The professors are all highly qualified and have an apparent passion for their subject. They have a way of making you excited for the class, and they're all very flexible and accommodating to your schedule and your needs as a student. There are several resources available to help you learn, from student study groups to tutoring, to the Math and Writing Centers, to NoteTakers by Jane Showalter at the Student Disability Services. It was a very smooth transition from high school to the college atmosphere, and while the curriculum was challenging, it wasn't impossible.
Did enjoy being here
The students are extremely friendly, and it's easy to make friends in your classes and in the commons area in the Student Union Building. There are several vendors at the school that hire students (The Percival Review art & literary publication, the Sounds newspaper, the Student Life desk, the student bookstore, the Clipper Cafe and the bakery), so there are tons of opportunities for employment and to get to know the students at your school better. The Diversity and Equity Center really puts effort into celebrating the wide diversity of students at SPSCC, and the Campus Activities Board is always thinking up new ways to entertain and educate students, from the Lunar New Year festival to the showing of Ghostbusters with popcorn on Halloween. BRICK is great at raising awareness of local and global issues that I wouldn't have been exposed to in high school. And the campus is very beautiful and accessible; it's fairly easy to cross campus to get from one class to another.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
If you enter into SPSCC doing Running Start your junior or senior year of high school, the only expense you have will be your books. All your classes are completely free, and you get to take some great classes to complete otherwise boring credit requirements for high school graduation. For example, I needed five credits of a P.E. class for my high school graduation requirements, and I was able to take Rebecca Johnson's Lifetime Wellness class. It was the best class I have ever taken in my life. Fun, informative, and way more enjoyable than a PE class--and free! I was also able to take Introduction to Formal Logic by Andrew Sergienko in place of a 5-credit math class, and I had a ton of fun in that class. SPSCC opens up a lot of options for free that you would later have to pay hundreds of dollars for once you graduate. And even if you enter SPSCC after graduation, they have a ton of scholarships available. I was able to get an entire year's tuition covered from scholarships offered just from SPSCC alone. They like to honor diversity and passions in the arts, as well as in horticulture, mechanics, academic commitment, heritage--the possibilities are endless, and the list of scholarships offered specifically from SPSCC grows each year. It's definitely cheaper to pursue an AA from a Community College before entering into a university, because you're really only paying $6,000 for two years of classes, plus maybe $1,000 in books--compared to $60,000 at Seattle Pacific University, plus several more thousand for books, that's a really good deal.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
I would definitely recommend taking Running Start. Even if you can't enter in your junior year, at least take it senior year. That's $3,000 you save right off the bat, and it's a very refreshing jumpstart into college life. They have a ton of options there to get you plugged in, so don't be afraid to get involved. Also, there are lot of opportunities at SPSCC for community service, so grab hold of those, get letters of recommendation from your supervisors, and apply for the scholarships SPSCC offers pertaining to community service. Get involved with student life and make a difference. The atmosphere is open and warm, and you won't regret getting involved. It'll look really good on a resume and on applications for pursuing your education later.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
I recommend SPSCC to anyone. Whether you're a junior in high school, just graduated from high school, or continuing your education after 30 years out of the education system, SPSCC is great at plugging you in and making you fit. They have wonderful resources to help you study and know your material, and the teachers are accommodating for all types of students. Especially if you're working a part-time job on top of going to school! There are some classes that are only two or three days a week, and they have hybrid classes (two days in class, the rest of the work online), as well as online courses. The staff at SPSCC will team up to help you however they can so you can be a success.
The professors are all highly qualified and have an apparent passion for their subject. They have a way of making you excited for the class, and they're all very flexible and accommodating to your schedule and your needs as a student. There are several resources available to help you learn, from student study groups to tutoring, to the Math and Writing Centers, to NoteTakers by Jane Showalter at the Student Disability Services. It was a very smooth transition from high school to the college atmosphere, and while the curriculum was challenging, it wasn't impossible.
The students are extremely friendly, and it's easy to make friends in your classes and in the commons area in the Student Union Building. There are several vendors at the school that hire students (The Percival Review art & literary publication, the Sounds newspaper, the Student Life desk, the student bookstore, the Clipper Cafe and the bakery), so there are tons of opportunities for employment and to get to know the students at your school better. The Diversity and Equity Center really puts effort into celebrating the wide diversity of students at SPSCC, and the Campus Activities Board is always thinking up new ways to entertain and educate students, from the Lunar New Year festival to the showing of Ghostbusters with popcorn on Halloween. BRICK is great at raising awareness of local and global issues that I wouldn't have been exposed to in high school. And the campus is very beautiful and accessible; it's fairly easy to cross campus to get from one class to another.
If you enter into SPSCC doing Running Start your junior or senior year of high school, the only expense you have will be your books. All your classes are completely free, and you get to take some great classes to complete otherwise boring credit requirements for high school graduation. For example, I needed five credits of a P.E. class for my high school graduation requirements, and I was able to take Rebecca Johnson's Lifetime Wellness class. It was the best class I have ever taken in my life. Fun, informative, and way more enjoyable than a PE class--and free! I was also able to take Introduction to Formal Logic by Andrew Sergienko in place of a 5-credit math class, and I had a ton of fun in that class. SPSCC opens up a lot of options for free that you would later have to pay hundreds of dollars for once you graduate. And even if you enter SPSCC after graduation, they have a ton of scholarships available. I was able to get an entire year's tuition covered from scholarships offered just from SPSCC alone. They like to honor diversity and passions in the arts, as well as in horticulture, mechanics, academic commitment, heritage--the possibilities are endless, and the list of scholarships offered specifically from SPSCC grows each year. It's definitely cheaper to pursue an AA from a Community College before entering into a university, because you're really only paying $6,000 for two years of classes, plus maybe $1,000 in books--compared to $60,000 at Seattle Pacific University, plus several more thousand for books, that's a really good deal.
I would definitely recommend taking Running Start. Even if you can't enter in your junior year, at least take it senior year. That's $3,000 you save right off the bat, and it's a very refreshing jumpstart into college life. They have a ton of options there to get you plugged in, so don't be afraid to get involved. Also, there are lot of opportunities at SPSCC for community service, so grab hold of those, get letters of recommendation from your supervisors, and apply for the scholarships SPSCC offers pertaining to community service. Get involved with student life and make a difference. The atmosphere is open and warm, and you won't regret getting involved. It'll look really good on a resume and on applications for pursuing your education later.
I recommend SPSCC to anyone. Whether you're a junior in high school, just graduated from high school, or continuing your education after 30 years out of the education system, SPSCC is great at plugging you in and making you fit. They have wonderful resources to help you study and know your material, and the teachers are accommodating for all types of students. Especially if you're working a part-time job on top of going to school! There are some classes that are only two or three days a week, and they have hybrid classes (two days in class, the rest of the work online), as well as online courses. The staff at SPSCC will team up to help you however they can so you can be a success.