The City University of New York John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Date: Aug 22 2014
Major: Criminal (This Major's Salary over time)
I'm a military veteran and have been looking forward to coming to this school since before I even ended active duty. Now that I'm here, I can honestly say, from the bottom of my heart and everything I love, I completely and utterly regret the decision to attend this school. I hate this school more than Hitler hated Jews.

I give this school 1 star for the few decent professors that I've had (and because Yelp forces me to). For EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE ELSE, I wish I could rate this institution negative 5 stars.

This. School. Sucks. I'm not going to go into the little details of how and why, and I will try and put this as simply as I can.

Any and every task in this school, whether it's a financial aid issue, registering for classes, speaking with an advisor, paying your bill with the bursar, contacting a specific staff member, etc. IS A CHALLENGE. Nothing can be solved without the school workers/faculty sending you all around campus or telling you to contact someone else. Nothing.

Today, I was on the phone with the bursar for 79 minutes and 7 seconds. What a great waste of time that was. I'm pretty sure I could write a book about how inefficient 99% of the workers are here. 79 minutes and 7 seconds was how long it took the bursar to answer ONE question for me, and this isn't the first time. Other departments in the college will waste a crapload of your time as well.

Not only are workers here as useless as ejection seats on a helicopter, but they are MEAN AND HARD TO DEAL WITH as well. I understand this is NYC and the stigma of people out here are rude, impatient, etc., but really? Students here need to walk on eggshells when speaking with the faculty and workers to try and get anything done.

If you tick them off in any way or they just "don't feel like it" that day, they will not help you to the best of their abilities and you WILL find yourself walking around campus to look for help elsewhere.

Have a difficult issue that only someone in the school staff can solve? Better leave the rest of your day open and find a happy hour spot nearby, because no one in the school is going to help you solve it that quickly, and if or when they do help, they will stress you the hell out. I guarantee it.

About students:

Lots of students here are still in high-school mode. The class clown, the kid who speaks over the professor, the talkative buddy-buddy bunch in the back, the kid with the bad attitude, the kid that never comes to class, the cheaters, etc. They're all still there, just older, and in your goddamned class. Had a kid in my police science class during a lecture on the topic of confidential informants get angry, calling cops stupid and informants snitches and rats…WHY ARE YOU HERE?

It's too late for me, but it isn't too late to save yourselves. This school, and the entire CUNY system, are full of crap. You know that sheet of paper that helps you lay out your four years when you first attend the school? They don't mention it until you have issues two semesters later with not being up to date with your course credits. You will be steered in the wrong direction many times and you'll only see it when you look back.

If you are interested in Criminal Justice, forensics, or whatever, for that matter, do it elsewhere. If no other school has the major you are looking for, then by all means go here. But make this school the LAST RESORT. The only reason why I'm staying is because I'm already too close to graduating.

VETERANS:

If you're a vet, don't be fooled by the college's claim of being the Top School for Veterans nonsense. Yes, there is an office specifically for vets. Yes, the overseer of the program is pretty cool. Yes, you can print things at the office for free. But will being a veteran in this school give you any perks or benefit you at all? NO. However, some professors here do love veterans, so that's a plus.

WiFi sucks major D.

Cafeteria and food:

Nasty, fatty, greasy, and over-priced. The cheapest bottle of water for example is \(1.75, and don't forget to add the tax!SRF:ELEMENTS:21xsrfWhen I say greasy, by the way, I mean GREASY. Like, their "steamed vegetables" are even greasy. How? I do not know.SRF:ELEMENTS:22xsrfA single banana is about \).90.

You are better off going to a restaurant outside of the college for a bite. I've become a Boston Market regular. At least there they give water for free.

I can't forget to mention that this college offers NO MICROWAVE. So if you pack your food, it better be something you're willing to eat cold.

They also hold an insane amount of events in the cafeteria, blocking anyone who is not part of the event from coming in to sit their tray of food down to eat. You have to eat out in the hall when this happens or in the tiny and dark seating area behind the registers.

I'm not making this stuff up, people. This school does actually suck this bad. Don't do it to yourselves.