Columbia Basin College — Local services in Pasco

When I started my Computer Science degree at CBC in 2001 (yes, it has taken me awhile - life happens) it was an excellent school. Back then, you could expect to have a full schedule of in-person classes lead by actual people.

Now? 90% of the CS-related classes I have taken have been outsourced to TestOut Corp. It is all automated, yet CBC collects tuition as if they had to pay someone to stand there and lecture. That tuition, by the way, doesn't cover the cost of the separate TestOut fees (which I chalk up to being "books.") And this started before Covid, so that can't be used as an excuse.

TestOut is mediocre at best and downright frustrating at worst. I spend almost as much time reporting errors and omissions for their courses as I do on their labs and quizzes. It feels like nobody at TestOut cares to QA their courses and confirm that they are asking questions which are actually covered in the lessons. Meanwhile, CBC doesn't seem to check (or care) how TestOut is doing. They can tell the State that they did their part and the be absolved of any responsibility for a third-party site.

The teaching staff appears to be there solely to take the (completely infallible) scores from TestOut and then plugging them into Canvas. And that's it. That's the extent of the work we are paying tuition for.

They ask me to come in and talk to them about the problems I am having with TestOut, but with only 3 classes left what is the point? They aren't going to fix anything in time for me and once I am gone they will have one less person to listen to.

I was going to complete my Bachelor's at CBC but I will go to WSU instead, even if it costs...

When letting the resource center know I have test anxiety, which they advertise they can help with, they turned me away saying I need to have a documented "mental issue". Then attempted to correlate how mental issues, such as anxiety can be easily quantified by telling me its the same thing as a physical disability.

First off no. They are two completely different spectrums in which all of psychology and mental health professionals dont even have answers to everything that goes on in the human brain. So what is it they're exactly asking for? Secondly, I was turned away from ANY form of assistance in helping with a room I can use to take ONE test. I'm set to graduate this quarter and have used the resource center before to get help with trying to pass a class. Third, the "assistants" didn't even bother to ask my name or look up my file to see if I already had paperwork in the system so we COULD schedule a time/date for my next test.

With these things in mind, I wonder how an average college student (26 years old) who waits to be "independent" from family support in order to recieve financial aid, AND has no medical insurance due to being over 26 can even get evaluated in order to recieve help?!?!

It doesn't make sence. The resource center is there for students in need of assistance. Where else can I find a place that I can look to for help? This "policy" definitely needs to have an update. It's a new year, why are the staff so bent on NOT...

On my third term at CBC. I’ve been listed as a “non-Washington resident” in their system this entire time. I assumed it had something to do with moving from Oregon to Washington a little over a year ago, and I finally called to inquire when that would fall off as they quickly burned through my FA AND Employer funded Tuition amounts AND my out of pocket... Turns out due to an error in their system they were charging me triple tuition rates because they had me listed as out of country despite having my Washington address. Guess what several thousand dollars they won’t be refunding? Check and triple check ANYTHING to do with this school and money, or you’ll get burnt. Peep that graduation rate, and the fact that you’ll have instructors literally tell you “if you don’t get it or need more instruction look it up on Google”. Shall we also talk about the brand new academic building they force-funded by charging students $85 a term? While simultaneously turning around and telling students “it’s free to use!” It isn’t… you’re paying $85 a term, check your fees, and you will be charged even if you’re entirely online.

Pros though; You can attend mostly or in my case, entirely online. There are some absolute gems of instructors. It’s cheaper than WSU. When you can get someone on the phone, the staff are pretty helpful in getting to the...