What is Matriculation?

Matriculation is a comprehensive student success program involving the entire campus community. The goals of matriculation are to ensure that all students complete their college courses, persist to the next academic term, and achieve their educational objectives through the assistance of the student-direct components of the matriculation process: admissions, orientation, assessment, counseling/advisement, and student follow-up. Matriculation is a partnership between students and Barstow College.

Barstow College agrees to provide:

• An admissions application process.
  
• An orientation to the college's programs and services.
  
• An assessment of English language proficiency, computational skills and possible need for special services.
  
• The opportunity to improve study skills raises academic performance, discover aptitudes, set goals, and realize career aspirations.
  
• Counseling and advisement to develop a Student Education Plan (SEP).

Student agrees to:

• Express at least a broad educational intent upon admission.
  
• Declare an educational goal before or during the term following the completion of 15 units.
  
• Attend class.
  
• Work diligently to complete course assignments.
  
• Demonstrate persistence to attain an education goal.
  
• Adhere to enrollment policies relating to prerequisites, co-requisites and advisory recommendations.

Goals of the Student-direct Components of Matriculation

Admissions:

To ensure smooth processing of new students; to collect important student data; to assist non-English speaking students and students with disabilities in the enrollment process.

Assessment:

To help students determine their math, English and reading skills and to make appropriate placement recommendations.

Orientation:

To provide students with basic information about college services, policies and procedures as well as their responsibilities and rights as students.

Counseling/Advisement:

To recommend appropriate courses; to help students develop a Student Education Plans (SEP); to provide information regarding certificate and degree programs, available majors, university transfer and career planning; to provide individualized guidance services to help students succeed.

Follow-up:

To monitor student progress toward educational goals; to identify and advise students experiencing academic difficulties; to assist with the selection of a major; to help students connect with other campus resources.

Exemptions to the Matriculation Process:

Students may be exempted from matriculation, or components of matriculation, based on the following criteria:

1. Student has graduated from an accredited U.S. college or university with an AA/AS degree or higher.

2. Student has declared one of the following goals AND will be taking five units or fewer:

a. Advance in current career/job.

b. Maintain certificate/license.

c. Personal development.

3. Assessment exemption is granted to:

a. Students who submit recent (within three years) scores from an assessment instrument approved by the State Chancellor's Office or from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution.

b. Students who have completed college course work in reading composition and mathematics with a "C" grade or better. Official transcripts must be on file and evaluated to determine accurate placement.

It is important for students to understand the following definitions of terms that appear in course descriptions.

1. Prerequisite - a condition of enrollment that requires a student to have certain prior knowledge to be successful in a course. The prior knowledge may be placement test recommendation, successful completion of the prior course of a sequence, or skill (i.e. keyboard at 40 wpm).

2. Co-requisite - a condition of enrollment consisting of a course that is required to be taken either simultaneously or prior to enrolling in another course.

3. Advisory - a condition of enrollment that a student is advised, but not required, to meet before entering a course. The advisory recommendation is considered advantageous to the student’s successful completion of the course.

Violations, Waivers, Appeals:

A student may challenge a prerequisite or co-requisite on the following grounds:

1. The student has the knowledge or ability to succeed in the course despite not meeting the co-prerequisite. Students must initiate the challenge process well in advance of the semester in which the student plans to register.

2. Because not taking the course now would create an undue delay in attaining the educational goal as outlined in the Student Education Plan (SEP

3. The co-prerequisite is discriminatory or is being applied in a discriminatory manner.

4. The co-prerequisite was not established in accordance with the District-approved process for establishing prerequisites and co-requisites, or was established in violation Title 5, Article 2.5.

Matriculation Waiver, Appeals, or Challenge Forms can be obtained from any counselor.