Freshman Applicant - Student Handbook - Bossier Parish Community College

Should request that an official high school transcript be sent directly to the Admissions/Registrar's Office. Those students who graduated from a Louisiana high school in 2003 or later do not have to provide a hard copy of their transcript because the College can access the transcript over the Internet through the Department of Education's Student Transcript System. Students possessing high school equivalency diplomas (GED) should have GED test scores sent to the Admissions/Registrar's Office.
Students who have not obtained a high school diploma, a General Education Development diploma (GED), or a home-schooled student whose home schooling is not approved by BESE-Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education or out of state equivalent may take the Ability to Benefit test. The student must be above the age of compulsory attendance (17 years of age). The criteria 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 the reading skills. The student must demonstrate at least the minimum score on all three tests in a single testing experience to be admitted.
ALL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET WITHIN THE TIME LIMITS LISTED IN THE ACADEMIC BULLETIN, OR THE STUDENT'S ENROLLMENT WILL BE CANCELED WITH NO REFUND. A student is considered provisionally admitted until all admissions requirements are met. Students admitted provisionally are not eligible for federal financial aid.
First-time freshmen entering BPCC who have taken the American College Test (ACT) can supply BPCC with a copy of these results. Applicants will not be refused admission to the college because of low test scores. Certain scores on the ACT may exempt the student from having to take the placement test, and may result in the student not having to take certain developmental courses. First-time freshmen entering BPCC who have not taken the ACT or have not provided BPCC with the ACT results will be required to take the COMPASS placement test.
BPCC reserves the right to use ACT and placement test scores of students on an anonymous basis for incorporation into its institutional statistics and for documenting institutional effectiveness. Information concerning the ACT and placement testing is available from the Admissions/Registrar's Office.
Louisiana applicants will not be refused admission to the College because of low test scores. Test scores are used for counseling and placement purposes only.
A student is considered provisionally admitted until all admissions requirements are met. Students admitted provisionally are not eligible for federal financial aid.
Military Service Act for Admission
In accordance with the requirements of Louisiana Law, specifically R.S. 17:3151 (Acts 1985, No. 185; Acts 1987, No. 214; Acts 1999, No. 345), and the Federal Selective Service Act, each institution within the LCTCS shall implement the following requirement for admission:
1. Except as provided in parts B. and C. below, no person who is required to register for the federal draft under the federal Military Service Act shall be eligible to enroll in the institution until such person has registered for such draft. Such persons shall submit to the institution a statement of compliance and written proof of draft registration and selective service status as part of the required documents for admission.
2. A veteran of the armed forces of the United States may submit a copy of his discharge papers or his discharge certificate in lieu of the statement of compliance.
3. A person who has not registered for the federal draft shall be eligible to enroll in a post-secondary school if both of the following occur:
  1. The requirement for the person to register has terminated or become inapplicable to the person.
  2. The person makes a showing satisfactory to the institution that there was a failure to register.

Register online or verify your official registration date by visiting the World Wide Web at www4.sss.gov.

The Freshman Applicant