I am a graduate from 2012 for the Illustration Department. I, like many other poor lower middle…read moreclass family students with high hopes and dreams, graduated with a dismal outcome. I remember clearly, during the very first day of orientation that there was such a need for illustrators and artists out in the world right now. This may be true, but clearly, despite working my ass off for more than five years, I didn't get a stable income job as an artist. I basically graduated and started working survival jobs, with small freelance gigs sprinkled in-between. And that is the unfortunate reality. Some of my peers got full-time jobs, but you know what? They had a higher success rate because they were all friends with each other, and I asked most people they got job recommendations because of their friends, but if you asked me about their portfolio? Let's just say, its all about networking and not hard work. I went onto campus my first year, and decided to save money by attending online campus. It is a WORLD of big difference. I can't believe I attended their online courses. They don't reduce pricing for online, but that really should have been the case. You don't have access to in-person workshops the way on campus students, and those are FREE because the AAU instructors are the ones doing it for their students. This blew my mind when I went back after 2 years. But all classes at the time of 2011-2012 was $2222 per class, per semester, irregardless of online or offline. Online instructors do a lot less work. Some of them didn't even know how to type. I had one teacher write everything IN ALL CAPS - ALL THE TIME, FOR EVERY SINGLE CRITIQUE. Every year the cost of classes would increase exponentially, but standards remained the same. I remember because money was a big deal. I was only able to get Cal Grant at the time for 4 years only, but I kept wondering what would happen on my fifth or even sixth year. Luckily, it didn't have to be 6 years, but I had to take filler classes in the summer even though they weren't high tier classes. They forced me to take a beginner computer class that was so unnecessary. I already knew so much about computers, and there was no way for me to transfer out of it. The digital art classes at the time were also poor. By the time I graduated, I knew I still had to learn more about painting better; I was getting great grades but really great grades and the level of skill that is needed in current times is not the same. For a school that you have to pay $40,000k a year, and still not getting a job is a shame. It's a sham. And for me to still take art classes to improve now, I mean, for me its a passion to get better and become good so I'll gladly want to pay someone to teach me new skills, but a realization dawned on me, there ARE SO MANY great artists out there right now teaching people digitally online. It's affordable and you don't have to sell your soul to Sallie Mae (AAU's favorite private loan lender), not only that but the works their students produce is amazing. Their career department is fake. During my "senior years" at school, I kept trying to schedule and attend workshops with the career department. I only met with them 1 time. I never got my resume or cover letters looked at, especially when I needed them when I was desperately looking for internship, and emailed them multiple times. Every time there was a scheduled meeting they would cancel. Nobody would answer my calls or email. They emphasized that our industry was more for entrepreneurs during the one workshop I attended, but didn't elaborate. All seniors must take a final course that delves into business basics for 1 semester only. In my opinion, all artists should consider that they won't be working for a corporate company such as Disney or Pixar. They need to really focus on teaching that aspect, and be blunt that many people will probably be freelancers as artists, or essentially become a starving artists. They tell you the rates and formulas but don't teach negotiation or people skills, project proposals, and important ways to get clients not be scared at looking at your rates. But they seem to strongly emphasize that people will move into some industry and apply to jobs through online web portals. Maria Brophy's free email newsletters teaches better shit than that class does, and probably would have gotten way more information if I just offered her a $100 for a simple phone call. My conclusion: forget this school, find a cheaper art school that gives you a basis. Get a degree if you must, but art in this day and age means = 1 part skill, 1 part sociability. Learn how to talk to people and present your art, and don't think that just having skill and talent will save you at the end of the day. Also, don't throw money at these for-profit art schools, give it to art instructors online who care.

Disclaimer: I am protected by The Leonard Law (CA Ed Code § 94367): Private postsecondary…read moreinstitutions in California cannot make or enforce rules subjecting students to discipline solely on the basis of speech that would be protected by the First Amendment or the California Constitution. This is my 4th semester. I have to say I have watched this school lose control of its curriculum and ALMOST LOSE its NAAB accreditation. This school online classes are seriously outdated. They do not have a full time staff where in my ending semesters where things are dense teachers prioritize their full time jobs over teaching. They do not instruct on advanced designing and MEP designing in the software they demand students use. Claiming "they are tools FOR US to learn how to use. We are in school paying $196,000, THEY SHOULD TEACH US. There are a handful of teachers that have made my time here worth it. They make it very hard for NON PRODOGIES to learn and be accepted. I have experienced over a dozen online reviews where it is disparaging and critical instead of elevating and lack of constructive feedback if the design is not to their standards. These reviews I found reflect a school that is taking advantage of tax incentives by being "inclusive". But thats for political reasons. They don't care if a student makes it or not. Iv watched hard working students breakdown and cry in reviews and even drop out because they just cant seem to appease the staff. Pro. inclusive admission process. Blah Cons: High tuition fees, often described as a "predatory" for-profit, with high dropout rates and high student debt. Reputation: The institution is frequently described as a "real estate empire" with extensive property ownership in San Francisco, which sometimes overshadows the educational focus. Experience: Some students report success if they are proactive with networking, while others report poor administrative communication.

We loved our class here! The instructor was so patient and we learned a lot. (Never thought it'd be…read moreso difficult haha) 10/10 would come back here! They turned out so beautiful.

Went to the beginners class one day pottery. Very fun to make but instructor does not hand hold…read moreyou. Expected to watch once and work on it on your own while the instructor makes their own items. Luckily my friends and I did research before the class and had a general idea on how to make a shape. Normal wait time to pick up pottery is 4-6 weeks. We waited 4 weeks to get ours. Steven was very friendly for pottery pick up time changes. 100% make a game plan before coming to class because time is limited and instruction is limited. Overall not bad

This review is for the Chinese cultural center Store located on 667 Grant Avenue. This is a well…read morecurated shop in the middle of China town. Some highlights: - compact, pre-assembled to go mini kits - things like travel set, first-aid sets, hangover kits, and small everyday essentials. - mood-themed chocolate bars - stationery - small design items. Perfect store for unique gift assembly.

Came here to explore and learn but never again. We got so lost looking for an exit as most of the…read moredoors say "not an exit." Wound up walking into an employees only area for Hilton because the door had an exit sign on it. Finally just tried the door that read "not an exit" and exited the center!

I spent a wonderful Sunday here!…read more The owner asked me to come in and teach a class, so I did. I hadn't been to Voice One before. I can tell you it's a wonderful facility with great ownership and management. The students here are and welcoming to new people. As a professional Voice Actor for 20 years, I feel that the education they are giving their students is top-notch. They have wonderfully defined coursework and everything is mapped out to gear students for success. I have a friend who teaches here and she is also very fond of the school. She and I are both very honest people, and we appreciate that being reflected by the owner of Voice One. The integrity is lovely to be behold. If you were looking to learn about voice acting or any of the other things they teach here don't hesitate to sign up.

Took a number of classes and really couldn't recommend any aspect of their approach to teaching…read more Most, but not all, of the instructors seem jaded, burnt out, and obnoxious, sally in particular. There didn't seem to be any effort to build meaningful connections between instructors and students, their attitudes seem very detached, joyless, and transactional.

Newly constructed CCSF CNB Campus - Main Building and Annex Building opened its doors to the public…read moreon 8/15/12 for its 1st day of classes.

Very modern and fancy, great for everyone who wants to improve their english speaking skills. Their…read morelibrary hours isn't as long as downtown campus, but still ok, at least better than a lot of the sfpl locations. Very nice!

Total waste of time and money…read more I booked this through Eventbrite a couple weeks ago, expecting a fun neon paint night with step-by-step instruction. none of that happened. Yujin crammed three separate events into one tiny, overly bright room, which completely ruined the vibe. The Eventbrite photo showed people painting in a dark neon-lit room. Instead, we were with two other "classes" in a setting that felt chaotic and thrown together. She gave zero instruction, even though it was clearly advertised. When we asked for help, she barely responded and gave off this weird gaslighting energy like we were bothering her. She even stepped out of the room multiple times while we were all sitting there confused. It felt like she wanted to collect money, hand out some supplies, and disappear. The only "perk" was free wine, which honestly felt like a tactic to get people drunk so they wouldn't notice how bad the experience was. It was obvious she has no interest in teaching or creating a good experience but rather just taking people's money. My husband and I would've had a better night painting at home with a canvas from Amazon (which, by the way, would've been bigger and better quality than the tiny ones she gave us). If you're reading this and thinking about booking--don't. Or do, and find out the hard way.

Super friendly instructor and relaxed atmosphere. We got to pick the painting we wanted to doread more

I just happen to work at Sterne School--the 4th-12th grade school that leases the building where…read moreSt. Mary's Preschool is also housed. It was purely convenience that made me check out St. Mary's for my son. Wow, I'm so grateful that I did! He's been enrolled here since he was 2, and the program really is incredible. The teachers and the Director are caring, knowledgeable, professional, and reliable; my son has grown so much since he started here. He's more independent and is so good at following rules and directions now! He's also learning Chinese. Everywhere we go he says, "Mama, that's Chinese!" He cleans up his toys at home now without my nagging (this place is spotless!!) and he really enjoys meeting new kids now. This place is truly a hidden gem in a very convenient area at the intersection of Chinatown, North Beach, and the Financial District.

Our son has attended St. Mary's Preschool since its inception in 2015. He will be graduating at…read morethe end of this school year and will have spent 2.5 years with the kind and loving teachers there. I am a firm believer in the Montessori teaching technique, where kids can each progress at their own speed, and encouraged along the way. They were very patient in working with our son during his potty training phase. The environment is new, clean and warm. The kids get their crazies out during recess and gets healthy snacks and fruit. Our son constantly tells us how much he loves his school and his teachers. Many family events are organized throughout the school year, making the class feel more like family with lots of familiar faces. A great choice for your child!

This specialty shop features a range of labor-intensive Chinese artisan-made fine art objects,…read morejewelry, and crafts. In terms of volume, the most significant proportion of this store's goods are made of ivory, in a range of prices, ages, and provenances, some by known collectible Chinese artists. I don't know any specific artists, but the manager, David, totally knows his stuff: he gave me a tour of the various cases, starting with antique (over 100 years old), vintage (over 50 years old to the 1990s), and contemporary pieces. CITES animal-rights legislation prohibits the importation of various types of ivory after a certain date, and they're not sketchy about this here; everything is labeled and dated, and they give out a necessary item identification certificate to buyers. And the artworks are beautiful. Huge, intricately-carved elephant, mammoth, hippo, and other teeth tower over the many smaller carved pieces. There's a section of composite (bone dust mixed with a binder), plastic/resin, as well as bone. They have a nice jade selection, and most of it is paired with gold. There's a marked difference between vintage imported Chinese enameled vases and contemporary examples, most of which is expressed in the visible level of detail and skill. These arts, these crafts, take a long time to learn and the demand for these handmade, more obscure art forms is lower nowadays, so there are fewer and fewer pieces made by fewer and fewer artists. Many of the items found at Wai Hing would be difficult to source elsewhere, because of this confluence of circumstances. I wasn't turned on by their cinnabar, and the porcelain selection would definitely do it for some folks but that's not really my thing. The store is small, but not tiny, and not cramped; everything is carefully organized and displayed beautifully. Taken in together, the visual effect is stunning. New animal product legislation in California, combined with the economic pressures of a rapidly-changing San Francisco, mean that Wai Hing may not be around for very much longer. In a year, it would not delight me or surprise me to learn that the owners had retired. The time to visit this Grant Avenue storefront gallery is now.

David was so incredibly nice. The store has beautiful and unique collectible items. I bought…read morebangles and earrings from them for my friends and family members back in Atlanta. I wish they had a website from which I could order more. Great people and great shop.

Grand opening of a pottery/ceramic studio in Nob Hill (SF) across from the Cable Car Museum on…read moreMason. Great place to learn pottery making. Use of the hands helps keep the muscles toned and strong when shaping the clay. Samantha Is the instructor/teacher. She has the patience of Job when it comes to teaching. It's 2 levels with the kiln downstairs. Monthly membership is available to those who want to spend more time creating and making their pottery. Love it.

Came across this beautiful little pottery store/ studio while getting coffee down the street. Very…read morefriendly service and great quality; I love my wall flower holder. I also perched some Palo Santo and gave some to my friends that I visited. Lovely store

So excited to have a pottery studio in the neighborhood! It will be wonderful to go create new…read moreceramics creations with friends. Thank you so much to our local neighbors who recently opened it.