East Side.. Really bad? (San Antonio, Alamo: to rent, crime rate, student loan)

[L210]

I'm not talking about the surrounding area, I'm talking about the dangers on campus. I would love to be able to carry a gun on the SAC campus, but I can't. Luckily, I don't have to be on campus that often. My sister goes to UTSA and she hasn't told me about as many crimes as I hear going on at SAC. Of course, UTSA has more alcohol violations since it has on-campus housing.

By the way, I said St. Philip's is not any worse than SAC; I didn't say the campus was better. St. Philip's has half as many students and about half the amount of crime. So they're pretty equal.

[LovingSAT]

Originally Posted by Cazares

So I'm really looking to move to San Antonio next year. I'm touring a school, St. Phillip's College on the east side, in September. I'm from Wisconsin..and I've been hearing St. Phillips is a good school..Is that true? What about the east side? Is it really that bad?

There are several colleges that are part of the Alamo Community College District - Is there a reason your focus is St.Phillips?

I work on the East Side of SA it is different. I am always aware of my surroundings same as when I am on the West Side, I let my guard down on other sides but as you know crime is everywhere.

I just think that perhaps St. Phillips might be a little culture shock. Not sure of the population but my assumption would be Hispanic/African American. I fall into those categories!

[L210]

I don't know what the OP is majoring in, but St. Philip's specializes in technical, medical, and other vocational programs that are not offered at the other community colleges. The OP doesn't have to live right next to the school unless transportation is an issue.

This website claims to get stats directly from local police departments. Just zoom in and move the mouse around until you see the St. Philip's College area pop up. You can click on the area and it'll give you the crime index. The lighter the area, the more crime it has.

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

[skeet09]

I'm a St. Philip's College graduate and moved on to a Bachelor's degree later on. Academic wise, the campus offers smaller campus and class size and instructors are similar as to other local community colleges. There are some programs available at SPC that are only offered there.

[LovingSAT]

Originally Posted by skeet09

I'm a St. Philip's College graduate and moved on to a Bachelor's degree later on. Academic wise, the campus offers smaller campus and class size and instructors are similar as to other local community colleges. There are some programs available at SPC that are only offered there.

Thank you Skeet and L210.

[Cazares]

Originally Posted by Bo

St. Philips is a community college. It's a "traditionally Black" institution in the largely African-American part of San Antonio. AFAIK, it doesn't offer 4-year degrees. Someone I know who works in the group of colleges that includes St. Philips tells me that they "do things a little bit differently" there, for what that's worth. It's also "fiercely independent" in some ways.

An administrator at the school was recently in the news for handling her email a little bit differently. If you're going there to study Radiography, this will be significant.

Bawdy emails cost administrator her job - San Antonio Express-News

You don't have to live near St. Philip's to go there. There is no on-campus housing, so you could live wherever you choose.

I looked up the student body at the college. I honestly don't care at all, but it looks like the white population is greater then the black population, and hispanic is the greatest, which is pretty coll because I'm half Hispanic. Anyways, I was considering moving near the school so I didn't have such a long commute, and I was looking just north of the campus. Maybe west towards downtown. It all depends which is cheapest(I want a roomate and with the slpit cost do NOT want to pay more then 300).

[The Black Irish]

The only reason to go to the Eastside is to go to a Spurs game, the rodeo, or a concert at ATT Center/Freeman Coliseum, if you want to see homeboys and vatos, tagging, do I need to keep going? Oh, and I am sure there are some dealers, pimps, hookers over there as well. You're better off on the N/NW side.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

Originally Posted by Cazares

(I want a roomate and with the slpit cost do NOT want to pay more then 300).

Not very practical...most two bedroom two bath apartments here are at least $700 plus utilities. When I lived in two bedroom apartments the electric was usually about $120 a month (that's a low estimate) and water and trash $30 a month. If you need cable, internet and phone, add another $100 a month. So plan on $500 a month at best, plus you'll need a car and have to pay for gas and insurance, so even if you already own a car and aren't making payments, you'll probably need at least another $300 a month...maybe less depending on the distances you drive, maybe more if your insurance rates are higher. And food...if you don't cook, plan on $300 a month for food, if you do cook and are a frugal shopper, you can probably feed yourself for $150 a month. And all of that is assuming you find a roommate and are comfortable living with a total stranger, and have enough saved to pay the full rent and bills for a couple months if the roommate flakes out on you and you have to find another one.


I thought the idea of community college, which St. Phillips is, was that it was an affordable way to do the first two years of school while still living with your parents...you don't usually hear of someone moving here from another state to go to a community college.

[The Black Irish]

Agreed. Going to cost way more than that and I also have never heard of anyone moving to go to a community college??? I took all my pre-requisites at SAC, transferred them over to TX State, and in the process saved thousands of dollars and I didn't have to fool with all those classes when I arrived in San Marcos. You should just go to NW Vista, or SAC, and not mess the Eastside seriously!

[skeet09]

Originally Posted by Hedgehog_Mom

I thought the idea of community college, which St. Phillips is, was that it was an affordable way to do the first two years of school while still living with your parents...you don't usually hear of someone moving here from another state to go to a community college.

In Texas, dorms are not available on the CC level but in other states, yes.
List of community colleges with campus housing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by The Black Irish

Agreed. Going to cost way more than that and I also have never heard of anyone moving to go to a community college??? I took all my pre-requisites at SAC, transferred them over to TX State, and in the process saved thousands of dollars and I didn't have to fool with all those classes when I arrived in San Marcos. You should just go to NW Vista, or SAC, and not mess the Eastside seriously!

As I mentioned above to Hedgehog_mom, there are CC's with housing. List of community colleges with campus housing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Perhaps the OP is coming from somewhere in the US where this is a common sight.
Also, the OP may be looking at a specific program that is only offered at St. Philip's. I graduated from there and lived on the Westside and commuted because I liked the small environment. I found St. Philip's College counselors and advisors to be much more helpful than other campuses during my college attendance. I had a few friends who were attending SAC but transferred to SPC because they felt they could be much more successful in a smaller community college environment.