I visited SchoolsFirst for some banking needs, and no appointment was needed in person. In fact, most walk-in clients were seen within minutes! I was greeted by multiple staff members, and Matthew was extremely helpful throughout the entire process. Not only did he explain everything about my accounts but also taught me how to take advantage of all that they have to offer. What makes visiting even better? Parking was super easy in the Pavilions lot, and there are many small shops around the block to browse. If you never need to wait, their interior is very spacious and open; you'll never feel claustrophobic! A+ will be back! read more

This location is located in a large lot with many stores including a market. Luckily I was able to find parking easily but I can see if this parking lot gets packed it will be difficult to find a spot. It's tucked in the small corner within the plaza in between baskin Robbin's and a supermarket. The second I walked in, I was immediately greeted my various staff members. I appreciate this location because when I looked up on the wall, they showed their inclusivity by posting facts regarding pride. The staff were extremely nice and helpful. I will definitely come back again. read more

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union - Outside - Banks & Credit Unions Near Me - Pasadena, California

Customer service was beyond amazing! I recommend working with Denise. Truly great customer service!!

Applauding the customer service at this location My girlfriend and I came in to learn more about their banking services, and we had a phenomenal experience. The staff member who assisted us, Yuya, was incredibly knowledgeable and answered all of our questions with confidence. She helped us with several services in less than an hour. The assistant manager, Rosa Money, was also very welcoming and helpful from the moment we walked in. I highly recommend folks to come to this location. read more

Let me tell you how amazing this process was, I was about to become a member, open my checking/savings account, get an auto loan and credit card in less than an hour. THANK YOU THANK YOU BRITTANY!!! Such a fast and easy process. I couldn't be more excited to go through this journey with SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union!! THANK YOU AGAIN BRITTANY! read more

So grateful that my son is a customer here and referred me to this AMAZING credit union! Everyone is so kind! I have literally been in this establishment more times than my old bank! Big shout out to Brittany Clark!! She knows how to take care of her customers to the point you feel like family!! Honestly, everyone is super helpful and very kind!! I get the best service here! Not to mention that have really good coffee. If you are looking for a credit union... I highly recommend this one read more

I've had consistently positive experiences with SFFCU. They've helped me secure loans when other institutions wouldn't even take the time to consider my situation. Over the years, I've had a car loan, overdraft protection, a credit card, and multiple personal loans--some of which I've successfully paid off--and the level of support has always been outstanding. What truly sets SFFCU apart is their customer service. Every member service representative I've interacted with has been welcoming, patient, and knowledgeable, making each experience feel personal and stress-free. I especially want to recognize Denise, who recently went above and beyond to help me get approved for a personal loan during a challenging time for my family. Her support meant a great deal to us, and this loan will truly make a difference. I'm incredibly grateful to be a member and highly recommend SFFCU to anyone looking for a financial institution that genuinely cares. read more

I've been a proud member of SchoolsFirst for 5 years now, and every visit reminds me why I chose this credit union. Today, I stopped by the Pasadena branch to ask about consolidating two loans I have outside of SchoolsFirst into one with them--and as usual, the experience was smooth, professional, and genuinely pleasant. I arrived a little after 11am and checked in at the front desk. Within just a couple of minutes, I was greeted by Elvia and taken into her office. I came prepared with my documents, and thanks to a previous loan, most of my info was already in the system. Elvia was incredibly helpful--she walked me through all my options clearly, answered every question, and told me I'd receive a follow-up email with a decision soon. By 12:30pm, I had the approval sitting in my inbox. That kind of turnaround speaks volumes about the efficiency and care this team puts into their work. Parking at this branch can be a little tight, but there's usually space available in the Vons lot next door if needed. A small inconvenience for top-tier service. If you're looking for a local credit union that genuinely values its members and makes banking feel personal, I highly recommend the Pasadena branch of SchoolsFirst. Tips: - Bring your paperwork if you're working on a loan--it speeds up the process. - If parking is full, check the Vons lot nearby. - Ask for Elvia--she was fantastic to work with: knowledgeable, friendly, and efficient. read more

I didn't have good expertise here. Staff are not knowledge and are not on same page as team, each staff gives you different answer to same question and you end up being confused and restless having multiple answers to a question. Manager doesn't follow up contact you to correct the mistakes of his own staff. Very disappointing team. How can a bank team not be knowledgeable to give you correct answer to questions you ask! And why manager doesn't follow up for these mistakes his bank staff did! Also expect to still wait long even if you have made an appointment. read more

Simply the best! MS.Rosa and Ms.Denise always make sure my banking experience is always top shelf. I would recommend banking at schools if you're looking for a new credit union. They are like a family. They make sure to move heaven and earth for its members. I'm very happy here. I've been a member for 10 years. They have my business for life. They have my wife's business for life. They have my children's business for life. Thank you Schools First Credit Union Pasadena read more

My boyfriend was having trouble receiving his paycheck due to funds being on a 10 day hold period. After a long phone call with customer service and my problem not coming to a solution, I received a phone call from my local SchoolsFirst branch and Matthew was of great service to accommodate my needs and fulfill my request! He shortly made the funds available and of easy access. He presented with great attitude and I enjoy seeing a friendly face every time I pay a visit to my local SchoolsFirst branch! :) Thank you all of SchoolsFirst staff! Especially Matthew for being so friendly and accommodating. read more

I visited School First at the Pasadena location, Mr. Matthew gave us the best experience. He help us base on our family's needs and goals, by showing us all the available resources. I am really grateful for that and to all the team keep up the good work. -cinthya read more

This credit union is a wonderful place very friendly workers here very knowledgeable, and they are always willing to answer any questions you have. I'm looking forward to purchasing a house with him and purchasing our next car through them. Great credit union for teachers love this place. Highly recommend. read more

Had an appointment with Denise and she was helpful and patient from start to finish. She was clear in her explaining the process and answered all my questions. I felt reassured in her and SchoolsFirst's support in each step of the way ‍ read more

I went in for a car loan! I got it! Super efficient service. Such a kind friendly and understanding staff.

Free parking off of California Boulevard, at the Gelson's They are open promptly at 9:00am until 6:00pm read more

I love SchoolsFirst but this location has the most ridiculously long wait times! Today (a Saturday morning) it was 2 1/2 hours long! I've never been able to get help with anything for under 1 hour. I am literally going to have to take personal time from work so I can come at a time where the wait time isn't so long. If you know this is the kind of wait time you usually have, why don't you staff your branch with enough people?? It makes no sense and I find it to be incredibly disappointing and disrespectful. When I am able to meet with someone, they are always so great. read more

EVERY STAFF MEMBER WERE SO KIND AND HAPPY. they genuinely looked happy to work there. First time i went to a bank and felt so not judged for not knowing things. Thank you for explaining every term for us. Best bank ever. read more

I have to give a huge thumbs up to Daniel at Schools First her in Pasadena! He helped me get my account straightened out after someone broke into my account. Super patient, great communication and very helpful. And understanding as well. That was a little over a month ago Today, I had to go into the branch to do some banking. This time he was at the teller line. He remembered me, we had a nice talk and he helped me with my banking! Daniel is a huge asset to Schools First. I'm a consultant and I understand the importance of not only knowing your client, but also being there for him or her. It's so nice to see that quality still exists, even after the post pandemic mess! read more

Due to financial issues I was facing, fortunately I was able to find a solution by coming to this location. I've been a member of SchoolsFirst Credit Union for almost 10 years and the service is always top notch. Denise the representative that assi me was a lifesaver. She effortlessly helped me out in my time in need. I was stressed before getting served but now I'm elated that Denise was able to help me with a loan that was urgently needed. I highly recommend this location along with Denise assisting you. Her customer service was above 5 stars. read more

Their new online interface shunts users to other sites and requires sensitive information input which should be unnecessary. Spreading our sensitive information puts us at risk. read more

It's always a pleasure coming to this branch. Thank you Crystal and Rosa for making it a breeze for me today!

If you're looking for an "average" credit union, this isn't the place for you. However, if you are looking for an "outstanding" credit union...look no further!! Customer service...extraordinaire!! Yuya Merino is simply the best customer service representative that I have dealt with in any banking and non banking business setting. She is knowledgeable, patient, and a true problem solver. I have my car loan, my Heloc Equity Line of Credit, credit card, savings account, checking account, and Summer Savings account all with Schools First. Javier, the Branch Manager, also does a great job in facilitating and leading a fantastic staff at this branch. Trust me when I say Schools First sets the bar high when it comes to taking care of any of your banking needs. You will be more than satisfied with the excellent service you will receive at this branch!!! read more

Schools First is the best credit union I have ever dealt with. The level of professionalism is impeccable. Their leadership and courtesy style is even dent from the branch manager down. They've helped my entire family with several of our needs and I can say we are BEYOND satisfied! We wouldn't bank either any other. Thanks Pasadena SFVU, you guys truly are the best! read more

Scheduled a quick appointment to open a joint account with my fiancé, and ended up spending nearly 2 hours speaking with Joanna R. about literally every financial question we had! We were able to do much more than just open our accounts, and left feeling like we actually learned so much, improving our financial literacy. Everyone at the branch was extremely friendly and professional, from the kind woman at the front desk (whose name I did not get) to the associate manager Rosa M.C.. Everyone here made our experience, which can be very stress inducing when it involves your money, easy and understandable. read more

Brittney was a huge help and great staff to be assisted by! Even when the computer system was operating slowly, she provided excellent customer service and was able to resolve my issue in a few minutes. read more

Best experience I have ever had in a bank!!! Schools first treats you like family. The wonderful Yuya was so helpful in setting up my accounts and providing assistance in other banking options as well. I could not have asked for more. The manager even took time to come and introduce himself. I will be recommending them to everyone. I will even be returning to open my son a savings account. read more

Came over to this Branch with the intentions of simply opening up a new checking and savings account, and instead left with not only that, but also a new realistic plan to tackle my debt and save money for my future because of Denise's help. Denise took the time to get to know me, understand where I am financially, and genuinely put in her best effort to give me a plan, to help me out of the debt hole I've found myself in. It is so refreshing to see someone who truly enjoys what they do, and do it well. She is a superstar and I feel grateful to have had the pleasure of meeting and working with her! read more

I do not know where to begin. I have just had the most amazing experience here. I am someone that is not very financially literate. I love this branch. The people here are very welcoming. I wanted to write a review specifically for Denise M. She has such a wonderful personality, but also immense knowledge and knows how to explain concepts at various levels of understanding. I feel comfortable. I feel welcome. I feel validated. She has just done incredible work in helping me understand my finances. These concepts are things that most people don't know much about like refinancing and consolidating, etc.. I hope that she's my banker till one of us retires or both of us retire ha ha. You guys have an absolute gem on your hands. She's amazing, 10 out of 10, will see her again. read more

I have had accounts at many banks in my lifetime. Security Pacific Bank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Chase, and Citizens Business Bank: I've tried them all. SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union (SFFCU) is the first bank I actually care about, and it's the first bank I feel truly cares about me. I've been at SFFCU for about five years now since when my officemate finally convinced me to swap over from Chase and refinance my car. Wow! My monthly payment dropped about $300/month, and because SFFCU caters to teachers, other school employees, and their immediate families (I am a college professor) they even offer an option to skip two summer payments. I still get paid in the summertime, but it sure is nice to be able to have a little extra cash for summer activities. Every single experience I've had with SFFCU has been entirely positive. This week, I took my two youngest kids to open their first bank accounts. Steven helped us out and made the entire process smooth and enjoyable. I was especially impressed with the way he engaged my kids and put them at ease. We walked out with two new checking/savings accounts for my kids along with a sense of overall satisfaction. SchoolsFirst also has a great mobile app for accessing accounts, which I guess can be said for most banks these days; however, I don't find myself constantly retaking photos of checks for virtual deposits. Better still, the app notifies me of deals on credit cards (under half the APR of my Venture card) and auto loans. Finally, sometimes, SFFCU just lowers my auto loan APR, just to be cool, just for being a good customer. If that sounds to good to be true, it's not. It's for real. SFFCU isn't a for profit company, so their priorities center on their customers. If you are a school employee, swap to SFFCU. You won't be disappointed. read more

I have been drowning in debt and DENISE SAVED ME!!!! I have been stuck with a gross high interest personal loan and credit card debt and Denise got me in and consolidated it with me . Now I can afford to find a new home for my Family. Thank You Denise and thank you Schools First!! read more

THE BEST Customer Service Experience. The process of going into the bank, can be daunting but not at Schools First Federal Credit Union. Denise sits in the first seat as you walk in from the Lake street entrance and she is a true rock star. She obviously loves her job because she went above and beyond to help me with features of my account that I did not know exist. She was kind, friendly and very knowledgeable. My experience was so much better than my experience at any other bank, large or small. Kudos to management and the entire team. I know this isn't happenstance, so keep up the good work. read more

Joana R. was such a joy to work with! She was helpful, genuine, sincere, and extremely knowledgeable. Her kindness and wonderful service got me my car loan within 20 minutes. Highly recommend schools first to be your one stop for financial service! read more

Crystal and the team at this location was great!! they helped me on everything I needed today and a solid team effort. thank you guys so much read more

Great customer service, really took the time to guide you through the process concerning setting up your account and detail about their benefits. read more

We are so happy with the customer service at Schools First. A few weeks ago we had a minor issue that was addressed quickly with no issues. Today, I went in to set up an account and the service from multiple employees was just awesome. Very accommodating and conscientious of my time. When I told my wife about my visit, she said, "That's why I love that place." read more

Denise at First Schools Credit Union has made the process super easy to open up my account for the first time at this credit union. Her customer service is out standing!!! I highly recommend her she was so sweet and very patient with my elderly parents, which made them so comfortable. I and so thankful that she was able to help us. Totally recommend her plus she is bilingual and that's a plus I give here A+ read more

So far, the real estate service has been second-rate. 1. My partner applied for a mortgage pre-approval and after a few days of not hearing anything, she called to discover that Schools First had closed the application with no apparent explanation about why. I ended up getting her pre-approved via another lender. 2. Once they re-opened the application, the pre-approval was finally issued and a real estate agent was assigned. Except this real estate agent isn't available on the days we're available. I had to work remote and was late for a very important meeting because I was escorting her to a property. I also took the next two days off for the expressed purpose of seeing properties. We saw TWO. Then the real estate agent had to leave for vacation in Mexico. 3. The given answer was that he hadn't taken time off in two years. If true, it's respectable. But if a vacation was in order, a new client shouldn't have been taken on or, as a backup, a colleague should've been available to stand in and show properties. 4. The apparent reason he was assigned was that when other agents are unreachable, he is Schools First's go to guy and he always says yes. Again, commendable, if true, but what does this say about the vast majority of Schools First agents? Are they that flaky and unavailable that this reputation was established in the first place? read more

I am furious at this bank. Over a mortgage loan application. I gave them permission verbally to pull my credit, without informing me that credit agencies would give my information to over 100 insurers and mortgage companies. Then they try to say they are without fault in this for fully knowing this in the first place. Will be shifting my funds to another bank, ending my burdensome and invasive loan application, and filing complaint with the Better Business Bureau. read more

Mr. Bernardo Who's Last Name I Do Not Know At Lake St. Pasadena Branch Provided The Most Warm And Welcoming Service The Moment He Attended Us Into His Office. The Gentlemen Definitely Knows His Homework, Is Well Mannered, And Extends His Assistance Beyond Limit In Full Detail. My Wife And I Are Honored By This Mans' Patience and Kindness That He Left A Unforgettable And Satisfied Memory That Is Valued And Appreciated. Magnificent Execution Performed By This Individual! read more