Pasadena City College

Pasadena's community college surprisingly offers an enriching educational experience. Many of the professors have at one point taught at UCLA or still do, so you'll be receiving a university education without the exorbitant cost. In some ways, I find that the professors at Pasadena City College offers more substance because they prefer a more direct teaching approach and value the benefits of interactions with students that isn't offered in universities. Many PCC professors find the disconnected teaching environment to be disadvantageous, but they're qualified to teach at such institutions. So that's very telling. In fact, some of them don't even lower their quality of education, so it's equally, if sometimes not more, competitive as UC's.

Many of the professors are proficient in their field, articulate, organized, and truly enjoy the teaching experience. I plan to review some professors I've had the (dis)pleasure of encountering. Their contributions are evident in their students' success in their chosen fields. PCC's success rates are exceptional and dynamic in their accomplishments. It's one of the most reputable community colleges that exists. PCC excels in their art, some athletics, beauty, dental hygiene, engineering, English, fashion, mathematics, and science programs.

The art program begins by emphasizing and focusing on the fundamental basics. It develops and strengthens your core structure. PCC enforces this essential building block through a rigorously demanding program. Their approach isn't as repetitive and redundant as other institutions but serves to be a lot more rewarding. While repetition can improve one's technique through practice, that method is tiring, uninspiring, and can quickly become stagnant, all very discouraging consequences. Rather than relying on discipline and focus alone, which can wane over time, PCC concentrates on refining a student's technique as it's developing, rather than waiting for improvement to be a consequence of repetition.

A dynamic range of art is offered at PCC. You have the privilege of abstract art, ceramics, charcoal drawings, conceptual art, crafts, digital art, game design, historical art, jewelry making, screen printing, sketching, oil painting, a wide range of printmaking, sculpture, watercolors, etc. Bodies are extensively examined from an anatomical and physiological perspective before sketches are even attempted. Art instructors prefer their students to understand what they're being asked to draw before the assignments are provided. This strategic method is largely responsible for the students' confidence and refined talent. The art instructors are well-versed in their field, so much so that some of the most talented artists in the Los Angeles area have received some formal training from PCC.

The women's basketball team is highly competitive and have even gone to nationals. Athleticism isn't exactly my area of expertise, so unfortunately I'm not qualified or informed enough to elaborate. But the records speak volumes. For more insights, you can go to Instructor J. Peron or Greg Smith. Peron is the primary coach. If you've ever taken a class with Peron, you know how rigorous and demanding, as well as how beneficial and productive his physical requirements are. I truly believe his high performance expectation and resilience building exercises are to thank.

The body building class is also challenging. A word to the wise, though, it's important that you have some muscular development and strength before taking this class. As a feminist, I hate the idea of being discriminating, but I'm not that kind of feminist. I believe that both males and females should be treated with respect equally, but I don't want us to lose sight of the big picture. Males and females are anatomically built differently. We both have different pros and cons. To ignore them is denying who we are. And it can, at times, potentially be dangerous.

With that said, I believe it's possible for the body building class to be harmful for women because of the large equipments used. Now I'm a particular petite woman, but I wasn't the only female struggling to use the machines. A lot of the machines seem to be built to accommodate the proportions of a male body. I was too short for many of the machines even after modifications. Some of the lowest weights were too heavy even from the beginning. Until you develop the strength to use them, your shoulders can get damaged in the meantime. On the other hand, if you're already well-built, the body building class will sculpt you and get you into even better shape.

The beauty program at PCC does an amazing job educating students on how to become proficient in hairstyling. They do a fantastic job with haircuts and styling. These services are less than $10! I've had enough professional hairstylists to recognize talent when I see it. Obviously the quality varies from student to student, but I've had enough experiences with the student stylists to recognize the cohesive training they've all received. While most of their clients are students, middle aged adults, and seniors, some clients visit PCC's beauty program to have styling errors corrected from department store salons. So many of the students graduate and immediately obtain a hairstyling position that charges $45 for a haircut. I've also gotten beautiful French manicures. Their facials are ordinary. Some of the students do an exceptional job with eyebrow shaping, but they use such inferior quality wax that it's better to get threading or tweezing. I began writing a detailed record of the beauty school's performance, but it became so overwhelming that I've decided to use that for another entry called "PCC's Beauty School".

PCC has an impeccable dental hygiene program. Their meticulous cleaning technique demonstrates a more advanced cleaning standard than what's offered in most dental offices. In fact, I knew a woman who became a Dental Hygienist through PCC's program and actually recommends that I get a teeth cleaning there then at her own clinic because PCC accommodates for a more thorough cleaning. They break down your teeth cleaning appointment into four sessions. A quarter of your teeth is cleaned at each visit. By breaking down your sessions, the students have an opportunity to refine their cleaning technique in a timely manner.

PCC has an exceptional English program, not to be confused with their journalism program, which I'll elaborate on at another time. The writing discipline, scrutiny, and quality in the English department is responsible for many of the talented, introverted poets and short story writers. There are traditional professors that keep the classics alive and try to open their students to poems no matter how unreceptive some of them are. There are also professors that advocate reading from the Best Sellers list. Regardless of the writing requirement, reading seems to persistently be a high standard. But not every professor assigns daily journaling. The only criticism I have about the English Division is their closed-mindedness for modern learning techniques and topics. The English Division is represented by traditionalists who expect their students to conform to their learning preferences, while exhibiting complete intolerance to what the demographic of students would most benefit from.

To my surprise and endless horror, PCC also has a reputable fashion program. Many fashion students graduate with job offers almost immediately with a starting salary of $20,000 or $30,000, which isn't a lot of money but is an impressive offer coming from the fashion field when all you've got is a Certificate. The fashion classes are more disorganized than the beauty program. At least with the beauty program, students demonstrate competency. I've yet to see students rise above the disarray during the actual process, but evidently they prove themselves at the end. Also, I was exposed to a beginning class for about a week, so my observations aren't well-informed.

The mathematics and engineering program is advanced. Many students have to re-take classes they've done well in in the past because PCC teaches those classes at a much more complex level. For example, PCC's pre-calculus is the equivalent of calculus at most other institutions. Professors passionate about math get excited and are more than willing to assist their students in demystifying problem sentences and introduce abstract concepts.

The science division is also superior, not just compared to other community colleges but is a formidable opponent of UCLA, as many former UCLA professors now reside at PCC. The quality of education within anatomy, anthropology, biology, chemistry, and physiology is impressive. Your intelligence, memory, and tenacity is tested. Of all the classes offered at PCC, I would venture that math and science is equally educationally enriching as it is at other UC's.

While the educational programs at PCC is undeniably sophisticated, their registration, records, and financial aid department, and social setting is tragically inferior. I moved almost a year ago, and PCC has failed to update my current address in all departments. I updated my information online, at the financial aid department, EOP&S department, and even went to Records. Somehow, I still manage to receive mail from PCC that was forwarded from my previous address. Payments seem to get lost or delayed chronically. Their operation runs inefficiently. Employees seem unable to assist anyone productively. It's as though their only presence is to perpetuate or exacerbate the problems. It's very frustrating. Even sadder is that the students have become accustomed to this form of incompetence that we actually incorporate this disruption into our process, practically accommodating and tolerating such negligence. I have made friends at PCC, but it's not the most social environment. Students who have been there for five years are shocked to learn that we have a cheerleading squad, a sorority, a fraternity, etc. The school's social inadequacy is actually reflected in how PCC is rated.