Austin Community College – Northridge Campus

when i called, listened to the menu and selected a campus. i do not anticipate to another same voice menu looping. Hiring real human is appreciated, especially you charged it already in your tuition

Thieves in a variety of ways. New edition books needed every single semester. Each book runs $ 250.00. but no worries. you can sell it back to the offsite bookstore down the road for $ 3.00. Two out of three of my teachers accents were so thick nobody in the class could understand them and that’s not a valid reason to cancel or switch teachers. HUGE waste of money. Makes me sick to my stomach to think about this place. Same goes for any ACC campus.

I attended an Intro to Database Design class here this past semester. I have to say, they actually did a pretty good job making a community college campus look like a legitimate university. The grounds and walkways are well maintained, there’s a cool weather station, pocket gardens, and even a statue and fountain in the main courtyard. Plus, the professor I had for Intro to Database was Robin Wells, who did an incredible job of teaching a subject that normally I would have found incredibly boring. Definitely a good campus with great staff.

So far I have not yet taken any classes from this campus, but my interactions with every member of the Admissions office, counselors and any other staff have been great. I have seen Connie and Daisy at the counselor’s office and they have both been super helpful, resourceful and accommodating. I am confident my experience in the future will be great given the interactions so far.

I love this campus, although parking spots are small up front by bldg 4000. My cars been dinged a handfull of times. Still, I was able to focus here, get free tutoring, learn a trade, they helped me get work doing that trade, it’s what you make it. I got my gpa up too. Finished the MBPT program, took a CAD class and the engineering department seems awesome about helping students get jobs. Use rate my professor, not hard.

So far my experience has been very sub-​par. I am a Navy Vet who served 7 ½ years as a deep sea diver, I have talked to two different counselors, one at the South location, and one at the pinnacle location. They both told me completely different things as to the process, and the course options I could take. Now that it is less than a week away from the start of spring classes, I am finally good to go, even though I started the process back in September. My biggest complaint is with the Veterans «specialist» who is in charge of filing my gi bill paperwork. I have been trying to ask if it is complete for a month now via voicemails (because she has never answered a single phone call) and repeated emails. Her responses were evasive and delayed any real response, she couldn’t recall me dropping off my dd-​214 and said I should come in for an INTIAL meeting two weeks after our actual first encounter, and when I tried to simply get a definitive «yes» your paperwork is filed correctly, she could not do it. I tried one last time yesterday by calling 3 times, leaving two voicemails and sending an email, and got 0 response. So today I took off of work, drove 25 miles one way through Austin traffic to get there by the time she was in the office, and it took her less than a minute to type in my student id and say «you’re all set!»
She had no idea who I was, didn’t recall any of our past conversations, and had no remorse for causing such an inconvenience. When I asked if she ever checks her voicemails or emails because I had been trying for a MONTH to get 45 seconds of effort from her, she said she hadn’t checked anything since she got back from break. Over a week ago. Which is a lie because she responded to an email as soon as break was over but never followed up on it.
I walked out before I got too angry and said something rude, which is more respect than she showed me this entire application process. If she can’t respond to an applicant with less than a minute of effort required for 30 days, maybe she should be fired, or maybe show up to work before 10am. Or maybe stay late and put forth some effort. Thanks for the lack of respect. I’m very disappointed that 4 of my teammates died last year so you can be terrible at your cushy desk job.

Against my better judgment I finally got through registering. Finally. I ended up paying the first tuition payment out of pocket because my financial aid was held until well after the dead line. No big deal, it will just be in my refund, right? I was told that if I declined to use the Higher One card option (they were recently sued by the way
), that I would wait 10 – 14 days for the check. It’s been a month and I still haven’t see the refund check. AWESOME! Pssshhh who needs books?!
Luckily my professors are all very good (why they choose to work for this pit I’ll never know), and also don’t strictly on the text. I needed a lab book, so I went to the bookstore to see what their prices were like. The ladies were both very rude, and they wanted me to spend 180 bucks for a one time use book. I found the same book on the online book store for 80. I paid for 2 day shipping. It never shows up, just like my check. A week and after many questions I find out that despite paying extra for shipping it still takes them 5 – 6 days to process orders, also mine was canceled because after initially taking the money out of my account they put it back and took it out on a later date. WTF.
One of the guys at the testing center is a total asshole. The other is really laid back and nice. Go after 12 during the week.
The campuses are alright, but the class rooms tend to be dirty and cold. They try to screw you out of money at every turn.
ACC gives community college a bad name. Nothing but full on full force HERRRPPPDEEEEDERRRRPPPPP! from them from day one.

Worst school to deal with… Customer service is non existing here! If you call and need any help, might as well talk to a wall. I’ve called many times for over a week and my issue is still unresolved. I hate that I ever attended this school. I’ve called and was told I would be put on hold while they look into my question but really they put my back in the queue and the next person that I answered I told them I was on hold and have her the name of the lady that placed me on hold and all she said was «yea I don’t know who that is.» So I told her what she was looking into and she replied very rudely with what the answer would be.
If you are going to need to deal with them please allow yourself at least 2 months.

One of the best campus out of all. Small size classes. Best cost for education. This is the type of school where you have to do things on your own so if you are lazy go to a private school. In terms of teachers, go to
and you will be happy. Kathy Nabona is the best teacher I had.

I am so frustrated with ACC. SO.FRUSTRATED. I will not make this too long, because I do not want you to lose interest in my angry babbles of hatred towards this joke of a school.
Let me explain: My Husband is actually the student here, not me. I have been set in my career for years now. He recently got out of the Army, as we decided this was best for our growing family and we were tired of him being gone overseas for 12+ months at a time. SOOOOOO, he gets out and starts school… That is where the trouble begins. FIRST, they are (understandably) required a Meningitis shot. Well, he had this shot right before he got out of the Army. He gave them everything they needed. ONE WEEK BEFORE CLASSES last semester he logged in to just verify his classes again and make sure our schedules were good. THEY DROPPED HIS EFFIN classes, because he didn’t have the RIGHT FORM FOR THE SHOT. WTF. No one called, no one emailed. Nothing. We even got an email stating that he was good to go and everything was all taken care of. He had to go to the VA clinic and get the shot again (hope that doesn’t mess with him long term… like grown an extra arm) He had to take our newborn up there too, because I was in a meeting all day. ACC said it had to be done that day, or they wouldn’t help him. So, he gets the shot and the appropriate freaking paper. Then they told him they filled up his spot and he had to take new classes. WWWWTTTTTFFFFFFFFF… so, as you can imagine he had to take classes that were at bad times and all over Austin… We had our childcare already set up! I had to change my work schedule… and we had to find a new nanny… Then the VA department decides they will not send the School info to the VA until they START THEIR CLASSES!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!
NOW, this semester… shots all good :) YAY. But, now… we have been calling and emailing for ONE FREAKING MONTH with no response from their VA department. NOT ONE. This is the WORST department to deal with. You try talking to the Admin in the regular center for regular admissions and they are like robots, «Please visit our website. Call or email the VA department» «Well no $*&^… that is why I am calling you because I DID VISIT YOUR WEBSITE, AND CALL… AND EMAIL DANG IT. We need clarification that you have everything» (I didn’t actually speak to them that way, but I wanted to lol) When I ask about clarification, they say, and I S%*& you not, «You will need to get with the VA department about that, we don’t know… again, please call them or email them» **Please kill me now. RIGHT NOW… just do it** So, here we sit… PRAYING like crazy that everything went through (we can’t just look on line the VA section is different) There are a MILLION papers to fill out, always changing forms and you always have to update something, but they don’t tell you what it is… you have to figure that out… which is even fine… we are adults we can research stuff ourselves… but, if we can’t TALK TO ANYONE EVER. how are we suppose to update??? OH, I forgot last year the man actually said to my husband OVER AN EMAIL, «It is your responsibility to review these things, I can’t keep up with every ones info» SERIOUSLY??? YOU emailed us that every ting was good and my husband did review everything, otherwise he wouldn’t have know about you all dropping his classes!!! Douche. Turd. UGH!
So, 5 days before school starts and still no response. YAY. Hope they are all good… WE have to purchase the books yourself so he can have them on time… PLEASE the classes for now… They will not send the info to the VA until Tuesday at the earliest (along with 500 other veterans) Anyone who deals with the VA knows what this means. This means his Post ⁹⁄₁₁ G. I bill THAT HE EARNED AND PAID INTO will not come until maybe mid Feb. He worked very hard for 6 years, serving our country and fighting overseas to have to go through this to get an education. He struggles with the aftermath of the war and Army life… you would think they would make it a bit easier for the Veterans… for everyone really. To this I say, F*** you ACC. I normally do not speak this way, but this will be the second semester we are going through this. We are a young newly married couple with 2 boys. I make good money but not enough o support 4 people and pay all the bills. Yes, the money will eventually come in, but so late that we will get behind this semester again. His other friends from the Army who go to other colleges, get their money on time. Their schools send their info to the VA the second they sign up and classes are approved, they have actually already gotten their books with their book money.
If you are going to be so behind on times, have crappy staff and make us wait to receive my husbands HARD EARNED VA money… ANSWER YOUR GOSH DARN PHONES OR RESPOND TO AN EMAIL.
Thank you, RANT OVER.
UNCARING JERKS.

Parents don’t waste your money. Rude staff. Low standards for professors. Summer school was a complete waste. I will never give them any of our hard earned $$!! Crap school! The one star is no where near deserved!

Parking is horrible, — Testing Center full of rude people! When you pay for college and have to take a test the last thing you need is someone stressing you out. They do not like their job. Be careful if you are not on a strict time line, Finishing a degree can be difficult– degree plans change. Online classes are very convenient. I recommend everyone go to
before you enroll in a class.

Yes, the class times are supposed to be convenient and there are many locations, and the various Administrative staff members I’ve interacted with were polite while they told me they had little to no information or ways to help me.
But what really bothers me is the way the degree plans are structured. If you look at their online degree plans, every single course listed in «Semester I,» regardless of the major you’re choosing, has prerequisites. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. Why not have the prerequisites be part of the degree plan in the first place? Many financial aid lenders require you to take only the courses prescribed in the degree plan in order to qualify for aid. But at ACC, you don’t qualify for the first courses listed in the degree plan until you’ve taken each course’s prerequisite.
I already have a bachelor’s degree, and would like to take classes as part of a career change. But ACC’s prerequisite policy does not allow me to do this with the use of financial aid, and they provide no way around it either. There’s no, «I’m 30 years old with a degree, I’m pretty sure I can handle the coursework for ‘General Chemistry’ without needing to take ‘Introduction to Chemistry,’ thank you.» And you can’t go talk to the professor or department head to get permission to go straight into the ENTRY LEVEL course. No. You have to take the REMEDIAL prerequisite in order to QUALIFY for ENTRY LEVEL.
The best community colleges in the country don’t follow this practice. I was fortunate enough to attend one of these in my home state of Maryland, and they allowed you to get permission from the professor if it had been a while since you’d studied a certain subject or what have you so that you didn’t necessarily have to go through each and every remedial course on the long way to your basic core class. They also counted any necessary prerequisites as a part of the actual degree program.
Austin Community College is after your money any way they can get it, and they won’t be seeing a dime of mine. I’m moving in the Spring and, frankly, can’t wait to see this town in my rear view mirror.

Keith is amazing. He is the redeeming factor for my experience at this school. He is the only advisor you should talk to. He actually sat down and helped me with my school and stuff. He went through all of my stuff with me and explained it to me and put all his effort in to helping me figure out my schedule. He even went through the trouble of helping me find good professors to sign me up with. He is AWESOME, the most helpful person I have ever encountered, maybe the best from all the universities and colleges too…

It’s close to my house and sometimes i like to write from home. The ACC library is a quiet place I can go to get work done on an otherwise lazy day.
Cons: not as quiet as my ideal location would be. Some people do not understand just how quiet they need to be.
Pros: staff is friendly and helpful even though I’m not a student there

All I know is that their telephone service and student services office staff really sucks. I have gone here several times and have waited hours to not be seen, receive rude service and whatever random incompetence they feel like administering at the time.
Not to mention the time I called in, waited no shorter than 3 hours, just to have my call answered, but then placed on a personal hold for 8 mins. by the individual who answered the line who didn’t bother to greet me. He simply picked up the line and placed me on a personal hold. I waited for a while, in disbelief then said «hello, hello» and was magically answered by the individual immediately.
This is just ONE of the many stories about this place. Basically, if you want something done right, go to the Eastview Campus.

(Sang to the tune of Adele’s «Rollin’ in the Deep»)
We could’ve had it alllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Rollin’ in the caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaash
You had it all insiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide of your hand
And your testing… your testing center’s rude
I go to «real» college — ACC is a joke.

ACC is overall a good thing. I like Northridge for the most part, but it can be a disaster at times.
*Professors: I am in my 5^th semester at ACC, and I can honestly say that every professor I’ve had at Northridge has been good. I’ve only had 1 professor that really sucked at ACC, and she was at Round Rock.
*Classes: The professor can make the class, so since my professors have been good, so have the classes. I wish they would be a little more consistent with BlackBoard though. Some use it, some don’t, and some say they’ll use it & don’t. Kinda annoying.
*Students: Well, you have your good, your bad, and your ugly. I have met some really great non-​traditional students here. That’s what I like the best about ACC.
*Cost: Look at UT’s tuition page. Look at ACC’s tuition page. Okay then.
*Administration: This is where the disaster part comes in. No one can communicate with anyone else. Financial aid cannot communicate with the advisors, who cannot communicate with the cashiers, who cannot communicate with records… and it goes on. If you need to get something done, set aside an afternoon (or an entire day, in some cases) because you will need it. You have to ping pong back & forth because no one is capable of communicating. At the beginning of the semesters & at registration time, it’s like a nuclear bomb of people has gone off in 1000 building. Horrible, just horrible! If you want to get anything done, do it EARLY, mid-​semester or before, if possible.
*Parking: Semi-​disaster overall. It f-​ing sucks hard for about the first 2 – 3 weeks of every semester, then evens out. But for those first 2 – 3 weeks, expect to take 20 minutes to park. Yes, really. Oh, and they only have like, 6 visitor spaces. What the hell is that about? You ping pong everyone back & forth for hours/​days, but you expect everyone who has never been here before to be able to fit in that ½ row of parking? What were you people smoking when you designed that?
*Campus itself: Pretty nice. Trees, benches, tables outside. Little patio outside the café. Really wish they would make designated smoking areas though. The area outside the bookstore & outside 2000 building along the railing are hard to breathe in some days. I would hate to be allergic to cigarette smoke & buying books…
Soo… yea. I really like Northridge, but man, they make you work for that edumacation through the registration process. If I had to go through that again, I think I’d consider seppuku. Otherwise, I really wish I didn’t have to transfer to UT :)

Pros: I haven’t thought of any. I will let you know if I do.
Cons: Is there a word limit in this box?
All I have to say (and I haven’t even taken a class at ACC yet) is a big huge W.T.F. Just, WTF.
I am so incredibly confused between the disorganized website, the overworked and underpaid advisors and the (what are we up to now?) seven locations. I wanted classes to transfer to a bigger school so I thought a few classes at Austin Community College would be a pretty simple process. Heh, well, let me just say — if you can make it in the door and register for a class you should be given your degree right there, on the spot.
Today was my *FIFTH* yup, count it, fifth, visit to ACC in an attempt to give them my hard earned money. I started the registration process back in November. Yes, I was late to register but in Connecticut you just walk in and sign up. No muss, no fuss.
So the first visit I’m interested in a tour, I’d like to at least see the Round Rock campus. Well, sorry, we don’t give tours right now… but here’s a map, go walk around. Alright… so friendly! So I wander around by my lonesome. No one really wants to talk to me and I don’t want to randomly start interviewing students, so I leave feeling unwanted. :sniffle:
I decide that I probably should register… in case I decide I do like it. So I go online, navigate through the nonsense and register. I think. I follow all the steps, mail my Social Security number all over Austin and then I’m told I have to come in to prove who I am.
I decide to go to the Northridge campus because it’s close to where I’m headed. I head to the visitors lot (I’m so logical!) and are-​you-​kidding-​me? 4 visitor spots? At this point everyone and their mother are wanting to register too… I don’t even bother signing in. With 9,000 cars they deserve the ticket money if they have the time to catch me!
I get in the Registration line (again, I am SO logical!) I wait an hour and «Oh, you need to go to advising». What? Your website said to go right to the Registration line to show you my photo ID? Uhm, yea, see that line over there, the one with all the people looking like they just got back from a funeral? That’s where you go. Have a nice day.
WHATTTTTT.
Fine.
So I stand in the «advising» line. I’m sorry, if I’m meeting with an advisor and giving out my Social Security number it would be nice if you actually had PRIVACY. I finally get to the front after another hour. Do you know what she tells me? She tells me I have to go answer this Kindergarden Chalkboard checklist in the «student center» AKA glorified walk in closet. I had already done this online but she told me her computer was down and «could you just re-​do it so I can make a note of it on your record?»
GAHHHH!!!
So I sit. And I check yes and no and yes I will be nice to my fellow students and no I will not wear a bikini to school. All this with the bimbo behind me on her cell phone checking MySpace and the 20 something girl next to me with her Dad filling out a form saying «Daddy?» ever 3 seconds. I feel like I’m in an institution. I’m done. This time I’m not standing in the line. I go right to the front. She tries to send me to the back and I sort of throw a small fit. She sees my little «printed agreement» and tells me to go sit down, she’s IMing the advisor upstairs to see if she’ll see me. I see her laughing and giggling and typing away. I can only assume it’s about me but at this point I. just. don’t. care.
I get up to see the advisor and you guys, she was so RUDE! She told me I was the last appoinment of the day, I was lucky to see her, how she could be at home with her kid right now but she was nice enough to stay… BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! :cell phone vibrating: Uhm. That wasn’t mine? She apologizes and answers her text. Heh. Classy!
So I’m «Registered» but she’s not authorized to give me credit for classes I have taken at a CT Community College… guess what, I have to go see another advisor for that! Oh, and the questions I have about financial aid? Oh, well, I can’t help you with that, I don’t know. WHAT KIND OF ADVISOR ARE YOU?
Visit #3 — Wait in Financial Aid line for FOUR HOURS. Get to almost front of line. Office closed for the day. Fudge.
Visit #4 — Visit with Advisor of department where I am trying to transfer my credits. Advisor tells me *she* is not authorized to make that choice either… but I can visit with Advisor #3 and she can make that choice after I fill out lots of paperwork, not knowing whether the credits will even be accepts. Seriously?
Visit #5 — (have given up all hope of registering for the Spring ’11 semester but feeling ever so spirited that I may meet with the Financial Aid people who can help me!) The computer system is down so he can’t help me either. And I’ll pretend to answer your general questions but not really… I’ll let you stand there all embarrassed and alone. :throws up hands: and I’m out of words :)

Was here last semester and well i have to be honest the art classes are more like an after school program.
You don’t have to do much to get an A. Just doodle and show up from time to time .
I have since transferred to Rio Grande and wow what a difference. I know the campus is old but im not there for the damn building. The art classes here have been great. Granted the semester just started but it is night and day from Northridge. If you really are into art and want to learn… do yourself a favor and take class at Rio Grande instead of Northridge. You will be wasting your time at Northridge. Now im only talking about my drawing class. What a joke that was. Design class was ok but way to laid back. I’m older and sitting in a class room with recent high school grads that are use to whining and getting there way is not my idea of college. How they got off moms tit is still a mystery to me!
Only thing Northridge had to offer me was my adviser Keithon Kerley. If you don’t want someone wasting your time and telling you you have to take this and that go straight to him. He will listen and will work for you to get you the classes you actually want!