Palomar College

Do your own research on transfer requirements—because the advising here clearly won’t. I trusted my counselor, followed their course plan, and wasted time and money on classes that didn’t count toward transfer. If you go here, assume your “two-year” path may quietly turn into four.

I used to attend school there, but now I take my dogs for a walk there sometimes. We go through the hills and trails at the arboretum. It's beautiful with tall trees, and a lot of shade. They have many unique plants and shrubs throughout, very interesting to see.

Affordable start to furthering education. Wish I were still local; I would consider completing my schooling through Palomar so I could finally have a degree in hand for the 'some college' I received after high school. Thanks to the faculty and other staff there for helping further my education. -Alyssa

I've been a student (intermittently) here since 2010. As someone that loves learning and the overall "school" atmosphere, I feel extremely fortunate that I get to be a student at Palomar College; "lucked out", I would say. The teachers are magnificent and have the potential to change your life forever (I know a few that have for me already*). You can get help with enrollment fees with through the BOG Waiver - all my classes end up being free because of it. Parking permits 1/2 off also. The school is modern and always improving. Their buildings are stylish and unlike anything I've seen anywhere else. Each is unique, yet somehow they all come together to form a beautiful campus. I truly look at this campus like a second home. I love going here. (Parking can suck, that's a big reason why I try to only stick to night classes 🤓) ➡️ HOWEVER! They now have a brand new parking GARAGE! I haven't used it yet, as I am only doing evening classes, but I can only imagine how much it helps everyone be able to find parking! It is nice to know that they actually do care about the problems we face throughout college life & do what they can to help make it as comfortable & as enjoyable as possible! UPDATE (3/19/18)!! I started using the parking garage and it is AWESOME!!! Security cameras coming soon! This school keeps on getting better and better!! 'Safety' is also another big thing here that they take seriously. They make sure to inform us students on a regular (& when, if necessary) basis all the details regarding our options when it comes to being and staying safe throughout our education at Palomar. They have their own (actual/legit) police force that is on duty 24/7 & a direct emergency line to call any hour day or night. They provide free escorts to anyone needing or just wanting a little extra piece of mind walking to their car or anywhere around campus. Every class locks from the inside by a button next to the teacher's phone that keeps anyone from getting in in case of an active shooter or anything else putting students at harm, & when they lock, it sends a signal to the Palomar Police with the location of the room, etc. etc. I could go on but you get it, they care & work hard to keep us safe! 🤗 * AJ Professor Jack Hook, AJ Professor Leeyann Chapman, COMM Professor Wendy Nelson & LS Professor Lisa Burns; just to name a few! ;)

This campus is lovely and the staff are professional, courteous and competent. There are numerous parking lots making it quite convenient even for late arriving students or for those who take classes during peak hours. The natural sciences building is quite impressive as is the landscaping and labeling of the plants and trees. This school is a gem!

My initial experience began when entering the student parking lot, which subsequently made me fifteen minutes late for orientation. The little time I was on campus, you can see the development of new buildings which are a stark contrast to the older structures. Parking is metered or requires a permit. People I interacted with were friendly, lots of financial-aid programs available.

Here’s my story : I use to go to this school before I transferred to a 4 year university, I can say for certain that my time here felt more than wasted. From mandatory classes becoming optional to almost none of the councilors or faculty staff attempting to help you with any processes, the worst part of it was my last semester at Palomar I had all the classes needed to get my AA-T degree so when I transferred to the 4 year I wanted to go to there wouldn’t be any issues, unfortunately for me the councilor I was under told me that I only needed one class more to transfer, so I listened to the councilor, dropped all my courses I was originally going to take that semester to sign up for this single course , after I passed and transferred come to find out they put me down for a certificate instead of an AA-T although on my academic planner it had me as AA-T . Now I’m at my university taking courses I could have easily avoided and now I have to pay more for them , I tried going back to palomar to retake some of the courses at a cheaper price but they refused to allow me as they have a policy of only letting you take the class a singular time if you passed the first time with no exceptions and told me to look elsewhere to retake courses to achieve a better grade this summer . Another side note is that every time you call them their staff always seem to try and rush you off the phone even after little to no help given

Saw an outstanding show at the Howard Brubeck Theater. "Into The Woods" I highly recommend it.

I graduated from Palomar College and have gone back to take more courses. The school has been steadily expanding and updating buildings on the property. What was once a chaotic parking lot that seemed like it was drawn up by someone's child, is now a more cohesive and organized lot that includes a parking garage. Most of the Professors I've had have been very helpful. Typically if you run into issues all you have to do is ask for support and they'll give it to you. I recommend taking Palomar for general Ed courses before switching to a University to complete your major. They also have a lot of certificates you can earn as well. Overall I do recommend this school.

Don't go to Palomar, they force a bunch of classes down your throat that have nothing to do with your degree and only put more weight on you for no reason other than for them to make more money. The people who work here don't even care, they just want to get their days over with and will do anything to prolong helping you. These classes are fucked too, they teach you a bunch of random ass shit that doesn't apply to your daily lives to the point where the professors will even TELL YOU TO YOUR FACE YOU GUYS WONT BE USING ANY OF THIS IN DAY TO DAY LIFE UNLESS IN A SPECIFIC FIELD. The fact they force generalized curriculum only backs the point they are only here for your money, no so you actually learn things for a job field. Fuck this school, I've dropped and am going ANYWHERE else

God I wish I could warn everyone not to go here. The counselors are almost impossible to get an appointment with, and they make you do some of your own counseling work instead of them helping when it's their job. I had to plan out all my own classes...no one helped me. I also had to figure out which schools accept my AA from palomar because again, the counselors won't help you figure that out. If you have no idea how to do college forms and transcripts, where to start or where to go, DO NOT GO HERE. You will be your own student, teacher, and counselor.

If I could rate no stars I would. We waited 20 minutes (first in line the whole time) to talk to admissions to get me enrolled, not one person acknowledged me or even asked if I had been helped yet. Every single person who was working was chit chatting behind the counter in their little areas, nobody came to help me! Nice to see that they hold education in such high regard Waste of my time. Will be going elsewhere for college.

Palomar college. 1st semester was spring. Enrolled in 7 classes (in complete ignorance) dropped 2 classes. Stayed in speech, 2 math classes, business and english. Dewi hokett. Stay out of her class. She is very rude (was to me) grades inconsistently and removed me from class for having a doctors appt in which i emailed her3 times. I invested 70ish dollars in the textbook and 150ish for the class. Waste of $220. Counseling is hard to get into and they arent very helpful. Food is the only reason im giving this college a 2 star.

Worst community college ever. The counselors have no idea what they're talking about especially for veterans, they'll choose classes for you that you don't even have to do or won't even do any work to help you out or listen to what you're saying. The parking is expensive for a parking lot that's usually empty and the school is overall not great.

This review is in regards to the financial aid office. I recently called to check the status of a few things. The woman that answered the phone had an unprofessional and unkind attitude. This person did not address herself or the department when she answered. I was met with silence. I was uncertain if I was talking to the right person so I proceeded to ask if this was financial aid. She responded with a condescending tone, "yes." The whole conversation felt that way. She was rude and condescending. She seemed "put out" by her job to assist students with their questions regarding Financial aid. I worry for other younger students that may call in to only be met with a horrible attitude. I worry because students both young and old require assistance for things that are new to them like Financial aid. Students like myself in that position are vulnerable when seeking help and I hope the school and it's staff would be supportive in helping said students but did not feel this way. I understand people may have a bad day at work, but that is never a reason to mistreat or be unhelpful to the students that need assistance. We value and rely on this help and being able to ask questions, and it's disappointing to be treated poorly by the staff or other resources designed to help us and support us. We shouldn't have to put up with such an attitude because she doesn't believe in what she's doing.

For those interested in history you can start here: http://wikimapia.org/676190/The-Palomar-College-P Having grown up in North County it was a staple for me and many other residents as it sits like a monolith on the hilltop towering over the College as if a deity. My first trip here was in the early 2000's as an assignment with my physical fitness class I took at Palomar. The easiest way to conquer the P is to take the trail from the bottom of the hill directly across the Borden campus entrance. Once at the summit you get some awesome vistas: Camp Pendelton and Fallbrook to the north, Oceanside, Carlsbad (the power plant), and Leucadia to the west, and San Marcos (Discovery Lakes) to the south. There is a vast network of trails to branch off of that can take you as far north as Abeja Pond. The trails are a great workout as most of them have a very steep incline. Lots of rock and some sandy areas but overall good dirt compaction. I have seen mountain bikes and dirt bikes on these trails in addition to runners and wild animals. The flora consists of chaparral, sage, sumac, anise, and some other native shrubs,

I have lived in California continuously for 16 years. One full year after taking classes and despite having never run into residency issues at any other CA community college, I was contacted by Palomar and told that I owed $1800 for out of state tuition. Seriously??

Came here for a basketball tournament. There was a full empty parking lot, yet no signs stating that a parking permit was needed in the lot in front of the gym on a Saturday. So many people walked in and out during games to move their cars after hearing other people talk about the parking situation. There is metered parking. Sadly, several of them were out of order as well. Get it together, Palomar!!

It's a pretty nice community college! Some of the classrooms were pretty new, some buildings still looked rundown. The grounds were well kept. The parking wasn't too bad, although if you might have to park far sometimes. If you read the map you can find pockets of parking for students that's are decently close to the buildings. I only took one class here and the professor was great and the quality of the class was good too. The admin staff were pretty efficient. I like how they have late opening hours to accommodate students taking evening classes, even the student center stays open late during the beginning of the semester to get as many people in as possible. I generally felt safe around campus with enough lights, but never let your guard down. I carried pepper spray with me when I knew I had to walk alone at night even though I parked next to my building. Take all the classes you want before DeVos does anything to cut budget and raise tuition for public schools!

The drone department made a presentation at Wavelength Brewery. Pretty basic and lame. As soon as it was over and the rest of the bar wanted to watch the SpaceX launch, the students and friends that attended were so loud and obnoxious that you couldn't hear the tv. When asked to be quieter, they just lost their shit on me. Yeah, I should move because you are acting like assholes! Shows the low quality of people at this "school" for losers

I love palomar college. Excellent teachers, you actually learn and get a great education if you put the effort. Beautiful campus, friendly staff, and culture. I was a student there for many years and worked part time on campus and they were flexible with my hours to ensure that education is first. Since the new parking structure has been built, parking is a lot smoother. I've met so many wonderful people here and I only have beautiful memories of my time here at Palomar and I highly recommend it to anyone. I got my AA and now got a job in the field I was interested in and I owe it to Palomar. I love Palomar!

I've been trying to request a correction be made since October 2017. I've tried requesting a transcript but Palomar shows multiple IDs, my request will not process until I provide my social security card and drivers license. I've provided all documents Palomar requested in December, I waited October and November to finally call after two months, it is now February. A lady named Cindy transferred me to the voicemail of John Lewis with IT to have this corrected, Cindy verified she sees my many attempts in contacting Palomar but still no results or confirmation. I've spoken to Isaac Montes with Credentials along with THREE other representatives from Palomar. Again, I've sent another email for a follow up but we'll see if anyone will actually work to help the students. You're fast at taking my hard earn money but provide poor service.

This college has tried to get away with so much since the plandemic began. They tried to pressure my son into getting the vaccine, they dropped him from classes and said he did it. I told him to stop trying here but instead we pay for a new semester and every class drops him but keeps our money. Do you know how corrupt colleges are? In 2022, we will all find out just how deep their evil goes! I thank God that He will come through for us and we will be paid back seven times in rewards for all that we have suffered.

This review is only for the admissions staff. Irma in admissions is the most rude and condescending person. She blames teaching staff for not knowing what to do, refuses to help, talks over you, just disgusting behavior. Most of the professors have been awesome trying to help when canvas doesn't work. But Irma won't even bother just passes the buck and if you ask her name and managers info she gets silent says they aren't there and gives you Benjamin Moss at a contact. ( not sure if he is even her boss or in admissions) but she says no ther staff works there. It's a joke and horrible service. Try to get any one else except for her. RUDE!

I've been a student (intermittently) here since 2017. As someone that loves learning and the overall "school" atmosphere, I feel extremely fortunate that I get to be a student at Palomar College; "lucked out", I would say. The teachers are magnificent and have the potential to change your life forever (I know a few have for me already). You can get help with enrollment fees with through the BOG Waiver - all my classes end up being free because of it. Parking permits 1/2 off also. The school is modern and always improving. Their buildings are stylish and unlike anything I've seen anywhere else. Each is unique, yet somehow they all come together to form a beautiful campus.

Don't bother calling or asking Admissions for help with an application process. They all have their TV's on full blast so you can't hear a thing, they're condescending, rude, and ignorant about helping people, especially seniors . The people they hate to help pay money to enroll and help pay their salaries. Except for 1 person who finally helped me, THEY SHOULD ALL BE FIRED!

I absolutely love, love, love the dance program here at Palomar College. The instructors are absolutely amazing and truly care about the growth of their students. Parking really sucks so one of the perks of taking an 8am class is that you don't have to fight for parking! I highly recommend this community college!

The lawbreaking collection agency you hired: FCR. Beware: I returned my book yet they have the courage to send me to collections where FRAUD IS happening and where Multiple violations of the FCRA and FDCPA are occurring. On their recorded line. Here is my review of them. I had to make a yelp because they are trying to not be noticed but they represent your college. FCR Collection Services in Irvine, California. "They have no website and no Yelp. So Ms consumer here is creating one. They are in violations of multiple Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. We're having their violations looked over by an Attorney as we speak. Here is their physical address for certified letters and litigation documents. They have ignored my letter with their multiple violations. They are not talking their VIOLATIONS seriously at all. Fax 949-440-4566." Multiple violations of the FCRA and FDCPA representing Palomar College for a book that was already ALREADY RETURNED. They have no website and no Yelp. So Ms consumer here is creating one. They are in violations of multiple Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. We're having their violations looked over by an Attorney as we speak. Here is their physical address for certified letters and litigation documents. They have ignored my letter with their multiple violations. They are not talking their VIOLATIONS seriously at all. Fax 949-440-4566. So FCR used to be "FEDChex Recovery" They are a collection company that started with check collections in 2001 and are transitioning away from checks to general collection services for any industry. COLLECTION AGENCIES CHANGE NAMES ALL THE TIME FAIL TO GIVE THEIR REAL ADDRESS AND VIOLATE FDCPA AND FCRA AND FACTA DAILY This is their payment website: Pay my balance dot com all together HERE TO HELP THE CONSUMERS OF AMERICA WHEN YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT START WITH THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE THE BBB THAT'S JUST FOR STARTERS xxooo Love u all Thanks Yelp for making it possible to create Yelp Accounts for Fraudulent FDCPA Violating Firms. Your the Best Yelp. Physical Address :::

Palomar College has grown considerably so it's no longer a little college. With that being said, there are some pros and cons: Pros: 1) Huge variety of classes offered 2) Main campus and satellite campuses in Escondido, Camp Pendleton, Fallbrook, Mt. Carmel, and Pauma Valley 3) Online classes 4) Fast-track classes 5) Low cost compared to community colleges in other states 6) Big campus but not too big that you can't get from one end to the other without needing to stop for a meal or potty break in between 7) Bus terminal in front of campus 8) Sprinter station across the street 9) Anyone can enroll Cons: 1) Parking 2) Parking 3) Parking 4) Limited food options 5) Bookstore is too small Do you get that parking is a problem? Plan to arrive early, especially the first week of school. You may have to drive around until you can find a spot. It would be awesome if someone could create an app that showed empty parking spots. Bring your own food. It's cheaper and if you have dietary issues, you'll have what you need.

I would never recommend going here to anyone. It's ridiculously hard to get ahold of anyone and when you do they either say they can't help you or transfer you to someone who also says they can't help you. the professors are alright, some of them have actually been pretty nice but the school feels ghostly because of no one being there to help you. on the bright side i used the palomar promise and didn't have to pay hardly anything but it still is not a great school and they don't seem like they want you to succeed.

Received a bill for a class that i never took 4 months after it ended! Not during.... not prior to registration or the beginning of the semester.... months after it ended. The school will extort money from you, pick somewhere else

Good luck trying to find the theatre or any other building if you do not attend classes here. There are no signs on the road to indicate where anything is. Very frustrating.

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.

I'm still a Palomar student going through the process of receiving Financial Aid + Applying for transfer next Fall into the CSU system. So far Financial Aid has been a pain in the ARSE. But no more than any other School that I have attended. My general advice for them would be to wait the general time period that they quote you for each task and as soon as the time period is up -- Email them. Almost everytime I email them my issue gets solved a few days later. Now I transferred to Palomar in June. Palomar already has my transcripts but I cannot fill out the transferrable credit portion of my CSU application until Palomar gives me this information. I was under the impression that I needed to wait for the Financial Aid office to finish evaluating my credits (from Transcripts sent to them). So even though I emailed the Financial Aid dept. no one thought to tell me that the dept. I really needed to talk to was the Counseling center. That is until I went to Financial Aid today (in person). So I go to the Counseling Dept. and they tell me who I want is the Transfer center. I go to the Transfer center and they tell me I need to go to Records. I say just hold on a second --- you are the 3rd person giving me the run around. I guess she felt sorry for me but it worked. She told me they recommend going to your last School and looking up your unofficial transcript (should be the same as your official transcript). But my last School is retarded and their unofficial transcript does not work ( pop up error). At Palomar if I go into e-services the unofficial transcript only shows me my current credits earned at Palomar. So they give 2 options 1. Wait until their CSU/UC workshop where they give you access to these records. 2. Wait 15 minutes for the head lady at the Transfer center. I waited and she told me she ordered a print out of my complete credits. I go in to Friday to pick it up. I'll be going to the CSU Workshop on Monday too. They recommend you fill out the application and come to work shop with your questions ready. If you use CSU Mentor it remembers all your answers. So you basically send of the same application to as many Schools as you are applying to. Finally Answers! Deducting 2 stars for run around added 1 back for the Transfer center makin' it happen for me. Also note this School likes to do everything through e-services or blackboard. But they need to get a larger server bc half the time I cannot even log-in. It just indefinitely loads the page (without it ever finishing) until I give up.

I went here apx 17 years ago when I was pregnant with my first. I remember the anxiety of not knowing anything and being nervous. I have been on the campus several times since for different events and then recently to enroll my teen in a dance course to get them ready for the next step after high school. I don't know if it is because of technology or what but the campus seems to run so much smoother then a couple decades ago . Enrollment went smoothly then within 30 minutes they were enrolled and paid for the class on a computer next to enrollment. Easy!! The awesome part is you can come here for many reasons other then going for a degree. They offer many diverse classes, and time choices are plentiful. I signed my teen up for a modern dance course. Total cost 21 dollars for a four month semester. Pretty good choice instead of paying out the wazzoo for a dance studio. If your older they have options just for you too. Also included is certificates of completion and transfers. I always feel like its clean and safe on this campus. Lots of security constantly patrolling. I would send my kids here, or wait I am.

I LOVE this school. I am excited to move on to CSUSM but I am so sad to leave Palomar behind. Everything about this school has been an absolutely amazing experience! If you are thinking about going back to school Palomar is a great choice! Most of the teachers are fantastic! In the years that I have been attending, I have only had a couple that I would not recommend taking. If you need help with anything Palomar has the resources for you to succeed. Just reach out and ask for help.

AVOID THE FINANCIAL OFFICE & PARKING IS AWFUL OMG!!!! I cannot deal with their financial aid office anymore! They are so rude and do not give you consistent information. I'm convinced they are mistreated and that's why they are so rude and emotionless. I honestly would rather spend time at the DMV because at least I can sit in a chair for 40 minutes before I receive a bad attitude. I have been going here off and on for years and I swear they only have two people working the desk at any time but there are so many other people in cubicles in the back. Can't they have some of those people trained as back up? Also, as other people have mentioned...PARKING. I went to CSUSM and they have better parking meter prices. Why do I have to pay $5 for an all-day pass if I need only 30 minutes?

Classes are good. However, the counseling department needs serious improvements. After not being able to EVER get through to the appointment desk in order to make an appointment, and having to deal with Leticia Aguirre once I decided to try the 15 minute appointment option, I decided to transfer elsewhere. Truly the most rude, and unhelpful counselor I've ever had to deal with.

Stole my grants and scholarships then asked me to pay the amount back to get twice the money. They legit scam students and it's the worst. I payed for classes, books, parking passes. The norm. First off the police station on campus yelled at me when I locked my keys in the car and had to wait for the AAA to come. Then the week after gave me ticket because the security couldn't see the pass clearly on the front windshield! Month after that gave me another because again the new security couldn't see the pass with my extra tinted windows! Yelled at me for my cars exhaust again not my fault that I bought a sports car that I worked hard for. Then 2 FULL semesters I went to the COUNSELORS. For them to tell me to take classes far from needed for my science major. Then told me that me almost 4.0 gpa wasn't good enough to become a doctor!!! In the end i was still nice very thankful for the workers that did help and the professors that were super nice! Don't get this review wrong THE PROFESSORS ARE AMAZING HERE. It's the SCHOOL ITSELF. Workers in all other parts that are scamming and even the teachers will talk about them scamming! The worst of it all and the main factor I'm writing this review on is the fact Palomar Community College stole over 3 grants totaling up to 8k from me. When I got the email that I had received and won for the grant I then called up palomar whom stated they never saw it in the system I then called up the places who gave me the grant and they told me the check had been cashed out. The places who gave me the money then sent me a email of proof. I then called up palomar tried to call them out in the most mature and nice way possible and they hung up on me. I then came in and waited over 3 hours for a lady to then come out and say we can't help you I'd attend a different school if you want service. I'm not sure what the problem with the people at this school is but threatening to sue me etc over the money is so un-called for. And then sending my old address tons of papers saying they will send the couple thousand to collections like just own up you guys stole the money and now want double it so you guys can make a profit. Definitely have steered many from attending this school as I now work at a nearby medical office and I'm attending a university now. I hope anyone reading this review understands that the professors are AMAZING it's the people directing, the counselors, and financial aid or whoever handles the grants that are immature scammers. To end it all I got notified from other students that the campus police kept trying to ticket me for my loud car. Like come on let me like and drive what I want. I was not reving my exhaust and my car is lowered for stance not to be a pain or bother others as it doesn't hurt anyone! Really hope anyone reading this switches to another school and my friend is also dealing with the same problem apparently they stole her grants as well and she's actually trying to sue the school. Along with that one of my guy friends car is also loud and they sent the actual police to ticket him. Really sad how much this college goes to make money but then again that's what a lot of colleges and universities do its just there are some who are more hidden and mature about it. COMPLETE SCAM ARTISTS WHO STEAL MONEY FROM ANYONE THEY CAN!!!

This is the rating for the parking on campus, which by the way is complete Bull. Visitors have to pay to park, even if they are there for a little bit which I think is wrong. It's a waste of time with money and you would be better off taking the Sprinter/Bus every day (which costs as much as the parking violation tickets there.) Especially since they get on you about other things wrong with your vehicle AND will give you a $40 ticket for that as well. If you want a campus with better parking, try a different college!

I am one of those people that will always be a student. I was a student at Palomar way back in the day and I left for bigger, but not necessarily better. Then I can back...multiple times. I love Palomar. Its gotten bigger, fancier with the new buildings and classes. But the teachers are just as always...great and approachable. I love that about community colleges because they are always teaching you useful things like accounting and stock trading (for those with the money and the risk tolerance). Awesome staff, useful classes. The lines can be long at the admin office and the student body not as cream of the crop as one desires at time, but a great deal for your money.

This college continues to grow and the campus is constantly under renovations, but the buildings at Palomar definitely show their age. Although Palomar has a reputation as being an anti social school, I found it rather easy to meet people here. Most classes at Palomar are teeny tiny, which I think is really great because it's easy for students to become buddies with their profs. and it allows them to get to know other students. Of course, the most motivated people in the world don't always attend community college, but Palomar has its share of go-getting high school students who take classes here to earn college credit and there are a lot of older mom's who want to get their degree so they start at Palomar and those women are damn hard to compete with. I always had interesting and intelligent professors at Palomar and they were all very approachable. But hanging out on campus is pretty lame. I think the campus lacks the romanticism that an educational institution should have, but the parking here is just as bad as any college campus. The buildings are not nice or new here, but in the end that doesn't really matter. The problem with Palomar is that is a bit like a black hole. People get comfortable here and they get stuck. I think a very small percent of the student population actually transfers to a four year university. It is a sad fact, but Palomar is not that sad of a place. Attending the college can be great educational experience, as long as you use as a stepping stone to your next destination.

It my first year there and as soon it was going to be my 2nd semester ending in the Spring 2017 I had professor tell me if I had a mental disability after class, that made me not too happy when I heard that from a professor, not just only that why I'm giving Palomar a one star its because my brother and I we were getting ready to start our first year there in the Fall 2017 and we had done everything we needed from the financial aid office and for some reason they kept on telling us that we still need your ssn when we already gave it to them about like 10 times, everything at Palomar is dumb because when you started and they want you to bring your information for the financial aid office and they will lose your stuff which I find that not so organized and irresponsible.

The counselors and and professors are amazing! Palomar has helped me through all of my educational goals...except for one. After doing so well in all of my pre-nursing core classes, I had reached the limit for registering because of the amount of units I had. Right when I reached my last semester, they took away my priority enrollment. I literally only need one more class, but this class also happens to be one of the more impacted classes on campus. There is an appeal process which one can go through to try to get it back. I followed this process all the way through until the end. I wait for a response and receive one of the most callous responses I have ever heard from a person where they tell me my request was denied. Are you kidding me? The evaluations office at Palomar is full of the most rude and inconsiderate people. Anyways, now I'm back to the bottom where I so arduously worked my way from. Thanks for nothing.

I took some German classes here, and I have a few friends/family that work here so paint me pink in bias, but I like Palomar. If I still lived in the area, I'd be taking at least one or two classes for S's & G's. In general, I've always known this place to be the best community college in the greater SD area. I know a number of people that went here out of high school (including my brother) and they really enjoyed their experiences. And although I've only met a few faculty and staff members, everyone was nice, and it was damn easy to navigate the whole registration process. A pretty nice campus with continuous construction and ample parking - tied in with public transport, this place is a great example of the California's master plan of tiered-access to education.

Been a student since 09 and I've seen some major changes happen here. Definitely for the better. Even with the increase of student population, Palomar staff and officials seem to handle it very well. Though you may still have a hard time getting the classes you want when you want them, registering early may pay off. Also, don't give up on trying to get into a class. Many instructors will take wait listers and crashers. Not gonna lie, parking is a B!&@#. Oh, and don't get caught with out a parking pass. Not even for a few minutes. I swear patrol waits in the bushes and jumps your car with a ticket as soon as you walk away. Cafeteria is lacking. Subway is about the only decent thing. Otherwise, just over priced junk food- pizza, candy, soda, more candy. Great for caffeine and sugar addicts. There is a wide variety of professors here. you would have to check ratemyprofessor.com for better individual reviews. campus is pretty clean most of the time. plus, they are pushing to have a no smoking campus which is nice for us clean air loving people.

Palomar is an ok College. It's kind of hit or miss with the professors, I had some I really liked and then didn't like at all, I would def make sure you go and look at the professors ratings before you choose your classes! The financial aid office is horrible, it takes forever just to process anything, I was a transfer and it takes 6 weeks just to get a transfer credit evaluation, it's insanity, and no one can ever give any straight answers and they usually have an attitude even if you are nice. The veterans center was amazing though. They got my stuff certified away!

If someone is following you to your car DON'T get freaked out, cry bloody murder, and run for your life. The parking is just a bitch, and they want your spot. Classes are amazingly hard to get into, unless you're a super senior with priority, a vet, or a disabled persons. Library is pretty solid for a CC. Pack your lunches, the food is nastay! Main thing is, go in with a plan, constantly refer to that plan, and you will be that 1 in 7 that transfers out. DO NOT solely rely on the guidance counselors! Use your resources and take the time to map out every class and keep a tally in your notebook. Make transferring out your priority, and you will succeed.

First of all, guest parking is horrible and there's barely any spaces. The Palomar website is a big mess. The Palomar email system is a mess. Also, I've been attending this spring 2019 semester and just now (3 weeks before the end of the semester) they are telling me that I need to turn in firms to prove my residency or else my tuition will be raised to out of state and will go to collections. IDIOTS!!!! I've been living in California my whole life, moved out of state for a few years, and have been back in California since 2016!!!! Why do you need me to waste my time and give you some stupid forms???? You should have verified my residency BEFORE the semester started.

Largest staff parking lot on any campus I've seen so far. And, my stars, this place is expanding like a champ!! Construction everywhere, which can be heard from anywhere on the campus.

Almost all instructors are top rate. Admin folks always helpful and polite. I like that. Wish there was some way to offer enough classes for all who wish to attend. Budget constraints ruin everything!

Parking here is unbelievable! I arrived 30 minuets before my class started. After searching for a parking spot for 20 minuets, and watching probably a hundred other cars doing the same, I had to give up and go park at a shopping center and walk at least a mile in the 100 degree weather. I ended up being 10 minutes late to class, which is unacceptable because I am now at risk for being dropped from the class if I am late again. They are very strict about being late! On my way across the dessert I walked past their huge lot dedicated to "staff only" as well as many other open "staff only" spots. Traffic on the 78 E to get here is bad and it starts after College. Go to MiraCosta instead. The weather, parking, traffic (coming from the 78 and 5 area) and atmosphere is way better at MiraCosta College! I would know, I have taken 110 units at MiraCosta. Also, The cafe is tiny and the lines are extremely long. The only food line that is short enough to not be late to class back from lunch is the Java w/e place next to Jamba Juice, but they close at 2 PM, so, better bring a lunch! The bottom line, they allow too many students to enroll.

Great campus in San Marcos, in terms of classes and ambiance. Parts of the campus are new and others are severely outdated. The book store on campus is the worst excuse for a store. It's the blind leading incompetent youth. No one there knows what's going on, or anything about customer service. I dread stepping foot in the horrendous establishment.

This is a really great college. I feel like this college is more of an actual college that the other community colleges in the area. The teachers here really are there to help you graduate and they push you in any way that they can to help you learn all of the information that you can. All of my teachers have been more than happy to help me with anything that I can confusion about and they are always there to help me via email or telephone. They will also have their office hours open for you for any discussion that you have, or any help you need with papers.

Parking is TERRIBLE! I paid $40 for a parking permit and have to leave my house 1 hour early to find a parking spot. A lot of times I have to park in a neighborhood and walk 15 minutes to class. School is under a lot of construction right now and it's a mess.

Every interaction I've had with the Palomar College, whether it be counseling, transcripts or financial aid, the staff have always been super friendly and helpful. Today was no exception. I went to the book store and was greeted several times before a young lady named Khalessi offered to help me. She was patient, kind, happy and super friendly and found all three books in less than 10 minutes. She also went over and above by helping me log into my class schedule then emailed a copy to me and helped me figure out exactly which books I needed. The girls who checked me out were equally as friendly and offered different options to help save some $$ on my purchase. If customer service were this good at most retailers, shopping would be so much more fun! Thanks Palomar staff for making education and continued education a great experience.

I've been attending since august 2009, my dad has worked there for 14 or 15 years now and have visited the campus frequently throughout my life. As a student I'd say the picking of classes is rough. SO many people attending community college these days its difficult to get common classes such as English or Math, good thing is the longer you've been there the higher priority you get in choosing classes. A lot of teachers there are adjunct teachers and don't have offices on campus so make sure you know if your teacher is a Palomar professor or a professor all over before you try to talk to them outside of class time. Palomar is not a new school, they've been around for quite sometime and could definitely use some upgrades, good news is there are 4 new buildings in the last 3 years and they are currently working on 2 or 3 more at the moment. That said the parking situation right now isn't that fun. 1 Staff lot and 1 Student lot are completely closed making an already crappy situation more so. Parking in lot 12 is probably the best place because it is just outside of 3 of the new buildings, the ones where most math, English, history, medical and architecture classes are held. The bookstore is however the biggest downfall at this school. Not a single person ever knows what they are doing, and they don't let you the student who probably knows what you're doing do it yourself so you pretty much just stand around for waiting for the employees to get their thumbs out of their butts and figure out how to help you do something you were perfectly capable of accomplishing on your own. I do have to mention that one man, Leon is wonderful member of the team at the bookstore and does in fact know how to do his job and is extremely helpful so just hope to go in on a day he is there otherwise you're a littler SOL. Food is pretty good, subway line sucks no matter what time of day you go however once you've gotten your food the paying process goes pretty quickly. All and all the school is a pretty good place, nice people, weird students, good teachers, bad teachers.