Advising and Registration

Dates for registration will be published prior to the beginning of each semester. Students are expected to register on the day or days specified for each semester. In cases of late registration, absences will be counted beginning with the student’s registration.

The College reserves the right to cancel any curriculum or course for reasons of insufficient enrollment or lack of funds.

Online sections may require online proctored exams that require a photo ID; i.e. work ID, student ID, driver's license, state ID, etc. with an in-person proctored exam available upon student request

Academic Advising

This institution views student advisement as one of its most important functions. Each student is assigned an academic advisor who is usually a faculty member from the curriculum in which the student is enrolled. Advisors assist students in selecting and scheduling appropriate classes and developing future academic and career plans. Advisors may also refer students to other available campus resources.

First semester College Transfer students will meet with Counselors in Student Services to be advised. All other students will meet with their academic advisor.

Students are required to meet with their academic advisor each semester for assistance in completing a Course Plan on Blue Ridge’s online myBlueRidge system. Advisors’ office hours are posted on their office doors and on the College website. It is important that students realize that it is ultimately their responsibility to familiarize themselves with specific course and program requirements so that they may complete their goals while enrolled at the College.

Career and College Promise (CCP) students are expected to work with their Career Coach every semester to register for courses. High school students are to contact their Career Coach to schedule an in-person, virtual, or phone meeting to register for courses in the approved CCP pathways.

Note: ACA 122 College Transfer Success is a required course for all degree and diploma programs at Blue Ridge. ACA 122 is part of the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement for transferability and must be taken by all students in transfer programs. Students should take the ACA course for their program in their first semester but no later than their second semester. Students who are enrolled as special credit students should take this course before they have completed 12 semester hours.

Bookstore

New and used textbooks and school supplies are available in the College Bookstore located in the Killian Building on the Henderson County Campus and the Student Center at the Transylvania County Campus. Books may also be purchased online at

blueridge.bncollege.com. Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, Blue Ridge Community College is required to share required textbook information (ISBN number and retail price) with students at the time they register for classes. This information can be found on the Blue Ridge Community College Bookstore website at blueridge.bncollege.com.

Orientation

New Student Orientation (NSO)

To promote rapid and sound adjustment to the educational philosophy, program, and standards of the College, new curriculum students are required to participate in an orientation program prior to registration. The New Student Orientation can be completed in a face-to-face session or accessed online via the College’s online Learning Management System (LMS).

Student Online Learning Orientation (SOLO)

All students taking an online course will be required to complete the student online learning orientation (SOLO) prior to accessing their online course. The course only needs to be completed once to allow access to all current and future online courses. SOLO can be found within your course list located in the College’s online Learning Management System (LMS).

Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisites

Prerequisites include developmental coursework as prescribed by placement testing, the preceding course in a sequence of courses, or a high school course. Certain programs require prerequisite courses to be completed prior to fall enrollment. The advisor and the student must discuss the waiver of any course prerequisite; any request must be made prior to the process. There must be adequate documentation, which demonstrates that the student has the ability to be successful in the course materials. Developmental course prerequisites, however, may not be waived.

The decision to waive a prerequisite course will be made by the appropriate dean after consultation with the student’s advisor, the department faculty, and the student. The Vice President for Instruction, who will provide written notice to the Registrar, must approve the decision.

If a student registers for a course without meeting the prerequisite(s), the student will be officially dropped prior to the first day of class unless a waiver is granted.

Corequisites

In some cases, corequisites must be taken at the same time, such as CHM 131 and CHM 131A. In other cases, the corequisite course must be taken prior to or in the same semester as the course for which it is a corequisite. Exceptions may be approved by the appropriate dean and will be documented in the student’s academic file.

Registration for Continuing Education Students

Pre-registration for continuing education classes can be made in person, online, or by mail with enrollment available on a first-come, first-served basis. Late registration is held at the first class meeting if space is available. Healthcare class registration must be made in person.

Special Credit Students

Students who do not wish to apply for a degree, diploma, or certificate program may enroll for individual curriculum courses upon completion of an application for admission and documentation (transcripts) of prerequisite coursework, if applicable. Special credit students who later wish to enroll in a program of study must complete all admission requirements and declare a program of study. Credit earned as a special credit student may be applied to program requirements, if appropriate. Special credit students do not qualify for financial aid.

Student Classification

A full-time student is a student enrolled in a given semester with twelve (12) or more semester hours of credit. A part-time student is a student enrolled with fewer than twelve (12) semester hours of credit. A freshman is a student who has completed less than half the required credit hours of an associate degree program and a sophomore is a student who has completed half or more of the required credit hours of an associate degree program.

Withdrawals from Courses

This policy applies to all Blue Ridge Community College curriculum courses.

Voluntary Withdrawals from Curriculum Courses

A student may only drop a class for a partial refund on or before the official 10% date of the semester. After the schedule adjustment period (first three class days of the Fall and Spring semesters, first two days of the Summer semester), students who drop one or more of their courses on or before the official 10% date of the term must log into myBlueRidge to drop the course(s). In the case of drops prior to the official 10% date of the semester, the course(s) will not be included on the transcript.

Students officially withdrawing from a course after the official 10% date of the semester must communicate with the instructor of the course or the appropriate Chair or Dean.

If a student fails to attend during the entire last 10% of the course, the grade that the student earns will be the final grade assigned. Students may not voluntarily withdraw from a class during the final 10% of the term. The instructor may make exceptions in cases of extenuating circumstances such as serious illness or job transfer and award a grade of "W" during the final 10% of the term. These exceptions must be approved by the appropriate Dean or Vice President for Instruction.

In the case of a withdrawal, the student will receive a grade of NS or W, which will not influence the grade point average, but will appear on the student’s official transcript.

Students receiving financial aid should notify the Financial Aid Office if they withdraw from a course or withdraw from the College.

Involuntary Withdrawals from Curriculum Courses

Students who register for a course and do not attend classes prior to 10% of the contact hours of the course will be withdrawn by the instructor.

Any student who accumulates absences in excess of 10% of the course contact hours may be withdrawn from the class.