Art Institute of Atlanta unexpectedly announces closure, students left scrambling

ATLANTA - The Art of Institute of Atlanta, which awards associate and bachelor's degrees in art and science along with diploma and on-degree programs, has announced that it is closing its doors.

The announcement was unexpected. The school says it will close its door Saturday.

The new semester was supposed to start Oct. 2.

Taurus Washington went to the Art Institute of Atlanta in search of answers.

His daughter and other students were blindsided Friday when the school announced it was closing its doors. 

"I was upset, mad. I have sacrificed a lot for her to graduate, and she didn't have but one more class to take. I don't know, about to see what they're going to tell me in here," Washington told FOX 5's Deidra Dukes.

Administrators at the Sandy Springs campus wouldn't go on camera Monday. According to the school’s website, Art of Institute of Atlanta is one of eight art institutes across the country which are closing.

"We have nowhere to go, we don't know what to do," student Elizabeth Vann said. "They could've let us know sooner so that we would have a heads-up and get a plan."

With the metro Atlanta campus now set to close Friday, students are left scrambling to transfer to another school. 

"I was kind of like disappointed to hear it because I'm getting further along in my journey," lamented student Alexia McClary.

In an email to students, school officials stated that a series of events over the past 10 years, both external and internal to the campus operations has forced the closure of the systems of colleges.

Aireona Becton's is pursuing a career in fashion marketing management. She said she was set to graduate next July. 

"I kind of feel like the higher ups knew that this was going to happen, and they still had people coming for financial aid, signing up for financial aid, knowing good and well the school was going to close. You just took our money, and now we are trying to figure out where the hell we go from here," Becton said.

The other schools are:

• Miami International University of Art & Design
• The Art Institute of Austin, a branch of The Art Institute of Houston
• The Art Institute of Dallas, a branch of Miami International University of Art & Design
• The Art Institute of Houston
• The Art Institute of San Antonio, a branch of The Art Institute of Houston
• The Art Institute of Tampa, a branch of Miami International University of Art & Design
• The Art Institute of Virginia Beach, a branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta

The closures will affect thousands of students.

The school's website has been replaced with a "Closed School Information Page."  

To help with transfers, the school says it will mail current students 5 official copies of their transcripts at no cost.