Design major is split into four concentrations depending on what exactly you want to do. I go there currently, it's a pretty good place to be.

EDIT: Oh, hah, I didn't see the "online" bit. In that case I would suggest Full Sail as well.
 

Zero

Sergeant RoxMog
Joined
May 13, 2007
Messages
3,995
Location
Over There
No point in starting a new thread and sorry for going off-topic but im going to try and go to the Art Institute for a Game Art and Design Bachelors Degree, anyone know from experience or from someone they know, how good of a place it is, is it easy to get a job right after you graduate, and what careers in the Video Game Industry can you get from that Degree, and what are the pros and cons in working in the VGI in any career? Im not sure exactly what I wanna be in the VGI or even what career yet but I might go with something in the VGI if it is a reliable and good career so any help would be appreciated.
 

Silverslide

need some more candy cane
Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Messages
5,624
University of South California has a great game design program. Full Sail as well. You just gotta do research man.

I also want to go to school for game design.
 

Eric

Retired.
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
4,859
Awards
5
Website
discord.gg
No point in starting a new thread and sorry for going off-topic but im going to try and go to the Art Institute for a Game Art and Design Bachelors Degree, anyone know from experience or from someone they know, how good of a place it is, is it easy to get a job right after you graduate, and what careers in the Video Game Industry can you get from that Degree, and what are the pros and cons in working in the VGI in any career? Im not sure exactly what I wanna be in the VGI or even what career yet but I might go with something in the VGI if it is a reliable and good career so any help would be appreciated.

Depends on the location and the what you're going for. I'm doing web design at the art institute of washington and my department has a 100% job placement (because web designers are in demand around here). I've got some Game Art buddies though who like it there, I don't know about their job placement though.
 

sdr08

New member
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
376
Age
33
Location
USA
thanks guys, im Considering Full Sail, but I will look into Herzing.

oh @Zero, there seems to be Alot of bad reviews from AI, so I don't if it is a scam or people just complaining
 

Dogenzaka

PLATINUM USERNAME WINS
Joined
Aug 28, 2006
Messages
17,730
Awards
4
Location
Killing is easy once you forget the taste of sugar
Full-Sail is borderline degree factory, but that also depends on the major. It's known for music production and game design, apparently.

DigiPen is by far one of the best game design institutes you can go to if you are looking for something specialized in that rather than a state school.

Since it's near Microsoft and Nintendo's headquarters (though I think Nintendo moved), as well as other studios' locations, and they work closely with DigiPen, its graduates often get hired right out of graduation to work in companies. Kim Swift and her classmates got hired by Valve straight out of DigiPen to work on Portal when Valve saw their talent and ideas.

https://www.digipen.edu/

Don't go to Ai. If you're going to throw money at a school, throw it at a school that isn't a for-profit company that's going to give you a degree that won't get you a job.

If you can't go to a specialized school, look at getting a degree in Computer Science from a reputable school and specialize in 3D programming or network infrastructure. That's a major desire for employers at game design studios.
 
Last edited:

Silverslide

need some more candy cane
Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Messages
5,624
Heard about DigiPen but heard FullSail had the better program. Guess I'm back to looking.
 

Hero

See You Space Cowboy!
Joined
Dec 6, 2010
Messages
3,923
Awards
7
Location
Gotham City
Full-Sail is borderline degree factory, but that also depends on the major. It's known for music production and game design, apparently.

DigiPen is by far one of the best game design institutes you can go to if you are looking for something specialized in that rather than a state school.

Since it's near Microsoft and Nintendo's headquarters (though I think Nintendo moved), as well as other studios' locations, and they work closely with DigiPen, its graduates often get hired right out of graduation to work in companies. Kim Swift and her classmates got hired by Valve straight out of DigiPen to work on Portal when Valve saw their talent and ideas.

https://www.digipen.edu/

Don't go to Ai. If you're going to throw money at a school, throw it at a school that isn't a for-profit company that's going to give you a degree that won't get you a job.

If you can't go to a specialized school, look at getting a degree in Computer Science from a reputable school and specialize in 3D programming or network infrastructure. That's a major desire for employers at game design studios.

Thank you for the advice! Could you explain to me what "network infrastructure" really is? I think of routers, LAN, and the internet when people mention it.
 

sdr08

New member
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
376
Age
33
Location
USA
Full-Sail is borderline degree factory, but that also depends on the major. It's known for music production and game design, apparently.

DigiPen is by far one of the best game design institutes you can go to if you are looking for something specialized in that rather than a state school.

Since it's near Microsoft and Nintendo's headquarters (though I think Nintendo moved), as well as other studios' locations, and they work closely with DigiPen, its graduates often get hired right out of graduation to work in companies. Kim Swift and her classmates got hired by Valve straight out of DigiPen to work on Portal when Valve saw their talent and ideas.

https://www.digipen.edu/

Don't go to Ai. If you're going to throw money at a school, throw it at a school that isn't a for-profit company that's going to give you a degree that won't get you a job.

If you can't go to a specialized school, look at getting a degree in Computer Science from a reputable school and specialize in 3D programming or network infrastructure. That's a major desire for employers at game design studios.


does digipen have a online program tho? if so, please give me a link, it looks like Full Sail is my best bet so far
 

Eric

Retired.
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
4,859
Awards
5
Website
discord.gg
Don't go to Ai. If you're going to throw money at a school, throw it at a school that isn't a for-profit company that's going to give you a degree that won't get you a job.

I hate to be that guy but most of the problems lie with the students, not the school. I'm attending the Art Institute of Washington right now and I just paid off my entire associates degree about a month ago, and I still have a year left now with no student loan debt. Overall it cost me about $12,000 which is most likely because I didn't waste money staying in housing (which is about $3546 every 3 month quarter). And half of that was knocked out by a $5000 scholarship I won from the school. Not to mention they have a merit program where if you maintain a GPA over 3.6 you get $250 knocked off your tuition each quarter. Most students at my school complain about the ridiculously high prices but do nothing to alleviate them while in school (i.e. scholarships or a job). And those who complain about bad teachers sit in class and browse facebook and do online shoping from day one. As far as career services go, my department has put out two internship positions in the past 6 months (both of which I wasn't qualified for yet) with the government. That may not sound like much but there are only a handful of web design students that actually make it to graduation and the web design department makes up less than 10% of the entire student body.

I really believe this school is what you make it. Sure there might be some situations that don't work out as well as mine but hey that's everywhere, not just one school.

Also this comment pretty much sums up my thoughts on that article:

No school or college can "guarantee" you a job after graduating. Quoting statistics does not mean the Art Institute is saying any student will get a job in their related field. All schools and universities quote statistics about its success - it's part of the marketing to get students to attend - for-profit or not. People have to go after jobs. If you can't find a job in Charlotte, go find one in another city, or find another job and keep looking until you find one. Sleeping under a bridge is unacceptable if you are ambitious enough to go to school. If you see a high price tag for a school and you don't think you can pay, don't go there. You can do the math if you are smart enough to attend. The subject in this story should also consider his appearance. He has really long hair and wears a chain. It's time to grow up and do what you need to do to get the job. As a graduate in a journalism program at a school near Charlotte, I'm astounded that the reporter didn't report this story fairly
 

Eric

Retired.
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
4,859
Awards
5
Website
discord.gg
Well like I said the school does have it's own issues but the students aren't always completey innocent.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top