Foothill College Reviews

"The college itself is great; the VT program, however, is hit or miss. Some instructors are very forthright about how you are doing in classes and will meet with you one-on-one. Other instructors, particularly Kathleen D., have shown themselves to be untrustworthy and insincere.She has been known to tell students that they "got" a practical when they failed, and behave as if everything were ok, even when there is something serious to be discussed. She has also made backhanded comments regarding the classes of Dr. M., with whom she has some enmity. She actively and passive-aggressively discourages students who are having difficulties, and will tell students that they "can't do it"; Not that you should take a break, or get help, or pursue the Alternate Route, but that you cannot do it. Furthermore, Kathy D. do not give students the courtesy of advance notice before bringing up serious/unpleasant matters. They will take one out of class during the middle of lab, or just after class, with not so much as an e-mail stating "we need to talk, and here's why". This would be extremely unprofessional behavior toward colleagues, but it appears that students are fair game. Kathy DePaolo was also unwilling to meet or speak with students one-on-one in these matters; for her, it had to be two instructors-on-one, or three-on-one. If challenged, she will claim that higher authorities forbid such confrontations. Regarding labs: there were crucial labs in which students received very little hands-on training or guidance. There were several key labs in which students had 2.5 hours of lecture, with perhaps 20-30 minutes of actual practice, treating these skills as an afterthought. This was especially discouraging for students practicing these skills for the first time. The application process has become less merit-based as it has changed to a lottery-based system. Overall, the VT program was once stellar, perhaps, but has gone downhill in recent years."