West Los Angeles College

Teachers so far are awesome. But their counselors are not very helpful. ive had great counselors at other schools like LACC and they were encouraging and they wanted to help me plan for my career… but at West LA ive tried seeing 2 different counselors and the fist lady was just lazy, she wasnt even sure what classes i needed. i think her name was maricela or sumn. and the second guy didnt really want to help me. he lacked that enthusiasm a counselor should have to motivate students. he practically helped me because i asked to talk to his boss. he wanted me to reschedule for a 3^rd appt. For a individual education plan… he did a sloppy job and just kinda put stuff on paper for me so i could leave him alone. not happy

I can’t understand why this school never answers it’s phones!!! I call admission, and the operator but they are all directed to and automated person and then you can even leave a message so it hangs up! What’s going on with this school? Ridiculous!

I’d like to find out if this college is any good, if it weren’t for the Admissions Office, which NEVER answers the phone, which NEVER returns voice mail messages, which NEVER answers emails! If I can’t get past the Admissions process, it doesn’t speak well for the college in general.
I suggest all those disgruntled contact the president directly.
Sprague Robert Interim President 310−287−4325

Bulding CE120 Mailbox252-​A

Not recommended to international students!
The international student office is unorganized. They even managed to loose my application and I had to redo everything again.
I spend 4K a semester and Mrs Greer in the international student office sucks! She doesn’t care! She should be the women who you need to talk to if you have anything concerns or questions about your visa status. BUT she doesn’t know shit! Gosh i hate her! Angel Viramontes is great! But Kathleen is just terrible terrible terrible!!!

piece of shit school never answers their phones or my emails. it annoys me to no end. why do i have to go to school for something that could have been accomplished via email or over the phone

Teachers are awesome! Currently taking up child development classes and the teachers are great.

Campus has improved so much throughout the years. I think it has an even better campus than SMC. As far as the programs and resources go, this place sucks. I cannot even begin to explain how many times I have called to ask for a simple question, and they NEVER answer their phone calls. Some of the staff in the library are rude as well.
The first day I asked if they can log me in a computer because my actual student ID wasn’t working even though I was enrolled. The lady on the desk was completely distasteful and her tone of voice wasn’t pleasant.
Classes are over flown with students the first week of school. However, toward the second and third week it has all died down. Still, the classes are always super full. (about 40 – 50 students per class) and you really don’t have one on one time with the professor.
The only two starts it deserves is because of the aesthetic of the campus, other than that the service, the distribution of classes, and the staff are a major problem here.

God, I hate this place.
No establishment should have a review start off that way. With that said I spent 3years at that school so this is a perspective of a student who actually attended this school.
I remember moving from SMC to WLAC because it being closer to my new apartment and being horrified. Toto we’re not in Kansas where the international students roam.
Granted they recently fixed up this campus and the buildings are nice with equipments new. Before they demolished the west side of campus, all my criminal justice classes were in this interment camp looking classroom with CHALKBOARDS. They wheeled in giant TVs on carts, elementary school style and played VHS. This is in 2011, not 2001.
Most of the student body is retarded or asleep 99% of class. Granted there are few who are trying to succeed in life, it seems as though most are there to collect a check from the financial aid office. By the way, trying to get the admissions office or financial aid office to fix a mistake or error on your application, trying to get your AA, trying to get advice on your AA, trying to even get your classes straight is a mission. I’ve been sheriff’s being called because a «student» threatened to kill «whoever gives me the financial aid because I haven’t gotten my fucking check yet.» While her infant children roamed around. Yeah its that kind of school.
If anything I’d recommend taking night classes. The students are little more older, more serious. The professors there are a hit or miss. Some are very good and some not so much. Either way classes are easy enough, and definitely easier that SMC for sure.
I transferred out of this school and couldn’t be happier I no longer have to go back.

Coming from a non-​student perspective this campus is really nice compared to other community colleges I’ve seen. There are many updated buildings surrounding most of the area, and there are plenty of resources I’ve spotted for students and visitors alike. I come here for a nice quiet study spot at the HLRC Library. This place is huge and much grandeur than the library from my undergrad! Though it could be updated a little more and maybe have a better, clear entrance, this place is pretty ideal for the campus! I have yet to see the Café, but from word of mouth the food is delicious! I also want to see the bookstore!
Great campus, beautiful scenery, plenty of parking, and hopefully excellent higher learning opportunities!

I found West Los Angeles College to be
1. Affordable
2. Great Instructors
3. Counselors who care!
I’m now attending law school because of the great education I received here. Let’s face it, college is college its not easy! …but if you are dedicated and want to go further as their slogan says you will. Financial aid office was very hands on in my opinion, I never had a problem, some of the instructors in the legal department are really mean— in my opinion — -but i didnt go there to make friends, i went to get an education and I always felt safe at this school… which is important when you have to go at night! Check out their stats…:) Online school was awesome and user friendly they dont use blackboard !!! Go WEST LA!!!

This campus is very nice aesthetically; the buildings look nice and new, and it is filled with trees and greenery.
The campus itself is not too crowded on a weekday morning, and parking is also not hard to find. If you are taking a class within the same district, e.g. East Los Angeles College, you do not have to purchase another parking pass, you can purchase one at either college and use it at both in selected areas.
They have a nice cafeteria, which has a juice/​coffee station. I have had a chai latte here which was okay, kind of powdery, wouldn’t order again. I ave also had a banana smoothie, which was good. It had banana, coconut milk, and protein powder. It was not overly packed with protein powder, so I did not get a gritty/​powdery consistency. I will definitely try another smoothie flavor, or order the same again.
I am personally only took one class here, so I cannot say much about the teachers.

Great school to attend if you don’t like to deal with the hustle and bustle of other local and crowded college campuses in the area.
West Los Angeles is a quiet and serene campus. The first few weeks of the semester is hectic but after the 5^th week, the rush settles down.
It’s a newly renovated campus with state of the art buildings. There’s an abundance of resources here that can aide a student to prosper and achieve their goals.
The instructors are hit or miss here. Some are great at what they do and some are just mediocre. Make sure to review the instructors before you sign up for their class. You can do that by going to
.
The parking situation is hectic in the mornings but not so much during the evenings. Parking permits cost $ 27 and gives you access to almost every parking lot.

Taking my second night class here– it’s a pretty nice campus, out in the corner of nowhere. Though I’ve only been in the math sciences building, bookstore, and library in this community college campus, it has made a pretty good impression on me. There’s also an awesome little convenient store (that sells basically everything you can find inna ⁷⁄₁₁ :O whoa) you can go to during your mid class break at night – what a gem!
Parking lot is very bright and you can easily buy the sticker online. Only thing is the cellular reception can be spotty as this place is kinda isolated.
All in all great place for pre REQS and a lot easier to get into classes than smc lol.

Okay I admit I am writing this while in a state of frustration. Getting answers is excruciating. Today I was fortunate to receive an email allowing me to add an online class. Trying to be responsible I ran out an bought the book only to come home to find out that the office could not add me online because… there is a prerequisite. One that is not mentioned at all on the website or the paperwork. Nothing. Even the first time I called the student worker didn’t show a prerequisite.
Frustrating. I understand and respect that some classes will require pre or co-​requisites but at least let the student know beforehand. Update your websites. Answer your phone and emails timely. I know they are swamped but still a little effort goes a long way.
Also, the bookstore — seriously I have to check in my purse and hold my money and then you don’t even have bags for the books. Unprepared.

UPDATE TIME: ultimately I transferred from this school in 2 years to UCLA! (whoooo go bruins!). The teachers here are mediocre and some are down right amazing! Getting the right teacher to care is hard, but when you do it is a big time motivation. I hope everyone transfers outta here to their dream school. If anyone needs advice or help feel free to add me and message me!
Happy learning :)

Does anyone actually work at the Admissions Office? Lol.
I took one online geology class to fill a breadth requirement through WLAC. The class itself was great and the professor was kind, knowledgable and prompt in his replies to messages, which is a must for distance learning.
However, if you live a ways from WLAC, I don’t suggest taking even an ONLINE class here, because navigating through their hot mess of an administrative bureaucracy is an impossible feat.
I’ve called the Admissions Office at least a dozen times at all hours of the work day to speak to someone about a very simple concern I have about my transcripts, but it goes to an answering machine each time without fail. I’ve left 5 voicemails — no return call. Unfortunately for me, I live 100 miles away, so I can’t just waltz on over to campus and get a number from their «kiosk» to speak to someone about a little, two-​minute question.
This lack of support for students is unacceptable. I knew I should’ve gone with SMC.

Not too bad of an institution.
Teachers here are either hit or miss, but plenty of really great professors.
Parking is amazing, you don’t need to fight other students for a parking spot, tons of spaces to park on campus and a block away from campus.
Campus is pretty large for a community college, not as hard as SMC to get classes.
The office area is pretty high tech where you put your phone number into a kiosk machine and texts you when its your turn in line.
However this school does have a large minority population, and I have seen some sketchy activity going on… students selling weed in the bathroom and a fight that almost broke out with several students for practically nothing. The security needs to have a larger presence on the inside of the school and not just sit in the campus Police department that is located in the parking lot.
My advice would be to take night classes where you don’t need to deal with the high school students and recent high school graduates.

Okay, it’s totally gauche for me to write this review seeing as to how I haven’t even STARTED at WLAC yet, but I am a community college student coming in from many years at SMC and in comparison to SMC, WLAC is FANTASTIC!
People always give me a weird look when I tell them I am shifting from SMC to WLAC. Here’s why: SMC sucks. It’s overcrowded (hello, shitty parking at all hours and crowded buses!), classes are always full (good luck crashing a class), the waitpool system is shoddy, it’s EXPENSIVE ($ 85 for a f@#$ing parking permit that you’ll never get to use!!!), most staff members are rude and not very helpful, and the enrollment priority is TERRIBLE.
I came upon LACCD schools when I needed to take a symbolic logic class and lucky for me, as a working adult, LA Pierce taught that class online. Immediately, I noticed the ease of access of obtaining an add code despite being a new student with a late enrollment date. Of course, I also noticed that classes were more readily available and with that, I browsed other LACCD schools for their class availability. Classes galore with a broader range of subjects relevant to my major! And WLAC is just a couple miles from me. It just made sense.
I worried about transitioning from one school to another in the sense that there would be difficult staff members, but so far, I have not had an issue. The staff members are SUPER helpful, you get your calls returned within a couple days, most things can be done online, and department chairpeople/​instructors are quick to respond and also super helpful.
I think the campus is beautiful and much cleaner than SMC, too. Some people call it desolate, but being on top of a hill, WLAC showcases a different part of Los Angeles that not many people see (myself anyway). I feel like I’m outside of LA, in the mountains or something. It’s pretty rad (yes, I just used a teenage colloquialism from the 90’s).
The really big important thing for me, as a working adult, was class availability and at what times they would be available — and I have found that LACCD schools are definitely more working adult-​friendly than SMC. Oh, and after one semester, my enrollment registration date got bumped a bit earlier. :-)
I can’t speak for the quality of education you receive as the instructors who teach at the school usually teach at other schools (many at SMC teach at WLAC and so forth). It’s not the school itself, but the quality of the instructors and your own personal drive to succeed. Anyway, so far, my access to resources has been pretty incredible.
And apparently, parking permits are cheap and in abundance as well. I take away one star for ease of public transportation though. ;-/

REVIEW FOR ADMISSIONS OFFICE
Here at WLAC, in order to speak to someone at the admissions office, you have to enter your name in the kiosk machine and wait for your number to be called. They even text you when its almost your turn. Sounds convenient right? Well yes if it actually works that way. My number was called and as I was walking over, this guy comes to the window before me and says his number was MY number. I then proceed to tell the lady that the number is obviously mine as you can even call my cellphone and it will ring. You know what she said? This gentlemen got to the window before you so you’ll be second. WTF??? I was only a mere 2 – 3 seconds before him. Lady was nice when I was served but just the principle of it doesn’t make sense.
The kiosk system does not work if the admins themselves DON’T even follow it.

Damn… Find that kiosk machine at the student service building when you’re seeing the admission records/​business/​financial aid service, enter your name or number and wait for update on the big screen t. v or on your phone. So hi-​tech and I’m so glad!
This is my first semester here at West Los Angeles College. Adding classes at ELAC is just horrible and I do NOT have time to wait for adds. I am so so glad that there were class opening here that I need. The drive may be a hassle, but if you know when to leave the house, you’ll be good with the traffic.
Compare here with Elac, you can definitely find parking WITHOUT having to find it. Oh my gosh, PLUS!!!
The campus… well, it’s pretty up there. When it was my first day on campus, I had no idea where to go other than follow the cars that were driving into the lot. Haha… Luckily I found the parking lot. There are lots of stairs, up hills and down hills… so watch out with those heels you be wearing.
A hell of a drive from East to the West, but will be well worth it all at the end.