Florida SouthWestern State College — Local services in Cape Coral

I've been going back and forth with this college since 2006 to present day 2025. From Edison Community College, to Edison State College, and now Florida Southwestern State College. I keep coming back out of convenience.

Since there's not an appropriate way for me to leave feedback regarding my issue, unless it involves academic advising or an actual transgression between myself and a professor, called a grievance, neither of which apply to me, then I'll leave it here, and maybe something will come of it. Maybe not for me, but maybe a change to their policies to be more forgiving.

You need to fix the ability for students to have access to their online courses when their phone is broken or lost. Tying everything up into the Multifactor Authentication is such a shortsighted solution to the problem of data theft prevention.

I work full time as a team lead for the company I'm employed at, so simply taking the day off to resolve my phone issue wasn't really feasible.

On the morning of 2/5/25, I woke up to my phone off and unresponsive. It died. I did not drop it. I did not get it wet. It was just dead. I was locked out of all of my online courses because I no longer had access to my Multifactor authenticator.

On the evening of 2/5/25, since Verizon was closed when I got out of work, I went online and ordered a new phone and paid to have it overnighted. Since it was so late in the evening however, it didn't get shipped until Thursday and I received it Friday evening.

Friday morning, 2/7/25, before going into work, I called FSW's IT help desk. I was told that the MFA should carry over with my phone as long as it's attached to my personal Google account and not my FSW account. I asked, and they confirmed, that I wouldn't have to reset my MFA if it's attached to my Google account.

Friday evening, I got my phone, I downloaded the Google MFA, but it'll only carry over the old data if I can get my old phone to produce a QR code for the new phone to scan. The help desk was closed, and they will only reset the MFA during work hours, which is not the weekend.

I was essentially locked out of all things involving my account, including my email and Canvas where all of my assignments were, because of this institution's policy on students having a MFA to sign-in with no failsafe outside of their physical IT department being there to reset it for you.

I had 2 papers due on 2/9/25, that were a combined 325 points. I got a 0 for both because I have a professor who is unforgiving with her deadlines. It dropped my high B to a mid C, and instead of shooting for an A in this class (mini-A that concludes on 2/27), I will have to settle for just passing with a C.

Thank you FSW for adequately preparing your students for the unforgiving world that you're shooting them out to embrace. This whole experience has been incredibly frustrating. This isn't about their help desk steering me in the wrong direction--itwas an honest mistake. The decision to have no failsafe and just to willfully allow students to be locked out on the weekends, getting zeros for assignments that are due, has to have a better solution than what is in...

UPDATE: I left my first negative review 3 years ago, and unfortunately I am unable to change it. The issues of miscommunication that existed then still exist now. I cannot get anyone to help me without having to pay in some way. The classes I need to graduate are listed in their course catalog, but are never offered requiring me to search through Florida Shines to get them, but then I have to pay to get the transcripts transferred over and apply to see if the credits will even be accepted (because as I was told, you have to take the class first and them see if it'll be accepted), which they still may not be, in which case I am out the money of the course and textbooks, while still having to obtain the credits somehow. Because I took a remedial math class and completed it (passing) I cannot re-take the P.E.R.T test to test out, and will now have to extend my timeline by a semester (provided I get approval for the Florida Shines program.) I had planned to stay enrolled and obtain my Bachelor's through here, but after 3 years of arguing with every staff member in order to get any information or even assistance I have grown tired of fighting with an institution that clearly only wishes to make money off me and has no interest in helping me accomplish my goals. As it stands, I am looking for any regionally accredited school to transfer to, as I believe starting over will be easier than dealing with anyone at their office.

ORIGINAL: People are rude and I get misinformation all the time. If I speak to my advisor she tells me one thing I speak to financial aid they tell me another and if I call FAFSA they tell me something completely different. Had one bad semester back in 2011 and due to that I can't even use a student loan to pay for my classes now that I am ready to go back. Spoke to FAFSA who said I qualify for aid but that the school is rejecting it. Tried to get assistance from the school but the people were very rude and spent most of the time transferring me to other departments, which is probably why their graduation rate is at 32% according to the financial aid website, I don't feel that they try to get their students to succeed They even messed up my information and charged me as a non-florida resident even though I had a signed affidavidt stating otherwise and no one told me I had to update that information. I updated my address and other things and they still have not changed it in the system. I can't speak on classes as it has been next to impossible to get enrolled due to the countless holds they keep placing on my account. So far I have had a horrible experience and wish I had another alternative for the program I am in but there are limitations in this area for that particular program otherwise I'd go some where else in...

No one at the main campus has any idea what they're doing. No one. I live in Fort Myers but have to drive all the way to the Hendry county campus if I need to get something done, they actually know what their job is. CORRECTION- the Hendry county campus actually doesn't have any idea either. Simple math is a little too complicated for them I guess.

My advisor screwed me up so badly I was forced to drop out for a semester. She had no idea what she was doing nor what the requirements were for getting into the Nursing program. She was too busy trying to sell me an Associates degree in "general education" that I do not need. She ended up getting fired but I still payed for it. Everyone at the school seems to be so busy trying to sell everyone an Associates degree in nothing that they don't actually care about why you're there.

The Anatomy and Physiology teacher I had was such a horrible teacher that at withdrawal time, only 16/35 students were left in the class. Out of those 16 left, around 8 passed the class. How is she teaching again this semester?!

As for getting in-state tuition, GOOD LUCK. Everyone on the main campus will kick and scream to make sure all of their out-of-state students just give up on getting in-state. I had one lady at the main campus tell me that I absolutely could not get in-state tuition for one reason and when I talked to somebody in the Hendry county, she said that was false and requested the name of that person, unfortunately I didn't bother to catch her name. I have lived in Florida for over a year and have done multiple things to show I am qualified for in-state tuition but every time I come back to the office to turn in paperwork or something I am told the requirements are now different AGAIN.

The only nice part of FSW is the campus, it's beautiful. Along with a few good teachers who really care about their students. Getting a teacher that doesn't suck is a 50/50 chance though. Location of the school is good, right by US 41 which has everything you could ever need.

If you're thinking of coming here from out of state, I'd say forget it. Everything here is such a mess, not worth it. If I could give zero stars I would. I am beyond done with this school and CANNOT WAIT...