Cuesta College
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA

Reviews

Cuesta College

Jacob from Atascadero, CA

a current student here
6 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Cuesta College is one of the top community colleges in California, located just outside of Beautiful San Luis Obispo, CA. If you are interested in Nursing, Music and the Arts, History, or Engineering, Cuesta college is a great great place to start your college career!!! I have had the luck to spend a year singing at Cuesta under the direction of John Knutson and Dr. Jill Anderson. They have a wealth of knowledge and skill in their areas.

I also have had the chance to take History Classes at Cuesta with some top teachers. The US history teachers, Dr. Anthony Koeinger and Johnathan Wilson are wonderful Charismatic teachers and are a great addition to the School.
Am enjoying being here
San Luis Obispo is considered one of the nicest places to live in the Country!!! Golf courses, beaches, wonderful hiking trails are just a few things that constitute the area of San Luis Obispo.
Bang for the buck
For the First year at Cuesta (two semesters and a short summer semester) I had spent a total of about 1000 Dollars. The parking is cheap and usually plentiful, and the tuition is cheap for a wonderful school!!!!
Tips for prospective students
Be sure to take some PE classes because there are some great coaches at Cuesta that are very nice and incredibly knowledgeable!!! Also, if you can, take some time to explore San Luis Obispo County, places like Atascadero and Paso Robles both offer other fascinating experiences!!!

Come to cuesta and Enjoy the wonderufl school!!!!
Great for these types of students
Nursing, Music and the Arts, Engineering and History/ Poli Sci are some of the best programs at Cuesta

Kasey from Avila Beach, CA

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
College is intended to be an eye opening, real life experience for young adults. At Cuesta the experience is certainly full of learning opportunities and I also have a lot of fun expanding my knowledge. Professors are generally excited about their jobs and are very willing to help you get the information you need.
Am enjoying being here
The campus is absolutely beautiful and the style of the buildings are almost Spanish looking. The weather is interesting, often fluctuating from foggy to blazing hot in the matter of an hour. Not all of the classrooms are up to date with technology and proper seating but the personal setting and overall friendly atmosphere make up for it.
Bang for the buck
Each year as high school students around the world prepare for college, many are disheartened by the reality that major universities are expensive and often very hard to get into. Luckily, community colleges have been doing an incredible job of providing excellent learning environments while still keeping prices reasonable. Even with the decline in the economy, Cuesta has kept it's staff sharp and its facility running well.
Tips for prospective students
The best way to ensure that your learning experience is enjoyable to to sign up for classes with professors that really love what they are doing. The single most important tool that I can recommend for new students to use is the website www.cuestaratings.com.
Great for these types of students
Cuesta Community College is a wonderful place for students of all kind to start. Some of the most prominent programs I can think of are the Nursing Programs and engineering/architecture programs.

Elina from San Luis Obispo, CA

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Cuesta has a beautiful small campus. The teachers here will challenge you, it is a good transition school to get you ready fro a 4 year. Most people that attend Cuesta and work there are friendly and helpful.
Tips for prospective students
Set up regular appointments with the councilors. Transfer time will catch up to you quickly and it is important to know all of your options and responsibilities. Also, use all the resources provided for you, they are there for a reason: to help you succeed.
Academic Rigor
Cuesta is community college in a semester system. This allows for the professors to be able to take more time to teach and more time for you to learn. Many of my professors have been difficult, but success in those hard classes are attainable if you simply keep up with the reading and participate in class. I think that Cuesta is a good stepping stone from high school to a four year college. It is not as intense as Cal Poly for example, but the classes are harder than high school.
Dorm Life
Cuesta does not have on campus housing but there is plenty of student housing options. Stennner Glen is one of the popular options it is more like dorm style living if you are looking for that full college experience. Also, there are more liberal student housing options such as Mustang Village. Either place the amenities are more than satisfactory.
Food and Dining
San Luis Obispo has the best food! There are many places to eat down town but the only option for food on campus is the cafeteria and vending machines. The Cuesta Cafe is actually very good. I wat there probably 2 times a week and I am happy with what I get.
What to do for fun
There are tons of things to do in San Luis Obsipo. It is about 15 min away from the beach and there are many boutiques for shopping in the down town area. It is a college town so the night life is pretty good here.
Bang for the buck
It is a little more expensive to live here than in the valley but it is definitely worth it! You are so close to the beach and it is a beautiful area and it is cheaper than Santa Barbara, San Diego or other coastal areas. Cuesta is a good school and the students are all very laid back.

Student from Atascadero, CA

a current student here
0 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
As a single mother of four children, age 37 I have found returning to college quite challenging. I will say that I am happy where I am in school, I am enjoying the classes I am taking and really feel determined to get to my long term goal.
Tips for prospective students
I can only give you the tips for someone who might be in my situation. This was my third attempt at college, each time I did apply for financial aid. Because of my past failed attempts it made my financial aid process longer and tougher. My best advice is stay on top of your financial aid application, talk to the financial aid office often and start that early especially if your going to need the money soon for books and things. The other tip I would give is whatever class you are going to take, find out what all the fees are. For my particular class although I had financial aid support to pay for the classes, I was unaware of the fees for required things that had to be done to continue in the course. This is especially true for the Allied Health Dept.
Academic Rigor
I really can't say much on this topic, I think the academic rigor is great at Cuesta.
Dorm Life
I live off campus.
Food and Dining
Cuesta has the main campus in SLO and they have a great cafeteria even though it is very pricey! There is a North Campus and they don't really even have a cafeteria.
Great for these types of students
Students returning to school after a long time like myself. Older adults and those who need support. They offer many great support program for all types of students.
Campus Safety
They have good campus security.

Luis from Pismo Beach, CA

a current student here
0 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Great one on one. Awesome community to be involved with. Welding program is very good.
Tips for prospective students
Great place to figure out what you want to get a degree in.
Food and Dining
Plenty of great options on and off campus
What to do for fun
Surfing, climbing, hiking, Skiing, It's all really close to the school.

Isabel from Shandon, CA

a current student here
0 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Great College! I would recommend it to anyone. It is a small campus with amazing teachers and students.
Academic Rigor
Academic rigor, I would say, is okay. It is a college so expect to put a lot of time and effort if you want to excel.
Food and Dining
the Cuesta Cafe offers delicious meals at a reasonable price.
Great for these types of students
Students that are planning on entering the medical field, arts and sciences.
Clubs and Activities
The college offers many activities are clubs that you can join/ participates. They are constantly holding events and giving away prizes.
Campus Safety
The campus is very small, so safety issues tend not to be a problem. The college safety person are very nice and can always be seen on duty.

Student from California

a current student here
0 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
There is a nice, broad spectrum of classes to choose from, especially if you are finishing your general education. The teachers also range from being fairly easy, to assigning a rigorous work load. Regardless, I feel that every class I've taken so far has provided me with the knowledge I needed.
Tips for prospective students
Make sure you put the appropriate amount of time into each class. Five credit classes are brutal, and take a lot of time, so I wouldn't recommend taking more than two of that type of class in a semester. Also never be afraid to e mail your teacher, or go visit them in their office hours. They are there to help, and are usually happy to do so.
Academic Rigor
As previously stated, the five credit classes can be brutal, especially if it's a class that is not your best subject. The other classes are not very difficult as long as you keep up with the work that is assigned, and make sure you ask question when you need help.
Dorm Life
There aren't any dorms for this college, so you need to find your own housing. San Luis Obispo is a very expensive city to live in, so it can be difficult to make it without financial help. There are also cities around that aren't as expensive if you are willing to commute.
Food and Dining
The campus only has food from the cafeteria, which I find to be really good, and not that expensive. San Luis itself has a HUGE variety of restaurants, with the most popular ones being downtown.
What to do for fun
There is a farmers market downtown every Thursday, and a bike night afterwards every first Thursday of the month. There are a lot of concerts, especially in the warmer months, which are always tons of fun and well organized.
Bang for the buck
Most people get the class fee waived which saves around $1,000 every year, and that is a HUGE help. It is still pretty expensive having to buy your books, and especially living in San Luis, but nothing compared to a university.

Lucinda from Grover Beach, CA

a current student here
0 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
I highly recommend Cuesta College as a great school to attend. The faculty and services are run with care and this college really helps their students meet their goals. This school now offers three year attendence and allows you to transfer to more units to local colleges.
Tips for prospective students
Make sure to check out the campus first because it is about twenty minutes from San Luis Obispo. In other words you will need to have a means of transportation to and from the campus. That is unless you attend through their online courses. Also, make sure you get any forms, regstration, testing, financial aid things, and many other things done on time or you will see delays.
Academic Rigor
Cuesta College instruction is academically rigorous, students actively explore, research and solve complex problems to develop a deep understanding of core academic concepts that reflect college readiness standards. Increasing rigor does not mean more and longer homework assignments, rather, it means time and opportunity for students to develop and apply habits of mind as they navigate sophisticated and reflective learning experiences. Students with strong habits of mind weigh evidence, consider varying viewpoints, see connections, identify patterns, evaluate outcomes, speculate on possibilities and assess value. They find creative paths to resolve problems when they donâ??t immediately know the answer. Through an academically rigorous program students not only gain knowledge and skills to achieve at high levels, they also gain ways of thinking and doing that prepare them for college, work and citizenship.
Dorm Life
I am currently living on my own off campus because there are no dorms available for Cuesta College on campus. If there were dorms for Cuesta I believe they would be affordable and a great place to live while attending Cuesta.
Food and Dining
Cuesta College has a great cafeteria on campus however, off campus in San Luis Obispo there are many dining places to choose from like:

1. Pizza Solo
2. The Habit
3. Firestone Grill

and much much more.
What to do for fun
Since Cuesta College is located in Beautiful San Luis Obispo, CA there is tons to do. To name a few there is:

1. Hiking at Madonna, Bishops Peak, and Johnson Ranch.
2. Near by beaches
3. Night Dance and Music Clubs
4. Multiple Festivals throughout the year.
5. Farmers Market on Thursday nights.
Bang for the buck
Cuesta is such an affordable community college and all of the campus services are great and the staff are willing to go above and above for their students.
Clubs and Activities
Cuesta has many different activities and clubs on campus and any would be great because they have a great variety of them.
Greek Life
Since Cuesta College is a community college I do not believe there are any Frats or Sorority's to join.
Campus Safety
Cuesta College has a great Police Dept. on campus and safety for students is their top priority. I feel very safe on campus during the day and evening.