We’re back once again, taking a moment to appreciate those who appreciated us!
As we look into the 2022 reviews of F.I.R.S.T. Institute, we notice some common themes that show what our students really enjoy about F.I.R.S.T.
So let’s dive straight into it, starting with a theme that we’ve all learned a lot about over the past few years – flexibility.
A Digital Media School For Everyone!
If there’s anything 2021 and 2022 taught us, it’s that professional education needs to be able to adapt with the times. That includes providing many ways to ingest the information provided and being flexible around the timing of our students’ classes.
Tab Jones hits the nail on the head, saying:
Right on, this is exactly what we strive for at F.I.R.S.T. The entire reason we are both an ‘in person’ and ‘online’ art school is to increase our geographical and temporal reach. In other words, we strive to ensure that morning and evening classes are available to accommodate students’ schedules.
One of the keys to being able to deliver on these promises is to keep class sizes small. Overload a class, and the teachers and staff are spread too thin to provide the kind of personal attention that is required to make sure our busy students are being properly prepared in their fields. Tatiana Jones, a Recording Arts and Show Production student, is grateful for this.
Whether attending a class on campus or online, it’s critical that our instructors are able to give personalized support to each of their students. That’s impossible in the auditorium setting that has come to be the norm at many universities.
Focus on Your Creativity
If you want to be able to express yourself, an in-person and online art school should have avenues that allow you to do that in a career-positive way.
And F.I.R.S.T. absolutely checks that box, according to Mackayla Smith.
Not only do our students have the opportunity to express themselves creatively, but they’re going to have the chance to interact with other students from radically different backgrounds with brand new styles to bring to the table. The fusion between traditional and modern techniques, whether you’re talking about film, photography, graphic design, or audio engineering, can produce some stunning results.
Jonathon Gonzalez appreciated how F.I.R.S.T. not only allowed creative expression, but understood how our role must change to reflect the struggles we see in the world around us:
We couldn’t agree more. Any time we see barriers to creativity, either in the classroom or professionally, we make moves that will help our students avoid the immediate pitfalls. Then, we position them to take advantage of our Career Services department so that they can continue to express themselves in environments that will provide the degree of artistic freedom that they need to thrive.
Johnathan makes a good point about the lack of general education classes as well. The industries we cover are trades as well as artistic outlets, and we treat them as such. We don’t care whether or not you can do trigonometry unless you specifically need that skill in your field. You don’t need to know how to write a sonnet if your main focus is taking graphic design courses!
Instructors Who are Active in the Industry
Of all the benefits F.I.R.S.T. offers to its students, we are most proud of the impressive faculty that students have access to. These are not career teachers… rather, they’re industry pros with real experience in the fields our students train for. This allows them to provide insights that go far beyond what can be gleaned from a textbook. As Einstein said, “The only source of knowledge is experience. You need experience to gain wisdom.”
As Gamas Revenge points out, this is a school like no other:
Stop, we’re blushing!
Fostering a community in which students feel free to interact with instructors and one another helps them maximize the connections they make while at school. Success may not be all about who you know, but being part of a large network of creative professionals certainly never hurts anyone.
Multimedia has penetrated every market around the globe, and in order to keep up with demand, students need to have exposure to a broad array of backgrounds, talents, and tastes. That’s how you get the best fit between a newly trained professional and a prospective employer.
Getting to Work Faster
Remember that Hollywood and New York no longer have strangleholds on the creative market. You could easily find yourself collaborating with talent across multiple continents, even on your very first professional project.
Here’s what Kelli Knight has to say about career opportunities and more:
A broad array of backgrounds lends well to something else Kelli touched on: interdisciplinary learning. We often get students who were trained as specialists but who want to leverage their knowledge and talents across other mediums.
And it goes beyond small leaps such as theater to film. With the current popularity of live streaming and the growing popularity of both augmented and virtual reality, the lines between disciplines are quickly melting away. For example, concerts don’t just have to worry about presentation to a live audience anymore, they need to consider the camera angles and audio experience of streaming attendees as well.
Similarly, audio mixing needs to be considered on multiple mediums now, ranging from pure digital downloads, to integrations into broadcast formats, and even to classic formats that have been resurrected, such as vinyl.
The opportunities for those willing to take on interdisciplinary learning are endless. Luckily, F.I.R.S.T. is one of the in-person and online art schools that has embraced the broader scope required to take advantage of this kind of intensive cross-training at a professional level.
Another Year, Another Memory
We take immense pride in the remarkable achievements of our students throughout 2022. A big shout-out to our students and the dedicated professionals on our team who tackled every obstacle head-on. A heartfelt thank you for yet another fantastic year of reviews!
F.I.R.S.T. Institute is a digital media school in Orlando, FL, that offers programs in Recording Arts & Show Production, Digital Film & Video Production, Graphic Design & Web Development, and Photography. Download our free brochure to learn more about how F.I.R.S.T. can help you turn your creativity into a career.
