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    Samuel Merritt University

    4.0 (1 review)

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    16 years ago

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    Samuel Merritt University  - New Campus   525 12thStreet, Oakland, CA 94607

    Samuel Merritt University

    2.0(32 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    I am currently in the Occupational Therapy Program at the "old" campus (Telegraph & 30th St)! We…read morewill be moving to 12th St in Downtown Oakland in 2026. Coming to Samuel Merritt was one of the best decisions of my life. There a number of factors of why I chose SMU and why I love it more everyday. First: Why did I choose SMU? - Prior to starting at SMU, I attended SMU's immersion day, countless zoom info sessions, school tours, and meet n greets. When meeting the students and faculty they really made me feel welcomed and supported. I felt like I belonged at SMU and that I wasn't just another person joining a program. I liked watching the current students interact with the faculty. Everyone knew each other's names and talked like old friends. This made me feel excited and comforted when thinking about which university I wanted to choose - Campus is located a short drive away from my family home yet is also far enough away to experience personal growth. The location was ideal for me because I wanted to stay in the bay to be with my friends and family. - Campus is safe. There are many people walking around every day and I haven't heard about any crime on campus. Students, Healthcare workers (Alta Bates), patients, faculty, and security guards are always around. SMU has shuttles to take students to Bart and there is a guarded parking garage. Each building has security and sometimes Oakland police are on campus patroling. - No GRE - Great reputation and alumni I heard that many alumni end up in prestigious hospitals like Stanford Hospital - Many of my old high school classmates came to SMU for various programs and they enjoyed it Second: Why do I love SMU more everyday? - My cohort is amazing!! I truly love all my classmates. We have great respect for each other and we all get along. Outside our individual friend groups within our cohort, we still want to see each other win. Every day we laugh, chat, connect, and grow together. I really love that we all think of each other. Like how we celebrate each others birthdays by signing birthday cards and hanging out after class. - There are many fun events on campus!! We've had multiple fun events throughout the year. Note that each SMU campus have different events. At Oakland campus, so far, I've experienced.. * Free Taco Day * Free Yoga * Free School Supplies * Free Coffee/Tea * Free Gelato * Free Fenton's Ice cream * Free Pantry * Etc... TBD - SMU OT Staff are very supportive and have great personality! Myself and the cohort love the faculty! They bring great energy and want to see us win! Overall, I feel like the program is going by fast because we're having so much fun. Every day is a new experience and I look forward to the rest of my program.

    Everything is subpar at this school but they definitely have the worst and incompetent financial…read moreaid team available. If you're not new and incoming, good luck to actually getting someone to address your issues. Dr. Larsen is officially the only good director in administration but one person can't make up for the kind of subpar education and lack of support this expensive scam of a school provides

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    Samuel Merritt University  - Entrance

    Entrance

    Samuel Merritt University  - Social Participation Activity (Occupational Therapy)

    Social Participation Activity (Occupational Therapy)

    Samuel Merritt University

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    Oaksterdam University - Inspiration. 
 Education.
 Cultivation.

    Oaksterdam University

    4.1(40 reviews)
    4.6 miEast Oakland

    420th review on 4/20! How appropriate :) I would have actually wanted to join the festivities on…read moreHippie Hill, but I decided to celebrate by writing this review. In the last 10 years, OU has been the pioneer for Cannabis education in California and the forefront of a powerful movement with the legalization of cannabis. I cannot believe how many successful and knowledgeable professionals today that started at Oaksterdam. I love everything they stand for and definitely recommend above any educational institution to gain your medical plant experience here. They are completely hands on and have the best teachers who have such extensive backgrounds. They've been around a long while and in that time the biggest names were produced from their curriculum. We all are witnessing a phenomenon before our eyes with this industry. I believe there is so much good coming out of this movement and OU is there every step of the way. I still have the original OU baseball shirt from almost ten years ago. So proud of everything they've accomplished. Richard Lee, you're the huMAN.

    Save your time energy and money. The interactive online course is really just a bunch of people…read morecorralling together via zoom to look at a bunch of slides and have a unenthusiastic teacher teach each week. Over time the classes started late, and Natalie the dean, belittles the students due to lack of participation. It's extremely hard to feel encouraged to do the cap stone project, due to lack of guidance and your team mates being communicating through zoom. Everything they teach you can be found researching the internet on your own. Stay in the black market if you already have a foot in. There is no future in legal cannabis.

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    Oaksterdam University - Semester students gathered outside Oakland City Hall, California, USA.
 Circa 2017

    Semester students gathered outside Oakland City Hall, California, USA. Circa 2017

    Oaksterdam University - Check out the Oaskterdam University gift shop today.

    Check out the Oaskterdam University gift shop today.

    Oaksterdam University - Oaksterdam pride! Get your OU swag at the gift shop.

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    Oaksterdam pride! Get your OU swag at the gift shop.

    Lincoln University

    Lincoln University

    3.2(27 reviews)
    1.1 miDowntown Oakland

    Consumer Warning: University of Lincoln Missouri - Mental Health for First Responders Certificate…read more Do not enroll in this program without reading the fine print very carefully. In my experience, this so-called "certificate" is not a meaningful professional credential outside the university. It appears to be packaged and marketed like a specialized certificate program, but in reality it functions more like undergraduate coursework governed by the university's tuition and withdrawal policies. That distinction matters, and prospective students should understand exactly what they are signing up for before committing. The biggest issue is this: if you sign up and then decide not to continue, you may still be held responsible for the full $3,500 tuition. Yes, even if you do not actually participate in the program. That is an enormous financial risk for something promoted as a certificate. Most people hearing "certificate program" would not assume they are stepping into the same kind of rigid financial obligation as traditional undergraduate enrollment. What makes this worse is that you can end up being charged without meaningful access to the portal, course materials, or the actual product you believed you were purchasing. In other words, you may be expected to pay thousands of dollars while receiving little to nothing in return. That is why I am warning others now. There are far better and more widely recognized alternatives available. Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) is one example of a respected option used by social workers, EMTs, hospital systems, and other professionals. CPI also offers clearer training pathways and broader recognition in the field. My opinion is simple: this program feels misleading, overpriced, and predatory. The description may sound appealing on paper, but the financial and academic structure behind it is something prospective students should approach with extreme caution. Bottom line: do not enroll unless you are fully prepared to be charged $3,500 under university undergraduate policies, even if you later decide not to continue and even if you do not receive the access or value you expected. I would strongly encourage anyone considering this program to look at other options first.

    No follow up from coaches when emailed questions. It definitely is a diploma mill for foreign…read morestudents.

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    Lincoln University
    Lincoln University

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    Merritt College - Nature

    Merritt College

    2.7(51 reviews)
    5.9 miOakland Hills

    The campus itself is beautiful and calm compared to many urban campuses, and many of the professors…read moregenuinely care about student success. If you are motivated and willing to advocate for yourself, you can receive a solid education and prepare to transfer or enter the workforce. However, like many community colleges, the experience can vary depending on the department or office you interact with. Some administrative processes, especially around financial aid or student services can feel slow or confusing at times, which can create frustration for students who rely on those resources. There are unwarranted delays, denials, and systemic procedurals around the resources that are in place to help students. Overall, Merritt College provides opportunity, affordability, and dedicated instructors, but there is room for improvement in communication and administrative support. Students who stay focused and take advantage of available resources can definitely succeed here, that's if you can get them.

    Alumni student back on campus attending a series of trainings for my job. Being back in campus made…read moreme reflect how far I've come in my life. I attended school here as a single mother and received an AA degree before moving on with my educational journey. I made a full complete circle coming back to the place where I began which eventually led me to my current employer. As I sent here during the lunch break and not rushing to a class I can fully appreciate all the beauty this campus has to offer with the awesome view of the city behind parking lot C and the manicured lawns, trees,and plants along the paths.

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    Merritt College - Blackberries on campus

    Blackberries on campus

    Merritt College - Blackberry bush

    Blackberry bush

    Merritt College - Rainy day at Merritt College

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    Rainy day at Merritt College

    Samuel Merritt University - collegeuniv - Updated May 2026

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