FAQ

What is the Academic Calendar and where does a student get one?
The Academic Calendar is a calendar of important dates for school published at the beginning of each semester. It shows all the important dates such as when classes begin, last day to Add/Drop a class, change from credit status to audit status, official holidays, recesses, beginning of exam week, etc. Copies of the Academic Calendar are located in on the website, inside the printed class schedule, or from the Enrollment Management Office.

What is an Academic Change form?
An Academic Change form is used to change and/or add the following: degree, major, teaching field, advisor, minor, or concentration. A student can get a copy of the Academic Change form in the Enrollment Management Office.

What are the consequences of plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty?
Cheating in all its forms, including plagiarism and cheating on visual work, is considered an academic matter to be controlled and acted upon by the individual faculty member. Results can be as minor as a F on the assignment or an F in the class or can be as severe as expulsion from the institution.

What is the Academic Foundations Program?
It is a program designed to assist under-prepared students to bridge the gap between high school and college. The Program offers courses in mathematics, reading, study skills and composition. ACFN courses do not count toward graduation and are not calculated in a student’s GPS.

Do Academic Foundation courses (ACFN) count toward full-time student status and financial aid?
Yes.

When must a student register for Academic Foundations courses?
According to the Higher Education Policy Commission, any student who places into an Academic Foundation course must register for the course(s) his/her first semester on campus and must satisfactorily complete the required course(s) within two semesters of enrollment in order to continue his/her studies.

Are tutorial services available to students?
Yes, student may inquire about tutorial service in the Resource Room located in Room D09. Tutorial services are free. Additionally, there is a Writing Center and a Mathematics Center also located in the Resource Room.

When is the ADD/DROP period?
During the first five days of a regular semester or the first two days of each summer session, students are permitted to change their original schedule. The adding and dropping of classes will be permitted via BRIDGE.

How are advisors assigned? How do I change my advisor?
Division Deans are responsible for assigning all advisors. If a student wishes to change his/her advisor, the student should contact the Division Dean. This change can take place anytime after the third week of a semester. The student must complete and return an Academic Change form available in the Enrollment Management Office.

Will a course taken through Blue Ridge CTC apply to a four-year bachelor’s degree?
Generally, yes. However, the student should check with the college or university he or she wishes to transfer to be sure.

What is the class attendance policy?
Each professor determines attendance policies individually. The attendance policy is usually outlined in the syllabus, which is generally handed out the first day of classes.

How can a student Audit a class?
The student may register for the class for Audit during the regular registration period or, in accordance with the College Calendar, go to the Enrollment Management, and change the registration from credit status to audit status. The deadline to make the change is listed in the Academic Calendar. Note: A student may not be able to audit a class within their own major/degree.

Can the College cancel a class in which a student is enrolled?
Yes, if there are 10 or fewer students enrolled.

Where does a student go to change name/address and/or SS#?
A student wishing to change his/her name, address, and/or correct a SS# should complete a Personal Information Change form available in the Enrollment Management Office.

What is a “full-time” student?
Blue Ridge CTC defines a “full-time” student as one taking 12 or more credit hours per fall/spring semester. A student taking 3 hours in one summer session is defined as “full-time.”

What is a “part-time” student?
Blue Ridge CTC defines a “part-time” student as one taking 11 or fewer credit hours per fall/spring semester. A student taking fewer than 3 hours in one summer session is defined as “part-time.”

Does a student need a computer account?
ALWAYS! Many professors make assignments based on a student’s ability to email answers and questions to the instructor. All students are assigned a computer account at the beginning of their college career. Students can obtain their account information by logging onto BRIDGE, going to Personal Information, then Password Management, and then to Retrieve Original Password.

Is there an academic progress requirement for a student receiving Financial Aid?
Yes. Academic progress is measured once each year to determine that a student is making progress toward completion of his/her academic program. Federal regulations require the student to successfully complete a given percentage of the courses for which he/she is registered. A complete description of the requirement is sent to each student receiving financial aid.

What is the Academic Forgiveness Policy?
Any student who is returning to college with less than a 2.0 GPA and has not been enrolled as a full-time student during the past five years may apply for Academic Forgiveness after the student has earned 12 credit hours that apply toward graduation with a minimum GPA of 2.0.
Application for Academic Forgiveness must be made during the 1st re-admission semester. To apply for Academic Forgiveness, the student must complete and return the Academic Forgiveness form to the Enrollment Management Office.

How are mid-term grades distributed?
Mid-semester grade reports are available for all students on BRIDGE. Freshman and High School Seniors grades are also mailed to a student’s permanent address.

How does a student receive a grade of W?
A student receives a grade of W by withdrawing from any class after the first five days of class (Add/Drop period) through the Friday of the 12th week of classes. See the Academic Calendar for the specific date each semester.
The form used to withdraw from a class is available from the Enrollment Management Office.

Under what circumstances would a student receive a grade of I?
A grade of I may be given to a student who has completed the majority of requirements for the course but because of extenuating circumstances may be unable to complete all stated requirements of the course.

How does a student request a grade of Incomplete (I)?
A student must communicate with the professor of the class for which the student wishes to request an Incomplete. If the professor is in agreement, the professor will submit the proper form to the Enrollment Management Office.

How does a student have an Incomplete (I) removed?
A student must confer with his/her professor about the necessary requirements and the timetable for the work to be completed to have the grade of I removed. The Enrollment Management Office must receive the form from the professor no later than 10 days before the date the final grades are due for the next semester. If the I is not made-up in one semester, the grade will become an F.

When is a student given a grade of IF?
An IF is received if a student does not attend class and does not officially withdraw from a class by the deadline listed in the Academic Calendar. A grade of IF is computed as an F in the student’s GPA.

May a student take courses on a Pass/Fail basis and what is the process?
Courses that are deemed general electives may be taken on a pass/fail basis. General Studies courses, required courses and electives in the major, or required courses and electives in the minor may NOT be taken for a pass/fail grade. Students must complete and return a Pass-Fail Option form to the Enrollment Management Office by the dates listed in the Academic Calendar.

How is a student named to the Dean’s List?
In order to be named to the Deans List a student must carry at least 7 credit hours and maintain at least a 3.5 GPA.

How is a student named to the President’s List?
In order to be named to the President’s List a student must carry at least 7 credit hours and earn a 4.0 GPA.

When does a student apply for graduation?
The student must apply for graduation two semesters prior to graduation. This means that a person wishing to graduate in May must apply for graduation the previous September. Deadlines for graduation application are listed on the Academic Calendar. The application process for graduation begins in the Enrollment Management Office where the student receives a packet which he or she will complete with his or her academic advisor prior to returning the completed forms along with the graduation fee.

What is the Academic Residency requirement?
A student must complete at least 24 semester hours of course work at Blue Ridge CTC to graduate with an associate’s degree. The last twelve hours of the degree must be earned at Blue Ridge CTC.

What GPA is required to graduate?
The GPA required for graduation is a 2.0 minimum in these areas: overall GPA (transfer work and Blue Ridge CTC work), Blue Ridge CTC GPA, major field GPA, and minor field GPA. Higher minimums are required for some majors.

What does it mean to be placed on Academic Probation; and how does a student get off of Probation?
Freshman/New Transfer Students: If a student fails to earn a 2.0 GPA in the first semester of attendance, a letter will be sent stating that the student is on Academic Probation. To be removed from Academic Probation, the student must attain a 2.0 in all course work, excluding Academic Foundations courses.
Continuing Students: A student who has been enrolled for more than one semester and whose Blue Ridge CTC GPA or cumulative GPA falls below a 2.0 in any semester will be placed on probation. To be removed from probation, the student must attain BOTH a 2.0 Blue Ridge CTC and cumulative GPA (includes course work attempted from other institutions).

When is a student placed on Academic Suspension?
The student is first placed on Academic Probation. The student on Academic Probation at the beginning of the fall semester must attain a 2.0 institutional GPA on the combined hours for fall, spring, and summer session(s) to be eligible to return the following semester. The student placed on Academic Probation at the beginning of the spring semester must attain a 2.0 institutional GPA on the combined hours for the spring and summer session(s) to be eligible to return the following fall semester. If the student does not meet the above stipulations, he/she is placed on Academic Suspension. A student suspended for the 1st time is not eligible to enroll for one semester. The student must re-apply to the college for readmission. A student suspended for the 2nd time is not eligible to enroll for a full academic year. The student must re-apply to the college for re-admission.

How does a student get a copy of his/her current class schedule?
A student may access BRIDGE using his/her PIN number to secure that information.

Can a student repeat a class (60-Hour Rule)?
Yes. A student may repeat any Blue Ridge CTC class in which he/she received a D, F or IF within the first 60 hours of coursework attempted prior to receiving a degree. The grade received in the course the student is repeating will be substituted for the original grade received in that course. If the student repeats a course taken after 60 hours, both grades will remain on the transcript and count in the overall GPA. The original grade will not be deleted from the transcript. A student may not repeat a course or courses to improve a GPA where the original grade was a C or better.

What determines in-state residency?
In-state residency is determined by living a period of at least 12 months in West Virginia prior to the date of college registration, excluding attending an institution of higher education in West Virginia. Consideration will be given to factors such as ownership or lease of a permanently-occupied home, full-time employment within the state, paying West Virginia property tax, filing West Virginia income tax returns, registering motor vehicles in West Virginia, possessing a valid West Virginia driver’s license, and marriage to a person already domiciled in West Virginia.

What is the snow policy?
In the event of severe inclement weather or other emergency, if a decision is made to cancel or delay classes, announcements are made on local radio and television stations.

Can a student take courses elsewhere after enrolling at Blue Ridge CTC?
A student wishing to take course work at another institution after enrolling must obtain permission before enrolling at another institution for courses. The Permission/Approval To Take Courses At Another Institution form (more commonly known as the “Green form”) is available in the Enrollment Management Office. When the appropriate signatures have been obtained, the form must be returned to the Enrollment Management Office. Courses in a major or courses failed may not be taken elsewhere.

How does a student get a transcript of grades?
A student must fill out an application requesting an official transcript request. The request must have the student’s signature. Copies of transcripts will be available after three working days. The first copy is free; the cost for each additional copy is $5.00. When time is of the essence, a student may request a transcript to be available in 24 hours. The cost is $15.00. Unofficial transcripts are available on BRIDGE.

Where does a student go to verify enrollment in college (for insurance, work, etc.)?
The Enrollment Management Office.

Is there a deadline to withdraw from a course?
Yes. Deadline dates are listed in the Academic Calendar.

What is the difference between a Drop and a Withdrawal from a class?
A Drop must be completed within the first five (5) days of classes and will not be reflected on the transcript. A Withdrawal must be completed by the Friday of the 12th week of classes. See the Academic Calendar for specific dates. A grade of “W” will be reflected on the transcript.

Is there a Graduation Ceremony for December and August graduates?
No. However graduates are encouraged to participate in the following May ceremony.