Irvine Art and Music Center

Elite '08

111

104

Sylvia B.

Irvine, CA

My daughter took private piano lessons at this Chinese music school. It was NOT a good experience and I can DEFINITELY NOT recommend this school!

Every few months her teacher would stop teaching (why?!) and she would get a new teacher. There was little continuity and her progress was meager. Two of her teachers used to answer their cellphones while teaching their 30 minute lessons. And one of them had tons of phone calls! My daughter never told me about this until I found out months later in a different context.

It was also really hard to communicate with the teachers since they spoke very little English. No wonder the clientele was 98% Chinese.

But the absolute worst at this place was the administrative staff. PLAIN RUDE!
I was never late with my payments, but they kept on calling me at home and treating me like I was (before payment was due). I never understood that behavior. When I asked them, "Was I ever paying late?", they said, "No, but there are a lot of other people who are!" Great! Was that some kind of intimidation tactique or what?

In general they were so freaked out about not getting their money, it's unbelievable!  You had to prepay for the month, but once my daughter got a new note booklet from the teacher and the office staff tried to call me later about seven times, leaving messages etc to tell me that I have to pay $4.26 for the book......Yes, sure, I never thought that it was for free....and again, I never left any bills unpaid. But they didn't understand that. Again, I felt treated like a terrorist.......

On the other side, when a teacher was sick or we were gone on vacation, they would charge me bluntly the full amount or not give a discount, unless I said something. They didn't try to be on top of things here -  strange, isn't it........!!??

Can't repeat enough how LOUSY this whole experience was....!!!!!!!!

This center is, by the way, some kind of after school care as well. With the difference that the kids are not spending their free time here but go to school after school. Studying, studying, studying til their heads go on fire. I guess going to school from eight to three plus homework isn't enough for some people. The classrooms were packed with kids. They will be the ones who will make your kids' As look like a joke, because everything below A++ is not accepted.

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