Nov 08, 2024  
BC3 Student Handbook: 2024-2025 
    
BC3 Student Handbook: 2024-2025

Academic Progress


Academic Center for Enrichment (ACE)

Academic Advising & Success Coaching

Alumni Association

Career Services

Graduation Application

Graduation Honors

Transferring from BC3

Tutoring Services

Academic Center for Enrichment (ACE)

The Academic Center for Enrichment (ACE), located on the first floor of the Student Success Center, is responsible for providing student-centered resources that serve BC3 students from pre-enrollment through graduation. The ACE is home to student support functions including Academic Advising, Career Services, Access and Disability Resources, Placement Testing, Retention, Student Success Coaches, Transfer Services, and Tutoring; and serves as a resource center for students experiencing personal or academic difficulties. The Dean of Student’s office, responsible for the resolution of student conduct and crisis issues, is also located within the Academic Center for Enrichment.

Academic Advising & Success Coaching

Academic advisors provide guidance to all students by supporting the exploration of academic and career goals; by helping students understand and navigate program requirements and college policies, and by supporting students in developing and realizing academic, career and transfer plans.  Student success coaches are also available to assist students in navigating academic and personal challenges that are interfering with academic success. Advising and coaching staff are available through the Academic Center for Enrichment and at each campus location.

Academic Advising - New students are advised by professional academic advisors for the purpose of placement and creation of their first semester schedule of courses. Current students are assigned to departmental faculty advisors or professional academic advisors who can assess academic progress and recommend further course selections. 

Advisors serve as a personal guide to support students!  All students should make a plan to connect with their academic advisor each semester to discuss their academic and career goals, and to ensure they are on track to successfully reach those goals. Students whose academic program or standing requires advising should plan to meet with their advisor prior to registration each semester. Outside of regular advising and registration activities, the college’s team of professional advisors supports students who are considering a change in major, who are experiencing academic difficulties, or who are close to graduation and wish to verify their completion of all program requirements.

Student Success Coaching - Student success coaches introduce students to resources and assist them in identifying and using their particular strengths to face challenges and help them explore strategies for creating a foundation for success in college. Students are the experts on their lives and will, with the coach, determine the direction and focus of the coaching. Coaches are available to work with every student, but work intentionally with students in preparatory and developmental courses, and with students connected to the college’s Office of Access and Disability Resources. Success coaching is not academic advising or personal counseling.

Personal Counseling - Academic counselors are available to support students in dealing with academic and personal problems that may be interfering with their academic success. BC3 does not provide ongoing personal counseling services, and students will be referred to outside agencies if their needs extend beyond the resources of the department.

Alumni Association

The Butler County Community College Alumni Association was created in 1997 to enhance the relationship between the College, former students, and the community. The goals of the Alumni Association are to recognize alumni accomplishments, provide recreational opportunities for alumni and their families, and to support the mission of the College. Membership is open to all individuals who have attended BC3 and to anyone interested in supporting the mission of the Alumni Association and the College. Membership benefits include membership eligibility in the Butler Armco Employees Credit Union, discounts on Succop Theater events and the BC3 Bookstore, free admission to athletic events, and special offers to alumni events. For information, contact the Alumni Association at 724-287-8711, ext. 8175, or visit bc3.edu/alumni. 

Career Services

Career Services, located in the Student Success Center, is designed to provide career counseling and planning, resume and cover letter review, portfolio development, job search assistance, and interviewing skills to students and alumni. Students and alumni may post their resumes and search for jobs at www.collegecentral.com/bc3.

Job Search Assistance - Employment opportunities reported to the college are posted on www.collegecentral.com/bc3. Positions for fulltime, part-time and summer employment are available. Students and alumni may utilize the Resume Service by placing their resumes on file for employers to access.

Cooperative Education - Cooperative education (co-op) is an academic experience designed to give students real-world work experience before graduation by integrating classroom study with planned, supervised work experience in which the student is a regular, paid employee. Students with a practicum or internship in their major may have the option of working in a co-op as an alternative.

The co-op experience:

  • provides real life experience
  • earns academic credit
  • increases marketability upon graduation
  • provides financial support
  • applies classroom theory in a practical setting

To be eligible for a co-op assignment, students must have a minimum of 12 credits completed with a 3.0 GPA in their major and a total of 20 credits with a minimum GPA of 2.75 overall. Students must be approved by the faculty and co-op coordinator, complete the required paperwork, attend co-op seminars, and identify and describe co-op regulations.

Students interested in applying for a co-op position should obtain an application from the Career Planning Specialist whose office is located in the Student Success Center.

Graduation Application

1. All students must apply for graduation before the deadlines of February 15 for May graduation, June 15 for August graduation, and September 15 for December graduation.

2. Students must complete an application for graduation available on their MyBC3. A non-refundable $40 graduation fee is assessed after the application is submitted for each certificate or degree. Applications received after the posted deadline will be assessed a $25 late fee.

3. All graduates are invited to participate in the annual commencement ceremony. Potential summer graduates may also participate if they have a minimum of 2.0 grade point average and are preregistered in the summer term for the remaining credits needed to complete the degree.

4. Students must re-apply for graduation if they do not fulfill degree requirements the first time of application.

5. If applying for graduation after leaving the College for one academic year or longer, the student must request the graduation application from the Records and Registration Office. The student must fulfill degree requirements in the current academic catalog.

Graduation Honors

Students may attain graduation honors by earning the following Grade Point Averages:

  • Summa Cum Laude - 3.75-4.0
  • Magna Cum Laude - 3.5-3.74
  • Cum Laude - 3.25-3.49

Transferring from BC3

Butler County Community College (BC3) credits are recognized by public, private, state-related, and online colleges and universities. Students who are interested in transferring should begin to work closely with an academic advisor during their first semester. The Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees are specifically designed to prepare students for transfer to a obtain a bachelor’s degree. The final decision to accept transfer credits rests with the institution to which the student plans to transfer.

BC3 has several active transfer agreements with other colleges and universities. All current transfer agreements can be found on the Transfer Services webpage.

Tutoring Services

Tutoring is a free resource for students enrolled in BC3 credit courses. Students who are interested in receiving free tutoring must apply for tutoring services. Tutoring applications are available in the Academic Center for Enrichment (ACE) located in the Student Success Center on BC3 main campus, or at any BC3 off-campus location. An online tutoring application can also be submitted through a link on the tutoring page of the BC3 website at https://itservices.bc3.edu/TutoringApplication/.

Although students can apply for tutoring at any time, they are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible to maximize their use of tutoring services during the semester. Tutoring ranges from group sessions to one-on-one meetings. The service is available in-person and virtually, depending on the tutor’s availability. Tutoring is offered for many credit courses, however, it is not guaranteed.