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Counseling Questions

General Questions

You can apply by following this link and clicking step 1 for the admissions application: Getting Started

The first step is to apply online to Barstow Community College. For additional steps, view our Getting Started tab under student information from the website. You can also select the appropriate student category that pertains to you.

BCC offers an open admissions policy, therefore students are accepted by submitting an application. Students at BCC do not have to full fulfill any academic requirements, or compete with other students for admission.

Yes, orientation is a required step for all students who wish to fully matriculate. You can access online orientation here. Students who do not wish to fully matriculate (i.e., only taking one class with BCC), can opt out of online orientation. Please note that this option means you will not qualify for priority registration.

No. Barstow Community College is no longer placing students into Math and English using assessment tests. Instead, you will need to meet with a counselor who will work with you to determine your placement based on other factors that may include all or some of the following: 

  • High School Transcripts
  • Selections made on your Admissions Application
  • Your BCC Major and transfer goals
  • Your previous success and/or completion of college level work 
  • Highest level of English and/or math you have completed 
  • Past study habits and academic strengths 
  • Obligations that can impact your course work 
  • Motivation to achieve your educational goal(s)

To schedule an appointment for assessment (which is part of education planning), please refer to the following link: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

You will need to contact the TLSC, Teaching and Learning Support Center, at tlsc@barstow.edu. They will assist you with accessing canvas or refer you to our online department or IT department if further support is needed.

Apply for Financial Aid (optional but highly recommended!): You can receive free money for college! To apply, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. AB540/DACA/Dreamer students can find information on the California Dream Act at http://www.csac.ca.gov/dream_act.asp. For additional information and help, visit the Financial Aid Office in the Student Services Building, or learn more about the financial aid process at Financial Aid.

Note: All College Promise students must complete the FAFSA or Dream Act application. 

If you’ve already applied for Financial Aid: Check your award information in your student portal by following the below tutorial.

CA Info

If you have any questions about your Financial Aid or need to submit outstanding items, please contact the financial aid department at (760) 252-2411 Ext. 7205 or fin_aid@barstow.edu

Your priority registration date can be accessed through your BCC Student portal under “Student Services” > “Registration” > “Add/Drop Classes”. General information about priority registration and priority registration tiers can be accessed here. If you cannot locate your priority registration date or you believe your priority registration date is incorrect, please email the Admissions & Records office at admissions@barstow.edu

You may view our full list of majors in the BCC Catalog here: BCC Catalogs. Please refer to pages 57-111. Please also check the Catalog Addendum for newly approved programs. The Catalog Addendum can be found linked directly above the Catalog.

For a more concise list of the degrees/certificates offered at BCC, please refer to the program of study update form: Program update. and select the drop down list from “New Program of Study” to view all programs.

If you know what career path you want to pursue and just don’t know the right major, it is recommended for you to meet with a counselor. The counselor can match your career goal with the best major to pursue at BCC. You can schedule an appointment by following this tutorial: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

12 Units are required to be a full time student at BCC.

An Associate’s Degree is an academic or certified technical program taken at an undergraduate level, which is the first stage after high school/ secondary school. Associate’s Degrees are offered for students wishing to transfer to receive a Bachelor’s Degree or secure a career in a technical trade. Associate’s Degrees are often viewed as “the first 2 years” of a Bachelor’s Degree.

You can retrieve it by following this tutorial.

Your Student ID Number will begin with the letter "B" followed by two zeros "00" and six numerical digits from 0-9. Example: B00123456. If you have not submitted an application for admission, you will need to do so prior to scheduling an appointment. Here is the link to the Admissions Application (step 1): Getting Started.

Enrollment Fee: The enrollment fee is $46 per unit. All students determined to be California residents by Admissions and Records may apply for the California College Promise Grant (CCPG, formerly BOG Fee Waiver). For more information refer to Financial Aid or contact the Financial Aid Office by email at finaid@barstow.edu or by phone at 760-252-2411 ext. 7205. Dual enrolled students (formerly concurrently enrolled) registered in 11 or fewer units are exempt from paying any fees. Non-Resident Tuition For 2020 -21, nonresidents of California and international students will be charged a tuition fee of $291 per unit, in addition to the enrollment fees.

(Subject to change per academic year)

Yes, BCC offers a multitude of special programs, services, and support groups for students! Currently, BCC offers EOPS, CARE, CalWORKS, ACCESS, Food Pantry, VETS, YESS, Housing Resources & more! Please visit Special Programs and services to review our list of programs and review the application process for each: Special Programs and Services

Counseling Questions

The courses you take will be determined by your major and educational goal. Please meet with a counselor for an education plan prior to selecting courses. You may refer to this link to schedule your appointment: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment. Requirements can also be viewed in the College Catalog, located here: College Catalogs

Students may request maximum unit increases above the 18-unit cap by complete the maximum-unit increase form: Max-Unit Increase form

The maximum unit increase form must then be submitted to the counseling department for processing at: bcounselor@barstow.edu

If you have completed all requirements for your degree, you may complete the petition for graduation form. Graduation Form.  and submit it to bcounselor@barstow.edu for processing

If you would like to complete a graduation check with a counselor to see where your graduation status lies, please schedule an appointment using ESARS: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

Yes. BCC offers “Academic Renewal” which provides students the opportunity to reverse the negative impact of past academic failures at Barstow Community College without course repetition. Academic renewal may only be requested by students enrolled at BCC and only units taken at BCC may be disregarded in the computation of the student’s cumulative GPA. A maximum of 30 units in no more than three semesters may be alleviated. Please refer to the “Academic Renewal Petition” for additional information: Academic Renewal Petition.

It is recommended to meet with a counselor to petition for Academic Renewal. Please request an appointment here: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

a.     

For your first attempt repeating a course there is no paperwork or approval required. You may simply log onto your student portal and register for the class (How To Register For Classes Using my Barstow Portal)

b.     

For your 2nd attempt repeat a class, complete the “Course Repeat Request” form: Repeat Petition, and submit to Admissions and Records(admissions@barstow.edu)

c.      

For your 3rd attempt repeating a class, you must obtain counselor approval. Please complete the “Course Repeat Request” form: Repeat Petition and email it to bcounselor@barstow.edu for processing.

d.     

All forms requesting a fourth repetition must be accompanied by official documentation. Students will NOT be approved for more than four enrollment(s) into a single class at Barstow Community College, unless the course is required for legally mandated training.

Yes, you should always take the classes in order on your education plan. It is very important to take classes in order on your education plan for timely completion. The counselors know what prerequisites are required, and what semesters courses are offered in. If you wish to take different classes than what is prescribed for you in a given semester, please speak with a counselor prior to doing so: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

Associate Degrees are not always transferable to a university. These are referred to as “Local Degrees” and are mostly housed under CTE – Career & Technical Education. These degrees often do not require you to transfer to secure employment in a particular field such as welding, cosmetology, or automotive technology (not an exhaustive list). An Associate’s Degree for Transfer (ADT) prepares students who want to continue their education at a University to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree and/or beyond. Some examples of ADT’s offered at BCC are Psychology, Kinesiology and Elementary Teacher Education. For complete lists of CTE/Local Degrees and ADT Degrees, please visit our Catalog: College Catalogs

You should be on an Associate’s Degree for Transfer (ADT) with IGETC or CSUGE general education pattern, or a general education degree (Social Science, Humanities, Natural Science & Math) with an IGETC or CSUGE general education pattern. You need to work closely with your counselor to determine the general education pattern that matches your goals. Please schedule an appointment with a counselor for help with choosing the correct degree pathway: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

It is recommended and often required to complete your Associate’s Degree for Transfer or IGETC/CSUGE prior to transferring. However, there are some cases where a degree is not required prior to transfer. Please meet with a counselor to make this determination: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

It depends. 60 units minimum are required to complete a Degree at BCC. However, depending on your specific major or pathway, your unit count may be greater than 60 units. In addition, all courses in the 60 units must be degree-applicable. Please meet with a counselor for a graduation-check if you have or are close to 60 units: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

Students are not assigned specific counselors. Special populations (EOPS, ACCESS, Athletes, VETS, Ft. Irwin Students, Adult Education) should meet with their respective counselors. If you are a part of a special program/population but you don’t know which counselor to meet with, please email bcounselor@barstow.edu

Yes, you can! You should meet with a counselor to determine which AP credits can be applied to your degree/major path. Then, you will request official transcripts from the College Board to be sent to our Admissions & Records Department. Please also accompany your transcripts with the transcript evaluation request form: Transcript eval request

Admissions & Records Questions

Your first step is to re-apply to BCC for the current term. You may access the Admissions Application here (step 1 for the application): Getting Started.

Your next step is to complete the new student steps here: Getting Started.

It is likely that your Admissions Application is out of date. Your first step is to update your Admissions Application to the current term. You can do so by following this link and clicking step 1 for the application: Getting Started.

If you are still unable to access your BCC portal to register, or schedule an appointment using ESARS, you will need to contact Admissions & Records at admissions@barstow.edu to inquire about the status of your application.

To transfer in your courses, you will need to request official transcripts to be sent to our Admissions Department: 

Barstow Community College

Attn: Admissions & Records

Barstow Road

Barstow, CA 92311

If there is an email/electronic option, the email is admissions@barstow.edu

In addition, you will need to complete the transcript evaluation form and turn it in to Admissions & Records:Transcript Eval Form

To request reinstatement, students must complete the following steps.

• Admissions application for the semester in which the student is requesting to return.

• Online Orientation.

• Meet with a counselor for an updated educational plan.

All information must be submitted to Admissions and Records at least one week prior to the start of classes.  If submitted after this date and the student is approved to enroll in courses, they must wait until the next start date.  This request must be accompanied by a typed statement, not more than 1 page in length, detailing the extenuating circumstances that led to the academic difficulties and a copy of the updated education plan.

There is no official disenrollment process to leave BCC. You may simply not register for the next term. If you plan to leave and attend a different college, you may want to request transcripts. Here is the process:

If you need to remove BCC from your FAFSA (financial aid), you can do so on your application. Please visit Financial Aid for more information or contact fin_aid@barstow.edu for assistance.

Holds will be listed in your student portal. You may check your holds by viewing your registration status. Please use this tutorial: Reg Status

If your holds are not listed or you need help, please contact admissions@barstow.edu

Yes, BCC has a dual enrollment programs. Please refer to our Dual Enrollment page

You will then complete the Concurrent Enrollment request form: Conc. Enrollment Form

You would need to inquire with Admissions & Records about the status of your diploma. Please email them at admissions@barstow.edu

Registering & Dropping Questions

You can register online. Go to the BCC homepage at http://www.barstow.edu/ and click on Viking Login Portal. Once in your portal, click on the “Registration, Financial Aid & Other Self-Service Options” Tab. (Registration, Financial Aid & Other Self Service options)

Once in your student portal you will register for your classes. How to register for classes tutorial: How To Register For Classes Using my Barstow Portal

If you have applied to BCC within the first week of classes, you may request add codes from instructors. Add codes are provided by instructors to students who are requesting to add the class late. The student is responsible for emailing the instructor to request add codes (instructor emails can be found in the BCC portal under “registration”. Click the CRN number for the class you want to take, and the email address will be available).

If you are too late to add courses that have already started, your next option would be mid-semester courses. BCC offers a multitude of 9-week courses that begin in March (Spring Semester) and October (Fall Semester). If you need help discovering if a course is open, you can refer to our schedule online: Schedule, and select the option “Classes Still Open for Enrollment for Current Semester”

You may also request a counseling appointment for assistance adding late classes: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

You will need to email a copy of your transcripts (unofficial) to bcounselor@barstow.edu along with your prerequisite validation request form: Pre Req Form

Once received, a counselor will review, and if approved, will sign your prerequisite validation request and submit it to Admissions & Records for processing.

You may start by emailing the instructor to see if they will offer you an add code to add their class. If you receive an add code, here is the tutorial on how to use it: How To Add A Course With An Add Code

If the instructor does not have room to add you, you will then need to meet with a counselor to discuss your alternative options: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

You can drop classes in your student portal. Here is a tutorial: How To Drop A Course Using my Barstow Portal

Be sure to pay close attention to drop/withdrawal deadlines. Dropping a course after the “refund deadline” will require you to pay for the class. In addition, dropping the class after the “withdrawal” deadline will result in a “W” on your transcript (may impact academic progress/financial aid, counts against you as a repeat)

As always please consult with a counselor if you have any questions about dropping a course and how it will impact you.

No. Unofficial transcripts can be used to clear prerequisites. Please email your unofficial transcript to bcounselor@barstow.edu along with the prerequisite validation form: Pre Req Form

Major Questions

In order to choose the right major and education goal, it is recommended for you to meet with a counselor. You can schedule an appointment by following this tutorial: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

The counselor may then refer you out to Career Services for further assessment.

Yes, you need to meet with a counselor for an updated/ new education plan. You also need to complete the major/program of study update form: Program of Study update

The best way is to review your education plan. You may also look up the major/degree in the Catalog, or speak to a counselor for specific questions on major requirements and course offerings.

BCC does not offer a nursing program, but we do offer prerequisites for nursing programs! Meet with a counselor to create a plan that will allow you to transfer for nursing.

Course & Grade Questions

If you need to contact any of your instructors, you can find the email by either searching their name in the directory or doing the following:

The first initial of their first name

The entire last name

add “@barstow.edu”

For example, if your teachers name is John Doe, their email would be “jdoe@barstow.edu”.

Here is the tutorial on How to Navigate Your Office365

To find out what textbooks are needed for the courses you are registered in please fellow these steps:

Step 1: Go to the Viking Bookstore website https://barstow.ecampus.com/)

Step 2: Click on Textbooks

Step 3: Put in your B-number

Step 4: Click on FIND COURSES

This will show you the books for all your registered courses

If you need further assistance with ordering textbooks or have additional questions regarding your textbooks please email the Viking Bookstore at VikingShop@barstow.edu.

Yes. You may complete the “Petition for Pass/No Pass Grading” here: Pass no Pass,  and submit it the counseling for processing at bcounselor@barstow.edu

If you are planning to transfer to a four-year university, it is highly recommended that you meet with a counselor prior to choosing this grading option. Courses taken P/NP may not be transferable.

Generally, no. Exceptions would be if you have a verified learning disability, and the course is required as a disability-related accommodation, the institution you wish to transfer to will not accept the course, the course was successfully completed more than 3 years ago, or the course is required for legally mandated training (all options require documentation).

Credit for test equivalency is possible by CLEP (College Level Examination Program) or DANTES (Defense Activity for Non Traditional Education Support). For more information about how to take these exams, please speak to a counselor.

BCC also offers Credit By Examination which is a process completed beginning with your counselor. To request credit by exam, please schedule a counseling appointment using ESARS: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

If your class is cancelled and there is no other sections of the class to register for, you will need to speak with a counselor to determine a replacement.

Classes will not show up in Canvas until the first day of class. If you still cannot access your class on the first day, contact the TLSC- tlsc@barstow.edu

Grades can be viewed in your student portal under your unofficial transcript. Please follow this tutorial: Unoff Transcript

Transcripts Questions

Unofficial transcripts can be accessed from your online account. Here is a tutorial on how to do so: Unoff Transcript

Online

Official transcripts can be requested online through Credentials Inc. Transcript Plus and paid for with a major credit card. Click here to start the order process. To Check Your Order already made with Transcript Plus - have your Order Number, SSN, or B Number available. Link: https://www.credentials-inc.com/tplus/?ALUMTRO001119

It depends. You will only need to send official transcripts if you meet one of the following criteria:

Admissions & Records or Financial Aid has requested you to send them

You need to clear a prerequisite and you cannot obtain a copy of your unofficial transcripts

You plan to transfer in your courses to apply towards your degree at BCC. Please note the following instructions:

To transfer in your courses, you will need to request official transcripts to be sent to our Admissions Department: 

Barstow Community College

Attn: Admissions & Records

2700 Barstow Road

Barstow, CA 92311

 

If there is an email/electronic option, the email is admissions@barstow.edu (PREFERRED)

 

In addition, you will need to complete the transcript evaluation form and turn it in to Admissions & Records: Eval Trascript

There are 2 ways:

Course repetition – repeat the course for a better grade. You may need the repeat petition for this option: Repeat Petition

Request academic renewal. Please refer to the academic renewal policies on the form: Academic Renewal Petition

Please note the bad grade is never removed from your transcript but is no longer calculated in the overall G.P.A.

Transfer Questions

It depends. You should work closely with a counselor to create an education plan tailored towards your transfer goals. Some Associate’s Degrees are not fully transferrable. Also, depending on your major, you may need additional major-preparation classes prior to transferring. In addition, different types of Universities require different classes/ general education patterns. Please meet with a counselor to ensure you are completing the correct degree/pattern for your goal: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

It is never too early to start thinking about Transfer! During your first semester, your counselor will discuss your transfer plans during your initial appointment. From then on out, you will have the opportunity to meet regularly with our Transfer Center team. You will also want to consider joining STEP group – the Student Transfer Enhancement Program which will provide support, resources, and comradery with other transfer-bound students during your time here at BCC!

Be sure to check in with your counselor regularly to stay up to date on application deadlines and required transfer courses. You can always schedule an appointment using ESARS and select “TRANSFER” for the reason code: How To Schedule A Counseling Appointment

Be sure to activate your College Central Network Account! Activate your College Central Network Account Instructions: How to Schedule an Appointment with the Transfer & Career Center

If you need any assistance, please contact us at Transfer@barstow.edu

BCC offers different types of courses. Generally, courses “1-49” are transferrable. However, you will always need to meet with a counselor to ensure your classes transfer to the university you wish to attend. You may also refer to IGETC and CSUGE patterns in the catalog here: College Catalogs

Always meet with a counselor to determine equivalency. You may also use assist.org to supplement your conversation with a counselor.