Admissions

Admissions Policy

Bossier Parish Community College is an open admissions institution, as established by the Louisiana Legislature and approved by the Board of Regents and Louisiana Community and Technical College System.

Any person above the age of 16, regardless of prior academic preparation, may be fully admitted to BPCC as long as the following criteria are satisfied:

• The person has completed and submitted an application for admission.
• The person has provided proof of selective service registration as required by Louisiana R.S. 17:3151.
• The person has satisfied the requirements of Louisiana R.S. 17:170 related to the immunization of persons entering school.

Persons 16 years of age or younger must, in addition to the requirements stated above, provide proof of graduation from a state-approved high school or high school equivalency to be fully admitted to BPCC. This admission policy does not apply to the following: (1) High School Dual Enrollment students and (2) International students.

Certain programs within the institution may require additional admission standards in order to meet external regulatory agency requirements. Programs requiring high school diploma or equivalent:

• AS Nursing
• AAS Paramedic
• CTC EMT
• CTS Phlebotomy
• AAS Respiratory Therapy
• CTS Pharmacy Technician*
• AAS Pharmacy Technician*

(*Proof of high school diploma or equivalent is required prior to registering for courses.)

All eligible persons are assured equal opportunity for admission without regard to ethnicity, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. Bossier Parish Community College reserves the right to refuse admissions to any student.

Full admittance to the college does not guarantee student has met the eligibility requirements for Federal Financial Aid.

BPCC operates on a three-semester system, which includes a summer term. A qualified applicant may register at the beginning of any academic session within the 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.

The student’s permanent record may contain 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.

Admission Procedure

A student seeking admission to BPCC must submit an admission application and required admission documents prior to registering for courses. Admission applications and required documents may be found online (www.bpcc.edu/wordpress/index.php/admissions-application/) or from the Admissions/Registrar’s Office located in Building F (Emmett E. Cope Student Services Building).

Immunization Compliance

As required by Louisiana R.S. 17:110, students born after 1956 must provide proof of immunization against measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus-diphtheria as a condition of enrollment. 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.

Military Service Act for Admission

Register online or verify your official registration date by visiting the Selective Service System (www.sss.gov).

In accordance with the requirements of Louisiana R.S. 17:3151 (Acts 1985, No. 185, Section 1; Acts 1987, No. 214, Section 1; and Acts 1999, No. 345), and the Federal Selective Service Act, all students who are required to register for the selective students under the Federal Military Service Act must provide the institution proof of registration prior to enrolling.

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:
   • The requirement for the person to register has terminated or become inapplicable to the person.
   • The person makes a showing satisfactory to the institution why there was a failure to register.

Assessment and Placement

Placement tests are designed to determine levels of proficiency in the basic skills of English, mathematics, and reading. BPCC utilizes the ACCUPLACER 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. Appropriate scores from the ACCUPLACER Placement Test can, also, be used to determine level of placement.

Full-time, degree-seeking students are encouraged to take the developmental 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 Academic Planning at 318-678-6335 or 318-678-6049.

ACT^® and BPCC Placement Tests

If students have ACT^® scores within the following ranges, they will not have to take the BPCC placement test in that academic area:

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.

Developmental Education Courses

Developmental education courses are provided for BPCC students who score below the minimum required ACCUPLACER Placement Test scores. Developmental courses include READ 099 , CTEC 099 , ENGL 099 , MATH 098 , and MATH 099 . These semester-length courses may transfer to other postsecondary institutions as equivalent courses, but will not satisfy degree requirements.

Each division is responsible for the teaching of developmental education courses within its own discipline. English faculty teach the developmental English courses; mathematics faculty teach the developmental math courses. The instruction of READ 099:Developmental Reading  is the responsibility of the Division of Liberal Arts; the instruction of CTEC 099:Introduction to Basic Computer Skills  is the responsibility of the Division of Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

CTEC 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 developmental course that will not satisfy any degree requirements and will not transfer to other postsecondary institutions.

READ 099 Policy

BPCC’s developmental reading course, READ 099 , will be required for the following students:

• All first-time freshmen who provide an ACT ® reading score between 0-15 must take READ 099  unless they successfully pass the reading segment of the BPCC Placement Test.
• Students required to take READ 099 , according to BPCC Placement Test scores, must take READ 099  within their first twelve (12) hours.
• Students earning below a “C” in READ 099  must repeat the course the following semester.

Open Campus™ Program

Open Campus™, BPCC’s open-source initiative, provides FREE, no-strings-attached, online, non-credit developmental-level courses available to anyone, anywhere.

Open Campus™ courses are designed to prepare individuals for college-level placement testing, to enhance students’ study and practice sessions, or to help employees brush up on basic professional skills.

Course availabilities include:

• Basic Math
• Introductory Algebra
• Intermediate Algebra
• College Algebra
• Fundamentals of Grammar
• Fundamentals of Writing
• Reading Comprehension
• College Success Skills
• Introductory Science

Course content and progression mimic “for-credit” offerings with two exceptions:

• no textbooks are used,
• courses are self-contained (with no direct interaction between instructors/students.)

The Open Campus™ design is tailored for user-friendliness. Student sign-up is easy, and, once enrolled, students can log-in through popular social media sites. Each learning module contains at least one lecture video, printable handout, and multiple-choice, self-graded quiz. Students may access any lecture, handout, or quiz as many times as they wish and in any order they choose.

For more information, visit the Open Campus™ web site (www.bpccopencampus.com).

Experience BPCC: First-Year Student Experience and Orientation

Experience BPCC is the College’s freshman orientation program as part of our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Through enrollment in the FYSE 001   First Year Student Experience course, BPCC students are equipped with the necessary resources to succeed in achieving their full potential and achieving their educational goals. The course is student-focused and includes subject matter that current literature shows all first-time, full-time college students benefit from when beginning their studies. Topics include understanding college policy, academic success skills, transitioning from high school to college, career exploration, educational planning, and financial responsibility, among others. Experience BPCC is designed to empower our students to not only succeed at BPCC but also teaches them how to navigate the complex systems within higher education and the workforce. Student who are eligible to enroll in college level Math, English, and Reading may enroll in the online version of FYSE 001 .  FYSE 001  is predominantly offered as face-to face class.  However, students entering BPCC who have sufficient ACT scores or Placement Testing scores indicating they do not have any need for developmental classes may enroll in the online version of FYSE 001.

Admission Status

Students should submit the required admission documents to the Admissions/Registrar’s Office prior to enrolling. Students must meet all prerequisite requirements. BPCC reserves the right to require additional admission documentation.

First-time Freshman - An applicant who has never attended any college or other post-secondary institution after high school graduation.

Transfer Student - A student who has been enrolled at any college or university prior to applying to Bossier Parish Community College after high school graduation. If you have attended this institution in the past but left and attended another college and are coming back you are considered a transfer student.

Returning Student - A student who formerly attended Bossier Parish Community College and is returning after being absent one or more terms (not including the summer or winter sessions). If you attended another college while absent you are considered a transfer student. Former students must meet all admissions requirements from previous semesters before enrolling into the College.

Visiting Student - A student who is attending another institution but wishes to take courses for one term. (Not eligible for financial aid.)

Required Documents

• Online Admission Application
• High School Transcript or High School Equivalency (Required only for Pharmacy Technician students)
• Immunization Compliance
• Selective Service (www.sss.gov)
  • Who Must Register, (www.sss.gov/Portals/0/PDFs/WhoMustRegisterChart.pdf)

• Active duty military, veterans and military/veteran dependents using GI Bill® benefits must provide official transcripts from all previously attended colleges as well as military training transcripts.

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Optional Documents

• High School Transcript or High School Equivalency (Required for Pharmacy Technician students)
  • BPCC may have access to high school transcripts through the Board of Regents Student Transcript System for those students who graduated from a Louisiana high school in 2003 or later and who consented to release their information.
• American College Test (ACT) or SAT scores
  • Students who have taken the ACT or SAT may supply BPCC with a copy of these results. Certain scores may exempt the student from having to take the placement test and may result in the student not having to take certain developmental courses. Students who have not taken the ACT, the SAT or have not provided BPCC with those scores may be required to take the ACCUPLACER Placement Test.
• FERPA Access Code
• Official College Transcripts
  • Students must submit official college transcripts when using courses from other institutions to satisfy a prerequisite, to complete curriculum requirements, or to satisfy curriculum requirements for graduation. Official transcripts must be sent directly from the college or university to the Admissions/Registrar’s Office or to an Admissions/Registrar’s college representative. 
• Students on suspension from another institution, should consult with the suspending institution for policies regarding transferability of courses taken at BPCC while on suspension. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain this information prior to the start of the semester.
• Students on disciplinary suspension at another institution are not eligible to attend BPCC.

Students with Foreign Credentials

All foreign credentials must be submitted in English through a NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluators) approved foreign credential evaluator service (http://www.naces.org/members.html).

International Student - An international student must meet all of the regular admission requirements to BPCC. An international student should submit all documents to the Registrar 90 days prior to the start of term. International students seeking to attend on a student visa are not eligible for provisional admission. Students must be eligible to attend college in their country of origin.

Required Documents

• Admission Application - (Must be full-time degree seeking.)
• High School Transcript - First time Freshman only. (Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES  approved foreign credential evaluator).  Students must request a basic statement of comparability for high school transcripts. Official transcript evaluations must be sent directly to the BPCC Registrar’s Office from the evaluating service. It can take six to eight weeks for evaluations to be processed.
• College Transcripts - Transfer students only. (Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES  approved foreign credential evaluator).  Students must request a course-by-course evaluation for college transcripts.  Official transcript evaluations must be sent directly to the BPCC Registrar’s Office from the evaluating service.  It can take six to eight weeks for evaluations to be processed.
• Immunization Compliance
• TOEFL Scores (TOEFL may not be required for students of countries where English is an official language. Most recent score must be within the last two years. TOEFL may be waived under certain circumstances.)
  • Internet based test, minimum of 61
  • Paper based test, minimum of 500
• Documentation of Financial Support (A notarized statement of financial support that is adequate to meet expenses during their enrollment at BPCC - $18,700 to $20,000 U.S. dollars per year).
• Copy of Passport

Optional Documents

• FERPA Access Code

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. Financial Aid is not available for international students.

F-1 students should inform their international advisor in the Admissions/Registrar’s Office of their desire to work, prior to employment to avoid violating the conditions of their F-1 status.

Acceptance of Transfer Credits

Philosophy

Bossier Parish Community College is committed to the principle of high standards in acceptance of transfer credit. In making the determination of credit to be awarded from other institutions, BPCC is guided by commonly accepted principles of good practice in recognizing course work as acceptable as collegiate.

Procedure

Transfer credit must represent collegiate course work relevant to a BPCC degree, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies equivalent to those of students enrolled in the College’s own degree/certificate programs. In assessing and documenting equivalent learning and qualified faculty, the College may use recognized guides which aid in the evaluation of credit. Such guides include those published by the American Council on Education and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Bossier Parish Community College accepts credits from postsecondary institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and its equivalent regional associations in the United States as satisfying the philosophy, procedure, and evaluation/awarding sections of this policy.

Evaluation of Credit

The following factors are used in the determination of course transferability:

1. Credentials/qualifications of faculty;
2. Course content to include: Course objectives; Length of course; Textbook(s); Methods of evaluation; Other course requirements (where applicable); Level of instruction; Transfer credit is awarded only for courses in degree/certificate curricula of the institution;
3. In converting clock hours to semester credit hours, the amount of credit to be awarded shall be stated on the BPCC transcript (in semester hours) with a grade of “S” without quality points;
4. A minimum of 25% of the credit applicable to an associate degree must be earned in residence at BPCC.

Awarding of Credit

The student must submit acceptable documentation for evaluation by the appropriate College officials. The Division Dean, with consultation of appropriate faculty, evaluates all relevant student credit. A recommendation is made to the Registrar and/or Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (or designee) as to the amount of credit awarded. The Registrar and/or Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (or designee) certifies the specific course(s) and amount of credit transcripted. Students must be enrolled in BPCC certificate or degree programs in order to receive transfer credit applicable to an academic credential awarded by BPCC.

Course Substitutions

Every course substituted for a curricular requirement must be approved by the appropriate dean and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. (This does not apply to course equivalents published in college articulation guides nor courses labeled approved electives.)

BPCC Students Transferring to Another College/University

A transferring student is any applicant who plans to earn credits at BPCC then 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.

Louisiana Resident Status

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.

A foreign student or international student 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.

BPCC at NSU

Bossier Parish Community College offers freshman level courses on the Northwestern State University campus in Natchitoches. Any first-time freshman (in-state and out-of-state) who does not meet the new admission criteria and is referred by NSU are encouraged to take classes through BPCC at NSU. After completion of developmental classes with a least a “C” and the completion of 18 college level hours earned with a 2.000 college level GPA on those hours (this GPA does not include developmental coursework), and, included in the 18 hours, the student will have completed a college-level English and a college-level mathematics course designated to fulfill general education requirements, BPCC at NSU students will be able to choose one of several options:

1. continue their education at NSU as transfer students;
2. continue their education at BPCC in Bossier City; or
3. continue their education at any community college or 4-year institution of their choice.

If a student enters BPCC at NSU and intends to complete a degree at Bossier Parish Community College in Bossier City, only 12 college hours can be applied to graduation. The maximum number of college hours a student at BPCC at NSU is permitted to take is 27 face-to-face hours. Developmental hours and online hours are not included in this number.

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 with BPCC. Students will have access to counseling services, health services, and tutoring services. All BPCC at NSU students will pay Northwestern fees which will enable them to utilize the WRAC facility, and to enjoy athletic and cultural events by showing their NSU ID cards.

All BPCC at NSU courses will be taught at the Natchitoches campus during the day. Students interested in enrolling in BPCC at NSU will fill out an application and send it to:

BPCC at NSU,
114 Kyser Hall
Natchitoches, LA 71497

In addition, students must submit an immunization record or waiver. 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.

Early Entrance Programs

EXCEL (EXploring College ELectives)*

Students currently enrolled in a public or private Louisiana high school or in an approved or registered Louisiana State Department of Education home school program may qualify to attend BPCC if the following requirements are met:

• Grade point average of 2.750 (out of a 4.000 system).
• ACT (American College Test) composite score of 19 (9^thgrade to Fall semester 12^th grade).
  • Students must have an ACT Math subscore of 19 to take MATH 102   and an ACT English subscore of 18 to take ENGL 101  . Students must meet all other course prerequisites as published in the BPCC catalog.
• Seniors (spring semester only) - ACT composite of 19 and math subscore of 19 and English subscore of 18.
• Must have student, parent, and counselor (or designee) signature on the High School Dual Enrollment signature sheet.
• An official high school transcript.
• Must be at least 15 years of age and enrolled in high school.
• Students must meet all College admission and registration requirements and procedures including the College Code of Student Conduct.
• Students pay all course tuition, book costs, and fees.

*Students in EXCEL are not eligible for financial aid.

High School Dual Enrollment-Fall and Spring Only

Students currently enrolled in a public or private Louisiana high school or in an approved or registered Louisiana State Department of Education home school program may earn high school Carnegie units and BPCC college credits by meeting the following requirements:

• Must have permission from the high school. The high school counselor or principal must sign the High School Dual Enrollment signature sheet verifying course equivalents. 
• Must have student, parent, and counselor (or designee) signature on the High School Dual Enrollment signature sheet.
• Must be at least 15 years of age and currently enrolled in high school. 
• Must provide an ACT®, a current official high school transcript, immunization record or immunization waiver, and selective service form (if age 18) before students will be allowed to register.
• Student must meet all College admission/registration requirements and procedures including the College Code of Student Conduct.
• Grade point average of 2.750 (out of a 4.000 system).
• ACT (American College Test) composite score of 19 (9^thgrade to Fall semester 12^th grade)
  • Students must have an ACT math subscore of 19 to take MATH 102   and an ACT English subscore of 18 to take ENGL 101   . Students must meet all other course prerequisites as published in the BPCC catalog.
• Seniors (spring semester only) - ACT composite of 19 and math subscore of 19 and English subscore of 18.

• Additional guidelines for enrollment may be enforced by BPCC, as required by the school district of each participating parish.
• Submit all documentation to the Division of Innovative Learning, Building A-Room 138. NOTE: Application dates vary from semester to semester.

For more information, call 318-678-6540.

Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Partnership

Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program cadets have the opportunity to earn college credit based on the MOU between BPCC and YCP.

Program for Successful Employment (PSE)

Any person above the age of 16, regardless of prior academic preparation, may apply for admission to PSE as long as the following criteria are satisfied: The person must complete and submit an application for admission to the PSE program together with all requested documents, references, records, and a required fee.

Applicants still enrolled in high school or on an alternative diploma path must be:

1. Recommended by their concurrently enrolled educational institution
2. Approved for Pre-Employment Transition Services by Louisiana Rehabilitation Services
3. Able to provide a current IEP, 504 plan, or documentation of a disability
4. Able to demonstrate basic safety awareness in an unsupervised setting
5. Able to express, verbally or in writing, a desire for paid employment
6. Supported by parent(s) or guardians who have a strong desire for student to be employed
7. Able to document consistent school attendance and positive behavior
8. Willing to agree to the PSE attendance procedures
9. Willing to participate in work-based learning experiences

Applicants 21 and under in an Adult Education Program must be:

1. Recommended by their concurrently enrolled educational institution or a prior teacher
2. Approved for Pre-Employment Transition Services by Louisiana Rehabilitation Services
3. Able to provide documentation of a disability
4. Able to demonstrate basic safety awareness in an unsupervised setting
5. Able to express, verbally or in writing, a desire for paid employment
6. Supported by others who have a strong desire for student to be employed
7. Able to document consistent school attendance and positive behavior in the recent past or provide at least two unrelated character references
8. Willing to agree to the PSE attendance procedures
9. Willing to participate in work-based learning experiences

Applicants 22 and over must be:

1. Able to provide documentation of a diagnosis of a Cognitive Disability and/or Autism
2. Enrolled at BPCC
3. Exited from High School
4. Able to demonstrate basic safety awareness in an unsupervised setting
5. Able to express, verbally or in writing, a desire for paid employment
6. Supported by others who have a strong desire for student to be employed
7. Able to document consistent school attendance and positive behavior in the recent past or provide at least two unrelated character references
8. Willing to agree to the PSE attendance procedures
9. Willing to participate in work-based learning experiences