I start the Glendale Heights UTI August 30th. I can't wait. I have had enough of this high school crap. I was considering just attending community college, but after attending 2 classes at my local one while still in high school, Im glad I decided on UTI. Yeah, its not AS bad as high school, but its still not the caliber I want.

 

Sorry for the length...

I went to UTI in Glendale Heights, IL from August 2002 to April 2003. I was supremely disappointed with almost every aspect of the school.

Background on me: I only went because UTI is/was local for me, about 25 minutes drive. I took the straight auto program, no diesel or industrial. (Although the admissions guy tried endlessly to get me to add diesel too.) I was never interested in doing dealer work at all. I was/am more interested in high-performance and/or restoration work. I have 3 computer science degrees/certifications. I was looking at changing careers or at least persuing something I might be more interested in. I have no interest in computers/IT at all and only got into it because it's "where the money is." I found out the hard way that IT isn't really "where the money is" unless you have more and more certifications that I wasn't intersted in getting or couldn't afford. So, as the saying goes, you can't get experience without experience... The IT market is so saturated- every job I apply for, 100 or more other people are applying for it with more certifications and/or experience. Besides, I have no passion for IT like I do for motorsports. Anyway....

First of all, it's insanely priced-- almost $20,000 for just the ~48 week automotive program and upwards of $25,000 for auto/diesel. There's also an auto/diesel/industrial program that's even more $$$. That's on par with some of the most exclusive universities in the country.

Courses start every three weeks and are broken into 'phases.' Most of the phases are three weeks long.

Why was I disappointed? Where do I start? Well, good instructors are few and far between. Most of the time they're up there reading slideshows at you for 5 hours, basically talking at you instead of teaching you anything. Most of the instructors I had seemed determined to fail you instead of teaching you-- like it was a competition. And many of them were very competitive to the point of confrontation if you dared to question anything they're spewing at you. They just seemed to be above teaching at a tech school or just had some chip on their shoulders and were intent on taking it out on the students.

Second, the tools and training aids are always either missing, stolen, broken, tampered with, or all of the above. The clips (half cars) you work on in certain phases will frustrate you to no end, unless you find a working one. I realize cars don’t come into shops unless something is wrong with them, but you have lab assignments to get done and lab time is as good as gold in some phases. My group was always getting extra credit for working on broken clips when we were done with our labs.

The class sizes are simply too big. Some phases I had to sit at tables made for 3 people, yet having to cram 5 people at the table. Keep in mind you have to lug around huge binders and two pretty big text books everyday, on top of a digital multimeter, and safety glasses. This goes back to the instructors talking at you and not getting personal instruction if needed.

The school is run like a combination of pre-school and prison. Your shirt must be tucked in at all times, the hat rules got changed every phase, piercings, hair, etc. I support and understand the need for a standardized dress code, but the enforcement of it bordered on the gestapo. Most of the instructors talk down to you like you're some snot-nosed spoiled brat who has mommy and daddy paying for everything. I was 25-26 when I went with three college degrees, my parents never put a penny toward my education ever- so I took offense to it. I guess I do look like I'm fresh outta HS.

The testing procedures were comical. Picture a boring/droning instructor talking in your general direction for 5-6 hours and trying to stay awake. (I took the morning classes 6:45 - 1:15 or 7:00 - 1:30 if I remember right). Then being tested on it the next day after lunch after the first half of the day you had different stuff crammed into your head. Then actually going to lab to work with what you got tested on already. Remember though, most the tools and lab aids are broken or missing. Basically, it's rapid-fire cramming and they test you on your memory skills. The average adult has an attention span of around 40 minutes.

The employment center... geez where to start? If you aren't interested in a manufacturer's program (like me), they act like you're a mad leper. They must make a commission on every recruit they get or something.

I have to note for those planning on attending UTI in IL that a couple instructors (maybe 2 of the 9 I had) were very good. Tony Blum went above and beyond to help the group that I hung out with, he's a class act. If all the instructors were half as good as him, I would have no complaints at all. One instructor wouldn't show up half the time, and when he did, he'd leave without explanation for long periods at a time. He was actually fired after our phase.

All in all, if UTI cost me half of what it did I'd still consider it a rip-off. I withdrew from the school with 7 phases left and just couldn't take it anymore. I cut my losses and ended up owing $11,000. I left the school still being relatively clueless about cars. Remember, I had perfect attendance and a perfect grade average, so I didn't slack off and blame it on the school/teachers.

If you are interested in going into a dealer service shop and doing warrantee work, then I'd have to say it might be worth it because you get all the manufacturer's training for FREE after you complete the basic auto or auto/diesel program. ONLY if you agree to the possibility of relocating and working at that dealer for at least 6 months. Many of the dealers might agree to pay for part of your student loans, which is cool too. Free education is hard to beat if you get that far.

I was really only interested in the Hot-Rod University part of it but I couldn't take anymore and dropped out before I got that far. I heard varying reports regarding Hot Rod U-- some say it was disappointing, some say the cars were beat to crap, some really liked it.

All in all, it wasn't ideal for me. Many people have liked it, I suppose. This was just my experience...

When I spend that kind of money, am I wrong to set my expectations proportionately?

If you hate sitting in a classroom for long periods of time, have trouble staying awake/paying attention, hate studying-- UTI might not be for you.

AGAIN-- this is only my experience. One size does not fit all. I've heard of countless other people who loved UTI. I've also heard an equal amount that hated it. It's really up to you. Good luck if you got this far...

 

damn, i think that is the best response ive ever scene on this topic, to bad you were not going to Wyo-tech in blairsville Pa. i plan on going their next january as i said before. You should really look into writing reviews or something.

 

Thanks. I'm not trying to scare anyone from UTI, per se. I'm just sharing my experience like I wish somebody would have with me before I wasted my time and money with UTI. Someone might have a different personality or disposition toward UTI than me. I regret it, others- even a few people on this thread seem to like it. You're the only person who can decide. Besides, things could have changed since I went. In the end, this can be chalked up only as one person's experience.

If you aren't interested in working at a dealership, then I'd have to say UTI is not worth it at all. From my experience, talking to dealer techs while going to the UTI field trips, and to the couple good instructors I had talking to me candidly- all UTI is good for is the manufacturer's programs. I learned the hard way.

It really is super-structured, extremely fast moving, and very, very expensive. It's really dependent on what you're looking for. If you hate school, lectures, studying, etc-- UTI is all that and then some. There is hands- on and there is some stuff you'll learn. The hard part (for me) is retaining it while getting more and more information crammed into your head daily. I would get to the end of a phase, get perfect scores on all the end-phase tests, and wonder, "WTF did I just learn???" Then the following Monday, you wipe the slate clean and start a new phase all over again. And I have an awesome memory.

Look into UTI if you're interested. Then disregard about half of what the admissions drones tell you, and half of what the UTI/Hot Rod U infomercial tells you. AND-- don't believe everything the manufacturers program reps tell you about their programs either. A couple techs at the dealers we visited found out the hard way... Warrantee work does NOT pay well at all. On the field trips, you'll see many of the newer techs were making next to nothing because the senior techs get all the good service assignments, and often get two service bays and work on two cars at once.

You don't even learn how to pull engines, transmissions, axles- which is what I was very interested in. In the auto trans phase, all you have is a transmission on a bench and you tear into it. How many customers carry their transmissions to a shop and have them work on it? There's potential to learn TONS of stuff that, for whatever reason(s), they simply don't cover. For roughly $20,000 x 30 students/phase I expected something better. I could have went to a community college and learned the same thing, if not more for 1/4 the price, AND gotten taught by former UTI instructors that left UTI.

If anyone wants/needs anymore personal experience, feel free to email or PM me. Either way, good luck!

 

Right now I am in my 10th phase and I have had 9 different instructors. Of those, I only consider one as being absolutely terrible. I have had three that I really liked a lot. They did everything they could and even went out of their way to make sure everyone understood what was being taught. The other ones I can't say anything bad about, but they weren't among my favorites.

The tools aren't bad at all. I don't know how it was, but everything is organized of tool boards numbered for your group and each group uses that set of tools. So far I haven't had any problems with the tools. The clips aren't the greatest, but what can you expect when they are messed with constantly. You always get a couple idiots who don't take anything seriously and will just rip off wires or something to be funny. Thats why I think there should be a placement exam to take before being placed in classes. That way all the idiots who don't care at all can be put together.

I do agree with classes being too big. Right now, the maximum class size is 30. Thats not bad at all when you're in classroom, but in lab it makes things difficult when one teacher has to help all 30 kids. Most of the time, there is a lab assistant though which makes it a little better.

Dress code and rules definately should be enforced better. Hardly anyone tucks in their shirts and only about half of the kids even have their IDs.

I have no problems with the testing proceedure. It would be way too easy if they just taught it to you and tested you on it in the same day. You have to try and actually remember some of the stuff.

I haven't taken the Hot Rod U classes yet, but I hope no one expects those cars to be in mint shape. All they do is swap parts on them, dyno them, and then swap more parts. Thats some hard mileage there. I don't think the school has money to buy 12 Camaros, Mustangs, Trans Ams every 9 weeks.

So far, I'm not as disappointed as zero. I didn't expect it to be as great as it seems on the infomercial. I have learned a ton about cars and trucks since starting there and I still want to make a career out of it.

If you're interested, talk to a rep. Then visit the campus and talk to the students. They will be way more honest than the comission-driven rep you talk to.

 

Im applying to uti and will be starting around september. I am goin to the school in glendale,il. I was told by my rep that they did have housing available. Also, i thought u took the certification tests there and then u would be certified. If not how do u get certified?

 

Im going to Wyotech in Sep for Auto tech/Custom Hot Rod/High Performance
i dont know about UTI but i talked to them and Wyoming tech and they both offer the same thing
UTI makes it sound like only ford GM and places goto there school and find workers there
not true
Most people goto UTI because its close to home but from people i have talked to Wyoming tech and UTI rate the same.
they goto Wyoming tech and find people there to. Wyoming tech just offers more with higher performance and Custom hot rod. from what i have seen by talking to the two places. If some one from wyo tech gets interviewd to work for like GM then they pay for them to goto one of UTIs specialty places.

And the Wyoming tech hot rod program you build a car up and mod one up unlike UTI
High performance you learn how to do custom exhausts headers etc.
Another program UTI dosent offer

 

the way i look at it, if your dream is to be the next boyd coddington, go to wyotech, if you want a good education with promising job outlook to make a living with, go to uti

 

So your saying wyoming techs Auto Technician do not get good jobs?

Sorry your wrong. Im taking custom hot rod and performance for a hobby because i like restoring and building cars.

Auto techs at wyomging get the same teaching as UTI but UTI is closer to home. Another thing is they have the auto specialty course but like i said before. GM Ford Benz goto the two school not just one you have the same exact chance of working for one of those places at Wyoming as you do at UTI. Goto wyoming techs site see what people "work with wyotech" Same people who work with UTI Ford GM etc.

Dont believe me sit down with a UTI rep. and ask them Sit With a wyoming rep and ask them. Its all a preference on the school you go to. Just like high school kids fight over what school is better. Just because UTI has a 30min slot on Speed Network dosent mean they are the best. Listin to some of the stuff they tell you its only half truth.

 

I agree that UTI and WyoTech are pretty close to the same. I'm sure if WyoTech was closer to my house than UTI, I'd be going there instead.

jdrafke- The ASE tests can be taken at UTI because it is a testing location, but that is done on your own time when testing time comes around.

 

^ thats the thing. UTI has a 30min slot in the morning on Speed network and talks about all these things they have. Wyotech offer the same thing they just dont have a 30min slot to talk about it but they are on Spike TV. The way it sounds is that if you get a interview and a job at Wyotech from ford gm what ever they do pay for you to goto a UTI specialty school. So thats the only Great thing about UTI is that they offer that but i belive wyotech has 1.

 

im just saying that i have no interest in customization and what not beyond going fast. so at uti i dont have to spend time learning something i dont have much interest in, and can get out and get work sooner.

 

i duno im wyotech is only 1 year so not that long not like other college thats thats 4-8 years