Students who have been accepted for the fall semester will be mailed a registration packet from the Academic Records Office. This registration packet will contain information about setting up a new student registration appointment and registering for fall courses. These packets will be mailed to accepted students starting in May. Students accepted for spring semester will be sent registration packets starting in December.

Answers to these types of questions can be found at the BSC Student Finance website.

When a student does not meet the required scores for a specific program or course, they can take the ACCUPLACER Placement exam to improve on their placement scores. ACCUPLACER is a computerized adaptive placement exam, it's purpose is to provide students with useful information about their academic skills. It is not pass/fail; instead, scores will be used to help place students in the level where they will find the most success. Students will have their scores screened for proper placement in English (Writeplacer), Math, and Reading. With no time limit, typically students will spend around 1 1/2 - 2 hours to complete the full exam. Even though the placement exam is computerized, computer skills are not necessary. Schedule an appointment to take the exam, and visit Testing Services for more information regarding placement testing.

An academic advisor is assigned to each student enrolled at BSC based on their program of study. This advisor may be a faculty member or a professional staff member. Students can find their advisor's name and contact information under Student Center in CampusConnection.

Academic advising is an important step towards achieving academic success. A relationship with an academic advisor provides students with an educational plan that fits life goals and objectives. Most of all, an advisor helps students select appropriate courses for the degree selected.

Students should bring a list of courses they would like to enroll in as well as a list of questions or topics they would like to discuss with their advisor. The advisor should be able to answer questions relating to services available to assist students in being successful in college. They will have answers to questions relating to the career your student is interested in pursuing.

Yes.  By submitting a program/advisor change form located on the Academic Records website, students are allowed to change advisors. Program/Advisor Change Form

Students should schedule an appointment with an academic advisor to determine the appropriate classes for the next semester. It is the student's responsibility to schedule advisor appointments.

Yes. Counseling and Career Services offers free counseling for students who are uncertain about their academic goals. The office is located in the Mystic Advising and Counseling Center (MACC) located in the lower level of the Student Union, across from the bookstore. A variety of assessment tests and occupational information are available. Students should begin career planning early in the academic year.

To be considered a full-time student, a student must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester. However, an average course load for a full-time student is usually 14-16 credits per semester. If a student has a weak academic background, or is working part-time for 15-20 hours a week, or is involved in time consuming extra-curricular activities, they will be advised to take a reduced load. A student should expect to spend at least 40 hours a week for class time and studying when taking 15 credits per semester.

There is no simple answer to this question. Much depends on the student's credit load, financial need, involvement in extracurricular activities and family responsibilities. Being a full-time student is the equivalent of working full time. To do well academically, students must get plenty of rest in order to be alert and receptive during class and studying. The more outside work a student has, the less time is available for academic study. If a student must work 40 hours a week, then it would be best to take only one or two courses per semester. If a student must work while maintaining full-time student status, he/she should not work more than 20 hours a week.

The Financial Aid office assists students in securing adequate funding for their educational related college expenses from a variety of sources. Financial Aid and Scholarship information is available in the Financial Aid office located in Schafer Hall. Additional financial aid information

The student will need to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at fafsa.gov. The priority deadline each year is April 15th.  Both parent and student will need a PIN number which can be obtained at pin.ed.gov. When completing the FAFSA form we recommend for the student and parent to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool that is available on the income part of the FAFSA.  Bismarck State College's School Code is 002988.  Visit step by step instructions to applying for financial aid.

If a student has decided not to attend Bismarck State College, it is the student's responsibility to withdraw to zero credits prior to the first day of class to avoid payment obligations. For more information visit Withdraw to Zero Credits.

Textbooks will be available to purchase with cash or credit card starting about two weeks prior to classes starting. Books can be charged to excess financial aid or third parties starting the Thursday before classes begin.  Students MUST have a student ID and class schedule in order to purchase textbooks at the BSC Bookstore.  Students can also purchase books online - check the BSC Bookstore website for more information.

Students have access to all their academic records information through CampusConnection.  Click here for CampusConnection help sheets.

The Mystic Cards are printed at the BSC Bookstore during regular bookstore hours.  BSC students must present photographic proof of identification (e.g. current driver's license or passport) and proof of their NDUS (North Dakota University System) EMPLID number. For further information go to www.bismarckstate.edu/students/resources/mysticid/.

To totally withdraw from all BSC courses, the Withdrawal to Zero Form should be completed by the appropriate school calendar deadline.

We encourage parents to be supportive of students and to talk with their daughter or son about their academic progress. We also recognize that college is an important time for students to realize their independence and sense of personal responsibility. Due to confidentiality laws, we are unable to share personal academic information with parents unless the student has formally instructed us to do so.

The bookstore website has a list of textbook name and ISBN required for each class.  Students can access this list, and check various sources for pricing information prior to purchasing the books at the BSC Bookstore.  Some textbooks are available for rental through the BSC Bookstore as well.

It is the responsibility of all students to remain in contact with their instructors regarding progress in enrolled courses. Only final grades are posted in CampusConnection.

contained in student records will not be otherwise released without written consent from the student. For student records purposes, the college assumes that all students are independent. Students who would like to release educational records to a 3rd party must complete the FERPA Release Form. The completed form must be submitted to the Academic Records office for processing. The release remains in effect until the student revokes such consent in writing.  However, faculty and staff are still limited in the amount of information they can share with you.

Many first-year students are not sure about a major. The college experience is an important time for students to explore and discover new interests, strengths and possibilities. Career Counseling Services personnel offer assistance to help BSC students make informed decisions about career and educational goals, using a variety of resources to explore possible careers.

Students can obtain help from a number of individuals or resources, depending on the problem:

• An advisor.  Advisors are able to discuss options with the student.  By talking through the issue they can recommend the appropriate resources.
• The professor teaching the course. Faculty post and keep office hours and may also be available before or after class. Contact information (email address and telephone number) should be listed on the course syllabus, but can also on the BSC Employee Directory.
• Free tutoring is available to help students in selected courses (chemistry, computer science, math, accounting, sciences, English). Tutoring services are available on a walk-in basis in the Sykes Student Success Center located on the 3rd floor of the Jack Science Center.
• Forming study groups with classmates help students get to know one another and to develop friendships and opportunities for studying together.

A student who has been on an IEP or 504 Plan in high school, should contact the Student Accessibility Office (701-224-2575) for accommodation services that may be available. An individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan, if you have one, may help identify services that have been effective for you. However, this is generally not sufficient documentation because of the differences between postsecondary education and high school education. Additional information is available here.