I've taken classes at this TCC campus for about a year now. All things considered, I'm very satisfied with my experience:
- Some of my professors have been downright fantastic: caring, approachable, and super competent in their fields. Willing to help with references, material, and advice.
- Given that I qualify for in-county tuition, costs are very reasonable. At the end of this summer, I'll have picked up a very healthy amount of transferable credit with no debt.
- It's been nice having such a diverse student body; I've met veterans, people returning to school after trying their hand at business or raising a family, dual-credit students still finishing up their studies at local high schools, very driven full-time students taking eighteen or nineteen credit hours a semester, recent immigrants, working professionals returning to school for additional qualifications, and all sorts of other people bringing interesting experience to the table.
- I've had good luck with the support staff and administration. The ratio of positive experiences (where people follow up with me on issues, and take time out of their day to help me resolve things) to negative ones is better than what I've experienced at other schools and institutions. Generally speaking, it seems like the staff have the students' best interest at heart.
- That isn't to say it's all been roses. I've been given the runaround once or twice (where you bounce between offices for signatures or documents or suggestions), and I've had instructors who seemed to be "phoning it in" or focusing on other pursuits. Procedures sometimes change suddenly or erratically; in this one year, I've seen a bumpy transition from Campus Cruiser to Blackboard, the introduction of the TCC Choice Card, and a switch from the SmarterMeasure assessment to the Online Readiness test. Putting together a schedule that works for you can be a pain; popular class times and instructors fill up fast, and different campuses focus on different programs. This summer I'll be criss-crossing the Metroplex in an effort to get all my coursework wrapped up.
Still, my impression is that TCC is pretty much constantly looking for ways to improve its student experience. I get asked for feedback often, and I've seen a lot of projects implemented in an effort to help get students "onboard." That's good.
TCC provides a good value proposition for a lot of students. Nice teachers, caring staff, low prices. If you're able to get some coursework done here, good. Go for it. read more