LaSalle College – Save Your Tuition

A review of the LaSalle College (Vancouver) - Interior Design program.
By anonymous who graduated in 2009. ASR has verified his/her identity for this review. 3,443 views.

I was living in another Province when I decided to move to Vancouver to attend LaSalle College’s interior design program. At the time, I really had no idea what post-secondary schools were out there, so I did an online search and stumbled on LaSalle. I contacted the school and talked to an admissions advisor and eventually went for a tour of their school. It was very small, nothing fancy inside, but the tour guide made it sound awesome. I was swayed and chose LaSalle because it was only a 1-year program with small class sizes, and was the least expensive option.

Interior Design at LaSalle College

The program is broken down into three terms, which consist of 6 main classes: Interior Design, Colour, AutoCAD, Illustration, Visual Language, and Digital Media. These classes are taken all throughout the 3 terms. The other classes you take only last a single term are; Materials & Finishes, Problem Solving, Lighting, and Professional Development.

The individual classes had no set curriculum.

Even though the actual structure of the program was organized, the individual classes had no set curriculum. The teachers could teach whatever they wanted, and as much as you complained about the courses, nothing ever changed. With teachers coming and going all the time it was really difficult to get consistency.

The program was about 35% group work and 65% individual work. There were people of all skill levels in the program. Being able to draw was not a requirement, although you will have to spend an entire term learning to hand draw. There was a lot of leeway in what medium you used for your assignments. If you weren’t strong in drawing you could make it up with stronger computer skills.

The facilities were not great, and everything was always filthy. There was not much room to work on projects, and there was little equipment to work with. The computers were ancient and the majority of the time working on them was spent hoping they wouldn’t crash.

The school had a small job board, which wasn’t always the most helpful. In the Professional Development class we were asked to write down two design firms we were interested in working for and the head of the school called them to see if they needed any interns. The firms were either not interested or it clashed with our school schedules. No one in my class was able to get an internship.

The only two positive things I can think of are the small class sizes (12 max) and the Professional Development class. Because of the small class sizes, you could get to know your classmates really well and for the few good courses you could get individual attention. The teacher for the Professional Development class was really good and very honest about how hard it would be to get into the design field.

I feel like the amount of tuition I paid was not worth this experience.

The Verdict

As you can probably tell, I would not recommend the Interior Design program to anyone. There are many, many reasons why I feel like the amount of tuition I paid was not worth this experience. I’m completely dissatisfied with the school, and if given the chance, I would have gone somewhere else. The only thing you need to take away from my review is, as far as I know, nobody from my graduating class is currently working in the design industry.

(10 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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14 Comments

Sarah

5.27.10

I’m just trying to get this straight…

So is LaSalle College Vancouver run by the same people in Montreal?

The Montreal facebook page has way more people, and it seems way more established.

The person who wrote this review.

5.27.10

I have heard nothing but good things about the Montreal campus. Although they do share the same name, they really are not run by the same people. The people from Montreal will check in from time to time.

Last time I checked the Montreal campus did not offer Interior Design.

Unsatisfied Interior Design student at LaSalle

7.28.10

This article is so accurate. Everything you describe here (all bad) is completely true and is what goes on at this unorganized and uncoordinated school. I can’t even express how extremely disappointed I am to have ever started attending LaSalle Vancouver.

Margaret

10.14.10

Some updates:

This program is for people who want to get an introduction to a little bit of everything and then determine where they want to specialize.

Going into the program I did not realize how demanding it’s going to be, it’s quite intensive.

Courses are taught in small class sizes, that’s why instructors are able to guide us personally to discover our own style, and students can have close interactions with instructors and classmates.

Instructors have or still work in the field, which I found is great as they know first hand what is expected of you in your job.
The program will test your patience, determination and love for the interior design.

Because of this program I found what I am capable of find my design style, and I’m gaining technical knowledge. During my program, school went thru few administrative changes – all for the better.

Margaret

Stacy

11.16.10

Just a question, Im also attending an art college in Vancouver for a Interior Design Diploma but have been unhappy with the program thus far & am considering attending an university for an Interior Design degree instead because I assume it would be easier to get a job with a degree. Have you been able to find a job in this field yet or know anyone of your fellow students who have?

the person who wrote this review

11.24.10

Getting into the design world is all based on experience, your portfolio, and who you know. Going to get your degree will not guarantee you get a job in the field. Although friends who have gotten their degrees have felt more prepared for the design world, thus possibly making them more confident to get out there. After taking this design program I realized that I like design purely as a hobby. No one in my graduating class are currently working in the field. One person from the graduating class before me is in the field, and two people from the class after me are in the field.

Hope this helps!

lili

12.2.10

The program is Not accredited. No one in the professional industry will hire you. Visit http://www.idibc.org to learn more about choosing the accredited interior design schools & programs.

the person who wrote this review

12.3.10

It is recognized in Canada as an accredited institution as you can get student loans for it. However to become an accredited interior designer you must take the NCIDQ exam. You cannot take this until you have either finished a certain amount of schooling, or banked a certain amount of hours as a designer. Since this program is only a year you would have to take this program and then work a certain amount of hours before taking the NCIDQ.

artsy23

1.4.11

This school is a complete joke. I would not recommend it to anyone not even an enemy. The admin staff are completely useless. The student financial adviser is completely clueless. She has no idea of how to fill out paper work, so loans/bursaries were going into the LaSalle fund and only when asked were monies returned but after 6 weeks. These monies were allotted for supplies and tutoring. Due to the incompetence, monies were only coming in at semester end which was not helpful at all. I am still waiting on a 2000 grant.

Despite numerous complaints about incompetent teachers who had long been out of the industry given the “retro” work nothing was done. One teacher used the same notes for both semesters, showed up late or not at all, canceled field trips after students were in attendance or claimed emails were sent despite date and time being after designated field trip start or no emails t all, the other instructors grasp of English made it entirely difficult to understand. Out of my 13 student class only 5 remain, and one person because his student visa was threatened.

Many of the projects were ridiculous and unworthy of being in a portfolio. A teacher was fired for not wanting to use pirated software and in my first semester one of the instructors was actually giving us sites for pirated software.

This school does not prepare you for a career at all. it is a mishmash and the people reportedly making it in the industry have 4 year degrees in related principles in the industry ie. Industrial design. For 17,000 this school drives you away from design by its inadequacies and student support. Projects are piled on despite the lack of basic concept or foundation being set. Those in final semester have been quoted saying they don’t feel prepared, are in huge debt and certainly don’t feel that they got their monies worth out of LaSalle.

Now some people may criticize that the faculty should have been advised of these issues and I assure you they have by multiple students multiple times only to fall on deaf ears. They have their own agenda to fill and clearly don’t care about the students other than to make money off of their naivete.

hana

1.4.11

I know nothing about this school but it is registered with PCTIA. I encourage all students who feel ripped off to file a formal complaint and if applicable request a refund.

http://www.pctia.bc.ca/complaint.htm

Kaoutar A

1.14.11

I was supposed to enter logistics management at Lasalle College in Montreal and it was so disorganised. They canceled the programe at the last minute, so I had to find alternative and I ended up in computer networking at CDI. I did receive a refund from Lasalle College but I had to pay for the medicale insurance (student internationale)and they overcharge me by about $200 and they wouldn’t refund me for that. When you just land in Canada and you don’t much about the options, this school takes advantage of you and charges you extra fees for anything they can come up with.
I am sorry for mispelling, I am a french speaker.

artsy23

2.2.11

An Update: The craziness of LaSalle gets even worse…

Only three months after the cheque was issued did LaSalle finally refund it with the excuse that the were mistakes with the paperwork (3rd time)…seriously if you can’t even fill out inter office paperwork… then you shouldn’t be working in admin as student support. LaSalle boasts of their small classes so in total some classes consist of 3 max 5 pupils ..so there are a total of maybe 30 students if that. It’s incredulous to me that the support handles it as poorly as it does-sadly at the students’ expense.

When this was brought to the attention of the director the excuse was “she’s new and still learning”… 8 months into a job I think is sufficient to master the basics…

When the student originally applied explaining she was coming in on a disability she was assured that she would receive all the support she needed. This was not the case as it turns out-the original admin support who was very effective in her role left under suspicious circumstances or warning… the student was forced to take time off school due to the disorganized admin support hounding her for past emails supporting her withdrawal in first semester due to illness and return for the following semester despite being CC’d on all emails including the ones she (student support) herself wrote. Also despite it being discussed that first semester’s tuition would be used upon return she was hounded for the next 2 semesters tuition upfront despite being on a student loan (they handle that not the student) before any support would be offered. Having no choice but to do the admin’s job by getting letters of support from her instructors for equipment needed to aid in the courses and other paperwork..taking away from study time.

She was told when it was brought to her attention by govt when she called to find out why there was such a delay that despite the call from the disability office asking for proof of enrollment and letters from instructors nothing was done and this had taken place a month prior. When she finally confronted admin support on this issue she was told that the admin support and director had made the decision again without the student’s knowledge that this issue wouldn’t be handled until the tuition matter was handled. Had she not contacted the govt office to see what the hold up was with tutoring support and equipment support, she would have still been waiting…despite dr.s notes, numerous in fact they still screw up and say the withdrawal date is Oct 3 despite being in school until the November 29 and finally fed up of the circus act and withdrawing Dec 21st due to stress brought on by this monkey show…

6 students from the graduating class are filing with PCTIA despite the offer from the director of returning to attend unlimited classes until they felt prepared. Three of the students who have dropped out last semester are also filing.

Upon going in to receive a bursary cheque issued to the student from the govt which *accidentally* was deposited into the LaSalle acct and wasn’t brought up until the student asked (pretty sketchy) it was issued Nov 17, 2010 she just received it Jan 27, 2011. This was for her fall semester support. Tragic.

There is a former instructor from last semester picketing outside LaSalle stating that LaSalle fired him for not breaking the law.

This is what she was greeted with when she went to pick up the cheque that was supposed to be left for her at reception as per the student admin support instruction. Once there …of course no cheque.. no clue as to where it was.. and then a surprise blindsiding by the director who then forced her into his office despite her protests of having another appt…he refused to take no for an answer as he was holding her cheque waving it in front of her. He then proceeded to tell her about seeing the posting on this website and tried bullying her with the threat of lawyers if she didn’t take it down. Again this gravely affected her disability as she suffers from PTSD and anxiety/panic attacks…however this didn’t seem to bother him as he tried to coerce her into agreeing with him that the school was above board..stating the picketer was going to be removed by police but that again was a lie; a person has the right to protest unfair treatment as this post does and serves as a warning to naive students trusting that a school will live up to expectations promised. When he saw she wouldn’t budge after 15 minutes of pressure he said on behalf of the school I offer my apologies for what you’ve been put through. Her reply was: You took my dream and turned it into a nightmare but withheld the comment your apology is not worth the 5,000 paid for first semester…She came out trembling…

This is not the sort of behaviour one expects from an accredited school’s personnel and despite her reluctance will now be filing with PCTIA along with 9 other students… Please for the love of all things respected…do not waste your tuition here….

Hana

5.9.11

If everything that was written here is true, I hope everyone who filed with the PTCIA got their money back. Otherwise, I suggest the ten of you pool together to seek legal counsel: get the tuition refunded plus punitive damages and legal fees. And don’t forget to call the media…they love David and Goliath stories. I walked by this college the other day and remembered the horror stories. I hope things work out for you guys.

Layla

5.19.11

just a question which is better College LaSalle in vancouver or montreal, i dont speak french much and i wanted to join interior design in college LaSalle but after readin these comments i think i will start looking for another college, Is college recognized around the world and can i get jobs with its diploma !? & how much is the acadimic year fees in LaSalle (including rent tutions medical food & all that) :)