Northern Virginia Community College

Date: Sep 01 2011
Major: Nursing (This Major's Salary over time)
I chose NVCC for the value and accessibility. Given the choice, I would return for the academics and the faculty, but not for the administration or students.

Pros: cost, academic integrity, coursework that prepares me for my career, faculty who genuinely care and want to see students succeed.

Cons: crowded and disorganized, conflicting information, apathetic administration, unwelcoming. Student body - daytime are young kids who couldn't get into a 4 year school and still emotionally in high school. More professional at night.

I cannot tell you how bad the administration is. The place is run but power-hungry idiots who DON'T CARE ABOUT STUDENTS! They can't answer questions directly and rush you out the door. They don't return phone calls or emails. They sit at their desks surfing the web or they leave their offices to escape in the midst of mayham.

The sad part is that there are some very good staff in the administration offices, including some very helpful counselors who get a bad rep because of the disgraceful administration. The financial aid, admissions, counselors, secretaries - all work very hard but can't keep up with problem after problem. Some of them really care about the students and try their hardest, others don't give a dam. But its the ones who don't give a dam who hold the power.

The general student body is terrible, very low class. Kids straight out of high school cursing and causing drama, some even starting fights over stupid BS. I couldn't believe in my Bio class that I had to sit through with 19 year old kids throwing paper, sleeping or texting or listening to music, and then trying to cheat on tests. I guess these immature brats drop out and go to jail or go on welfare because they clearly won't graduate, even from a second rate school like NVCC. If you are a returning adult student I suggest you take classes at night.

Some faculty are good and some are bad. Mostly I had very good faculty who were knowledgeable and helpful. Most also teach at other universities like GMU, GW, American… I think the money you pay at NVCC is a very good value and basically you get the same class you'd get somewhere else at half or a third the price. Just try to avoid the administration and daytime students and you will do fine.