Piedmont Virginia Community College - Virginia Review

Overall 4.50 of 5 view all 2 reviews

qrtrhrskid
Charlottesville, VA

Piedmont is a great way to get to a four-year school.

a serious student, practical, paying for school, daily driver, willing to learn, shy

Pros

Reasonable cost, Small class sizes

Cons

Parking is lousy

NOV

2008

I'm in my second year of attending Piedmont on my way to a guaranteed transfer to UVa. I've found good things and bad things at Piedmont since I've been there, but overall, I've enjoyed my experience.

I've enjoyed the small class sizes and the helpfulness of the teachers. Because of the small class sizes, as I've gone through my semesters, I've always felt like my teachers were there, not only to teach me, but to help me understand the information that I've been presented. I've not taken a class there yet that my teachers were unwilling to work with me to make sure that I was succeeding.

Because Piedmont doesn't cost as much as UVa, I can spend two years a Piedmont for less than what it costs for one year at UVa. As a working student, I appreciate the opportunity to get my Associate's degree at a lower cost.

Piedmont only has two buildings (they are in the proccess of building a third). This makes it really easy to find your classes at the beginning of each semester. It also makes the school feel smaller. UVa feels huge because the campus sprawls all over town.

The best part about Piedmont is that they have guaranteed transfers to many (most, if not all) in-state four-year colleges (even one out-of-state school). I'm on track to graduate this spring and transfer to UVa in the fall with a guaranteed transfer. As long as I can keep my GPA above a certain point, make above a C in all of my classes, and take all of the right classes, I am guaranteed a spot in the liberal arts school (the engineering school, business school, and the rest have to be applied for separately).

Piedmont's parking is really bad. Early in the semester, before all the people who are going to drop out do, the parking lot has more cars than it can hold. This year especially, people were forced to park in places where they weren't actually supposed to park because there simply weren't enough spaces. Also, there are no lights on the way to the student parking lot, which is not terribly close to the main building (I don't know how parking is for Dickinson building; I've never taken a class in that building). As of now (the end of 2008), they are talking about putting call-boxes in the parking lots, but not lights.

It's hard for me, as a quiet person to get involved on campus. I'm not quite sure how to get involved with any of the student groups on campus and in all my time there, I'm only just now getting comfortable enough to talk to people in my classes (which is fine with me). If you're looking for a campus where people seek you out, Piedmont is not for you.

Overall, I'd say that Piedmont is a great place to get an Associate's degree on your way to a four-year school or as a place to continue your education (there have been several stay-at-home-mother types in my classes). If you do choose to attend Piedmont, like anything else, there are things that you might want that you may not necessarily get.