Los Angeles City College — Local services in Los Angeles

My first impression is based on the communication and interaction I've received from staff as a new student. I understand we are in the middle of a pandemic but the lack of response from the Admissions Office and Counseling Department has led me to believe this institution couldn't care any less if I reach my educational goals with them or not. I have been given the runaround for the last 2 months regarding my status as a new student and what is required of me. Their website states that in order to receive Priority Registration you must complete the requirements listed on your Student Portal by May 29, 2020, well my Student Portal hasn't been updated since I applied. There is no confirmation that my transcripts have been received and I can't even get in touch with anyone to confirm this. On top of this requirement being needed to complete my registration I also am required to speak with a Counselor, in April I was told I could do this via their LIVE CHAT but the Counselor's don't even respond to the chats and 99% of the time they have their status as Offline or Away. If you're lucky to get a hold of a Counselor during the LIVE CHAT they leave you unanswered for 30+ minutes in hopes that you'll just close out the chat and if they do respond they give you short answers and attitude. Because I have college credits I received outside of LACC I actually can't talk to someone via LIVE CHAT. I have to schedule an appointment with a Counselor. I submitted a request for a Counseling Appointment on May 1, 2020 and in the confirmation email I received I was told someone would be in touch with me, two weeks passed and I heard nothing so I was told by a Success Coach in the LIVE CHAT to follow-up with an email to Online Counseling. Today I emailed the Counseling Dept. to check the status of my request and I learn that there are no appointments available at this time and to check back the week of May 26 to schedule an appointment again, yet in order for me to receive Priority Registration I need to have all of this completed by May 29th! I attempted to LIVE CHAT with THREE counselors this afternoon, 2/3 never responded and 1 took 45 minutes to respond only to tell me the LIVE CHAT is for "quick fixes" and to schedule an appointment again with Online Counseling even though I told him I've already done that and the email referred me to speak to someone via LIVE CHAT, his response was to submit another request. I think it's safe to say I won't meet the deadline even though I've been trying to get all of this taken care of since March! It's not fair that I have to penalized for missing the deadline when I've made every attempt and used every resource the college provides to get my new student requirements completed. I was so excited to get back into school so I could finish my degree but this experience has left me feeling so discouraged. Never has a college/university made me feel this way. We are all having to adjust to the way we interact with each other because of this pandemic so I understand the changes but communication should remain the same. Your students shouldn't feel like they are being left in the dark. The last school I attended answered my questions by communicating effectively and handled my request efficiently when I was reaching out to get my transcripts DURING THE PANDEMIC and I'm not even a student there anymore, yet I can't even get an email update from LACC that my transcripts were received. I am very unhappy with my experience and I am considering withdrawing my application all together until this pandemic blows over, I have a feeling that's what they want me to do anyway as it one less person that have to help. Also, update your website. It's so scattered with inconsistent fonts, sizes, colors, and links that appear clickable but aren't which makes it overwhelming and extremely difficult...

Ive found that the best thing to do, is always,check your answered questions, and get second opinions, talk to a student already there, if your waiting in a line for 6 hours, you could exchange phone numbers, or conversations, with others, to see how things are going and get feedback..the night before, write down,all questions, and then ask the person, who is answering your question, pertinent after questions, like is there a possible problem with this, "Am I asking the question I need to ask...etc etc...hey, thats the way the world, works,and as for the gentelman, who said, student and faculty were sick, blowing their noses, etc..really? okay, here goes, maybe wear a mask like they do in the asian countries, so you dont catch or pass germs (see pandemic,comming down the pike,Hey it could happen, ,its called thinning the herd..LOL) wash your hands!! institutions, are filthy...everything you touch, has had hands, that have not washed, then you bring that,hand and pinky to your face and nose...voila..now your sick, I like soap and water..better than the bacterial gels, but its more convienent..carry it, also note, bacterial gels, dont work over the long haul..(look it up) it doesnt kill germs after a while (soap and H2 0) is the best...ps. those antibacterial soaps, also affect the thyroids, (look it up) yea, washing your hands, with that, stuff...affects the function of your thyroids..saw it in a magazine, and heard it once on the telly..so people...you have to take "RESPONSILBILTY" for your own "SELF" your out in the world now...you think,la city college is bad, try taking your pal, to the verterans hospital...talk about shifless, and just dont give a rats petutti...so I wonder why doesnt someone, get a website and charge monies, to assist the kids, down in the line, to make it easier,for them to get their answers and the like?? that would be a job? right? you could pass out flyers to the people waiting in the line...hey look,you made a new job, or something....oh and lastly..perhaps people waiting on you at the school, would be a little bit nicer, if people would say things, like..Good Morning, how are you...and then, please...and then,. Thankyou...at the end. I use to wait on the public..waitressed. sometimes, I wanted to ask...but thought it in my head..."was the ground cold, when you got up this morning" so now! go out there and be kind to your fellow humans,...

This school’s administration is full of irresponsible people who don’t know what they’re doing. One person passes the blame onto another, that person onto another, and it’s all one vicious cycle.

The counselors give you incorrect guidance (they don’t seem to know UC or CSU requirements), please beware that you should speak to multiple counselors just to cross check that what you’re being told is accurate. Also, keep in mind that if you make afternoon appointments with counselors they might “call in sick” without bothering to ask someone to contact their appointments so they can save themselves the trip ( I lost an afternoon of work, gas, and time because of a counselor’s inability to let me know that he wasnt going to meet me for our scheduled appointment).

The Admissions and Records as well as Financial Aid offices are as helpful as speaking to a blind deaf mute. You go, and you go, and you go, trying to get answers to simple questions like, why hasn’t my home school been changed since I came in early February to have it changed? They send you from one office to another and not even they have the answer to that (thank God they at least have all the offices in one building). I’ve gone to try and change my home school from Trade Tech to LACC on five separate occasions and nothing yet. Oh, and forget about calling the offices, they will never answer.

Yet SURPRISINGLY they need to increase their enrollment rates because it’s been decreasing for some time now. Weirdly, though , with the new system in use students are “accidentally” enrolled in courses they never signed up for. Then students are later berated by school staff as to why they never bothered to show up to class when you try to petition the courses you originally never signed up for (btw tracking down some of the Professors is more appropriate a job for a private investigator than a student).

Avoid the school if you can, I will transfer out as soon as is...