The Los Angeles Film School — Local services in Los Angeles

DO NOT GO TO THIS SCHOOL!

I went here as a veteran student and had nothing but issues from day 1 with the school and staff.

Here is 9 constructive reasons why not to go to this school:

Flashy advertisement that don't actually show the real academics. The academics are very poorly constructed. I took two classes there and it both of the classes could have easily been 10 minutes worth of slide shows.

The staff is unresponsive once they have your money and you are in the courses. If you need any help with them, they won't. I had to go in physically every time if I needed something gone just to see them chit chatting amongst each other rather than helping the students.

They won't accept my transcripts. I had schooling completed at a regionally accredited university that I was trying to transfer from. I sent it to them multiple times and still they insisted that I had to take their. It was only until I told them I will be leaving the school is when they said they would accept them. The school's accreditation is national, but DO NOT TRUST THAT. In the classes they don't even require citations for the school. I have never heard of a college that doesn't use citations? None of the information you learn is peer reviewed.

Instructors are always late for classes and will try to extort you to pay them for additional information that you should be learning in the school but isn't taught in class. The instructors tend to get side track and talk about unrelated topics. The reality is you will be off subject for 40% of the time in class. I timed it.

I am a big on learning from successful people. People who have made it in the industry. The people who work here are the who didn't make it in the industry. You have better luck saving your money and studying successful people on youtube or researching in a different way. On that subject, some of the assignments require you to watch youtube anyhow!!

There is a Tech Kit that the school MAKES you pay for. The cost is around $6,000 plus or minus $1,000 depending on which program you are going to be in. The school makes a BIG PAYCHECK by up-charging you so you will buy this off of them. This is a predatorily tactic that makes you think "well, I have already spent $ XXXXXX so I got to stick it out."

Look at all the 5 star reviews by the people who have "attended" the school. Most of them are ghost accounts trying to offset the amount of people telling you not to go.

Look up what the median salary of whatever you want to do is. Is it worth being $35k-$50k in student debt? Will you only be able to make $25,000-$35,000 a year? How are you going to survive especially when most of the jobs are in California and the cost of living is stupid high? A studio in LA costs nearly $3,000 a month not including utilities. It only makes sense if you have dumb money and you really don't care, but there is much better options than this, trust me.

It was an absolute nightmare trying to leave this school. I an glad I was able to capture and email to myself all the things they were doing to me. MAKE SURE YOU DOCUMENT EVERYTHING AND IF YOU TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING IN PERSON, SEND A FOLLOW UP EMAIL TO THEM COVERING WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT. This will help when they try to mess with you in the future. I don't think individuals are necessarily trying to mess with you, but collectively as an organize, they don't want to be in the wrong.

Additionally for my veterans, that Tech Kit is a dangerous thing. I am pretty sure they are misusing the GI Bill and including that in tuition. Luckily for me, I did not get the Tech Kit and left the school before I did. Once this whole thing gets exposed, I grantee the VA will come after you to make you pay it it back. It is just a really messes situation to be in. Be smart and remember what the military taught you.

If you have read this far and still are considering going to the school then just please consider my review

This is not a school. It is...

I'm a recording student and a Marine Corps vet. Not sure why some people are writing horrible reviews. If you had a bad experience its probably because you didn't take care of your own paperwork or ask the right questions. Its ultimately your responsibility to make sure all your documents have been submitted. I agree that the admin side of things at this school can be a bit bad at times since it seems like none of the departments communicate with each other.

**Edit: Once you are a student for a while, you will get the run around for weeks when asking about BAH and how the school sends enrollment so you have no money during the holidays even though the suggest you not have a job.

As far as education goes, I find the courses to be pretty easy as long as you follow simple instructions, show up to class and pay attention. I've learned a lot and the teachers here are great. I haven't had any problems finding a teacher to answer my questions.

My biggest complaint about the school is the parking situation. ITS HORRIBLE. I get that is LA, but they could offer a student pass. And its especially annoying that they let anyone (not students) park in the lots. So if you have an afternoon class you will most likely have to find parking elsewhere. Its really irritating that there is not ample parking for students and they chart $6/ day no matter what. This should be fixed.

**Edit: Security treats students like criminals and the school prioritizes the all access tours over students, who pay a lot of money to go to the school, to work in spaces on projects for their classwork. I almost wasn't allowed on a stage in the film building that was booked and had an instructor with it. The security guard literally put her hand in front of the ID scanner blocking me from scanning my ID...like a child.

In the recording building, if you take a nap on a couch or fall asleep, security will find you and make you actually sit up. Again, students that PAY A LOT OF MONEY to go to the school aren't allowed to take a nap in-between class or on breaks. Its not like anyone is camping...

So heres what I know, I have not attended the school but I have been inquiring about doing so. I have gathered that actually, the school is extremely expensive, almost 18000 just for the first 8 months, then almost 14 grand for the next and 4500 for the last few months mp program.The admissions advisor who I spoke to has been extremely kind, however the financial aid counselor who I spoke to was completely impatient, rude, sarcastic, and basically annoyed the entire time I was on the phone with her asking about the loans/process simply just trying to understand the apr rates so I fully know and understand what I am getting myself into so I can be on top of it. This is completely normal and feeseable and should be respected if anything and surely not sneered at. I really feel like her goal was to make me feel stupid by the end of our call. Most students don't care or they let their parents pay; I am paying myself so I just want to understand the process. Or maybe the school only cares about non financial aid students as their priority bc they know they will get paid fast & easy, is that it? She literally just kept reading her email to me word for word like I was stupid and did not understand English, I had the email in front of me I know how to read. I really cannot grasp how you call yourself an advisor when you are an extremely rude unkind and impatient person. You should not be a counselor since you have a seriously condescending and sarcastic attitude. You represent your school and you know what if your persona is in any way reminiscent of the staff at lafilm school then I don't want to come here after all. Not if all the staff is going to be like this. If the school does not want to take the time out to invest in explaining programs to prospect students, then maybe they should just stop inquiring altogether. I feel completely discouraged & disappointed, & I haven't even started the program yet. Not off to a...