Parkland College

Date: Mar 26 2013
Major: Psychology (This Major's Salary over time)
I know a handful of people who are in the nursing program and are quite happy with their experiences at Parkland. But with that said, most people are like me who are just trying to get their gen eds out of the way and transfer to a 4 year.

Registration: It all starts with meeting the advisors, which during registration seems almost impossible but necessary since it's mandatory. I don't know how many times I've told them I don't want to transfer to UIUC, which results in them looking at me like I'm crazy.

Faculty: I've had great instructors, and then I've had instructors who chat the entire class period, and no that does not make the class easy because we still had quizzes every week, homework every night, and tests every chapter. It was a basically on your own class which I wish I would of known prior to registering. If you EVER have to meet with the math chairman, go prepared to face the rudest man at Parkland. I had to meet with him to get his permission to reassess to a higher math class. I saw down in his office and spent 15 minutes of him saying I need to rethink my future, how he doesn't think 4 year universities are for me, and how I am wasting his time. This was all because he pulled up my high school transcript and saw I got a D in geometry my sophomore year, I think he failed to notice I got A's in B's in all other math classes. I left his office more upset, humiliated and angry than I've been in a while. No student should be called "unintelligent" by a college faculty member.

Social Life: What social life? There is none. Unless you're coming here with high school friends. People will avoid interaction here at all costs, with exception to the occasional group project. You will see so many people stare at their iPhone's in a silent classroom while waiting for the instructor. You can show up to Parkland and leave without any conversation at all. I've gotten many strange looks from kids when I try to initiate conversation to get rid of the awkward silence. Students also tend to segregate themselves, whites stick with whites, hispanics stick with hispanics, and blacks stick with blacks. There is also a seating area that tends to be predominately black, me being white I made the mistake of sitting there my first day during break and got many threatening looks. Also, don't sit by the bookstore unless you like to play with Yugioh and Pokemon cards.

I absolutely dread waking up in the mornings and driving to Parkland, and as soon as I arrive, I look forward to my last class ending and getting off campus as soon as possible.