SchoolsFirst FCU

Best bank and customer service ever!!! Staff are diligent in protecting you and your accounts.

I first came to California in 1973. I dealt with banks exclusively and was not impressed, but at that time it was all I knew. In 1993 I found Schools First FCU (which was before it changed to that name) and I definitely found a ‘home’! I now call it «My» Credit Union! For 23 years now I have enjoyed all the benefits of an organization that treats me like a person, not just another number! Whenever financial problems popped their heads up, «My» credit union has always been there to help me. The people who work there are super, polite, caring and attentive! They are always working with me, whatever my need is at that time. I would never consider going to a «bank» again for anything! I really enjoy being a part of this family, as I see it, not a banking institution!
I have had my daughter, my granddaughter, my daughters husband and father, all become members, and they are all as pleased as I am to be members. Also they thank me for leading them to such a great place to do their financial and personal business!

An amazing service provided to its member’s. Banking using the APP, is a breeze and very user friendly. Great benefits at Fantastic rates. A1 Service! Highly recommend.

I’ve had the misfortune of having to be the executor for my mother’s estate which was held in trust. Having to deal with the legalities of changing the trust account from a revocable to an irrevocable trust can be frustrating. Of the three institutions at which my mother banked, the only institution that understood what needed to be done and was able to seamlessly enter those changes in their computer systems was Schools First. Their attention to detail was phenomenal and the young lady that assisted me was polite and professional. Hats off to Schools First! They epitomize good service.

trying to figure out what bank to switch to! if anyone has a better bank please let me know. been at this bank so long and never received help from them (first I thought was because the length I have been there). Me and my wife have been there over 10 years and we have 2 cars paid off through other banks. We need help this year with a refinance for an auto loan, and they will not allow us to, even though US bank told us they would take us no problem, I wanted to stay here but they are not helping! now! im just sick of this bank and tired of their BS service reps that dont offer very good customer service! seems like they dont care for their customers only themselves.

It’s been a while since I have come to the branch but they have recently updated their lending program and that’s exactly why I’m a credit union member! Thanks for readdressing your lending and being more conducive to it. Getting a vehicle with twice the mpg as my current.

This bank is the best bank I have seen or heard of I have been banking here for years now i also have there credit card which has great interest and a car loan that also has great interest !! This branch is great all the tellers are very nice and helpful they also like to talk to you as well which is nice they are very fast at getting you in and out !! I highly recommend this bank and branch the Loan staff is also great !! The phone call center is great as well they are very nice and helpful they have helped me out with lots of things that I am very grateful for they have the best customer service over the phone !! This is a great bank if you can start a membership I suggest you do and if you have kids I would start them an account as well !!

I’ve been a member here 20+ years. You ALWAYS get the best custoner service, and I frequently give them compliments. If I ever have to go into one of the branches, especially on Broadway in Santa Ana, there might be a huge line, but they have several windows open and the lines go fast. I will never go back to a bank after being here.

Poor customer service. Called and was notified can come and pick up my car title but staff refused to help and said have to wait 45 min. Explained that I work long hours and can only take 10 – 15 min off. Staff still refused to help despite being told on the phone that they would do it right away.

This bank is best out there! Just spoke on the phone with a representative named John and he was super helpful! They really care to help you out

I absolutely love this credit union. Service here is fast and friendly. Unlike banks where you wait in line forever (sometimes you want to order for a pizza while in line) here you are out in a flash.
Paydays the line is long but there are like 10 tellers working. You look at the board listen for the ding and see what teller to go to. The line moves so fast, with all the dings it sounds like a railroad crossing lol. I went in for as vacation loan once and I may have been there around 5 to 10 minutes. I will never use a bank again.

I’ll be honest you, I don’t even bank here but my wife does and we come here often to grab some funds or deposit some…
But in my own experience the credit union is very nice and the people who work there are very friendly. The employees do their best to help serve every one in a timely manner as compared to other banks…
I do find there parking to be a bit to small unless you park on the «Main St» side where parking tends to be a little better. If happen to find yourself entering on the «Broadway» side the parking will be a little tight and generally not enough space.

Words can’t say how great it is to be a member of this credit union.
— I have always been treated with respect
— They understand situations and make exceptions when reasonable
— The ridiculous fees at other banks are not there
— The rates are very competitive
— Paperwork and administrative stuff for loans is relatively easy
— I have added my parents and they too can get loans for great rates
All and all, I am grateful to be able to rely on this credit union for my banking needs.

Unlike my friends who complain about unfair fees and how terrible their banks are, I feel at ease having an account at Schools First! They take care of their customers making sure everyone is satisfied and never taken advantage of.
Customer service goes above and beyond! Whether you are talking to a bank teller or someone to discuss a credit card or loan with, they always stay professional and friendly! Customers never feel rushed or mistreated. They take time to answer questions and always make sure everyone leaves with a smile!
I never have to worry about hidden fees or worrying about over drafting because I know Schools First is taking care of me. Not just anyone can get an account here so to be apart of such an exclusive bank reassures me that I’m getting the individual quality care that I deserve as a loyal member. Schools First Credit Union is excellent in every aspect and this particular location shines in every way!

I love my bank! I’ve been part of this credit union since i was 13 so I’ve had them for about 11 years now and they are always friendly and very helpful!

Great experience! Erica Jimenez was amazing, I’m sure everyone there is just as helpful but I highly recommend her. Setup a checking and savings account easily, refinanced my car loan and got an amazing rate, and got a credit card all within an hour of becoming a member. Thank you so much Erica!

Amazing service from Flavio. He was a tremendous help. I definitely felt valued as a customer. I am proud to be a member of Schools First.

I went into today to start an account with Schools Federal, it was very busy and stayed busy for the whole hour I was there. I waited for about 5 minutes than my name was called, Brianna introduced herself and shook my hand and we discussed opening an account and trying to get out an auto loan. She was very insightful and informative, she educated me well with the history of the branch and how long they’ve been in business. She made me feel very comfortable with my personal auto loan needs and helped instruct me on other options I can consider. Overall it was a great experience and I’m happy to be apart of Schools First Credit Union. Thank you again Brianna for everything you helped me with today.

Everybody that worked there was super friendly and helpful. My partner lost her wallet and is currently in Philly where there are no branches, they promptly helped me figure out a solution to getting her a new card and making sure that no activity had been happening on the account. Awesome group of people! Thank you guys for all your help!!!

Have been a member for a while, always great service and love the free coin star inside the branch.

I’ve been with schools first for over ten years through my mother who’s a teacher. Even though I haven’t lived in Orange County for many years, I still use SFFCU as my primary banking because they’re so amazing. I’ve never had a negative interaction with them, and they always answer my questions and even waive unexpected fees. They were a huge help when I was traveling abroad, and tellers in person are always extremely personable. They also offer crazy competitive rates on loans, and there’s never surprise service fees or other charges. I really can’t imagine ever switching banks! If you’re lucky enough to be eligible for membership with these guys I’d go for it!

i am a long-​time credit union member and really like my savings & checking accounts and service this credit union provides. But when it comes to their real estate, i have to tell you my experience. i called to get some information about their Home Equity loan programs. After being transferred to the real estate department I was instructed by a recorded statement that someone will return my call within 3 days. Yes, 3 days. i called back later that afternoon and was able to speak to someone who was not able to help me with the home equity i was looking for, but nevertheless, the 3 days for a call back is the reason for the 3 star rating.

Brenda was great. Helped me get on the internet and solved other issues for me.
She had a smile, and great attitude the whole time. I wish her well. I have a broken leg and crutches and she helped me sit and get out of the chair.
The best.

I am completely amazed! This bank is huge. It’s almost built and ran like a AAA office. I’m used small banks with very few tellers and several ATMs-​where you have to do everything yourself.
I see members being helped by tellers and personal bankers here. There’s a designated area just for members to use personal computers for online banking. There’s even a Coin Star area.
This bank is great for those who need that personal interaction with great customer service.

Hello Unilocalers,
I want to start by writing that I feel extremely let down by the credit union that claims to be about their members — I was under the impression that SchoolsfirstFCU would always be in my corner. After all, I do come from a long history of members with a variety of loans/​accounts, I myself had 6 (4 paid in full and 2 settled).
Let’s rewind back to March 2009, I took a $ 3 pay cut so I adjusted my finances and continued living life. Now fast forward to summer of 2011, I lost my job which caused me to default on all
my loans (other lenders) excluding SchoolsfirstFCU. Hopeless, jobless and needing assistance, I asked SchoolsfirstFCU to finance my then auto lease with Honda Financial as it was nearing the maturity date as Honda was refusing to finance me… I was denied any assistance by SchoolsfirstFCU. Once again, I adjusted my finances, utilized public transportation and kept living life. Fast forward to summer of 2013, I was offered a career opportunity
that I could not surpass… contingent that I settled several charged off loans. I contacted SchoolsfirstFCU (Collections Department) to resolve my Visa and personal loan — I settled on both. Moreover, I was reassured by Leticia (Collections Manager) that I could contact the Collections Department at anytime to repay the deficiency balance and regain membership while the repayment plan is reported to credit bureaus. Fast forward once again, I graduated with my Masters and received an offer to internship with a financial
institution in LA County (non-​profit organization) contingent that I repay ALL loans that were previously settled on. On November 4, 2014, I emailed Ryan in the Collections Department offering to repay the settled amounts — I received no response from Ryan, so I sent a follow up email on ¹¹⁄₂₃ to which Ryan replied that I had to repay the entire settled amounts before membership could be reinstated due to the fact SchoolsfirstFCU waived their rights to purse the balances (legal action). Really! 3 weeks to write a one sentence reply with no consideration as to why I was interested in taking Leticia up on her offer… complete disregard for my time and definitely not «World Class Member Service.» I replied to Ryan and
copied Leticia offering another repayment plan to report to the bureaus without membership, this time Leticia replied back to me requesting that I contact her in order to «go over some options.» I contacted Leticia, and she informed me that SchoolsfirstFCU could not accept my proposal as it would be «contradicting our original agreement» (so much for options). Caught off guard and leaving town for the holidays, I accepted her decision… this week the internship offer was rescinded and now I am writing this review.
Moreover, I just want to say the settled account balances total 1k (roughy) and to be quite honest Leticia contradicted what she originally told me. I guess the 9 years of membership I shared with SchoolsfirstFCU means nothing, I did the best could do and every time I asked for assistance from SchoolsfirstFCU — I was denied. As previously
written I will keep it pushing… advice to Ryan and Leticia, whether the person on the other end of the phone or email is a past or current member, treat all the same as you’re only damaging the integrity if your organization.
Best,
AJG

It would be unfair to compare this institution to any other place. SchoolsFirst or, as we say in my house Escuelitas Primero, takes service to another level. Members really matter here and the products, knowledge, employees make a world of difference.
The only con, currently, is that I wish more branches existed, closer to my home. However, it gives me a good excuse to come to this side of town. Any type of service that you may need; mortgage, investment, etc can be found here in addition, to insurance shred days.
Did I mention shred days??? What other institution thanks their membership by putting on an amazing extravaganza! ! Food, music, games for the kids, giveaways and much, much more…

Its always super crowded, which is kind of annoying. BUT
The staff at this bank is always so helpful and they’re all so friendly.
No atm fees at any atm inside of a 7 – 11. Not bad considering 7 – 11’s are everywhere