Butte College (BC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills north of Sacramento, Butte College (BC) is a community college that was founded in 1967. The main campus is a designated wildlife refuge and spans over 900 acres. It is one of the largest community college campuses in California, with more than 45% of the campus energized with solar power. The school also operates the Chico Center, a training center for business owners and employees, as well as the Glenn Center, a center serving the Glenn County residents.

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Information Summary

Ranks 178th in California and 2163rd overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	61.1
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$3,286
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	24 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	74% / 47%
Enrollment Total (all students)	10,872

Academics

With its impressive technology and exceptional instructional programs, Butte College offers high quality general courses, transfer education and career preparation. Associate’s degrees are offered as well as training in career fields such as medical, business, welding, automotive, law enforcement, computers and more.

The transfer programs offer coursework which are designed to meet the lower division General Education requirements for the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems. Career and technical education programs are provided which are tailored to train students for a career or occupation. These career programs offer a variety of student education and training in diverse career fields. Students can earn certificates of achievement along with the general education units and prepare for an Associate Degree.

Certificates of Achievement are offered to students who can wish to pursue specific skilled employment or continue additional education for an Associate Degree. These certificates are granted to designate a satisfactory level of achievement in specific programs which can be completed less than two years. Some programs may be completed over an extended period of time in the regular day or evening classes.

The College also offers other certificates to designate a student’s satisfactory completion of the short-term courses, such as the Certificate in Early Childhood Education. The college also has a dynamic Study Abroad Program, which provides opportunities to live and study in amazing international destinations such as Maya Country, Costa Rica, Italy and Ireland.

Online Learning

A wide range of distance courses are offered that are delivered via Internet. The online courses present a wonderful opportunity for people who wish to add more stars to their education but are stuck with responsibilities and a busy schedule. Students enrolling for the online courses must value the significance of time management and independent study skills. Some of the online courses offered are Financial Accounting, Applied Physical Science, Admin of Justice, Physical Anthropology, and Intro-Service Learning.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

Each year, more than 21,000 students are enrolled seeking an occupational degree or certificate; preparing for transfer to a four-year college or university, or taking classes to investigate a new career. All freshman students have to take the assessment test which evaluates the basic skill placement levels in reading, English, and math for the new students. Students must either complete the Basic Skills Assessment (BSA) or provide documentation of previously completed placement tests from other California colleges. Student whose primary language is not English must take the English as a Second Language (ESL) Assessment test.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is the money offered to help the needy and deserving students bear the education costs of the institute. Financial support is provided to the students through various forms such as grants, scholarships, federal work-study, and private loans. All students seeking financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form online.

The college offers various scholarships such as the Ronald S. Knight Memorial Scholarship, Sons of Italy Scholarship, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Professional Education Grant, Healthy Lifestyles Scholarship, Sacramento Archeological Society Scholarship, and Classified Transfer Scholarship.

Student Financial Aid Details

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Students

Student life on campus offers a perfect blend of academic experience added with loads of extracurricular activities and fun. Domestic as well as international students come together to form clubs and organizations where they can meet new people, share their views, and learn about each other’s culture. There are more than 30 student clubs on campus including social, political, and academic interest. Students can either join an existing club or start a new one.

Some of the popular student clubs and organizations include Asian Students Association, Cheerleading Club, Black Student Union (BSU), Anthropology Club, Friends of the Wildlife Refuge, International Club, Japanese Animation & Culture Club, Literary Arts Club, STOP (Stop Trafficking of Persons), and Student Alliance for Sustainability (SAS).

Phi Theta Kappa is the International honor society for the community college students. Beta Theta Kappa is the local chapter that is engaged in various activities under the four hallmarks: Leadership, Service, Fellowship and Scholarship.

The Office of Service Learning & Volunteerism helps transition of students between the classroom and community with excellent service learning opportunities. With the college’s service-learning and volunteerism program, students get the opportunity to use what they learn in the classroom in related work areas. Apart from that, they also contribute their little bit for the community welfare.

Campus Facilities:

The main campus is home to several training centers for law enforcement, fire, game warden academies, agriculture, automotive technology, and welding. There are also well-equipped science and nursing academic laboratories. Some of the campus highlights include the Everett Brott campus center, career and counseling centers, housing admissions and records, a cafeteria and bookstore. The main campus also houses the Art Gallery.

The Library is located on the main campus. It provides a complete range of information services which includes interlibrary loan, reference, circulation, and library instruction. The library provides students a perfect place to study, research and seek reference materials. There is also a quiet study area with more than 100 individual study cubicles and five group study rooms.

The Center for Academic Success (CAS), located on the main campus offers free tutoring services in many subjects. It features group study rooms, a reading and writing center, workshops, tutor-aided computer labs, and a comfortable place to study. The Counseling Department presents academic, personal, and career counseling services for the students wanting to fulfill their vocational, transfer, personal or professional development goals. The counselors help students to explore the hidden abilities, interests, and work ethic to attain those goals.

Dining and Housing:

There are several dining options situated throughout the campuses. Some of the popular eateries are Coyote Grill, Salad City, Ba Da Bing’s Pizza, Roadrunner Deli, International Express, That’s A Wrap, Hot Dog and Smoothie Station. Students will also find the Wired Café on the campus center. A wide range of housing options are offered to the international students. Some of them include: home stay / home share; Craig hall dormitories; and private apartment living. All these housing units are safe, clean and offer modern facilities for students’ convenience.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Athletics

The Roadrunners sponsor a wide variety of men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports teams. The varsity sports for men include baseball, track, football, basketball, cross country, golf, and soccer. Women participate in sports like softball, track, golf, cross country, soccer, volleyball, and basketball. The colors are Black and Gold. The Roadrunners were the JC National and State Champions for the year 2008.

The school is a member of the following intercollegiate conferences: Golden Valley, Bay Valley, and the Northern California Football Alliance. The John B. Cowan Sports Complex features a stadium that hosts track and football activities; an indoor gym; volleyball courts; baseball and softball diamonds; an archery range; and well-groomed athletic fields for various sports.

A wide variety of outdoor recreational sports are offered such as hiking, cycling, water sports, and photography. There are a myriad of choices for students to get involved in and enjoy. There is no dearth of summer and winter sports and activities. Students can explore the various outdoor recreational spots situated nearby: Lassen Peak, Mount Shasta, Lake Oroville and Bidwell Park.

Alumni

Prominent BC alumni include Larry Allen, retired football player for the Dallas Cowboys; Paris Jackson, CFL football player for the Ottawa RedBlacks; Junior Siavii, football player for the Seattle Seahawks; and Ken Grossman, founder of the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

Accreditation

The College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Butte College