As we dive deep into 2019, it’s important to remember the people who matter most… our F.I.R.S.T. Institute students. Last year was an awesome one for creatives trying to hone in on their inner skills and abilities. From students to interns to graduates, 2018 proved to be the year of winners and achievers here in Orlando, Florida. Let’s check out the 2018 F.I.R.S.T. Institute reviews.
And our students aren’t shy about letting the world know how they feel about F.I.R.S.T. Institute. Many of them use what they’ve learned in our technical programs to create video testimonials and reviews sharing their positive experiences on our campus.
Digital Filmmaking & Video Production Program Reviews
In our Digital Filmmaking and Video Production program, students learn every aspect of live video production and development, HD cinema and post production. Each student is required to participate in a real-world group project, such as producing a music video, before graduating.
Graduate Wes Hall
Wes felt that the Digital Filmmaking & Video Production program at F.I.R.S.T. really set him up for success post-graduation. Wes explains that the courses teach you script writing, lighting, camera work, post-production, and more. The variability of the program gives you the chance to hone in on what suits your talents and interests best. Wes enjoyed the well-rounded experience that F.I.R.S.T. Institute provided.
Graduate Nicholas Cain
Nicholas was very pleased with the affordable tuition that F.I.R.S.T. offers. He also liked the fact that it was a private school with differences than a traditional school. The fact that he could graduate in less than a year as opposed to four or more years in traditional schools was a big selling point for Nicholas.
Nicholas mentions that his favorite project during his time at F.I.R.S.T. was the music video project. He liked the fact that he could have creative freedom during the project and not have to work off of someone else’s directions.
Recording Arts & Show Production Program Reviews
This program teaches students audio visual production, live sound reinforcement and other fundamental aspects of Recording Arts and Show Production. Through classroom work and hands-on projects, instructors cover areas related to installation, location, studio and live settings.
Graduate AC the Gift
When asked what he likes most about F.I.R.S.T. Institute, the alumnus says that would be the intimate setting. He likes that the school is not overcrowded. The smaller classroom sizes allow him to bond with both the instructors and the other students in the class.
This setting also allows him to work in a hands-on environment, without feeling intimidated. He can raise his hand to ask a question, stopping the learning process, without feeling out of place.
AC the Gift was asked to talk about one of his favorite moments as a F.I.R.S.T. Institute student. He told the camera it was when his class did the trailer for the hit movie Hancock starring Will Smith.
Graduate Sam “Big Makk” Koroitamudu
This famous Orlando DJ credits the educational institution with teaching him the fundamentals he needed to succeed in an industry notorious for its competitive nature.
When asked why he considers F.I.R.S.T. Institute to be such a great school, he says the small class sizes and hands-on experience were what helped him the most.
Student Luis Lasanta
Luis Lasanta says that the class that stands out the most to him at F.I.R.S.T. Institute is Career Development. The staff there gives you everything you need to become successful in this industry. And these teachers are also there for the students after they graduate. They follow up through phone calls and will do what it takes to help you get a job after graduation.
Lasanta gives special thanks to Alfonso. He’s always giving him a hand, tips on do’s and don’ts, what to expect and great advice related to the industry. According to Luis, F.I.R.S.T. Institute’s Career Development course gives its students the tools they need to go out and hunt for a career, while still attending school.
Graduate Justin Bethel
Justin enjoyed all of his instructors during his time at F.I.R.S.T. Institute. Justin appreciated that his instructors still worked in the field and could give real-world insight during classroom interaction.
He says that his instructors were willing to help at all times and walk the students through problems one-on-one. He felt he didn’t have the typical “public school” experience, as his instructors didn’t get in the way of his learning.
Justin enjoyed how the instructors made the environment very professional, yet casual and personal with the small class sizes. He took great pleasure in the culture that stemmed from the personalized learning with few classmates and direct connection with the instructors.
Justin enjoyed the variability of the Recording Arts & Show Production program. He found himself loving some aspects of audio that he didn’t know much about. Justin credits the movie trailer project from one of his courses at F.I.R.S.T. Institute. Justin appreciated being able to fill in all of the audio from scratch with the movie trailer given to him.
Graduate Nathan Passafume
When Mr. Nathan Passafume first walked into F.I.R.S.T. Institute, he really enjoyed the small class size and the personal, hands-on relationship that you have with your instructor. Nathan credits John LaRosa, a Recording Arts & Show Production instructor at F.I.R.S.T. Institute with taking his talents and molding him into something he didn’t even know was possible.
Nathan mentions that he fell in love with the people at F.I.R.S.T. Institute with its friendly staff, faculty, and students. Nathan was drawn to the professional, yet “home-y” and secluded learning environment at F.I.R.S.T. that he says he couldn’t really find anywhere else.
Nathan mentions that his favorite project at F.I.R.S.T. Institute was a recording project where an actual band came in to record an original song.
Graphic Design & Web Development Program Reviews
The Graphic Design & Web Development Program gives students the skills they need to create awesome websites and dynamic graphics in the real world. Courses are designed to teach students everything they need to launch their careers, from basic photography to illustration, from digital media design fundamentals to front end web programming concepts.
Graduate Jansen
What initially attracted Jansen to F.I.R.S.T. Institute was the graphic design school’s accessibility. He says the school makes it a point to give each student an ultimate experience since there’s a variety of different graphic design types.
The F.I.R.S.T. Institute graduate says the graphic and web design school offers a classroom view, as well as the correct environment for learning the art of designing graphics. And, everything is kept professional. His technical schooling made him feel as though he has a purpose and is on the right track to a growing design career.
F.I.R.S.T. Institute really helped pave the way for Jansen’s career in graphic design. He talks about the school’s internship program. There, he was able to integrate what he had learned at F.I.R.S.T. with the work he performed during his internship at 100units.com.
Graduate Paolo Rendon
Paolo enjoyed the fact that F.I.R.S.T. Institute offers small class sizes so he could have one-on-one time with the teachers. He liked being able to ask questions and feel accomplished during his time in the classroom.
Paolo appreciated being able to work individually as well as with group members. In Web Development, Paolo remembers working on a group project where each team member contributed to the coding for a website.
Mihaela Coman: Graduate Spotlight
Coman mentions that when she applied for F.I.R.S.T. Institute she was thinking of what was most valuable to her. She loves the fact that this school got right to the point with graduates finishing in a year’s time. There was no “fluff” in the education so she could immediately gain the experience she needed to succeed in her program.
Everything that you have learned during your time at F.I.R.S.T. Institute will come in handy one day. You may not realize it in the moment, but the skills you have honed will be useful and may even surprise you. Life has a way of twisting and turning, and you never know how the experiences you had at F.I.R.S.T. can benefit you even ten years from now. Nothing is wasted, education is an investment.
Learn More About F.I.R.S.T. Institute’s Digital Media Programs
We aim to provide our students with the tools, resources, knowledge and skills needed to become leaders in the digital media industry. According to our students and graduates, that’s exactly what we do!
Click the links below to learn more about our various digital media technical programs:
