Admissions & Tuition

Visitation

All prospective students are not only invited, but strongly encouraged to schedule an on-campus visit with the Admissions Office Staff. The Admissions Office is located in the Student Success Center. Individual and group campus tours are available and can be arranged with the Admissions Office by calling (724) 284-8501 or toll free at 888-826-2829.

Admissions Policy

Butler County Community College subscribes to an open policy of admissions and is committed to serve all who may benefit from the programs of the institution. As such, the College does not require standardized pre-admissions testing such as the SAT or the ACT.

The open admissions include:

• All High School graduates
• All Students who have earned a GED high school equivalency
• Individuals who have not earned a high school diploma or a GED may be considered for admissions to the College. Their admission is based on the results of placement tests and meeting required “Ability to Benefit” scores as determined by the Federal Department of Education.

Students who have completed at least two years of high school and wish to begin taking college classes may be able to do so. These individuals must contact the Admissions Office as there are certain requirements that must be met.

Admissions Procedures

An application, a $25 nonrefundable one-time application fee, and an official copy of the high school transcript are required of most applicants for admission. Transfer students must send an official copy of transcripts from all colleges previously attended. Neither ACT nor SAT exams are required for admission. Applications are available through the mail, at the high school guidance offices, on the website or in person during an Admissions visit. Beginning July 1, 2013, a student may also apply online and pay the application fee with a credit card. Applicants are notified of their acceptance approximately two weeks from the date of their application.

The Nursing, Physical Therapist Assistant, Medical Assistant, Massage Therapy and Paramedic programs are selective and each has special requirements for admission. Contact the Admissions Office for specific details.  Nursing applications are accepted only from July 1 to October 31 for admission in the following fall semester.

Placement Testing

Upon admission to the College, students are required to take a placement test. The results of this test are used to assist students in selecting appropriate courses. If test scores indicate a need to strengthen basic skills in reading, mathematics, or English, students will be required to enroll in one or more developmental and/or preparatory courses. Students have the opportunity to retest once in each subject area. No fee is charged for the placement test or for the retests.  Students who have a college-level English and/or Math class passed with a “C” or higher may be exempt from placement testing upon receipt of their transcript.

Re-Admission

Students previously enrolled at BC3 who wish to return after an absence of two semesters or more (not including the summer sessions) must update their application through the admissions office. They cannot apply online, but will need to download the application from the website, complete it and either mail it in or drop it off. There is no fee for readmission. 

A student who drops out for two calendar years or longer may be readmitted but will return under the program planner and catalog current at the time the student is readmitted. Requests for exemption may be made in writing to the appropriate Dean.

International Student Admission

Applicants who are citizens of a country other than the United States may apply for admission to Butler County Community College. International students who study at BC3 must take their classes at the main campus located in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In order to be admitted to full-time status, the student must submit the following:

1. A completed application with a $25 non-refundable application fee to the College Admissions Office.
2. Send a copy of high school transcript (grades) to the College Admissions Office. If the applicant has attended any other type of educational program or institution, copies of transcripts for those academic records are also required. NOTE: All records must be translated into the English language.
3. Take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and have the scores sent to the College Admissions Office. Students must score 61 on the internet-based test or 500 on the paper-based test.
4. A confidential “Certification of Finances” form completed by the same individual who will be signing the “Oath of Sponsorship” form. This form will be sent to the applicant only after the applicant has filed the application, transcripts and TOEFL scores with the Admissions Office.

After the steps above have been completed, transcripts, test scores, and financial background will be reviewed and a decision will be made on admission. If accepted for admission to the College, the applicant will receive an acceptance letter and a “Certificate of Eligibility” form (I-20) for immigration purposes. An International student is charged out-of-state tuition and fees. International students are accepted initially only for the fall and spring semester - not for the summer semester. Submission deadlines for materials may be imposed to allow sufficent time for the application to be processed.  Deadline dates are June 15 for the fall semester and November 15 for the spring semester.

Registration

All students, new and returning, have several opportunities to register for classes and receive academic advising.

• New students can schedule an individual or group advising session to discuss their educational objectives with a College counselor and to plan their course work for the first semester. Information about these sessions is provided to new students when they submit their application for admission.
• An early registration period is conducted to give returning students the opportunity to meet with their advisors and plan their schedules in advance. Students are notified of early registration dates by email.
• Additional registration periods are scheduled prior to the start of the academic semester. The College will publish the dates and times for additional registration sessions.

Students may register in person at Butler Main Campus, BC3 @ Cranberry, BC3 @ Lawrence Crossing, BC3 @ LindenPointe, BC3 @ Brockway or by logging onto the website at bc3.edu.

All students are encouraged to register as early as possible since many classes fill to capacity well before the start of each term.

Only five of the College’s educational programs require special admissions procedures. Students interested in the Massage Therapy, Medical Assistant, Nursing, Paramedic programs or Physical Therapist Assistant should consult those sections of the catalog for application and admission procedures.

Web Registration

Students may register online by clicking the button on the BC3 Homepage at bc3.edu or by clicking on the Credit Schedule or Admissions and Registration, and following the instructions to register through WebLink. Credit card payments are accepted online. Students may pay for classes after they register online and must do so by the purge date or they will lose their schedule and will have to re-enroll in the courses they selected.

In addition to scheduling, students can check their mid-term and final grades online.

Transfer Credit

Students at Butler County Community College may receive credit for graded courses taken at most other accredited, degree-granting institutions. The Director of Records and Registration in consultation with the V. P. for Academic Affairs and deans, will review incoming transfer of credits. For courses to be accepted in transfer, they must be listed on a college transcript with a grade of A, B, or C. One and only one course with a D grade may be accepted if approved by the V. P. for Academic Affairs. College-level work will be granted transfer credit where applicable to the student’s program.

Students enrolled in a DEGREE program may not transfer in any more than forty-five (45) credits in any program. This may be done separately or combined with other methods of credit for prior learning.

Students enrolled in a CERTIFICATE program must take fifteen (15) credits in the Certificate program at Butler County Community College. The remainder may be accepted in transfer (separately or combined with other methods of credit for prior learning).

Tuition and Fees – 2013-2014

BC3 has adopted a full-time tuition rate. The full-time tuition rate is a flat rate for students taking between 12-17 credits. Fees will remain on a per credit basis. For more information about the full-time tuition rate, visit bc3.edu.

The Director of Records and Registration can determine county, state, and participating district residency at the time of registration.  In addition to the costs listed above, students should allow for commuting costs, clothing, food, and other personal expenses.

* Tuition and fees are subject to change by action of the Board of Trustees. Fees for other services (such as testing, transcripts, graduation, and noncredit courses) will continue to be set by the administration. Contact the Admissions Office for up-to-date costs.

Refund Policy

1. If you notify the College of complete withdrawal during the first five (5) work days of the semester, your tuition and fees will be refunded.* In the first five (5) College work days, there will be no penalty for partial withdrawal.
2. If you withdraw completely or partially from the sixth through the tenth College work days, 75 percent of the applicable tuition will be refunded.
3. There will be no refund after the tenth College work day.
4. The application for admission fee and the application for graduation fee are non-refundable.
5. Refunds for financial aid recipients must be calculated according to federal and/or state refund regulations.
6. To request a Medical Withdrawal, submit a completed Medical Withdrawal form before the week of final exams. Your refund will be 50 percent for Medical Withdrawal between the eleventh class day and midterm. There will be no refund for Medical Withdrawal after midterm. All Medical Withdrawals must be submitted before the last class day of the semester. The Medical Withdrawal form must be returned to the Director of Records and Registration.
7. If you are a member of the Armed Forces of the United States and your military unit is called to active duty for deployment, you may request a full refund of tuition and refundable fees. You must provide a copy of your deployment orders to the Office of Records and Registration.
8. If you believe that your circumstances may warrant an exception from these rules, submit a written appeal with appropriate documentation to the Office of Records and Registration during the semester in question.

*For six, eight, or ten week sessions, you must notify the College of complete withdrawal during the first three College work days of the session for a 100 percent refund. If you withdraw completely or partially from the fourth through the sixth College work days, 75 percent of the applicable tuition will be refunded. There will be no refund after the sixth College work day. For three week sessions, if you withdraw completely before the second College work day, you will receive a 100 percent refund. If you completely or partially withdraw during the second College work day, 75 percent of the applicable tuition will be refunded. There will be no refund after the second work day.