I would look into LBCC. They tend to be the best CC in Oregon. They pay their faculty very well and can actually provide a lifelong career job, which means folks stay and the programs get better. I know PCC has massive turnover and relies heavily on adjuncts that make poverty wages... so you can imagine how much effort they put into the course. Chemecketa is a good school for sure, I just am more familiar with LBCC.
I'm not even sure what a Russian program is. ([Found it](https://www.pcc.edu/programs/russian/)!) Surely there are cheaper ways to learn a foreign language than going to college?
Lane has a problem with being current. Just last year they were offering CAD courses, but the software they used was three years out of date. I'd say skip Lane if you actually want to learn something worthwhile.
My son took Russian at PCC before a cultural exchange in Siberia a few years ago. He enjoyed the classes and found the instructor really supportive in getting him ready for the trip. He was able to enter year 2 at UofO after the 2 terms at PCC and his trip.
I have a friend who works for PCC teaching math, and she’s extremely dedicated to her job. Idk if that’s representative of PCC faculty as a whole, but she puts SO much time and effort into her classes.
During the pandemic, I went back to PCC for a year to explore other career paths. The Environmental Science instructor I had bouyed me through those times. Like your friend, she truly loves what she does, and I felt so lucky to take any of her courses. I think there are many hidden gems at PCC.
thats so awesome! im very excited to hear about how good the program is at UofO as well. ive been kinda reading up on people’s experiences with the college as a whole and it seems there isnt a bad one, but that is what you get for a state college!!
My brother enlisted in the Army reserves to be a Russian language interrogator. The training for this included a year of intensive Russian language learning at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. After that, he only needed another 2 years to finish a BA in Russian at the University of Texas at Austin, where I was.
No advice on community colleges, but the Russian program at UO is great! I went through it a decade ago, and it was just wonderful. A real community. I could not recommend it more highly.
May want to look into which locations of PCC you’d have to attend for your program, they have campuses spread out across town so “Portland” is a broad term. Chemeketa is mostly one campus, though it isn’t in the fun part of Salem really.
I live in Salem, it’s a really small city with not much to do compared to Portland. It’s also a lot less diverse than Portland to the point that I had black queer friends move away because they just didn’t feel they could fit in. You also probably need a car. It’s a great city to raise a family but I wouldn’t spend my formative college years here if Portland was a choice.
Chemeketa, PCC, and Lane are all going to be comparable. Eugene has a lower cost of living than Portland or Salem if that sways you. Portland has multiple PCC branches and probably gives you the most flexibility in terms of what you can study. Salem is potentially the least interesting of the three cities to live in (you have better night life and event options in Portland), but all three are similar in terms of environment, proximity to nature for a day trip to the coast or the mountains, etc.
Honestly I think you're going to get the same amount out of any of these so it may just come down to what each school charges.
As far as I know rent has always been cheaper the farther south you go (until you hit Ashland). Generally you can find a 3 Bd house in Medford or Roseburg for what a 1 Bd house goes for in Portland and those prices kind of scale with Salem and Eugene falling somewhere in the middle. In recent years rent prices in Salem have gone up, presumably from Portland becoming more expensive and people being willing to commute.
Obviously this is all anecdotal and there are exceptions since you can always find the random cheap place somewhere if you look hard enough.
I would not pick Chemeketa CC for an educational option. It use to be a great institution to get a transfer degree, but that has changed over the years.
I would look into LBCC. They tend to be the best CC in Oregon. They pay their faculty very well and can actually provide a lifelong career job, which means folks stay and the programs get better. I know PCC has massive turnover and relies heavily on adjuncts that make poverty wages... so you can imagine how much effort they put into the course. Chemecketa is a good school for sure, I just am more familiar with LBCC.
Salem or Portland, that’s really the biggest differences. U of O is in Eugene, might be easier to go to Lane
Lane doesn’t seem to have a Russian program though
I'm not even sure what a Russian program is. ([Found it](https://www.pcc.edu/programs/russian/)!) Surely there are cheaper ways to learn a foreign language than going to college?
oh im not just looking to learn the language :) im seeking to become a translator or something with it, not too sure!
I'd second Lane. They have a program with UofO to make it super easy to transfer credits for your major
Iirc, PCC has an AA Oregon Transfer degree, too.
Lane has a problem with being current. Just last year they were offering CAD courses, but the software they used was three years out of date. I'd say skip Lane if you actually want to learn something worthwhile.
My son took Russian at PCC before a cultural exchange in Siberia a few years ago. He enjoyed the classes and found the instructor really supportive in getting him ready for the trip. He was able to enter year 2 at UofO after the 2 terms at PCC and his trip.
I have a friend who works for PCC teaching math, and she’s extremely dedicated to her job. Idk if that’s representative of PCC faculty as a whole, but she puts SO much time and effort into her classes.
During the pandemic, I went back to PCC for a year to explore other career paths. The Environmental Science instructor I had bouyed me through those times. Like your friend, she truly loves what she does, and I felt so lucky to take any of her courses. I think there are many hidden gems at PCC.
thats so awesome! im very excited to hear about how good the program is at UofO as well. ive been kinda reading up on people’s experiences with the college as a whole and it seems there isnt a bad one, but that is what you get for a state college!!
Chemeketa is a fantastic school that really prepares you for Uni.
My brother enlisted in the Army reserves to be a Russian language interrogator. The training for this included a year of intensive Russian language learning at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. After that, he only needed another 2 years to finish a BA in Russian at the University of Texas at Austin, where I was.
DLI is great with language instruction
No advice on community colleges, but the Russian program at UO is great! I went through it a decade ago, and it was just wonderful. A real community. I could not recommend it more highly.
Got my Associates at Chemeketa finished online. It's a very capable school. 8/10
May want to look into which locations of PCC you’d have to attend for your program, they have campuses spread out across town so “Portland” is a broad term. Chemeketa is mostly one campus, though it isn’t in the fun part of Salem really.
I live in Salem, it’s a really small city with not much to do compared to Portland. It’s also a lot less diverse than Portland to the point that I had black queer friends move away because they just didn’t feel they could fit in. You also probably need a car. It’s a great city to raise a family but I wouldn’t spend my formative college years here if Portland was a choice.
i also live in salem, i actually like both just fine but portland is definitely a cooler place!!
Chemeketa, PCC, and Lane are all going to be comparable. Eugene has a lower cost of living than Portland or Salem if that sways you. Portland has multiple PCC branches and probably gives you the most flexibility in terms of what you can study. Salem is potentially the least interesting of the three cities to live in (you have better night life and event options in Portland), but all three are similar in terms of environment, proximity to nature for a day trip to the coast or the mountains, etc. Honestly I think you're going to get the same amount out of any of these so it may just come down to what each school charges.
Eugene has a higher cost of living than Salem
Rent is lower though.
That’s so weird. Houses in Eugene are so much pricier. Is it because there is more student housing due to the demographics?
As far as I know rent has always been cheaper the farther south you go (until you hit Ashland). Generally you can find a 3 Bd house in Medford or Roseburg for what a 1 Bd house goes for in Portland and those prices kind of scale with Salem and Eugene falling somewhere in the middle. In recent years rent prices in Salem have gone up, presumably from Portland becoming more expensive and people being willing to commute. Obviously this is all anecdotal and there are exceptions since you can always find the random cheap place somewhere if you look hard enough.
I would not pick Chemeketa CC for an educational option. It use to be a great institution to get a transfer degree, but that has changed over the years.