Golden West College

In my opinion, one of the best Junior colleges in Southern California. This school flies under the radar. It has an earthy look, but many buildings are in the process of remodels and reconstruction.
Overall, a nice experience.

SERIOUSLY!!! The older woman at admissions with a bob haircut is RUDE. Every time I have gone to admissions she has been the one «helping» me& there isn’t a time I haven’t left annoyed. When I go for some help that’s what I expect… not some obnoxious lady with a bad attitude. I don’t even leave Unilocal reviews really but. get this lady fired. Seriously looks like she doesn’t value her job one bit.

This school is a scam. They held my financial aid forerver and did not want to pay me even after i passed my classes. They hired stupid staff members who dont know anything and give you wrong information.

PROS:
Swapmeet on Saturday mornings here!
I applied for EOPS & got all four of my textbooks free!
It’s easy to get classes here and I haven’t had any trouble finding parking (so far) for my 10am classes.
It’s also not crowded at all
Next to Bella Terra
CONS:
The place look really outdated and boring
Your financial aid will take forever to process (and still processing at this moment after a semester just ended) The students that work at the BOOKSTORE are RUDE
Don’t take night classes. There’s a really sketchy vibe
Nothing really goes on here so don’t expect any fun lol

I really enjoyed my short time here as a student. The campus is really nice, I love the library and the modern built that is designed into it. You definitely need to check it out if you havent. I also like the fact that the campus is rather small and not too immensely large. Parking was never an issue and overcrowded population of students was also never an issue.
I met a lot of interesting and friendly people in my lab and lecture class. I fell in love with anatomy class here and felt the class was something I breathed and dreamed about every night (through cramming). That was the beauty of taking Mike Valinluck (most adorable geeky teacher that ever existed) and Annamaria (such a caring sassy person). It was beyond just a course for me… I left the school feeling a bitter sadness to it, which is to say I haven’t felt since Cypress College (I left UCI and CSULB and never felt anything). I tip my hat off to Mike and Anamaria, they are definitely a fun duo to have as teachers.
My one semester here, I learned more techniques to study and identify my weakness and strength as a student than I ever did (that or I’m just getting older). Goldenwest is very lucky to have such substantial faculty members who care so deeply about their student’s success and endeavors. I can only speak for anatomy as a course (but I know everyone who is going into med, dental, pt, pharm, and nursing will find this review helpful in taking that final course before you head off into your program.
You will learn, and you’ll find yourself thinking about your bones and physiological system when you’re done. Now, if thats not a bang for your bucks in education, then I think the education system is failing you. (I feel this review should have gone onto ratemyprofessors… check out my rate professor review too! lol)
C’est La Vie

Golden west college is a great community college. Most of the professors I’ve had here have been beyond amazing. They care about their subject and their students and they want you to succeed. After coming from a cal state school, the professors I’ve had at goldenwest have been just as good, if not better. The one issue I have with this campus is the counseling department. They really need to hire for nursing counsellors considering they have such a prestigious nursing school. Everyone at goldenwest has treated me with respect and been super helpful, except the counseling staff.

I work at GWC, so I have a bias toward the campus.
GWC felt like home the moment I arrived. The park-​like setting is calming and inviting. The older buildings are being removed, and the campus has a buzz about it. The new one-​stop center will be in the center of campus (opening Fall 2017) and will add a sense of elegance. Overall, the campus feels like it is ready for some wonderful growth. It’s an exciting place to work, and I hope the incoming students will feel a difference.

Sometimes I feel like GWC gets a bad rep when it’s compared to OCC, or other colleges.
I’ve been going to Golden West for two and a half years, and while it may be small it has a very comfortable feeling to it. In my opinion, the campus is incredibly beautiful because there are so many trees and plants, and the buildings blend in with them.
The professors are really a hit or miss, the bio and math departments are wonderful. The majority of the professors are really great and care about you as a student. You have to put in the work to get the A. I’m a little bias because my major is in the math/​science field, but I’ve heard that the criminal justice department is pretty good too, I know we have a wonderful nursing program.
My only complaints are how hard it is to get classes and the counseling. When I first started out, it took me a good year to really get the classes I needed for my major to transfer because it was so over crowded.
The counseling isn’t all that great. My counselor, at least for bio science, is cool but very very cut throat. She keeps a box of tissues in her office for the kids who come in wanting to go to a UC or get into the nursing program with bad grades that have to be told that they need to find something else. If you have the grades to qualify, they’ll work with you to figure out something s little more do able. Their counseling deals more with changing your major/​deciding your major. For help with actually transferring, I HIGHLY suggest going to their transfer fairs and meeting with a transfer advisor. Mine was much more helpful than my counselor.
Overall, it’s a great school and I’m really sad about leaving it behind to transfer. New coming freshmen, welcome!

They should do something about the infestation of ants all over this campus and locker room

There is always parking and the campus isnt crowded. Class rooms are a little run down but I can’t complain. So far I like this school. If you want to come here to pick up some extra classes then this is the place to go. I’m part time here and full time at GWC. It’s a cool for a cc.

I used to love attending this college and very quickly excelled in my Biology classes that I had to take as prerequisite for entry into their nursing program. I started attending straight out of high school in Summer of 2004 and had finished all my courses by the Spring of 2005. All was well up to that point I had the accommodations I needed from Disabled Student Services and everything running smoothly all was left was taking my four semesters of nursing and graduating with my Associate’s Degree in Nursing.
I was formally accepted into the program in the spring of 2006 for a fall start while I finished my last English class. When I entered the former Dean of Nursing had just retired and Jackie Hills-​Williams had just filled the chair as dean temporarily. This was when all my trouble with this college began as the nursing program gave me a hard time about making accommodations and the professors often refused to clarify questions I had about skills or content in the textbooks.
Furthermore they also gave me a hard time for being deaf and hard of hearing. I also was not able to test in an environment free of distraction and loud noises for my first math assessment and they tried to force me to exit the program over that. After that it was one roadblock after another that caused me to be unsuccessful my first semester and entry into their nursing program.
I was wait-​listed for reentry and that was even worse they told me if I wanted to enter for the following Fall of 2007 that I would have to have surgery and a bone anchored hearing aid installed since they believed my hearing in my good ear (left) was not enough to enter the program under their decibel range in their physical requirements. I brought in a letter from my ENT and they claimed it was ‘insufficient’ as they were unable to read it what I had requested in compliance with their Nursing Handbook’s statement. They went even further to ignore a letter from a Doctor at UCI in Orange stating that there were highly skilled nurses in the ICU with less hearing than I had providing excellent care for their patients.
Finally I got my second chance to be a success in this program and they were still giving me a hard time and they always talked about how they helped and worked with other students to help them diagnose learning disabilities or other things that were hindering them…
Instead they wrote me up every chance they got and anything negative anyone said about me they added to the file. They were more than happy to take a vicious rumor a librarian hatched about me and use it to illegally exit me from the program and make it so I was barred from even defending myself and coming on campus. I was also forced to sign inaccurate statements and kept in captivity after being pulled from theory class on March 13, 2008 without prior warning.
In the nursing handbook that I still have stored on a thumb drive in pdf format it says they can exit me but I have a right to appeal and to grieve the circumstances they withheld that right and even had me barred from ever being able to attend all over a false rumor.
I was forced by an academic council to leave the college and put under permanent hold and condition to see a psychologist 6 times per year if I wanted to return.
All this to cover up the fact that they did not want to help me discover why I was not understanding some of the content I was reading in their core textbooks and even when I came on my own time they would ignore me and spend more time helping other students.
The nursing office staff even went so far as to villainize my mother for coming in on my behalf and asking if she could have a meeting with nursing staff to find out how to get me some quality times just getting questions answering on course content. I was even barred from practicing in the nursing skills lab.
They claimed I am an angry person and that’s what they used in conjunction with the rumor to get me dismissed besides the false imprisonment when I came to class and they would not let me go home after dismissing me and the forced cross examination by a lady from Mariposa Counseling Services in Orange.
Perhaps they could have just had me tested for other disabilities before defaming and destroying my character like they did rather than throwing me out.
I just want to warn others out there with disabilities that you could have issues with the Nursing Program at Golden West College. I know they may come after me for posting this but I have been far too quiet for far too long… I just wish someone cared enough to look into what they have done to me and who knows how many others…
Around the time it happened I had tried to contact local media outlets with my story but no one seemed to care and I have gone on since then to graduate at another college with a degree but sadly not in the original field for which I had a passion.
((All this violates their mantra on their badge: «Auditum Cum Amore» or «Listen with Love»))

We were here for a baseball tournament the field wasn’t prepped between games and no score board going!
That’s not solely the colleges fault it’s the tournament director, that wasn’t even here!

This review is NOT for the college in general or the WONDERFUL transfer center, which I would definitely give five stars.
This review is for the bookstore on campus. The policies in place are completely stupid and unnecessary. You need a student ID (a state issued drivers license isn’t official enough to prove I am the same person who bought the books) a student schedule, and a receipt to return your overpriced books at the end of the semester. WHY??? How the hell is a drivers license not enough? A receipt, I understand. A schedule, eh that’s a little much but ok. But this asinine student ID requirement? What sense does that make?
None. They know nobody has any reason for a student ID and that barely anyone has one, and they don’t want to buy back the books so they enforce this BS policy to deter people. This is sad to me because students are obviously the last priority after profit.

Not very many majors to choose from but if your looking to transfer to a four year university fast it’s the school for you.
As an engineering major I was disappointed to find out that my major wasn’t even offered for transfer.
They have an amazing on campus AS nursing program so if your looking for bio classes there are plenty. They offer great online registration and easy enrollment.
Great online courses offered as well. Always get on the waitlist if you don’t get into your desired course most likely you’ll still get in.

PROS ABOUT GWC:
— nature-​feel (i love the shaded benches)
— new library
— teachers who actually care/​teach well (Rate My Professor– them). This can be a hit/​miss but I am taking 20 units right now and all of my teachers are great!
— great coffee cart
— next to the ⁴⁰⁵⁄₂₂ freeways
— easier than OCC to get classes
CONS ABOUT GWC
— when you mention to somebody that you go here… you would always get a negative connotation in return
— lack of lights
— extremely RAPEYYYY feel at night (avoid night classes)
— DIRTY ASS bathrooms… (I would go out of my way to use the library’s bathroom… even if it is across campus)
This is my first and only semester at GWC and I give it an (A-​OK). (both pros/​cons to this community college)

I take mostly online classes. Some teachers are very unorganized and try to use multiple websites for lessons which make it difficult to keep up with all the assignments. Online classes using programs such as mymathlab or aplia are very interactive and make learning so much easier. Its much more effective than only assigning extremely long reading assignments.
One thing that i am very frustrated about is the counseling division. Every time i call, im put on hold for 15+ minutes. Even calling RIGHT at 8am when they open, im on hold for 20+min…is anyone even working –_​_​_​_​–
Update– been on hold for 30+ min now… called goldenwest college # to tell them ive been on hold for 30+ minutes and to check what is going on. The lady argued that she cant do anything for me and jus call back later then hung up on me… gwc is not only a school but a business as well. They obviously have terrible service.

Lol found a few more 20 minute parking spots!
So far I’ve located two individual spots next to each other on the Gothard side, far from campus, and then a few on the Edinger side, very close to the light… making it impossible to get out if you are unlucky enough to try to be leaving just as class ended. Oy!
Two stars for the two 20 minute parking areas. :)

Just DONT bother even coming, you will just go insane by the lack of help from teachers, all they say is «not my problem»
and I have been told that 6 times by 3 different teachers when I needed help many many times.
The school is trash like it looks more of an abandoned college with flying trash everywhere, i find a bunch of stoner and drunk kids like having a Rap battle at the outside stage in the back of college and there all drinking and smoking and this is durning night school and the college dosent do shit about them because they dont care that teens are just getting plastered in the back of the college and they can’t even paint the college to look more nice and clean? It’s just a ghetto school to take your money and leave with bullshit learning from this none caring college don’t waste your time if you want a good future go find a better college

If you live in Orange County, you know Golden West College is not viewed as the «best» community college, compared to OCC or Fullerton College. However, I don’t think it’s as bad as people said it would be. Sure, the buildings are outdated and it lacks a social vibe, but there is more to it. What makes it aesthetically is the fact that it is very green! When walking on campus, you are immediately surrounded by many lovely trees and bushes, and I think that really outweighs the old buildings.
It is also a relatively quiet campus compared to others, which is something I like. The quiet campus makes it better to study. There are several places to sit down and study or relax on campus. I personally enjoy going to the native garden or the library.
The library is one of the newest buildings on campus, and it is very wonderful! It is lovely and very resourceful. The group study rooms are very convenient for group projects.
I was fortunate enough to have great professors (well, all except one). The professors I had were really enthusiastic and passionate about teaching their subjects, and they were always quite helpful. Make sure you go on «rate my professor» to research your professors!
Counselors are really a hit-​or-​miss, but most of them are helpful. Jimmy and Amy were those who were the most helpful. Try to see them if you can.
Utilize the transfer center and career center, especially if you’re undecided about your major or which university to attend (if transferring). The staff members are very friendly and are there to help you.
Use the Health Center! You’re paying for it! The nurses/​doctors/​psychologists are there to help you when you need it. A consultation with a doctor/​nurse is usually free, and the prescriptions are usually cheap. If you need any further testing or an appointment with a specialist, they can send you affordable, low-​cost locations.
I really haven’t had a problem with parking. There always seems to be enough parking for everyone.
I do wish the Financial Office was a bit more organized, however. I understand that there are many students wanting financial aid, but I still have not obtained last year’s cal grant (and won’t receive it until this December).
Golden West College may have its problems, but the good things outweigh the bad. If you like a green, small, quiet campus that has caring professors and counselors, go here.

There are three things that GWC does not satisfy to my needs, even though it’s only my «first semester» at the college:
Lack of an «actual cafeteria» — As much as I love going across the street on Edinger and Goldenwest (or to Bella Terra) for lunch every day, I’m actually a bit shocked that GWC does NOT have an actual «cafeteria.» Yes, I understand they actually have a couple of vending machines here and there, but come on, guys. I need real «FOOD» — not just instant noodles and PowerBars I could purchase for $ 2.00 each at the campus bookstore!
Slow wifi connection — Okay, with that out of the way, I have another thing that I need to pick with; the wifi connection is REALLY bad. I could get a connection at the library on my laptop perfectly, but on my iPhone, I connect to the CCCD wifi, and it just didn’t do anything. Even when I turn on my 3G/​4G LTE it still dropped down a peg. Yes, that may be a «minor thing» but I have had this happen to me pretty much all throughout the semester, and I couldn’t take it anymore.
Student «No-​Shows» — I hate to be Mr. Negativity here, but getting «dropped» from class after the first two weeks into the semester is just plain (excuse my French) B.-F’in-S! I was sick over the whole Labor Day weekend, and one of the teachers I had (I’m not in her class anymore) dropped me because of a no-​show. Come on! Really? Oh, wait, the teacher doesn’t even use BLACKBOARD or even email to communicate with her students! I… I don’t get it.
Okay, end rant. :)