Essex County College
Newark, NJ, USA

Reviews

Essex County College

Girl from NJ

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
I've learned alot here, especially from my math and science classes. Well, all of my classes actually. The professors certainly know a great deal about the topics they teach, and since they're truly interested in it, they can explain it all really well, and even the students can relate to the stuff they talk about. The tutors at the MESA center and especially the ones from the STEM program helped me out a ton because they're always available.
Am enjoying being here
I really enjoy being here because even though people just say coming here is not a good choice, I feel it was a great choice. There's so many opportunities here that I have to get me jobs, a high GPA, and diverse people to make friends with. Also it's very safe on campus, but once I walk off campus for a few blocks, there's creepy old Newark men who call out random things to me. But at least the bus stops are around the campus so I only have to walk for two minutes to get to the bus.
Bang for the buck
The tuition compared to other schools is really cheap. My spring and fall semesters were only around $4000 together, and I didn't have to pay for anything except for my $54 bus pass each month. Filling out FAFSA got me a $3900 Pell Grant, $800 from HESAA, and $1000 something from the STEM program here, so my tuition and books were pretty much covered. The books both semesters were about $400-500 each.
Tips for prospective students
It's a decent place to start at for a cheap price. If your GPA was bad in high school, you can start fresh here with a better GPA and then get into the honors program which pays for your whole tuition. The STEM program, pays for your math 100 class if you need to take it, and a science class; plus, it has really great tutors from the nearby college like NJIT and Rutgers to help out too. There's also math professor Carlos Castillo who can explain math especially well and can get anyone to understand math. He wont quit trying til you get it, so taking a math class from him is a really smart choice. For English classes, professor Acacia Cochise is great and all her students agree that she's one of the best. She keeps us interested in the class by telling us unusual facts about authors and having class discussions instead of writing essays. Also make sure to carry around your ECC ID, or at least remember it if you do decide to attend this college. There's random times where they'll ask for it at the entrances and you'll need an ID to enter. The lines for the financial aid office are almost always super long, so it's best to get there early in the morning or when it's not the beginning of a semester because the waiting time can be 30 minutes or up to an hour. The line at bookstore at the beginning of a semester is also extremely long, even to get in the store. The time in the book voucher line after you find the books you need can also be up to an hour so if you need a book between classes make sure you have time.
Great for these types of students
Essex County College is great for people who want to start off paying cheaply, or for people who didn't do well in high school and want to start off with a clean slate. It's also great for people who haven't been in school for a while and need to relearn a few things to start getting a degree.

Female

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Food and Dining
They have a variety of foods to choose from.
What to do for fun
Be part of clubs/school activities. Have the Dasher center where you can meet new people, be part of the school and de-stress.
Bang for the buck
Because it is a community college, it is affordable. Only problem is the payment methods which are not great choices to help students.
Campus Safety
feel safe 100%. The security is all over school. If you have school at night and are on your way to the parking lot but feel unsafe, a security member can actually walk with you to your car.

Kendra

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
I gave this 4 stars due to the fact that I am learning a lot, however some of the things I am learning I already have known from high school of before.
Am enjoying being here
I gave this 5 stars because I very much enjoy attending this school. The students are friendly, the teachers are helpful, and it is just a wonderful environment,
Bang for the buck
I gave this 4 stars because this is a two year college and it is affordable. However, the payment options are not that great.
Tips for prospective students
When you are ready to enroll make sure you have the money ready upfront. Making friends there is very easy, especially if you join a club.
Great for these types of students
Athletes, looking for a good 2 year college to transfer to

Kay from Newark, NJ

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Essex County College has every class of professor. From the one that give you every day note and the one that explain the entire classes without note. If you like to pay attention rather than write you can easily get an A. However, there are classes that you need to study a lot like math and biology. No problem if you know how to study you will fine, but if you need help there are a lot of people that are willing to help you. For example, we have two centers where offer free tutoring for any class that you need. Plus the professors are very nice and are willing to help you in anything that you need.
Am enjoying being here
There are many events where you can take a break from your studies and relax. In addition to this there is a center called dasher center where you relax yourself when you must need it. In there you can play video game and board game. Also there is a TV where you can watch anything that you want. In short is pretty much cool.
Bang for the buck
There is a lot of help in this school. We have EOF and financial aid to help pay for you classes plus if you don't want to buy the book in the voucher you can find someone to rent you one or share they book with you. Moreover, some of the teachers are willing to load you a book.
Tips for prospective students
There is a lot of scholarship in here. If you never have a C in the time that you will expend in this school, the dean of this school can give you money for the four year university. Moreover, the association and some clubs also give you scholarships. A lot of opportunities + a lot of scholarships= full tuition in a four year university.
Great for these types of students
This school is great for people that want some kind of help to go into a special program at another institute.