Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Automotive Mechanics
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at South Puget Sound Community College, Columbia Basin College, South Seattle Community College, and Clark.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Walla Walla University.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Bates, South Seattle Community College, Renton Technical College, and Shoreline Community College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Clover Park Technical College, Grays Harbor, Peninsula College, and Renton Technical College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Walla Walla University, Walla Walla Community College, Western Washington University, and Lower Columbia.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Walla Walla University, Western Washington University, Big Bend Community College, and Yakima Valley Community College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Western Washington University.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Walla Walla University and Western Washington University.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Lower Columbia College • Longview, WA
Studying Auto Mechanics (completion in 2000)
• 3/16/2012
"Being able to diagnose real problems would have been great. But I learned a lot about the theory behind how automotive systems work."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Instructors are different now. I hear they're pretty good & that things seem to be more real world. I think they even cover electric cars now. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | One instructor was an actual GM dealership mechanic, and he new a lot based on his experience. The other was a smart individual but was never a full time mechanic in the field. He had worked other jobs (tool/manual salesman, parts guy) but never really had that real world experience. |
| Program Quality | 8 | There was no job placement program. Most of the training was based on theory & not on real world training. |
| Instruction | 9 | The quality of the curriculum is as I explained above. Everything else was great. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Seven because it's a challenging field and there is no 'always' situation. There is just a most likely cause. That is a part I really enjoyed. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Two hours lecture daily then three hours in the shop. Most cars were our own or ones with 'bugged' defects. The instructors would rig them then see if we could find the problem. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | 7-12 four days a week plus one day a week non-degree related beginner class for people who know nothing about cars. Curriculum was about how to change oil/coolant & how to rotate tires - very basic stuff. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Had a huge library in the auto shop full of service manuals. Class books were very good at keeping up with modern changes. |
| Social Life | 1 | Non-existent. It's a community college that has general coursework but is based mostly on vocations & nursing. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They didn't offer one when I went there - it came about afterwards. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | No alumni network. |
Green River Community College • Auburn, WA
Studying Automotive Technology (completion in 2010)
• 3/14/2012
"I would recommend the automotive program at Green River to anyone looking to get a hands on, thorough learning experience. You will graduate with more than just the basic skills to become a master in the field."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Anyone young or old can enter this program and not feel different from anyone else. It is a very awesome learning experience. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | They actually had to start a weekend class to satisfy the demand for students wanting to attend the automotive program. They also have an evening class and two separate summer classes. They are always at max capacity. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My instructors at Green River are all seasoned automotive techs and I got best most hands on experience I could ever need, in every area of automotive repair. |
| Instruction | 10 | The curriculum covered everything from shop safety procedures to transmission rebuilds. All experience was gained by actual automotive car repair. I even got my Emissions Repair Specialist Certificate. |
| How Difficult | 6 | As a married female with children at home, the eight hour a day program was very demanding. I encountered some other problems fitting in my other necessary required courses. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The first two weeks of every quarter was filled with bookwork. But overall, everything after that was purely hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | Everything was very flexible. They offer day, night, and weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Our automotive shop had all of the top of the line tools. We also had our own computer lab in the shop. |
| Social Life | Not something I got involved in. I wasn't there to make friends or socialize. I was there to learn. | |
| Placement Services | I am not sure as I didn't use that resource - I started my own business. But I am aware of some students getting jobs at high end dealerships after graduation. | |
| Alumni Network | 3 | For me that is not something I pursued. I only stayed in contact with who I wanted to. |
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