De Anza College
Cupertino, CA, USA

Reviews

De Anza College

Diana from San Jose, CA

a current student here
6 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Although De Anza College is a community college, I feel that you can get so much more out of this school rather than going straight into a university. The classes & teachers are there to help you reach your goal as much as they can, whether it's in your education, career, or life. I feel like I'm getting the aid to get where I want to be in life at De Anza College because of all of the things I've learned in my time being there.
Am enjoying being here
I enjoy being at this school a whole lot. There is a ton of opportunities to meet new people, get involved in many different school activities, and getting ahead in your education. The one thing I do not enjoy about this school is the parking. With so many students here, it might be best to get there at least an hour early before your class- just to get a parking space! Other than that, this school is great and I enjoy being there.
Bang for the buck
Even going to a community college can be a bit pricey these days, but I feel that De Anza College is a very affordable school at $13/unit. Affording college is, well, AFFORDABLE at De Anza College.
Tips for prospective students
As I mentioned before, get there super early to get a parking space. Also, register for classes when it's your time to- classes fill up FAST. And always, check ratemyprofessors.com for the classes you are taking. You never know which teacher is right- or wrong- for you.
Great for these types of students
De Anza is a great school for students who like to get ahead and like to work hard. Since it's a quarter system, it's more for the type of students that can work at a fast pace.

Sarah from San Jose, CA

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
The campus is all around very scenic with all of it's trees and freshly paved pathways. The students, staff, and professors/teachers are inviting and are extremely friendly. De Anza College is hands down a great two-year college to help boost not only your life skills but to get you prepared for the outside world and a transfer Uni or UC!
Tips for prospective students
1. Absolutely and I mean ABSOLUTELY register for classes ahead of time even try registering a month or two in advance or at least have a solid idea of what class you want to take
2. Join at least one club that interests you to help build your connections and if you can't find one that does check out the on-campus events they have or the off-campus events some clubs host and go from there
3. Finally, just have fun and make sure you stay on top of your work because one little slip no matter what college you go to can put you into a whirlwind of trouble, grrr..
Academic Rigor
Most classes are what you read is what you get instead of what you see is what you get. You may expect to see a nutty professor and nutty students not doing the right things but you'll go home and start reading the material you discusses/worked on in class and figure out that this stuff is pretty rigorous.
Dorm Life
To be honest this college does not offer dorms or living quarters since it is a two-year college and people are going in and out of here constantly but there are some lofty apartments around the neighborhood and even in nearby cities like Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, and my hometown San Jose.. the S babies.
Food and Dining
The food on campus isn't worth buying nor trying since most of it tastes like it's been frozen for months or the ingredients have been sitting around all day. They could use a new cafeteria as well as a more elaborate and neo-healthy-freshly-friendly menu, if that's even possible. Things like a 100% Angus burger on a grilled ciabatta roll with roasted red bell peppers and arugula served with lemon herb carrots and watercress would sweeeeet. I wouldn't mind laying down 5 bucks for that or even a freshly grilled tomato, basil, and mozzarella panini. Though I'd have to be eating it in a remodeled cafeteria or at least outside on a table that has an umbrella.. Outside of that the food off campus is 5 stars with Panera, Togo's, Island Burger Cafe, Ikes Lair, Whole Foods, and Jamba Juice all within walking distance!
What to do for fun
Like I said clubs would probably be your best bet for fun and their off-campus activities that they sponsor.

Lauren from San Jose, CA

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
De Anza is a great school, one of the top community colleges in the state. All the teachers are well-educated, most with Master's and Doctorate Degrees. They truly care about their students and they are always available to help after class.
Am enjoying being here
College is so much better than high school. You get the freedom to choose what classes you take and when. College life at De Anza is pretty cool. Since it's a community college, students don't live on campus but there are still tons of ways to meet people. With over a hundred different clubs you can meet people who share your same interests. The easiest way to meet people though is in your classes. Making friends in class makes the class much more enjoyable and makes the time go by much faster. Many of the teachers assign group work which is the perfect time to meet people. There are also many events that occur around lunch time which bring the students together.
Bang for the buck
Definitely getting your money's worth. At $17 a unit, registration fees are only about $816 a year! that's only about 1/6 the price of some of the cheaper 4-year schools! You really get your money's worth at De Anza. Going here saves thousands of dollars a year for the same quality education. Since you spend your first two years taking GE classes anyway, it's best to get a great education at a great price. Definitely recommend this school.
Tips for prospective students
Register early! It's important to register at 5am on your chosen registration date. I know it sounds early but it's really important because it can make the difference between getting a class or not. Make sure to check the availability of the classes you want ahead of time so when registration comes, you won't be freaked out about what class you will take if you can't get the one you want. Also, be sure to sign into the MyDeAnza portal to register at around 4:45am because there are thousands of students signing on at the same time.
Don't waste time. Make sure to take at least 15 transferable units a quarter so you don't get behind. There are many students who don't take enough units when they first start and they end up staying an extra year because of it. Don't make the same mistake! Meet with a counselor if you're confused because they are there to help.
Do take the time to meet people in your classes. They can help with your coursework and help make the time go by faster when in class. And who knows, maybe they'll turn out to be a new friend!
Do apply for financial aid. I qualified for the BOG fee waiver and had all my registration fees paid for me my first year. Definitely worth applying.
Don't slack off. This is not anything like high school. If you screw up, your grades will reflect that and your professors won't change your grade just because you give them a sob story or beg them to change it. It's a time to get serious. You are there to learn.
Lastly, have fun! Enjoy the experience because it goes by quickly.
Great for these types of students
Great for all types of students. There are many different people at De Anza, both traditional and non-traditional. There are online and night classes for full-time workers as well as classes starting as early as 7:30am for morning people like me. Many classes available so timing should not be a problem with those who work.

Krista-CA

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
De Anza College offers an impressive array of courses and clubs to help you today and in your future. De Anza has students and professionals working with you to ensure you get everything you need while attending; such as: extended library hours, multiple cafe's and food selections, tutors and social clubs, free wi-fi, free public events-like karaoke Tuesdays, financial assistance, etc. There location is a huge plus for me too which must contribute to the schools diverse community. De Anza graduates will succeed in life and academically.
Tips for prospective students
My favorite teachers thus far are: Sal Breiter- Humanities and Cultural Anthropology and Bill Abb- Mathematics. GET IN TO THEIR CLASS(es) as soon as you can.
This school is on quarter system- 12 weeks.
Other students rate this school 3.8/4 stars!
Register early!!
Academic Rigor
I would say they are as challenging as any University, but for a lot less tuition money. The teachers are just as serious about education as my fellow classmates are. You will learn how to apply yourself in the real world here.
Dorm Life
They do not offer on-campus dorms, as most junior colleges do not. They do, however, offer off-campus dorm assistance.
Food and Dining
On-campus meals; Breakfast meals (till 11am), Italian; pasta and pizza mainly, American; burgers, cheese-steaks, hot dogs, fries, etc, Baja Fresh; fish tacos! affordable fresh Mexican grill style deliciousness, Chinese food too!

Off-campus student discount restaurants are 360 Gourmet Burrito; Baja Fresh; Bar Code; Cafe LeTTea; C'est Ci Bon Bakery; Cold Stone Creamery; Coffee Society; Cinnabon; Erik's Deli; Fresh Choice; Florentine Restaurant; Ike's Lair; It's a Grind Coffee House; Sea Port Restaurant; Subway; Simply Thai; Togo's; Yiassoo, and a few more believe it or not.
What to do for fun
Your student body card offers you a discount at the movie theatre and bowling lanes nearby. Again, because of De Anza's awesome location you are close to everything that would be considered fun!
Bang for the buck
You get University education at a junior college's price!
Great for these types of students
De Anza is quarterly; meaning, many students here appreciate a fast-paced learning environment.
Campus Safety
They have campus police; however, the substation on campus has limited hours. They reassure students that the campus is getting patrolled 24 hours, but I don't know how true that is. I also haven't noticed any camera's on or around campus.

Jasmin from Los Gatos, CA

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
My teachers have shown that they are passionate about the subject they teach. It's not like high school, where you just take notes, study and do homework and that's all you really get from a class. You actually learn beyond than you would from an ordinary class.
Tips for prospective students
Be sure to qualify as an in-state resident before applying to this college or you'll be spending thousands on tuition on just the first few quarters that you attend.

Anonymous from San Jose, CA

a past student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Did learn a lot
The teachers that I've had the chance to know are absolutely amazing. However, you must know that I used Rate My Professor. For me personally, I believe that having a great, or even decent teacher, is the best way to learn. They are your educators and they are the expert in whatever subject you're trying to learn about.

In my experience, every single class I ever took at De Anza, my teachers were passionate about their knowledge of the subject and seemed to want their students to know just why they are so passionate about it. I really was inspired to learn in my classes because of that kind of attitude that was presented to the students.
Did enjoy being here
From the outside looking in, the school looks overcrowded and kind of boring.

However, I thought it was absolutely peaceful and tranquil - the perfect place for a real scholar. There were enough flowing trees for shade, but there was enough spaces for sunlight to peak through. The campus is really clean because everywhere you go, there's bound to be a trashcan nearby, along with a recycle bin for recyclables. This environment allowed students to study out in the open without being interrupted by noise.

However, because it is a community college, most students go to school with the intention of transferring, and because of this, there aren't many student activities. Of course, there are clubs, but the campus is usually quiet with the occasional chatter between students. It might be a little boring for students who want some activities in their school.
Bang for the buck
Since De Anza is using a Quarter system, instead of a Semester, classes are shorter and lessons may be accelerated in order to cover all material that is required to be taught. That and adding to the budget cuts make classes very expensive to take. In order to take advantage of the classes you have paid for, you would have to take up every single information taught, including learning outside of class with your teacher's office hours.
Tips for prospective students
Make sure you do research yourself when you're trying to apply at an out of state university. The counselors at De Anza generally can't help you out as well as you can. Make sure you take a good look at requirements for certain schools.
Great for these types of students
Students that are very education-focused. This is not a school for students who just want to have fun.

Anonymous from Los Gatos, CA

a current student here
0 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Academic Rigor
Study and professor are nice.
Bang for the buck
Save money by going to bookstore across the street. Financial aid include fee waiver, scholarships, and state financial aid if you qualified.
Tips for prospective students
Study more. Use ratemyprofessor website to find best professor! Interesting clubs to join.
Great for these types of students
Science, Math, Psychology, Automotive Technology, Health Technology, Music, and much more majors to choose. You have to be a hard-worker.