Tidewater Community College - Virginia Beach Campus — Local services in Virginia Beach

Honestly very disappointed and frustrated at this point. I had a great experience with Kathy Gieb taking the CNA and CMA certification courses, BUT everything else after that has been a nightmare.

I took an A+P course in Spring 2020 and halfway through they switched to online due to covid. The teachers were NOT prepared. I know they did the best they could but I signed up for an in person course because I know that I do not learn well online. You can't even take the A+P course online during normal circumstances. When I contacted the college to see if I could finish the class later or get a partial refund/credit I was told I would have to actually catch covid or not be able to participate in class due to lack of technological needs. Then I was told that I can't ask for a refund on a class simply because I didn't get the grade I wanted. This, to me, was very insulting and accusatory. When I called I was holding onto an A average and actually got a 96 on the mid term of this difficult class and my grade plummeted to barely a C due to my inability to learn online, the lack of support from the college to assist people in this position, and the fact I was pulling extra hours at work as a healthcare provider to deal with the pandemic. These are all the reasons why I asked for a refund or credit as soon as they switched to online because I had already predicted the outcome. The only compensation given was the option for a pass/fail versus a letter grade. I emailed the dean on the support email that was sent out to students after talking to multiple staff members explaining my situation and the email was BLOCKED.

I called the radiography program to see if they were making any exceptions due to covid involving pushing back the application deadline or a temporary allowance of the acceptance of a pass/fail and was told that no exceptions were being made. I decided to take the loss and pay for the class again when classes became available in person again. It is now Fall 2020 and no in person classes are being held, the deadline for the program is still in December, and I will have to wait another year to apply the program and a year and a half in order to even start the two year program. Again, no exceptions are being made. No wiggle room at all.

I am severely disappointed at how TCC has handled this pandemic. They have shown they have no interest in their students and how their lack of adjustment can push a persons' goals back for years. They seem to only care about the money they provide and how long they can keep a person purchasing classes from them. From a "working college" I...

Very unhelpful. Just about all the staff is wrongfully informed. They were supposed to help me fill out the fasfa. It got filled out wrong so I couldn't go in that semester. Same thing with a different lady the following semester. Once finally straight they said I could attend unless I brought is the last 3 years of my w2 that I could not provide because I had only been filling my own taxes since I was of age. Then they wanted 4 from my husband aswell when I haven't even been married to him for a month. Just about everyone I spoke to was like that's great you brought that in but we need something else too. This shouldn't be that difficult then after I signed up for full time I ended up pregnant and not finding out until late in my pregnancy. After my baby was born I was having alot of health complications. Some teachers where very accommodating and amazing. My English teacher was not and honestly a complete B. She would help with any questions I had during the zoom classes and kept telling me to drop out. She kept telling me this and I felt really bullied about it. She kept telling me if I continued I would fail anyway and it would be worse that way even when she would help me or even try to accommodate me. I got really discouraged by this and spoke to admins and agreed I couldn't switch but would have to drop that one class. Made sure I wouldn't loose my Pell grant over this and aparently she marked it some way to wear I did loose it. I am a mother just trying to go to school and not I can't because of that teacher and have been trying to hardly it though everyone and the school REFUSES to talk to me. They tell me that can't disclose that information. Honestly I hope that teacher looses her job no one should have to deal with what I did. I can't even afford to go to school because of her now and the school mislead me...

The reason I give this school 2 stars is because there were about 2 people that actually seemed to care about my case, and were able to get my case to the point were I received help for my tuition. It took me WEEKS and COUNTLESS calls to have a "hold" removed on my account. No one seemed to understand the reason for it, but I did, and told them time and time again. ISS even explained to several staff members that it was something that needed to be fixed by the school. I was nice and respectful to the staff the whole time bc it is not the staff's fault that management of this school does not inform and train their staff properly. I did all my research on my case, completed all applications in a timely manner. I CALLED ENDLESS TIMES, until I got a hold of these 2 staff members that took the time to look into DACA and look for help. There is NO mention AT ALL on their website regarding DACA students. Countless of community colleges in VA have clear information for DACA students on their website. None of the staff knew what it was. I called financial aid over and over, they are a joke. They are so uninformed about everything, unless you have basic FAFSA questions. I am SO disappointed in this school, and sad to see the countless reviews that are being ignored I only expect mine to be one of the many. I wish there was really a serious change. We are trying to better our selves and get...