Whatcom Community College Reviews
Check out reviews left by other students, or leave your own review. You could win a free scholarship!
-
Alanna from Bellingham, WA
07/22/2009Reviewer is A past student here.
1 out of 2 people found this review useful. 1 of 20
Categories Comments Great for these types of students Those who want an affordable education in a small school environment, those who are still in high school trying to get free college, and those who just want to learn.
Tips for prospective students If you take a math class, take it from Russell Sherif! He is the best teacher in the world!
Bang for the buck I did the Running Start Program and was able to receive my transfer degree one quarter after my high school graduation. I only paid for my lower level math class, and the books weren't that expensive.
Did enjoy being here The teachers at WCC really care about their students. They definitely put a lot of time and effort into the lives of those they influence.
Did learn a lot I have heard that the science classes are the same level and transfer the same way for Whatcom as well as Western, so take them at Whatcom because they are way easier and cheaper and you learn the same amount.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Caitlin from Bellingham, WA
12/13/2009Reviewer is A current student here.
1 out of 1 people found this review useful. 2 of 20
Categories Comments Great for these types of students WCC is great for students who are still trying to figure out what they want to do as a career, earn college credit and not break the bank. Many students fresh out of high school choose to go to WCC in order to gain a transfer degree so they don't have to pay for four years at a University. Also there are many returning adult students gaining more education to get better jobs.
Tips for prospective students To a prospective student I would say to get to know an adviser to make sure you are on track for the degree you want. It is easy to let necessary credits slip through the cracks. I would also suggest participating in class, many professors at WCC grade on participation because of the smaller classes and your input matters! Finally, I suggest joining a club or group on campus, it is a great way to get integrated into college culture and make friends.
Bang for the buck I feel like I'm getting my money's worth at Whatcom, when I have the very rare bad class it carries less of a heft because I didn't pay University prices for it. For the most part, I feel like I'm getting a great education with a small price tag and for most people's economic situations, that is a very valuable characteristic.
Am enjoying being here Other than just good classes, WCC has a beautiful campus that makes the students feel at home. The Syre building is the student center; part cafe, part auditorium, classrooms, and mostly open areas for people to study or talk. There are many clubs, societies, social and academic groups to join or check out. Plus it is close to a lot of local restaurants and Apartments for student housing.
Am learning a lot WCC has been a great stepping stone in the progress of my education. Their wide variety of classes gave me an opportunity to become well rounded in different subject matter, from Drawing, to Physics, to Spanish. The teachers are supportive and they have provided as much help as I wanted when I needed it. WCC is a very good learning environment. I feel like a student with a name instead of a number on a sheet of paper.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Amanda from Lynden, WA
05/04/2011Reviewer is A past student here.
3 of 20
Categories Comments Great for these types of students They have a lot of Running Start students attending this college. It's a great place for high school students to attend anonymously and begin their transition into college.
Tips for prospective students To save money, it's a smart move to buy used books, and if possible to buy earlier editions of your text books. Most teachers don't mind you buying earlier editions especially if they only change a section/chapter title or something trivial like that. It's always a good idea to check and make sure it's alright though, just in case.
Bang for the buck I haven't attended this school in over a year so I'm not much help when it comes to tuition costs. The last year I attended the had just raised the cost per credit.
Did enjoy being here Whatcom has a decent sized campus that's not to big nor to small. It has a calm quiet campus with a lot of places to go and study in peace. Also the campus students and faculty are very friendly and show a great amount of tolerance for adversity.
Did learn a lot Classes here are a decent size so that you do not get lost in the mush. The smaller sizes allowed for great one on one time with teachers. But, be warned small class size means that classes fill up quickly, so everything is a first come first serve basis.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Taylor from Bellingham, WA
02/04/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
4 of 20
Categories Comments In three sentences fabulous instructors that really care about your studies, they're willing to take the extra time for you. the honors program is amazingly helpful and lets you create your own classes. very effective for both nontraditional and traditional students.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Melanie from Lynden, WA
03/10/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
5 of 20
Categories Comments Campus Safety i've always felt safe; there are usually people patrolling the parking lot to keep your items from being stolen.
Greek Life there is no greek life at wcc; sorry.
Clubs and Activities it only has 30 clubs, but they range from languages to music to areas of study.
Great for these types of students art enthusiasts would be welcome here, along with any environmentally conscious people.
What to do for fun there are several clubs, and the area's just beautiful. bellingham has a lot to offer as well.
Food and Dining i like the food, anyway. it's not gourmet, but it's usually fresh and reasonably priced.
Dorm Life to my knowledge, wcc doesn't have any dorms, just nearby apartments.
Academic Rigor some courses are harder than others; make sure you don't take too many writing intensive courses at one time.
Tips for prospective students keep up with your adviser, and join some clubs!
In three sentences whatcom community college is a very inclusive college that tailors to your needs. it helps you prepare for your next step, whatever that may be, and has several good certification programs.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Dove from Eastsound, WA
03/16/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
6 of 20
Categories Comments What to do for fun The main courtyard is a good place to mingle and to do homework out in the fresh air.
Food and Dining The dinning hall has espresso.
Dorm Life There are no dorms on Campus.
Academic Rigor Classes are top notch and have competent professors.
Tips for prospective students Get there early on the first day of classes to pick up your financial aid checks at the cashiers window.
In three sentences Whatcom Community College is has easy access to information and a friendly staff in Advising. The Financial Aid Office is able to assist in most matters regarding money and tuition. The campus is compact and clean with a good class size layout
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Ryan from Lynden, WA
03/19/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
7 of 20
Categories Comments What to do for fun Attend class and socialize.
Tips for prospective students Don't lose any of your placement test hard copies
In three sentences The guys in the financial aid office were very helpful. The women in the placement testing lost my math placement test score. The advising department is a joke.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Emma from Bellingham, WA
05/03/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
8 of 20
Categories Comments What to do for fun There are many clubs offered at Whatcom Community College, athletic teams, and free or low cost monthly events held on campus.
Food and Dining Whatcome has a main cafeteria in the student center and a few coffee stands throughout campus. The cost isn't any cheaper than your average coffee shop and one of the stands offers coffee from Woods Coffee (a coffee franchise in Whatcom County). They have many options for snacks, sandwiches and hot food.
Dorm Life Whatcom Community College does not offer dorms, however there are a lot of apartment complexes and small homes near campus.
Academic Rigor To be honest, it matters on what classes you are taking. Anatomy & Physiology is one of the hardest and most involved classes offered at Whatcom in my opinion, whereas the GUR classes like General Psych or Math 99 tends to be less work than those at most universities. However, the academic rigor always depends on the work ethic of the student.
Tips for prospective students Whatcom is a great starter school that will easily transition a high school graduate into a community college student and then possibly into a university student. It has a large variety of classes and most are easily transferable to local universities such as UW or WWU.
In three sentences Whatcom Community College is a good place to finish up prerequisites, GURs, or completing an associates degree before transferring onto further education. They have athletics, clubs, and many opportunities to get involved with your peers in and out of school. Whatcom's campus is small and quaint right in the middle of a commercial area near the Bellis Fair Mall and Costco.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Faline from Bellingham, WA
05/26/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
9 of 20
Categories Comments Campus Safety No incidents but also no active police really so you should always be cautious.
Greek Life There is only Phi Theta Kappa here but is great for scholars.
Clubs and Activities Clubs, Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Choir, Foreign Language, LGBT, Campus Fellowship, Synergy and many others.
Great for these types of students We have many multicltural events and clubs and several study abroad programs including, Venice, Spain, New Zealand and Costa Rica.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus Orca Day is a huge event of games, fun food and hanging out all day. We also have the fun Moustacherade which is a party, dance and contest for the best real or pretend moustache.
Bang for the buck The cafeteria is always over priced. But there is a dollar store nearby that is really good to save money.
What to do for fun There is a bowling alley, a strip mall, block buster, game fly, Barnes and nobles, Marshalls, Ross, Home Depot and many other places you can hang out and shop or walk through the gardens right across the street as well.
Food and Dining There are several ethnic restaurants with in just two blocks of the whole campus, or go to one of two markets close by as well. The Indian Buffet is to die for. Or enjoy authentic Italian pizza and espresso.
Dorm Life All arenas for freshmen are accepting, nurturing and challenging as well. You will never be bored and there are over thirty clubs to enjoy as well.
Academic Rigor To be great, you need to challenge yourself. Get out of your comfort zone. The classes have many prepared and wonderful teachers who will not accept lazy students.
Tips for prospective students Apply early and register for the classes you want with all your paperwork prepared ahead of time. Take a tour with a Student Ambassador, who is actually a real student attending and get the insight into the school with first hand knowledge.
In three sentences This is are great environment for a student to attend. The registration staff a always detailed and friendly. The application is one page and very efficient in what you need to bring and what requirements to have. Excellent programs prepare you for over 150 majors.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Griffith from Bellingham, WA
06/05/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
10 of 20
Categories Comments Campus Safety Whatcom holds a friendly and gentle crowd. There has been many times when I have held a door open for someone, and soon enough we are fifteen minutes into a conversation about a certain class, event or relevancy of the time. Not only that, but this camaraderie can continue all through your time at Whatcom. Today there are still people I run into that I have known since a brief encounter in my first quarter at the college. Although it is very low and unlikely, car prowls do happen. Since my attendance though, everyone has been pulling their weight to watch for these types of cases and the percent has dropped to almost nil.
Clubs and Activities The club funding Whatcom accumulates for all their clubs is truly amazing. While being apart of the French Club at Whatcom, it was amazing to see how we could feed the school's student body on Mardi Gras with classical foods of the culture. Not only that, but when the Pickford Cinema had a French-Evening-With-Film, all of the club members in attendance had their tickets paid for. From my time being in the French club I have had a great time making life-long friends, as well as immersing myself into the culture that much more.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus Whatcom has many different festivals each quarter, one being the Old World's Fair we have around every Christmas. We have all the foreign clubs (Spanish, German, French, etc.) to perform songs from their region that truly show the beauty of Christmas. Another event is the International Night. All the clubs get together, as well as solo or group acts outside of clubs, to show the different cultures of different countries and regions. This is truly terrific to hear bagpipes and didgeridoos at the same time in one night.
Bang for the buck For a full class-load of 15 credits each quarter (classes that directly transfer to the university I will be attending next winter) it only costs me about a third of the price. This is such a money saving opportunity with a classroom that has a more focused scope on me and my learning. Not only that, but the bookstore always has prices that much, if not BEAT the prices I find online.
What to do for fun Whatcom Comm. College offers many different clubs to be apart of. If you love films, there is a club for that. If you are a Francophile, there is the French club that dives into French culture, history and politics. If you love politics, there is the Debate club that meets every week. If you can't find a club for you and you have your own idea, you can even make a club. This is one of the great aspects I love about Whatcom. You have the freedom to start your own trend.
Food and Dining The Dockside Cafe has been my haven when I am on-the-go. While offering it's basic dishes of pan pizzas and sandwiches, they also offer extremely complex dishes, such as beef stroganoff and rice bowls. Every piece of food they offer is guaranteed nutritious, fresh and delicious.
Dorm Life Although Whatcom Community College is a public institution, there are no dorms available. However, the nearby apartment complexes have been known to house many students around the same age, which can also further your social circle. Not only will you mingle with your classmates, but also mingle with other Whatcom students that live near or next to you
Academic Rigor The teachers at Whatcom take you on as their own. Never before in my life have I seen or heard of such a rapport being able to be built with your professors at Whatcom. Not only does this help you outside the class with understanding and discussing concepts, but it also helps you with furthering your understanding and knowledge of a certain subject.
Tips for prospective students Join the many clubs that Whatcom offers and be involved. If you are involved it also helps you toward other Universities seeking you out with the amazing work you have done.
In three sentences A fun, friendly and educational environment that will get you to where you are going. If you are looking to earn your AA, to taking general undergraduate requirements, or even just taking a class for fun, Whatcom can offer you all them at a fair price.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
McKenna from Sedro Woolley, WA
06/15/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
11 of 20
Categories Comments What to do for fun Hang out with friends and enjoy the scenery. The campus is very pretty on a sunny day in the spring when all the flowers are out.
Food and Dining I tend to bring my own lunch so I don't have to spend money on eating out everyday.
Academic Rigor Depending on the class you are in and who your professor is is the deciding factor.
Tips for prospective students If you don't like a class switch out of it right away. Online classes here aren't the greatest.
In three sentences Small classes hands on and very professional. I am enjoying all of may classes at Whatcom and am learning a lot from my teachers.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Morgan from Bellingham, WA
07/08/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
12 of 20
Categories Comments What to do for fun You're in community college, just have a life.
Food and Dining It has a Costo nearby.
Dorm Life There are none..
Academic Rigor It's community college.
Tips for prospective students Make sure to check which professors you are getting from a third-party website first, as there are several which are terrible.
In three sentences WCC is a great place to start your college 'career'. It is perfect for running-start or returning students. It is laid back, and easy to do well in.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Cassandra from Blaine, WA
07/10/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
13 of 20
Categories Comments Food and Dining There are a lot of resturants around the area and the food at the college is good but it tends to sit in the fridge for a while and doesn't taste good
Dorm Life There aren't dorms around the campus, but there are apartments around the area.
Academic Rigor Some of the aspects were easy, but not completely easy because there was the need to be focused, nothing like high school.
Tips for prospective students Tips for future student's would just to be do the work and use the resources around you because that's what they are there for, for you to do well! Don't procrastinate and you will do marvelous.
In three sentences WCC is a place where I can be myself and not worry about feeling like I can't handle the information I am getting. This college has all of the resources I need to succeed and make sure that I can get through college. WCC is a beautiful, well kept campus that makes me feel calm with all of the water features and the fields that I can go and sit in, enjoying the sun and do my work.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Janell from Bellingham, WA
08/01/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
14 of 20
Categories Comments Bang for the buck It's still expensive, but it's a good deal for getting undergraduate prerequisites or professional technical degrees completed because it is incredibly more affordable than a university.
Food and Dining No large eateries on campus so it's very limited, but the campus is pretty close to food options.
Tips for prospective students MEET WITH AN ADVISER EARLY! Get hooked up with financial aid quickly because the process can be tedious with random forms to fill out. Be prepared to not get the classes you really want the first quarter because the more popular ones fill up very quickly.
In three sentences All of the staff that helps get you started on your journey are incredibly helpful. The teachers all seem quite passionate about their work. The campus is incredibly diverse in age, allowing older returning students to feel quite comfortable.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Reginald from Everson, WA
08/05/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
15 of 20
Categories Comments Campus Safety Excellent the campus is in a busy area with plenty of patrolling police which creates a safe environment.
Greek Life None?
Clubs and Activities Pretty much everything you can think of there is probably a small lub on campus.
Great for these types of students Energetic, driven, active, and gamers.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus Nothing unusual.
Bang for the buck Good prices except for the price of books.
What to do for fun Lots of hiking, boating, and sport activities available in and around bellingham.
Food and Dining Decent coffee and snacks, but no on campus dining like most 4yr schools.
Dorm Life No on campus dorms available.
Academic Rigor Pay attention and use on campus free tutoring to your advantage.
Tips for prospective students Get your financial aid paper in within the first week they are available to be filled out. Also take time to study even community college requires effort to pass.
In three sentences Excellent school with good teachers and classes with 30 students or less usually allowing for more student teacher interaction. WCC also has good technical and computer facilities available to students and students receive $15 dollars on their student card for printing homework on campus computers. Finally it is only a 10 or 15 min drive from anywhere in bellingham, WA.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Manpreet from Lynden, WA
09/27/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
16 of 20
Categories Comments Campus Safety The campus is very safe. From my experience here, there aren't a lot of bad students here and its really safe to walk from one building to the other. The staff works hard to keep the campus safe and it shows that students safety comes first as well.
Clubs and Activities There are so many clubs at this college! There is spanish, french, Japanese, etc. So many to even count and the students love joining them and doing so many activities. It's great being part of clubs and doing fun things.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus There is one building that is at an unusual place but it's a art building and has all kinds of neat art. Very fun to go there and look at all kinds of art pieces.
What to do for fun This college always has Orca Day every quarter and by going there students get free food, play lots of games, do many types of cool activities and meet new people. Also, the basketball and the soccer games are always fun to go and watch. There are also international night where they have really cool activities that some of the international students do and it's just really fun to go there. There are a lot of activities and fun things to do on campus.
Food and Dining The food is amazing here and they have many different types of foods here as well. They have coffee shops around campus as well as microwaves and dining area to heat up food and eat.
Tips for prospective students If you want to come to this college remember first of all to study hard while you are here and have fun with meeting new people and doing many fun things here.
In three sentences This college has amazing professors that teach the class and care about the students success. The school has many opportunities to meet students that are around the world with the many international students that are enrolled. Also, with learning this college has amazing clubs that students can join and participate in activities, make new friends, as well as make a difference in their community.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Reese from Bellingham, WA
11/06/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
17 of 20
Categories Comments Campus Safety Security here is great. The small campus size means it is easier for the administration to assure the safety of its students.
Greek Life There is no Greek system for this school.
Clubs and Activities There are many clubs at Whatcom, and they are fantastic at interacting with each other and the student body.
Great for these types of students Students who need a smaller community with less distractions to succeed.
Bang for the buck Whatcom is both cheap and has high standards of learning.
What to do for fun There are many student run clubs that offer lots of campus activities.
Food and Dining The cafes on campus are run by a company name Sodexo. The facilities are nice as are the employees. The food is above average quality for a small college.
Dorm Life There are no dorms for the Whatcom campus.
Academic Rigor All of the classes I took were challenging, but the teachers want to see you succeed. Learning is a priority at this school.
Tips for prospective students Be prepared for a small campus. Whatcom is in the suburbs, and is a relatively small school, even for community college standards.
In three sentences This is a small interactive campus. The teachers care about your success and offer you multiple resources outside of class.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Mary from Lynden, WA
02/02/2013Reviewer is A current student here.
18 of 20
Categories Comments Campus Safety I feel like campus safety is well maintained. They have people in the parking lot all the time in case of an accident. No crime has ever occurred that I have heard about.
Clubs and Activities Although I myself have not participated in these activites, I hear very positive things and I know they have a lot of options for all different types of students.
Great for these types of students Whatcom is great for students looking to save a little money before they go to a four year university. If is also a great school for running start students. Adults returning to college after many years would do well at Whatcom.
Bang for the buck WCC is a good school for what it is. It's affordable and can get you a career. It is a very good beginner school for someone planning to transfer to a 4 year university. They offer a lot of tools to help guide you towards a degree or plan. I participated in running start my senior year and that is a great program for getting extra band for the buck.
What to do for fun The school provides clubs, and other free after school activities. I don't participate in these because I work a full time job, and keep very busy with my family. There is always a lot of kids having fun on campus though. Sometimes they give out free breakfast or lunch out in the courtyard. That's always fun!
Food and Dining The food is a little overpriced, but not bad. I wish that the coffee stand in the science building was open summer quarter. Most the time I chose not to eat on campus, unless I'm desperate.
Dorm Life I don't think WCC has any dorms. So I cannot comment here.
Academic Rigor I don't feel like the classes are incredibly hard. The teachers are willing to give out extra credit or help students after class to help guarantee success. I have found a couple of classes that were very difficult, and very hard to pass as well though. So really depends on the teacher.
Tips for prospective students Really sit down and research what you would like to go to college for before you start taking classes. I know that people tell you not to pick a major right away, but if you have a plan it is much easier to be successful. This way you can get your degree faster and have a better job more quickly.
In three sentences I enjoy attending Whatcom Community College. I feel very comfortable there, I like that I know my way around. I like that the expectations the teachers have aren't like a university, it is simple to follow along and I feel set up for success.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
Jacob from Bellingham, WA
04/23/2013Reviewer is A current student here.
19 of 20
Categories Comments Campus Safety Constant poster's around warning of car thieves, but ive never heard of anything getting stolen.
Clubs and Activities A Lot of clubs around campus that I've seen, but I've never participated.
Bang for the buck Overall i found that the teachers here are way underpaid for the intellect and teaching skill they posses. I have been to lecture classrooms at other schools and i find that whatcom has a very good teaching system. Its a community college, so it is naturally cheap. Quality and affordable.
What to do for fun Not a ton of things to do on a daily, but the college puts on alot of events to participate in, and there is always free food! I've found myself pleasantly suprised toa free hot meal after class more than once.
Food and Dining Food here is economical, but a bit overpriced for the quality. Being so close to a bunch of restaurants i rarely eat at the college.
Dorm Life No dorm life. Ether you live with your parents, or you work part time with a few roommates in an apartment.
Academic Rigor The class dificulty really depends on the teacher you have each quarter. Some teachers will make you work hard in class with realatively no homework, and others will require all work done outside of class and a review in class.
Tips for prospective students Always come prepared to class, and get the books before the first day of class. As any teacher would say, read the text books. It may be boring (depending on the class), but it is vital to succeed in every class i have taken here.
In three sentences This is a great economical place to learn and grow to decide your major. With a diverse age group it makes it easier to be independent. The classes are always intriguing and inspire great conversation. Definitely the place to go when in the stage of deciding what you want to be in life.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
-
J from Bellingham, WA
05/01/2013Reviewer is A current student here.
20 of 20
Categories Comments Campus Safety Pretty safe but there is some car prowling.
Greek Life None.
Clubs and Activities A variety of clubs and activities.
Great for these types of students Liberal
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus Lots of cool art on campus, like WWU.
Bang for the buck $116/credit.
What to do for fun There are many restaurants, bars, and nightclubs downtown as well as virtually unlimited outdoor activities, from hiking to kayaking.
Food and Dining I've heard it's not very good. Their coffee/tea is decently priced, though!
Dorm Life I've never lived in the dorm.
Academic Rigor The classes are usually fairly challenging and true college-level rigor. However, some classes are easy to get an A in where others are very difficult to even pull a B.
Tips for prospective students Get involved with one of the clubs and get a work study job, it helps you to get connected to the community within WCC.
In three sentences It is a nice, good sized campus with adequate amenities and friendly students. The classes are definitely college level classes and can be challenging-- you have to work for your grade in some of them. It is located in Bellingham, which is a fairly liberal university town that also contains WWU.
Login to rate or flag the reviews
