Dutchess Community College

Dutchess community college is overall a good college to learn and get a degree. They recently placed a dorm in 2013. This is my 3rd semester living in the dorm. It is extremely difficult to live here at Dutchess. When classes are not in session, the campus is pretty much closed. At night you are yelled at by security for just walking around the campus. There are little to no activities to attend or do. The gym is usually closed 95% of the time due to classes or sport practice. There is nothing to do or offered on campus. Dutchess community college is not set up to have a dorm. They offer housing and that's it, Dutchess is not a campus that offers anything to the dorm students. The weekend shuttle that is offered to take students to the mall is not reliable. I have been left stranded at the mall and had to pay $30 for a tact back to the school. The school would not reimburse the students. The food selection from the cafeteria seems good at first, but the quality of the food is extremely poor. The school offers a very small budget for food for the students. The cafeteria closes at 7:30 then has a small cafeteria in the dorm that opens. The budget for the dorm cafe is extremely low and we receive the most disgusting choices of food and quality. It is hard to have dinner most nights if you take an evening class due to they usually often run out of food within the first hour of opening. The school will often close the cafeteria in the dorms when students arrive from brakes and come back with no food and no opportunity to purchase dinner for that night. Security is extremely tight checking any bag coming into the building, even shopping bags coming back from the store or mall. You have no privacy whatsoever, even checking and going thru your luggage when returning from brakes. The school is planning in installing microphones in the hallways to listen in on students conversations (which is illegal, has not been done yet) which makes it extremely difficult for students to live due to big brothers presence always around, not to mention the 89 camera already placed throughout the building, not a blind spot in sight even when walking to your dorm room. They constantly monitor students and if see too many students enter a suite, a fine is given. The fire alarm system is horrible. It is constantly set off all times of the night due to anywhere from malfunction to someone straightening there hair. They do many room checks ("safety" they are called but really to find illegal contraband such as desk lamps, signs, etc.) you have no privacy as a student. Laundry has gone up in price to $1.75 per machine $3.50 for a single load of laundry. They offer a gym in the dorm that has no Maintnance of any machines and has broken weights everywhere that charges $25 per semester. I would suggest this school as a option to commute and get your degree, but never to dorm.

1st Year Male -- Class 2014

Campus Maintenance: A-, Social Life: F

I went here because it was cheap. I graduated high school in 2009 and gas prices were cheap to justify the 45 minute commute. Obviously by 2012 gas prices sprung and that changed. I probably would have went more local if gas prices were what they are now. $3.90 a gallon.

Teachers - Huge mixing pot. Some are great and help you any way possible. Others just do their job, get paid and move on. Others need to find another career because teaching is not their thing. Definitely research beforehand. Some are easy, some are tough and others are just downright horrible and won't give you anything better than a C. You get what you pay for.

Social Life - There isn't one. Most students are there to get their work done and head out. Since this is a community college, the students including myself, had other things to do whether it was work or something else. I was in flight training and working so you never found me at DCC longer than I had to be. The school is also very cliquey, most are fresh out of high school but still treat like they are in high school, although maturity is up a little but just a little.

Clubs - There are some but aren't very active, I was too busy to be in any clubs and I am sure others were too.

Dorms - They are new and I have graduated before the official move in and don't know anything about what it is like, etc.

This school bites off WAY more than it can chew with students. People are usually parking in the baseball fields because both parking lots are full. In the schools defense however, a lot of students bail out after mid terms for whatever reason. So it does get better. With the dorms going in, I have no idea how it will be handled. To avoid this take 8AM classes. That was my only salvation. 9am - 12pm classes, you will be hunting all over the lots for spaces and fighting others for them. Lock your doors too.

School - The school itself is very nice and well maintained. The maintenance faculty bust their asses to keep it that way. The surrounding area is safe. I never took night classes but apparently security does escort you to your vehicle. The town of poughkeepsie is nice but the city can be a little unsettled in the outer areas.

Food - Never had it. McDonalds and my house was cheaper. I did use the vending machines.
Bookstore - HUGE RIPOFF. Stay clear of them unless you have a voucher. Email the teachers EXACTLY WHAT IS NEEDED!! for their class. The bookstore sells (packages) but you only end up using the textbook. Wasted money spent. Shop on amazon or chegg. You will save half if not more than the bookstores cost. I bought an ipad for $530 and putting ebooks on that paid for the ipad itself the first year I had it. Kindles also do this at half the cost. I prefer the iPad for flight training.

Registration - They may try to only register you for 13 credits. DON'T FALL FOR IT. You will be there longer than you have to be. Register for AT LEAST 15 credits per semester if you want to graduate on time. The advisement staff is not very helpful and learning about the aviation industry was mostly from self research, they don't know anything about it except the once flight instructor there.Bottom Line - You get what you pay for. I got a general studies degree to save money and so I can easily transfer out when I was done. It is nice to be able to check the "College Degree" box on an application. If I had to choose all over again, I would still go, IF gas was cheaper. If gas stayed the way it was, I wouldn't go on the basis of gas being too expensive. Good Luck.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2012

Collaboration/Competitive: A, Scholastic Success: F

If you don't research your teachers you are likely to end up with a very bad one. Bad meaning seems bothered by questions, working in general, and has no care about your success or interest in the subject. This makes whatever course twice as hard. I often have to teach myself all material which in addition to class time makes it very hard to work even part time. The occasional passionate teacher, let alone friendly teacher is very refreshing, however these teachers should be abundant and that is far from the case at Dutchess Community "College".

2nd Year Female -- Class 2014

Surrounding City: A-, Education Quality: F