Horrible experience at varsity college.

The class of BA Distance Class of 2021 is extremely disappointed in the way VC has conducted business over the past 6 months of our academic year. To start it off, we've had to call, log tickets, emails back and forth for the entire beginning of first semester because our modules were not even loaded beforehand. I can vouch personally, with multiple emails as evidence, that I had modules only loaded 4+ weeks into the semester. I have logged multiple tickets regarding wrong modules being loaded as well. The beginning of the year with VC has been nothing but complete stress, anxiety, and anger. We had no other choice but to continue with VC as other institutions had already closed their doors.

Finally had everything sorted, which was a completely unpleasant and very much delayed process. I can't complain about the lecturers and OT's they have done amazing at preparing us for examinations, THE's and Summative Projects.

Right, we move to the month of June. Without any prior notice, suddenly, we were notified that we would have to write on campus exams. We tried to fight against it as it was a complete inconvenience. Personally, I had to leave my house at 5:20 to avoid traffic and there by 7:45 to write my paper for the first time in person. I can't imagine how many other students had to make this hassle, and still had to sit and wait for their exam paper because VC couldn't even ensure that our first experience was a pleasant one.

We were told we would get a detailed breakdown yet didn't receive anything but a MOCK paper that was seriously nothing but a mockery. I did very well throughout my module, always above 70%. Yet managed to fail a paper and VC doesn't see anything wrong on their end regarding this process? We've been discussing back and forth on the groups and a lot of students have failed their entire module, because of 1 exam. Students that have gotten distinctions constantly have managed to fail. How is that possible? How does VC not see anything wrong on their end with this? Have you guys seen the results!?

We are expected to write the exact same exam as contact students yet receive so much less than they do. We expect the same treatment they receive because just like they are paying, we are also PAYING CUSTOMERS, paying for things they receive like proper exam breakdowns. I mean they're in lectures constantly while we have 1 lecture every 2 weeks and are expected to write the same paper they do? It's ridiculous.

We were told the exam would be application based and the exam we wrote, was completely based on theory. The questions were vague, and the mark allocations were very unrealistic. The lack of guidance was horrible, and the exam was nothing like the mock exam. The fact that every student walked out of that exam class feeling completely defeated, certain that they failed or did really badly compared to previous results we achieved.

Us as students had no knowledge even that if we failed the exam, we would then fail the entire module. Because then what is the purpose of the two assignments, and ice tasks? Most of us have passed considering our final results, but failed because of an exam. Why not only make it 1 exam then? We would then prep for that one major examination.

I would also like to address how overseas students had an advantage as they knew what to expect in the examination while students that have wrote, were discussing their stressors in our group, and then writing a day after us is a huge oversight on VC's part. VC will sure have us fuming if somehow they feel we aren't allowed to discuss things on our groups. This is an oversight on VC's side who should have ensured all students start at the exact same time.

I've been so put off to even send a mail, because I have seen the replies other students have gotten. It's disgusting. It sounds like "Just give the students a mail telling them they're stupid but don't straight up tell them that. It needs to sound like we care even though we genuinely don't care, the mail also don't need to say anything, it needs to give no actual concrete information." It's ridiculous that us students, paying customers, are waiting for a response. It's as if VC just doesn't see the importance in this issue. I would seriously never ever recommend VC to anyone looking to study further. Had I known that this is the service of VC, I would've been happy paying 15k a year at UNISA, instead of almost 50k a year at VC!

This is honestly so out of pocket, and it feels like a slap in the face from everyone at Varsity College.