Borneo G.
Yelp
I can't believe this community college has yelp reviews. Normally I use yelp for restaurants and stores, but I'll give my .02 cents on this place.
When I was in high school I always thought community college was beneath me and was turned off by the idea of attending before going to a 4 year. What a terrible prejudice on my part; I'd have to say that 8 years and 2 degrees later (one of which is a graduate degree), I realize how much of a joke and folly a university education is (and YES, I am very bitter and jaded about my educational experience).
Needless to say, Palomar is a great college, but it's really what you make of it. You really have to be self-motivated get what you want out of it, and if you do, you can really reap some great benefits. When I was an undergrad at a UC, I would live with my parents for the summer and to save extra money, I took some general ed classes. Doing so really lightened up my load during the academic year AND I got to take all those upper division courses I wanted. Plus, the courses were a lot easier mainly because the courses are shortened during the summer and it's just a quick overview of the class material.
A small part of me kinda wishes that I went here instead of going straight to a UC, but I've noticed that a lot of the students who attend Palomar kinda get "stuck"...as in, they're not sure what classes to take or what university to transfer to. I don't think the counselors there are that great, but then again, many counselors at ANY college (including 4 year universities) tend to give the run-around and aren't well-equipped in directing students...especially those that need a LOT of direction and hand-holding. Not saying that I look down on anyone who needs it; when I was in college, I needed a lot of direction myself. But I think Palomar has a greater percentage of unmotivated/lost students, which might be a little distracting if you want to make the most of your educational experience here.
The teachers here have high expectations, but at the same time, they're very patient and super helpful. I haven't had a bad experience with any of the professors here.
I think what I liked about my Palomar experience is that you get to meet people from all walks of life. There are still some people who have that high school mentality, but you can find a few classmates who have interesting stories to tell and are very motivated to get what they want out of life.
As for school set up...I hate to admit this, but it does have a high school feel to it. I've seen prettier community colleges, but that's because they had more money and were from upscale areas (i.e., Mira Costa or Irvine Valley Community College).
My only "gripe" is that during the school year, it's hard to enroll in classes you need for an AA/AS or for a certification degree...and sometimes classes may not be offered until the following year. Then again, that's really how it is with any community college: too many students, not enough courses. I am considering going back to Palomar to add an AA to my collection of degrees, but since I'm already so turned off with academia, that's probably not going to happen for another year or so.