I should start by mentioning that I am currently finishing my bachelors degree at WWU, but ONLY because Whatcom Community College did not offer the particular type of degree I wanted. Otherwise, I would have stayed at WCC! Sure, there were a couple of professors who were NOT my (or anyone's) favorite and could definitely use a review by the board, but you will get that ANYWHERE. I learned A LOT while obtaining a certificate and my associates degree at Whatcom, and I believe that you get out what you put in. If you put in 60% effort, chances are that you will only learn around 60% of what the professors are teaching, which, AGAIN, you will get anywhere you go. What you will NOT get from just anywhere are professors and advisors who take the time needed to help the INDIVIDUAL student, no matter where they are in life. There is also the fact that a lot of my current classmates are envious of the types of classes that I was provided with at Whatcom because all of MY prereqs contained some kind of useful skill and/or knowledge, whereas THEY are wondering how their "Ancient East Asian Civilizations" class is supposed to help them with their current major track. I'm not trying to say that WWU is awful or anything, but Whatcom Community College felt like home. The professors, advisors, staff, students, and EVERY single person that I came into contact with always went above and beyond and TRULY wanted to see me succeed. I felt like I belonged there, which I cannot say about my current school. Whatcom is honestly a very special place and so much more than "just a community college." It is a WONDERFUL, FRIENDLY place to gain a valuable education, and an even better place to help you believe in yourself. And that is priceless. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, WCC!! read more

Whatcom Community College is the equivalent of paying for your own babysitter. You learn nothing you couldn't learn in a few minutes on the internet (which is free, by the way) and the social scene is basically nonexistent. The only people it would be beneficial for is Running Start students who don't care about making friends in college and are just there to get free college credit. Would not recommend. read more

Super unorganized school in my experiences. I've attended WCC for 4 years, 2 of those being a running start student. Here are my issues: In this time, I have never been assigned an advisor? No wonder i've been nonstop struggling. Since I was unsure about what I wanted to major in (mind you this was before the start of any sort of choosing a degree) but I knew I didn't want to take a gap year, they told me "why don't you wait. you sure you wanna do college?"... now what? I fully stated that I was not interested in a gap year and why is it now expected to know your major off the bat, what happened to general credits? My Microsoft word account has not allowed me access through my WCC login for all of winter quarter 2022. The student help desk reached out once to ask if the issue was resolved and when I said no, they never responded... so.. i've been saving files in network shortcuts. ghetto. Some random lady who I thought was my advisor but wasn't... didn't tell me my AA was one of the ONLY non-transferables. Awesome! This was after I had already done two quarters that I figured that out! and yes, I did hope to transfer eventually. The student help desk overall is super finicky and barley responsive. You call them during open hours and it's for sure a hit or miss on if they respond to you or call back even when left a voicemail. Overall, I could say that this school has had some pretty good professors but thats honestly about it. That's a huge hit or miss too. This school is nothing special and has shown me numerous times they don't care about their students and their success. Hope to see some improvements down the line. read more

I took a continuing education course "A dynamic approach to oil painting" instructor Sheila Steinborn. Even though she's knowledgeable about her craft. She begins by telling the class that if you have any hopes of making money or having any talent in this you should get over yourself. You'll never put as much time or energy into it as she has. If you have any confidence in yourself you won't by the time you're done with this class. If you show up with the wrong kind of paint she will brow beat you if you show up with the right kind of paint she will act like "who the hell do you think you are?" I have sold paintings and I've had two very successful shows. I have only been painting for two years, which I think annoyed her she gave me zero time and attention. I had great respect for her and listened attentively however the second to the last day of class she suggested that we were adults and we should be able to take the criticism. For $190 for a non credit continuing education class I don't necessarily think she should be handing out destructive criticism. There are so many wonderfully instructors if you were going to take a class avoid this woman. Just another quick note the class is going to cost you around $190 and don't be fooled the supply list (if you buy the things that she requires) it is going to be at least another $300. The reason this went one star review to a three star review is that Whatcom community college called me and was very gracious in handling this situation with me. read more

I loved the time I spent at WCC. If it wasn't for WCC, I probably would not have had the drive or the interest to finish my transfer degree. I transferred from a different college where I was failing, avoiding classes, and about to give up on school. WCC's amazing professors, advisers, and especially their counselors were the key to helping me change things. The only issues I've had at the school were with the information desk staff and the financial aid staff. One woman handed me another student's financial aid check after checking both my drivers license, student ID, and paper work. After returning the wrong check, she blamed me for giving her "the wrong ID number" even though it ended up being the correct number (along with the other info I provided). It can also be a little frustrating dealing with student staff members once in a while, but most of them are incredibly helpful. The campus is beautiful and the class rooms are comfortable. There's also tons of areas for lounging between classes, eating lunch, studying, etc. The parking is painless, probably the most painless I've ever encountered in a college setting. No parking stickers are required and even during the busiest hours you can find a parking spot, as long as you're fine with a bit of a walk (across a huge parking lot.) The professors are amazing, just utilize ratemyprofessors.com. Take the ratings with a grain of salt, of course... but I made the mistake of taking a poorly rated math teacher and regretted it. After that mistake, the rest of my degree was finished by taking amazing teachers that had all received decent ratings on that site. Basically, WCC feels like a University with its amazing professors and welcoming atmosphere. You just miss out on the painful tuition cost of a University. read more

I cannot stress enough how little the staff actually care about the students of this school. Information is not given willingly. You almost have to know the answer to your question in order to ask it in a way that is specific enough to solicit an answer. Quarter after quarter I am met with blocks to registration that are things I had no knowledge of, transfers and transfers to different departments and no answers from any of them, and just straight ignorance from everyone I talk to. If I ever get an answer out of someone,zombie it contradicts something another staff member told me. Maybe truly just don't know how the registration process or anything works, and they choose to be rude to students for their own lack of knowledge because... who knows why... in which case every advisor I have spoken to shouldn't have a job. read more

Whatcom Community College is a great school. Most of the teachers are very caring and engaging, there is a wide variety of student body (both locals and foreign students) and there the campus is nice, clean and pretty. They offer a decent variety of classes and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in different activities or programs. read more

If I would give zero stars I could. The staff (excluding instructors) is INCREDIBLY rude and treat you as if you are stupid for asking any kind of question. When I went in to try to register I was sent back and fourth between different locations on campus for two hours in order to find out where I could find the class codes I would need to enter online in order to register for my classes. The staff in the registration center, testing center, and financial aid center are especially rude and clearly do not want to be there. If you are going to be paying your own tuition you are better off spending your money at BTC read more

As far as community colleges go, WCC is a step above. It may not be for someone that grew up in Bellingham because there will undoubtedly be many kids from your High School there. It's nice to get away from that, speaking from personal experience. I went here for a little over a year before starting at WWU and for the most part was happy with campus, parking, staff, and course selection. Check out ratemyprofessors.com and you will probably see some great prof reviews. read more

WCC is a great school for students interested in getting a quality education. Many students transfer from the college to four year institutions. My instructors have all been friendly, smart, and dedicated to their work. read more