BPCC has an open admissions policy established by the Louisiana Legislature and approved by the Board of Regents and Louisiana Community and Technical College System.
Students may be admitted to Bossier Parish Community College if they meet one of these three options: have obtained a high school diploma from a school accredited by a regionally accredited agency, have obtained a General Education Development diploma (GED), or have met pre-established criteria on the BPCC Ability to Benefit test and are above the age of compulsory school attendance. The objective of the Ability to Benefit as defined by the United States Department of Education is "the use of a standardized test approved by U. S. Department of Education to determine the ability of a student to benefit from the instruction available from an institution." The assessment measures established by the federal government as showing "ability to benefit" are as follows: a COMPASS score of 25 on pre-algebra/number skills; 32 on Writing Skills; and 62 on Reading Skills. The student is evaluated on the demonstration of at least the minimum score on all three tests in a single testing experience to be admitted to the College.
BPCC operates on a three-semester system, which includes a summer term. A qualified applicant may register at the beginning of any semester. Complete admission records must be received in the Admissions/Registrar’s Office prior to registration in order for the applicant to be notified regarding eligibility for admission. Students failing to complete admission records will be denied admission or will be admitted temporarily as provisional students. Students admitted provisionally are not eligible for federal financial aid.
The student’s permanent record is the academic file folder, which contains the following information: academic transcripts from high school and college, placement test scores, immunization records, and proof of Selective Service registration by male students. The records are on an imaging system, which stores the information on an optical disk. The records from 1967-94 are on microfiche, which is stored in a fireproof filing cabinet in the Admissions/Registrar's Office.
Louisiana state law (R.S. 17:170) requires immunization against measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus/diphtheria for all students born after 1956 who are enrolling in higher education for the first time or who have enrolled since January 1, 1991. Vaccination for Meningococcal Meningitis is required for first time freshmen beginning fall 2006 or after according to Acts 251 and 711 of 2006 Regular Legislative Session. Failure to comply with this law will result in the inability to complete the registration process.
Note: The law allows for a medical or personal exemption; however, should an outbreak occur, students signing exemptions will be excluded from class and other campus activities during an incubation period of two to three weeks. For additional information and forms, contact the Admissions/Registrar’s Office at 318-678-6004.
Placement tests are designed to determine levels of proficiency in the basic skills of English, mathematics, and reading. BPCC utilizes the COMPASS Placement Test for all students entering BPCC. Students may submit standardized test scores (i.e. ACT or SAT) to assist in placement in academic courses; however, use of those scores may not preclude a student from taking the placement test.
Full-time, degree-seeking students must take the remedial math courses and core math classes (generally Math 102) in consecutive semesters, excluding summers, until all math requirements are met.
For additional information contact the Office of the Executive Dean of Instruction at 318-678-6335 or 318-678-6348.
If students have ACT scores within the following ranges, they will not have to take the BPCC placement test in that academic area:
English
18 or higher.....................................................May enroll in English 101
Mathematics
20 or higher.................................................... May enroll in Math 102
Reading
16 or higher.................................................... Are not required to take Read 099
Preparatory education courses are provided for BPCC students who score below the minimum required COMPASS Placement Test scores. Preparatory courses include EDUC 099, READ 099, CIS 099, ENGL 098, ENGL 099 and MATH 097, MATH 098, and MATH 099. These semester-length courses will transfer to other postsecondary institutions as equivalent courses, but will not usually satisfy degree requirements.
Each division is responsible for the teaching of preparatory education courses within its own discipline. English faculty teach the preparatory English courses; mathematics faculty teach the preparatory math courses. The instruction of READ 099, “Developmental Reading,” is the responsibility of the Division of Liberal Arts; the instruction of EDUC 099, “College Success Skills,” is the responsibility of the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences; the instruction of CIS 099, “Keyboarding,” is the responsibility of the Division of Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
CIS 099 is offered to prepare students who do not feel competent in basic computer skills, and enrollment in that course is voluntary and based upon student request. This is a preparatory course that will NOT satisfy any degree requirements and may not transfer to other postsecondary institutions.
BPCC’s preparatory reading course, READ 099, will be required for the following students:
BPCC’s “College Success Skills” course, EDUC 099, will be required for the following students:
The student must meet General Admission requirements as well as the following:
Transfer credits from all regionally accredited institutions of higher education are recorded on the student’s permanent records. Inquiries about the use of a transfer course to meet degree requirements should be directed to the dean of the student’s major and the Executive Dean of Instruction.
Courses taken at institutions that are not accredited by regional associations are generally not accepted at BPCC. However, the student may pursue one of the following avenues to gain acceptance of this course work:
A transferring student is any applicant who plans to earn credits at BPCC that transfer to another college or university. Transfer students assume full responsibility for courses selected and are encouraged to seek guidance and approval for all courses which are to be transferred. BPCC cooperates with area colleges and universities both formally and informally regarding the articulation of transfer credits to four-year degree-granting institutions. Students are urged to check with these schools about transfer policies.
BPCC's courses generally transfer to other schools; the extent to which credits earned at BPCC are applicable to baccalaureate degrees at four-year colleges and universities is determined by the degree-granting institution. In general, a four-year school will accept no more than sixty (60) hours of the credits required for a degree from a four-year college, unless specifically authorized by the institution. Courses taken at the freshman and sophomore levels (100 and 200 level) at BPCC are usually not counted for junior or senior level (300 and 400 level) courses at four-year schools.
Students pursuing the associate degree or academic certificate at BPCC must declare their intent to do so. Curricular requirements become effective at the date of the declaration of the academic major and do not date from the point of original enrollment in the College.
International students must meet all of the regular admission requirements to Bossier Parish Community College. They must be full-time degree seeking students. A non-refundable application fee of $25.00 must accompany the application. All foreign credentials must be submitted in English to the Admissions/Registrar's Office and must be submitted to the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) for an evaluation. Students must request a basic statement of comparability for high school transcripts or a course-by-course evaluation for college transcripts. It can take six to eight weeks for evaluations to be processed. Additional information concerning the evaluation process and the associated fees can be obtained online at http://ies.aacrao.org/evaluations/indiform.pdf.
In addition, international students must complete the following:
The application, TOEFL scores, and other scholastic records must be filed in the Admissions/Registrar’s Office 90 days prior to the beginning of the semester when admission is desired. If complete documents are not on file by this deadline, the application will be considered for the next scheduled registration period. SCHOLASTIC RECORDS MUST BE TRANSLATED INTO THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. Also, students must submit original documentation. International students seeking to attend on a student visa are not eligible for provisional admission.
When international students have been officially admitted to BPCC (satisfied all admission requirements), a Form I-20--properly signed--will be sent to them. Students are responsible for paying a SEVIS fee, which may be paid at www.fmjfee.com.
International applicants transferring from institutions in the United States must also meet admission by transfer requirements as described in the catalog. They must meet all admission criteria before BPCC certifies qualification to enroll. Furthermore, they are not eligible to receive any type of BPCC scholarship. Financial Aid is not available for international students. Also, they must pay out-of-state fees. The designation of a student as "international" is determined by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
Former students must submit a readmission application (with the application fee waived). If the student has registered at another college or university since enrollment at BPCC, the student must request an official transcript from each institution, whether or not credit was earned. Former students must meet all admissions requirements from previous semesters before enrolling into the College.
To be eligible for unconditional readmission to BPCC, the student must have earned a 2.000 average on all work attempted, both at BPCC and at all other colleges and universities attended since attending BPCC. A student will be readmitted on scholastic probation if an overall 2.000 average has not been earned, or if the last semester average is not 2.000 and the student would have been granted continued enrollment the last semester at BPCC.
An applicant whose record does not meet unconditional readmission requirements and who has not been in residence at another college or university during the previous twelve months may be readmitted on scholastic probation.
Former students must meet all admissions requirements from previous semesters before enrolling into the College.
Any applicant who does not have complete admission documents on file at the time of application may be granted provisional admission pending receipt of complete and satisfactory records. A STUDENT ADMITTED PROVISIONALLY MAY HAVE HIS OR HER REGISTRATION CANCELED IF THE RECORDS, WHEN RECEIVED, DO NOT MEET THE ADMISSION CRITERIA. A PROVISIONALLY ADMITTED STUDENT HAS TEN (10) DAYS TO SUBMIT COMPLETE RECORDS. International students are not eligible for provisional admission. Students admitted provisionally are not eligible for federal financial aid.
The residence status of an applicant or student is determined by the Admissions/Registrar’s Office. Status is determined by evidence provided in the completed application for admission along with necessary supporting documentation.
An applicant or student who moves into Louisiana to attend BPCC, rather than to establish a residence, and enrolls at BPCC as a non-resident will continue to be so classified throughout attendance, unless it is demonstrated that the previous domicile has been abandoned and a Louisiana domicile established.
A resident student is defined as a student who has been domiciled in Louisiana continuously for at least one full year immediately preceding the first day of class of the semester or term for which residence classification is sought. “Domicile,” the word employed for the purposes of this regulation, is defined as an individual's true, fixed, and permanent home and place of habitation at which the individual remains when not called elsewhere for special or temporary purposes. Factors considered in establishing residence classification include the residence of the dependent's parents, tax returns, voting cards, and other financial information (particularly when emancipation is claimed), former domicile in Louisiana, and location of the source of an applicant's or student's income.
An international student on a student visa is classified as a non-resident.
Incorrect Classification: All students classified incorrectly as residents are subject to reclassification and payment of all nonresident fees not paid. If incorrect classification results from false or concealed facts by the student, the student is also subject to college discipline.
Bossier Parish Community College offers freshman level courses on the campus of Grambling State University. Any first-time freshmen (in-state and out-of-state) who do not meet GSU admissions criteria are encouraged to take classes through BPCC at GSU. After completion of developmental classes and the completion of 12 college credit hours with a 2.000 grade point average (excluding developmental grades), BPCC at GSU students will be able to choose one of several options:
Students at BPCC at GSU will have the opportunity to engage in a multitude of college activities. They will be eligible for financial aid, counseling, and health services. All BPCC at GSU students will pay Grambling fees which will enable them to utilize GSU facilities, park on campus, and enjoy athletic and cultural events by showing their BPCC at GSU ID cards.
All BPCC at GSU courses will be taught at Grambling State University. Students interested in enrolling in BPCC at GSU will complete a BPCC application and send it to BPCC at GSU, Attn: Sandra Willis-Theus, 403 Main Street, GSU Campus Box 4301, Grambling, LA 71245. In addition, students must submit an official high school transcript, official college transcript if applicable, and immunization record. Males age 18-25 will need to provide proof of selective service registration. All high school and college transcripts must be mailed directly to BPCC at GSU.
For more information, contact Mrs. Sandra Willis-Theus at 318-274-2102; Old President’s House, Room 116-GSU Campus, Grambling, LA 71245.
Bossier Parish Community College offers freshman level courses on the Northwestern State University campuses in Natchitoches and Leesville. Any first-time freshman (in-state and out-of-state) who does not meet the new admission criteria is encouraged to take classes through BPCC at NSU. After completion of developmental classes with a least a "C" and the completion of 12 college credit hours with a 2.000 average (excluding developmental grades), BPCC at NSU students will be able to choose one of several options:
Students at BPCC at NSU will have the opportunity to engage in a multitude of college activities. They will be eligible to apply for financial aid. Students will have access to counseling services and health services. All BPCC at NSU students will pay Northwestern fees which will enable them to utilize the WRAC facility, to park on campus, and to enjoy athletic and cultural events by showing their NSU ID cards.
All BPCC at NSU courses will be taught at the Natchitoches and Fort Polk/NSU campuses during the day. Students interested in enrolling in BPCC at NSU will fill out an application, enclose $15.00, and send them to:
BPCC at NSU,
114 Kyser Hall
Natchitoches, LA 71497
In addition, students must submit an official high school transcript and an immunization record. Males, ages 18-25, will need to provide proof of selective service registration.
For more information, contact Connie McConathy (mcconathyc@nsula.edu) at 318-357-5362 in 114 Kyser Hall, NSU Campus, Natchitoches, LA 71497.
Program of Adult Courses for Enrichment (PACE) is available for students who wish to schedule part-time study, who have not been enrolled in high school or college for the past three years, and who do not desire to work toward a degree. PACE students may be permitted to schedule courses for credit without submitting scholastic credentials needed to determine admissibility to the College. Students enrolled under PACE may schedule up to 6 hours a semester and may earn a maximum 15 hours. Students who wish to work toward a degree or continue enrollment after completing 15 hours under PACE may apply for regular admission to the College and must submit the required admissions credentials at that time. Credit and grades earned as a PACE student are included on the official transcript. Students enrolling in PACE must be non-degree seeking and are not eligible for financial aid.
Division for Innovative Learning
Bossier Parish Community College offers six fast-track, accelerated associate degree programs and one certificate of technical competency that will allow adults to finish their college degree. These online programs allow working adults to work on courses at convenient, flexible times and locations.
Six associate degree options:
One certificate of technical competency option:
The classes are fast-track, allowing students to finish a course in 4-week and 8-week sessions. The courses are taught online which provides for great flexibility. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
For information, email to call@bpcc.edu or by phone at 318-678-6050. Students can also visit www.bpcc.edu/innovativelearning for detailed information on being an accelerated student.
Early Entrance
Students in EXCEL are not eligible for financial aid.
** Obtain from high school counselor.
For more information, call 318-678-6057.