Appraisal Institute vs. McKissock Trainee Classes

[Joe Flacco]

Except if one is planning on obtaining a designation at some point in the future. AI offers designations, McKissock doesn't

That is true and correct me if I am wrong but i thought the qualifying education through the AI is not a requirement for designation.

 

[gregb]

While the AI instructors vary in quality of teaching abilities and personality, the best ever courses taken were with AI. My MAI mentor insisted on AI courses, so there was no room for debate.

https://www.appraisalinstitute.org/education/your-career/AI-designation-education/

 

[Joe Flacco]

While the AI instructors vary in quality of teaching abilities and personality, the best ever courses taken were with AI. My MAI mentor insisted on AI courses, so there was no room for debate.

Appraisal Institute Elevate Your Career

AI’s designation education and professional development programs provide you with advanced knowledge to elevate your career.

www.appraisalinstitute.org

That was back in the day though. Probably before online courses even existed. Makes no difference with online courses and AI online platform outdated. Even today, if taking courses in class then AI probably still the best but online making it really difficult to take courses in class due to demand and almost everybody choosing online.

 

[Howard Klahr]

That is true and correct me if I am wrong but i thought the qualifying education through the AI is not a requirement for designation.

While not a requirement for we the courses and material relate to each other. Why not take the path of least resistance

 

[Renee Healion]

I have not taken any classes yet. I am prepared to sign up for my QE. I am leaning towards AI given that I want to be a Certified General in the long run.

Pick a company and call next week. Tell them you are making plans now to reach your goal and ask them what they would think interviewing candidates now.

 

[gregb]

Some clients look favorably on those with a four year college degree and those who have chosen AI courses.

 

[Joe Flacco]

I dunno. "We have a old platform that we don't invest in but choose us because we are AI" does not appeal to me.

I did like the AI in person courses though.

 

[Howard Klahr]

What matters most? The most up to date platform/technology or best course content and recognition

 

[George Hatch]

I think taking the classes in person has its benefits, the social networking being one of them. Some of the course participants taking a live class will already be working in the business, even if they're not yet actually appraising. Plus, it's all abstracts to a noob until they can start connecting the application with an example, and online courses in particular are notorious for using unrealistic and obviously made-for-instruction examples in their materials. You'll still get some of that in a live course but a live instructor and other course participants will also be able to provide some of their own IRL examples that aren't contrived.

I'm not a member of the AI but I've spent a lot of time teaching live courses and one thing I can tell you as an instructor is that if the group doesn't get the example in the book (or as presented in an online course) a live instructor can work around that by finding other ways to explain it. I never hesitated to approach an explanation from multiple angles or breaking down someone else's war story into its fundamentals in order to illustrate that application.

I've written courses for online instruction, too; so I can tell you for a fact that an online course *cannot* adapt on the fly or indulge in multiple approaches for the same topic. Course participants are at the mercy of the course developer's ability to articulate the material on the one-size-fits-all basis.

Getting the instruction and passing the test is the easy part. Getting the job is the hard part. ANYTHING you can do to expand your network in this business has the potential to pay off. Not to mention the added value of being able to cite the live instruction with those instructors - who will have a professional reputation of their own with their peers. You will spend a lot more time and money taking these courses live, but having those references (I took one course in Boston, two in Chicago and one in Pheonix) will demonstrate to prospective employers your commitment to do or die.

My advice is to take the courses live, get actively involved in establishing and pumping your networking opportunities. Don't just show up and blend into the background but don't cross the line from trying to join the team into being a complete parasite, either. Attend the local chapter meetings, volunteer for the cookie/punch detail and establish your own reputation for taking notes, paying attention and being a collaborator and team member.

 

[alebrewer]

My wife is currently a trainee - not sure if she will pursue a credential at this point or not, but I can say that (a) I agree - QE should be taken WITH a mentor - whether live or online (and live is not available at the current time, so online is the only option); and (b) because of the shortcomings of online courses, we spend a great deal of time approaching concepts in a manner consistent with her learning style, which is not available through online (assuming you don't yet have a mentor). Along that thought - in person is, IMO, always more productive than online for that specific reason. Regarding CE, IF online is the preferred delivery method, AI courses (in general) provide a more rigorous experience, which may - or may not - be what someone wants. I've taken statistics courses from AI, as well as other providers, and the AI course(s) were significantly more challenging.