I was a female student at Taft College in the TIL program for about six months. For some students, I think this program could be a great fit--but for others, I would strongly advise caution. My experience was mixed. Academically, the program was good. As a high-functioning autistic adult, I found the classes manageable and the teachers fair. I appreciated the opportunity to learn and felt capable in that area. However, most of my challenges came from the living and social environment. I was placed with a roommate who was very difficult to live with. We had ongoing financial issues, and she often would not pay me back unless staff enforced it. I constantly had to reinforce my boundaries, which created stress and conflict. I also want to add that during my time in the program, I made an effort to be kind and inclusive. I was a friend to students who had little to no friends, and I tried to support others who felt left out. This is an important part of who I am, and it felt overlooked when decisions were made about me. The biggest issue was my dismissal from the program. I was removed unexpectedly due to accusations of bullying. From my perspective, I was reacting to being verbally attacked by a male student. In one incident, he was cussing me out and called me a "bitch ass" after I asked him to reimburse me for an Uber ride. I did make a mistake by impulsively calling his girlfriend names in response, but I feel the situation was not handled fairly. Other students were involved in conflicts, including incidents involving physical aggression, yet they were given more leniency. It felt like the program expected immediate behavioral progress, which doesn't align with how my disability works. I do make progress, but it takes time. Growth isn't instant, and there are ups and downs. I didn't feel that the staff understood or supported that. Instead, I felt singled out and held to a different standard. I met with the program director, Megan, who said I didn't need 24/7 support but rather more one-on-one guidance--something the program didn't seem to offer consistently. That made the decision to remove me even more confusing. If I didn't require full-time supervision, why not adjust my support instead of dismissing me? There were also concerns about fairness and consistency. At times, it felt like favoritism influenced decisions. Some behaviors were tolerated in other students but not in me, which created a sense of inequality and frustration. The community aspect had positives--I did connect with other students with disabilities--but there was limited interaction with general education students, which reduced opportunities for inclusion. I also found transportation policies overly restrictive. For example, we had to submit detailed trip plans even for nearby cities, despite being capable of traveling independently. Meanwhile, general education students did not have these requirements, which felt unfair. Another issue was a lack of responsiveness from management. My request for a roommate change was not taken seriously, which contributed to ongoing problems. Additionally, weekends were often unstructured and isolating, leading to boredom and limited engagement. Overall, I believe this program may work well for students who are very quiet, have strong impulse control, and minimal mental health challenges. However, for students who need time, flexibility, and individualized behavioral support, the disciplinary approach may not be effective. This was my personal experience as a student with high-functioning autism, and I hope it helps others make an informed decision read more

LOVE AND LOVE THE BOOK STORE!!! Amazing staff everywhere and I just feel so welcomed. I love being here.

I do not recommend going to this college, but if you do you definitely should not stay in the dorms because the staff members do not care about privacy and they like to try to steal your belongings while you are sleeping. As for the TIL program; it is horrible and I'm quite certain that they do not have the proper credentials to do their job properly because they are horrible at their job. The worst staff here is Eluisa Garcia, she likes to verbally abuse students that have a slow processing speed. The cafeteria here used to be delicious back when Chef Geoff used to work here, he used to put actual time and effort into the food but now the food options are not as good and the beverages are very unsanitary. read more

An overall good school. You get what you'd expect from a community college--not much social life, but there are opportunities to get involved like with student clubs and orgs. A lot of people attend this school online. Most of the professors both online and in-person are good. The counselors are hit or miss depending on your major. Most students here work and are slightly older but that's what you'd expect from a community college. It's pretty easy to get classes here. Theres not much to do in the city. It depends on your major, but I'd say it's an above average community college that will be good for most people. I got my degree here in 2023 and transferred to a CSU. I'd say Taft College prepared me well to transfer and get my associate's degree read more

Location Yes its in the middle of nowhere and mostly everyone that attends here is a local or commutes from Bakersfield. If you are coming from Bakersfield at first it may seem a little sketch because its near the out skirts of Taft but once you get to the school its not bad at all. The main buildings look pretty new tbh some look newer than BC. You learn to love the place. If Commuting BEWARE there is always cops (mostly at night) and I have seen many get tickets :/ Also when there is FOG it gets pretty scary but that should not stop you from attending this school. I almost decided not to attend because of this reason and I really needed the class so my sister convinced me to stay because she said the fog will not always be a factor. Turns out she was right and the night drive is not that bad because you always find people on the road! (CA-119) Parking I do not think its that regulated but it is FREE all you need to do is get a sticker from the Student Services building where all the "departments are located" for example the cashier, financial aid, literally everything is in there! Anyways you go to the cashier and give them your id number and you fill out a paper and you get a sticker for the campus parking! Library I really like their library its pretty big and the staff are really nice, they helped me get my ID (they print it out for free if its your first time and check out a room (which is first come first served), and helped me log in to the wifi. The only sucky thingy is they do not allow food or drinks which is the same at BC :/ Its also very clean and comfy. Food? The cafeteria serves pretty decent food taking in consideration where the college is. Every day they have different options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus they have this salad bar that is bomb.com especially because they charge per pound or ounces? I payed $1.60 for a plate if that make sense! They close at 7pm which kinda sucks for people that have night classes. Also they only accept CASH! Classrooms This is for the classrooms with LAB, the temperature is right on and they have the most comfortable seats in the world! I'll try to update stuff with pictures, later! read more

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I absolutely love this place. During my time here-from 2010 to 2016-I have learned so many things. The teachers are great, going beyond the call of duty to help their students learn things. There are also great extra curricular activities ranging from sports to video game clubs. The only complaint that i have is that the cafeteria does not accept debit or credit cards. Still, there are other places off campus that serve better food for cheap prices. read more

I love teaching here. It's always a fun place where students are eager to learn. The facility is great & the Center for Independent living program is one of a kind. I love coming here to teach about disability related laws. If you're ever in need of an adult transition program, this place is great! read more

Taft college is great! The campus is clean, staff is extremely helpful and friendly.. however, the people who work in the TC bookstore are SO rude. Every time I have gone in there to either rent or return a textbook, whoever is helping me seems like I am a burden on their day. They never smile, and are never friendly. Every time you ask a question, they do not seem happy to help you. I'll stick to chegg to rent my books from now on! read more