Students attending any of the alamo colleges please help!!! (San Antonio: credit, home)

[tyree1231]

I've been searching and i cant find anything with a definite or any question with any answers pertaining to my question in any way. So my question to all of you is:

Which of the Alamo school would you say is the best? As in which might have the most youthful students, great student core, and also offers a solid education with a staff that actually helps their students.

If those questions are for some reason impossible to answer can someone just tell me what they like about whatever school they go to in San Antonio.

I know my question might be a little vague but its the best i can do because coming from San Diego, California i dont know what to expect and i want to choose the best possible school i can while im hear. (i plan on getting a international business degree if it help anyone answer my question!)

Thanks!

[taraox]

I came from California too (OC) and went to Northwest Vista for a semester. I can't really comment on the other schools because I only went to that one, but it was decent. It's on the West side of the city (kind of outside of the downtown area) near Sea World. Beautiful campus with a little lake right in the middle.. all the buildings are new and great computer labs. Decent resources as far as tutor labs and computer labs where you can go have a teacher or somebody proof read your essays, you can drop in for group or one on one math tutoring etc. I would say all my teachers were kind and helpful, and the curriculum through Alamo was super easy compared to California (just my experience). I feel like it was a lot less demanding and rigorous overall, lower expectations kind of but it worked out because I got good grades so I can't complain. I took business courses and did great in all of them. Their online courses are especially easy. The only other campus I visited was Northeast Lakeview (North/East side? also outside of the downtown area) and it was also brand new and pretty, and the teachers/counseling people were friendly and helpful. Both are kind of commuter schools since they're in more suburban areas, but students were generally nice and hung around the campus. I think those two are nicer/newer campuses personally from what I was told by the counselors. Both seemed to have young/friendly students, I'm in my mid twenties (went back to school after a career) so they were all substantially younger than me lol. Apparently all the Alamo schools have major parking issues though, I experienced it personally and it was pretty bad.. the earlier you show up and secure a parking spot the better! Or if you're on a bus route and don't drive, you'd be fine. If you're definitely heading to San Antonio, NWV isn't a terrible place to go.. although you might be stuck with out of state tuition depending on your circumstances.

[tyree1231]

Thanks man really appreciate the insight!

[zhugeliang1]

taraox has good insights. There is also San Antonio Community College which is downtown which I visited, but it seemed somewhat old and rundown. I guess older students like it due to being closer to jobs downtown, more bus connections, etc. Northwest Vista seemed really nice when I visited.

[L210]

I was a student at Palo Alto College and San Antonio College, but I've taken courses from all of the Alamo Colleges except for Northeast Lakeview. Northeast Lakeview is not accredited yet and offers a limited number of courses/programs. Since Palo Alto College has less students, their administrative staff is more responsive than San Antonio College's. I had tried to apply at SAC years before, but had a lot of trouble because they lost my paperwork. A few years later, I tried again but at Palo Alto. The admissions process was relatively smooth, but they did not have enough available courses. You can take courses at any Alamo College, but most of the courses have to be taken at your home school for financial aid purposes. I ended up switching to SAC. I do like that SAC is centrally located.

Some Alamo Colleges are better than others for degree programs. St. Philip's specializes in allied health and vocational/technical training. San Antonio College offers the registered nursing program and probably has the best criminal justice program. Unless I missed something, I only see that San Antonio College offers an international business degree program, and Palo Alto offers an international business certificate program. If that's true, then SAC wins hands-down because it's your only option.

[LovingSAT]

Originally Posted by tyree1231

I've been searching and i cant find anything with a definite or any question with any answers pertaining to my question in any way. So my question to all of you is:

Which of the Alamo school would you say is the best? As in which might have the most youthful students, great student core, and also offers a solid education with a staff that actually helps their students.

If those questions are for some reason impossible to answer can someone just tell me what they like about whatever school they go to in San Antonio.

I know my question might be a little vague but its the best i can do because coming from San Diego, California i dont know what to expect and i want to choose the best possible school i can while im hear. (i plan on getting a international business degree if it help anyone answer my question!)

Thanks!

I know Palo Alto has 2 plus 2 programs that lead into Texas A&M San Antonio if that is an option. I would think in that case both colleges are helping the student ensure success.

[Bo]

As in which might have the most youthful students, great student core, and also offers a solid education with a staff that actually helps their students.

I have a family member who attended SAC and took courses in multiple departments. He said some departments had more older students than others. The average age in his IT classes was closer to 30, and he said that was higher than the other departments his classes were in.

[L210]

Originally Posted by LovingSAT

I know Palo Alto has 2 plus 2 programs that lead into Texas A&M San Antonio if that is an option. I would think in that case both colleges are helping the student ensure success.

Not only do all of the Alamo Colleges have articulation agreements and/or 2+2 plans, but the state of Texas mandates block transfer of the first two years of study in several different majors among all public colleges. Also, the core curriculum has to be accepted from one public college to another or that college will lose funding for the rejected courses. Northeast Lakeview, however, is a special case since it's still in the process of obtaining accreditation. Their students can elect to have SAC named as their home school. There are many Texas schools that have agreed to accept their credits, but I still think it's risky.

Alamo Colleges : Northeast Lakeview College : Accreditation
St. Philip's College : Transfer Students
Palo Alto College : Current Students : Transfer Students
Alamo Colleges : Northwest Vista College: Future Students : Transfer Students
Transfer Information

[zhugeliang1]

Just be aware that SAC tends to lose paperwork and is impossible to contact by phone or email. If you have to get something done you either have to go through the student portal or go to the campus in person.