Mesa Community College

Great education, great campus, great teachers. I feel like this is one of the best community colleges in the state, and I have been to a few of them. The teachers seem to care here more than the other schools I’ve been at.
The one complaint I have is that the administration and enrollment staff is not the most helpful. They are very slow, and so not know a lot of the information to help a student.
Other than that it’s a great school!

Terrible school, no one wants to help you and they will steal your money. I will never go to this college again. I transferred from a California college and was told i needed to take a cis class by MCC. I signed up for the class and was told by MCC a day after the drop refund date that the class i took in California transfered as the same class i was told to take. I had to go through their «refund appeal» process and was told i will not get any refund the class. I also paid 160.00 for the book and was not refunded a penny. I also emailed the dean and was told that there decision is final. This school is full of scam artists. Do yourself a favor and pick a different college.

Okay so the biggest issue I have with MCC is their financial aid. I have never dealt with so much ridiculous stipulations and loopholes to make sure it’s hard to get any help. Even when you have a pell grant, there’s still some form, verification, reason why they have to deny you funds. I have spent more time dealing with financial aid at this school more than I have taking classes and doing assignments. Since moving out of state, the financial aid departments at other schools I’m looking at are floored that I have had to deal with so much nonsense to get school paid for.
Most teachers I have had however were excellent and very good. They deserve ⁴⁄₅ or ⁵⁄₅ stars. Campus and library are good as well. Financial aid is just so bad that I can’t in good faith give it higher than a 2. Financial aid makes me want to gives this place a 1.

The only reason I’m not giving MCC more than three stars is the bookstore. Lazy, useless employees and extortionate prices combine to make this place as unpleasant as one of Dante’s circles of hell. I don’t think I’ve ever dealt with this place without wanting to strangle someone afterwards. With apologies to olé Bill Shakespeare, how does MCC’s bookstore suck? Let me count the ways. Here are a few encounters I’ve had over the years:
One time, a few years ago, I called for some information and got a hold of some barely coherent girl who sounded like she was stoned. I finally hung up on her and called back later, hoping to get a hold of someone else a little bit easier to deal with.
One time, I needed to re-​take college algebra as a refresher because I had waited too long since I last time I took it to be able to use it as a prerequisite. I was hoping I could use my old CA book that the bookstore wouldn’t buy back from me earlier, but no such luck. Those butt pirates at Pearson had produced another edition since I had taken it last and that edition was the one specified to be used in the course information. I was hoping could buy the newer edition, take it home, compare it with the book I already had, and if the two were similar enough, return the book I had just bought for a refund and then use the old one. Again no such luck. The bookstore only had new copies of the latest College Algebra book and told me that once I had taken it out of the shrink wrap, I couldn’t return it. So I bought it (for $ 133), took it home, took it out of the shrink wrap and then compared it to my old book just to find out how badly I had just gotten screwed over. Except for the cover and illustrations, the two books were completely identical, RIGHT DOWN TO THE WRONG ANSWERS IN THE BACK OF THE FUCKING BOOK!!! *cue Sam Kinison scream*
One time, I called the bookstore asking if they had any used copies of a certain book. The person on the other end of the line, a rather stupid sounding reject, told me he couldn’t tell me. «Really, you lazy, worthless fuck?» I thought, «you can’t walk ten shitting feet over to where the books are, look at them, and walk back and tell me what you see?» He told me I’d have to check online at
and see for myself. Bkstr said there were no copies in stock, but since I had never known anything associated with this bookstore to be anything other than incompetent and shambolic (except for when they were getting busy fucking students in the ass) I suspected that
might not be giving me accurate information. I went down to the bookstore to check in person and, yep, you guessed it: there were about 30 used copies of that book sitting right there on the shelf.
I just recently went to this bookstore to sell back a textbook, a ridiculously overpriced and expensive textbook that I hoped to get a good chunk of change back for. There was some very minor water damage to a few pages where I had been flipping through it with sweaty hands (I sweat a lot) but all the content was still legible (none of it was even smudged) and all the pages were all still intact. The book was completely serviceable, but they refused to buy it back from me. And I wasn’t the only one being screwed out of the deal: there was another student somewhere that was going to have to spend an extra $ 50 for a new copy of the book because my used copy wouldn’t be sitting there on the shelf for him to buy. I was so pissed off that I went back and complained the manager. She said the book was in acceptable condition and that they’s buy it back from me, but also insulted me by implying that I was lying about not having spilled anything on it.
This last incident infuriated me so much that I vowed to never have anything to do with these brigands ever again if I could possibly avoid it. I started googling around and found that you can usually get used textbooks way cheaper on Amazon than what they cost here; just make sure you search by ISBN and not title so you get the right book. Indeed, I found my latest textbook on Amazon for about ¹⁄₃ what they’re asking at the campus bookstore: $ 244 at the campus bookstore vs. $ 84 on Amazon. And it’s the same edition, too.
In closing, I see no reason for anyone to shop here, unless he’s a masochist who enjoys throwing money away. If you’re an MCC student remember: friends don’t let friends shop at the the campus bookstore.
ETA: Textbook rush is probably an even better place than Amazon to get cheap textbooks. like Amazon, they carry international editions but, unlike Amazon, they guarantee their international editions are identical to the overpriced domestic editions. I paid about $ 50 for this semester’s textbook there as opposed to like $ 275 at the school bookstore.

I moved to Arizona from Minnesota and with a degree already. I have spent more time being frustrated and waiting hours to even speak with councelers here at Mesa Community, and when I did speak with them they were absolutely no help. I was constantly feeling rushed to get out of the office, and I really do feel like my education there was a waste of time.
I wanted to get another degree, and have more possibilities, but Mesa Community has made it where I don’t even want to go back to school because the admissions is outrageously ridiculous to even understand, or work with one on one (ya know, to make sure you understand and your going down the right path).
I truly felt unvalued there, and I set up a month to month payment plan to pay for my tuition, and now the school is stating I still owe my entire tuition, in which I had this paid off last year, and I am just getting messages from the school now… Super frustrating, again.
Please beware when you are trying to go to school so you don’t have the struggles, and frustrations I have been dealing with during my experience here. I am extremely disappointed, and do not recommend this school. Not even for a simple couple of credits.

As my time at MCC draws to a close I can’t help but be thankful that I’m getting out of here alive. There are so many problems with this college it’s tough to know where to begin. The past two semesters I have been dropped from all classes due to non payment even though I have pending financial aid and after repeat assurance that I would not be dropped. It’s not just happening to me but to hundreds of other students as well. It’s a glitch that they just can’t seem to fix. Annoying and frustrating. There is a serious lack of academic advisors and if you go to see one you’re looking at a two hour long wait. Trying to talk to financial aid is a whole other beast. Nothing they say is consistent and I believe they just say the things they think I want to hear just so that I’ll go away. It’s a sad way to treat people who are seeking an education. There is a serious lack of women’s studies courses and the few that are here are only online. I’d like the option to take some of those in class since they are more conducive for discussions and networking. Just take this all in, do your research and always get a second opinion. Never take what anyone says here at face value. Stick to your studies and be on top of everything and you’ll survive too. Best of luck!

I have come to speak with a counselor twice and it has been over AN HOUR. There is two people waiting in line. Is there 1 counselor advisor? I don’t understand. I call to schedule an appt to make this more efficient and they don’t take appointments. This is crap. I got things in my day I can be doing. Seriously so annoyed. MCC get YOUR SHIT TOGETHER

I’m a Veteran scheduled to leave the service this year after 12 years of service and I sent two separate emails to the email address provided for the Mesa Community College Veteran’s Services Office on their website and after almost a month I have yet to receive a reply. Last week I called the school and spoke with the male representative in the VSO and when I told him I had sent two emails he told me that the female that manages that email has about 12 other things to do and is really busy. So I decided to talk to him about my questions I had asked in the emails I sent. As he’s explaining information to me he is yawning. Not just once, but several times. I found it extremely rude and not the experience I hoped to have when choosing a college to go to. I was set on going to this college but now I am exploring other schools. If the VSO doesn’t have the time or the professionalism to provide future veteran students in a professional manner, then I would rather go elsewhere.

Go Thunderbirds! I absolutely love this school. All of my professors are phenomenal. Shouan Pan and James Mabry are such amazing administrators that love Mesa CC. Just make sure to give yourself time if you need to go to Financial Aid or Advisement — anyways, you could do most of your stuff online too.

I’ve been a student here during 5 years and have to say it is one of the best college in the Valley. Great organization, always friendly stuff. I want to say especially thanks to ESL department and Fitness Center as well. All the staff in the Health Improvement Center is very professional and helpful, and personally Jim Haggerty is the best.

They handle their students like cattle ranchers. I’ve had several instances where Financial Aid wasn’t disbursed until well after the drop/​refund date which is a serious risk for any student looking to pay for school by any other means besides out of pocket.
I did have some wonderful professors who really liked their jobs but I had some that were terrible and didn’t really want to see students succeed. One of my teachers counted how many times their students used filler words such as «like» or «um» in presentations then docked them points based off them which would have been fine it was a public speaking class… but it wasn’t. Schools like MCC are reasons for-​profit schools are worth the price. MCC doesn’t care where there students are going as long as they bring in the money.

Don’t try to call the phone number that is listed on Unilocal if you want to talk to anyone at MCC. It will ring and ring and no one will answer. Use the number 480−461−7000.

MCC is a pretty awesome school. I spent a semester at the Red Mountain campus, which is smaller, but the buildings are nicer, and summer 2013-​summer 2014 (4 semesters) at the main campus. The main campus is much bigger however the buildings are not as nice as Red Mountain. However, they are all decent and they are in the process of doing construction to make it even better. Most of the classes I took at main campus were very well taught and the teachers usually will work with you to ensure that you have a successful education experience. They also have a lot of different activities that go on for the students to enjoy and collect tickets from visiting different tables and you can turn those tickets in for a prize; usually pizza but it was a shirt once as well. So why not 5 stars? Registering for classes. At Red Mountain it was really easy to get registered for classes… walked in to the office, asked to speak with an adviser and 15 minutes later you were enrolled. Here you have to wait in a very long line just to get your name on a list and then usually wait over an hour to speak with an adviser. You can register for classes online as well (which I prefer to do) but if you’re taking an overload or need special permission, be prepared to wait in that long line. Also if you have FAFSA most likely you will have to stand in that line about 30 times to do verification. Other than that infamous line tho everything else at MCC was pretty enjoyable.

So, think it’s pretty clear that I’m not a student at Mesa Community College — I attended a four year university in Colorado.
However, I’ve been bouncing around the idea of completing a second Bachelor’s alongside my MBA. Should I need to knock out some credits, best believe it will be at MCC. Have heard nothing but good things from friends and strangers alike.
With that, I spend a TON of time utilizing the Track and Field facility — specifically, the hammer ring.
Mesa Community College has the premier Track and Field facility in the Southwest! Oh, you don’t believe me huh?!
First, come and check it out for yourself.
Second, if you aren’t impressed, please go find a nearby facility that has as much space MCC does dedicated to the throws. It’s a thrower’s paradise; like our own private island.
This is a big friggin deal! When you keep the throwing events off the infield, you save yourself a lot of unnecessary hassles in terms of safety while other events are going on.
Seriously, a javelin runway, three discus rings, two shot put rings and one hammer ring WITH a nearby runway for turns and drill work.
MCC also hosts the Mesa T&F Classic each year in April– And a phenomenal job at that. This meet attracts some of the best athletes in the nation: Collegiate teams, post collegiates and professionals. Come check it out next year; there’s something for everyone!
I want to express my sincerest gratitude to Head Coach Steve Jacobs and Throws Coach Collin Post for allowing me and my Coach to train here. As you both know, it takes a VILLAGE to do this post-​collegiately (especially when you WORK full time), and having a training home means the world to me.
Recommended — Come out to the Track and get in shape, knock out some transfer credits, earn your associates. MCC is a great and welcome community to be a part of.

I wasn’t really going to write this review because honestly my time here hasn’t been long, but maybe someone out there is going through what I was thinking.
I’m 40 and headed to school to earn an associate’s degree, I was scared to start this adventure, because really who decides at 40 they want to change up their life and move in a different direction? Me, that’s who and maybe you,.
Well my fears have been but to the side, every person I have encountered has been friendly and helpful. I haven’t officially started classes yet, but am headed that way soon. And I can safely say I am not the oldest kid on the block there, MCC has students of all ages. The advantaged of going to MCC, earning an associate’s degree debt free, that’s a great selling point to me.
Plus since I work full time, I will be able to attend evening classes, I’m old school I guess and need to be in a class, If I did it online, I know I will be easily distracted haha, but if you’re not into attending evening classes they do have online classes as well.
So its never too late to go to school, if I can, so can you!

I am a former student & a current Academic Advisor here at Mesa Community College. The college has physically changed a great deal between my time as student till now as an advisor.
Currently, MCC is under going more reconstruction to design more student space for engagement and learning. As a whole I believe this is a institution that does truly regard student growth & development as a vast importance. Does this always occur in proxy? No. Thus I will say use this place as an opportunity to seek out those resources that apply to you & are available.
Student life & Leadership/​Multicultural services are without question the most under utilized departments on the campus & provide a wealth of knowledge, advising, support & relationship for growing and continuing minds.
While I cannot speak for the mass majority my responsibility as an educator is to provide you with each tool necessary to succeed regardless of personal endeavor.

I never thought my favorite class would be the gym, but I absolutely love it! The people who oversee the gym are very friendly, and encouraging. I have never seen too many people in the gym, it has always had a dozen or so or less in it, so it is comfortable. If you are thinking about a routine, this is a great place to get your start, they also have other classes you may like, such as yoga, track, belly-​dancing or karate. If it wasn’t for the gym, I would have been long gone from this school from hell.
As you can probably see by now, I am not a complete fan of the academics at MCC. I have taken around 30 credits here, and although I have a pretty decent GPA, some of the part-​time online instructors are fairly ‘feral’ towards students (for some odd reason) which just messes up my degree plans.
MCC has a 16% (or was it 14%?) graduation rate. The lowest in the nation. You can see the statistics yourself if you log into your FAFSA. Who needs a degree– right? Obviously this is play time. (sarcasm)
I’d say avoid the Religion at MCC, that one is a joke– save your money! I think it is ran by a bunch of secular-​rabid-​lesbian atheists.

The Mesa Community College Fashion Design program is a hidden gem. Despite an aging tech building, the instruction is top notch with real connections into the industry.
Also, the Creative Writing Program is good, too.

2012 State Track and Field Championship. Mesa Community College. May 9 – 12.
As a former high school state track medalist this was a treat. My High School Phoenix Christian still dominates our division by design. I would run the 100 meters which back then was the 100 yard dash. The 220, long jump and several sprint relays. I was fast.
This weekend I enjoyed seeing hundreds of kids preform their best.
Phoenix Christian senior sprinter Preston VanHofwegen, who is going to Azusa Pacific to play football in the fall, won the 400-​meters with a personal best time of 49.45 seconds. You will be hearing about Preston in pro-​ball in the near future.
Devon Allen the Brophy track star won a pair of state titles on Saturday and came a whisker away from two more, thrilling the crowd at the Division I state track meet at Mesa Community College. Brophy’s tough.
As expected, Allen captured the 110– and 300-​meter hurdle state titles. He dueled Deer Valley sprinter Trae Armstrong in the 100– and 200-​meter dashes, losing both by a hundredth of a second. These were exciting races.
Congratulations to every participant.

So far this school has been great and then not-​so-​great. It is a huge school first of all, the largest community college out of all of them. I have met some great, awesome teachers and then I have had some grumpy teachers. I’ll tell you what you do, when you want to know what kind of teacher they are before you sign up for your class just do what I do: go onto
and search for the teacher and read the reviews. They are usually pretty accurate and give you some control over what your teaching environment is going to be like.
However, I was racially discriminated against in the testing department and that is why they get only three stars. I realize it is the person and not the school but I won’t ever forget what happened to me. The latter I will take up with the President of student affairs. Always stick up for what is right people!
Ms.Svoboda shout out! excellent English teacher and Bob Leighty, my extremely tough geology professor. I learned a lot in that class.