Pierce College--A Small Community College That Delivers A Good Education!
by - Written: Jan 05 '05
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Pros: Small classes, personal attention, varied degree programs, inexpensive alternative to four year college.
Cons: Smallish campus (that is expanding), tiny bookstore, and very limited dining.
The Bottom Line: Pierce is a great college with varying degree programs to choose from. The personal attention, small class sizes and reasonable tuition make it quite a bargain.
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| erinrounds's Full Review: Pierce College |
When I first decided to finish my Associates degree a few years back, I found myself wondering where to start, or rather where to pick up. I had begun my college career at another (and much larger) community college fresh out of high school, although my heart wasn't in it, and the grades I earned proved it.
Cut to ten years later, when I found myself looking at colleges in my area, and since my husband and I moved, the nearest community college was Pierce College located in Puyallup Washington. A growing town with a gorgeous view of Mt. Rainier on a sunny day.
Why Community College?
Community college, in my opinion, provides a very viable and less expensive alternative to garnering a two year degree without attending a four year institution. They are particularly effective if you live in a state, such as Washington, that has an acceptance agreement with the state four year universities to accept you as a junior provided you complete your AA satisfactorily. (University of Washington is exempt from this agreement due to overenrollment). This means for a fraction of the price you can complete two years and commence your education at the junior level, or stop with an associates degree.
I would also recommend community college to students who are not certain of the direction they want to take academically. They can gain a good general footing and hopefully by exploring the basic classes for graduation can then find their "passion" for education or career goals.
Another type of person that might benefit from community college is one who is adverse to a big environment. If you are apprehensive about college, a community college is much smaller, (particularly Pierce College) and is often located more proximally to a neighborhood.
Pierce College Location, Location, Location
If you decide to attend Pierce College you will find it located a bit out of the main drag of the city of Puyallup, in an area known locally as South Hill. This area is constantly expanding and offers just about every amenity known to modern suburbia. A large mall is within walking distance (should you decide to chance the very busy street of Meridian). Restaurants abound, large movie theaters, and many apartment complexes of varying degrees of expense are all in the immediate area. The Puyallup Fair takes place annually and is the largest state fair west of the Mississippi. The fairgrounds are just a few miles down the hill from the college.
Jobs for college students are plentiful should you choose to work the traditional restaurant, mall avenue of employment. The campus does offer job postings on site, but a bit of driving around should provide good results.
The Campus itself consists of large, sprawling grounds that are nestled in a natural setting. The actual classrooms (or the portion that is converted to buildings) is small. As of the time of this review, there are really only two buildings; a main administration building that houses all operations of administration and most of the classrooms, and a library building. The library building is two stories and houses the library, the laboratories, the theater and other assorted classrooms. The college is currently constructing a much needed third building that will house (to my knowlege) a bookstore, a fitness center and more classrooms. The bookstore is currently located in a portable and is less than ample in size!
Satellite Campuses or extended learning is available at several other sites in the Pierce County area. Another (and larger to my knowledge) site is called Fort Steilacoom campus, and is located in Lakewood. They also offer programs through the military and some correctional facilities in the area.
What Kind of Programs/Degrees Can You Earn?
This question is one that is bound to change with frequency, so I would recommend checking out the college's own main website, for the most up to date information. However, at this time, a student at Pierce College can obtain the following degrees:
~Associates of Arts & Science*
~Associate of Science*
(*2 year university degree transfers)
One can also obtain a host of certifications from Pierce College. These vary from paralegal ceritification, to dental hygiene, to computer degrees. Some of these are only available at the satellite campuses or at Fort Lewis military base. The link directly is as follows:
http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/proftech/programs.php3
My Experience At Pierce College
I spent just a little over a year at Pierce College completing my associate's degree. I did not attend full-time, but rather spaced out my remaining requirements as motherhood and family life allowed. I found my experience to be very rewarding, and I highly recommend both the facility and the staff for anyone in the area considering a local alternative.
Faculty was both extremely knowledgeable and accessible. Accessibility is not always possible in larger campuses, but I had no trouble meeting with instructors one on one for additional help (in evil math). I also had class sizes that never exceeded forty students. It was easy to feel more like a student and less like a "body" in a chair in this environment.
Students were of varied ages and ethnicities, though I don't have the colleges exact breakdown at hand. I found a good mix in all the classes I took. In fact, there are a good many very young students, as Pierce College offers something called Running Start to high school students. They are able to obtain college credit while still in high school. One English class in particular had nearly half the class still in high school; a bit different at first, but these kids are not your typical high school student, and are generally highly motivated.
Grading and Course Work were on a consistent par with the other community college I attended. Neither harder, nor easier work, or higher or lower expectations. Pretty standard stuff, but delivered with a more personal touch than the other school I experienced.
Cost & Tuition
The current cost of attending Pierce College depends on your residency in the state of Washington. For residents that have lived in Washington state beyond a period of one year, the price is currently $69.35 per credit hour versus the non-resident tuition of $82.55. *Military members are allowed to pay resident tuition rates.
Considering the typical course load is 15 credits a resident could expect to pay tuition of approximately $1040.25 a quarter as opposed to a non-residents $1238.25.
Both of these rates are still a significant savings to the current semester rate I am paying to finish my bachelors degree ($3,339). You can quickly see the advantage to trying to get your first two years done at a cheaper price.
Student Life
Pierce College offers a varied array of activities for participation, as well as student government and a student newspaper. The school is a member of the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) conference, and fields athletic teams for Men & Women in Basketball, Men's Soccer and Baseball, and Women's Volleyball and Softball, as well as cheerleading.
While I was on campus, I frequently saw ad's for visiting motivational speakers, authors, athletes, etc. Although many of these events did not occur when I was on campus, they seem to be readily available for a more traditional student.
All In All
I enjoyed my time at Pierce College and was appreciative of the convenience of attending college closer to home at an institution that was personal, yet very functional. I am doing well in my current Bachelor's program, and feel confident in saying the Pierce prepared me adequately to continue my education at the University level.
Special Thanks to MaryTara for getting this added so quickly to the database for me.
http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/
Area Links That May Be of Interest
South Hill Mall
http://www.southhillmall.com/
Puyallup Fair
www.thefair.com
Mt. Rainier National Park
http://www.nps.gov/mora/
Recommended:
Yes
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