CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS
Freshmen: Those having completed less than 28 semester hours and having less than 56 grade points (see grade point average).
Sophomores: Those with a minimum of 28 semester hours completed and having at least 56 grade points.
Juniors: Those with a minimum of 60 semester hours completed and having at least 120 grade points.
Seniors: Those with a minimum of 92 semester hours completed and having at least 184 grade points.
Advanced Students: Those with a minimum of 128 semester hours including transferable credits, if any.
Full-Time Students: Those carrying an academic load of at least 12 semester credit hours. The minimum course load, to maintain a two or four year track is 16 credit hours per semester.
Part-Time Students: Those carrying less than 12 semester hours.
GRADING SYSTEM
A - 100-94% Superior Scholarship
B - 93-86% Above Average
C - 85-78% Average
D - 77-70% Below Average
F - Below 70% Failing
WP - Withdrawal with passing grade
WF - Withdrawal with failing grade
I - Incomplete. After two weeks following the close of a semester, unsatisfied incompletes will be recorded as failures.
GRADE POINT AVERAGE
A - 4 grade point credits given
B - 3 grade point credits given
C - 2 grade point credits given
D - 1 grade point credit given
F - 0 grade point credit given
For earning a grade of A in a 3-hour course, the student will receive 12 credit points; for receiving a grade of C he will receive 6 credit points, etc.
HONOR ROLL
Full-time students that earn a grade point average of 3.50 attain superior academic standing.
ACADEMIC HONORS
Cum Laude = 3.50-3.74
Magna Cum Laude = 3.75-3.89
Summa Cum Laude = 3.90-4.00
ACADEMIC PROBATION
Students failing to maintain a GPA of 2.00 are placed on academic probation at the beginning of the following semester. The student will remain under academic probation for no longer than one semester or until such time as the Dean deems that the quality of work meets the minimum GPA of 2.00. At the end of the semester, the Dean will determine if the student should continue or be dismissed for unsatisfactory progress. It will be necessary for that student to earn a semester GPA and an accumulative GPA of 2.00 to be taken off probation. Those receiving VA benefits must meet these requirements by the end of their probationary semester or the VA will be notified. After dismissal, a student may request re-admission by writing a letter to the Dean who will determine if the request should be granted.
STUDENT RECORDS
The student's academic file is handled in a confidential manner. Student records are made accessible to certain authorized state and federal personnel. Every effort is made to make records available to students within a reasonable amount of time.
VA STATUS REQUIREMENTS
For VA purposes, one semester hour is equal to one weekly in-class clock hour. All full-time students are required to attend and participate in weekly church/chapel services. Attendance of these services is calculated on a weekly clock hour basis. For example, a full-time student must maintain a minimum of 12 semester hours of course-work and 9 weekly clock hours of church/chapel services, totaling 21 hours per week, to maintain VA full-time status. Below is a chart providing benefit status for the total of a student's semester hours and weekly services clock hours. Benefits are paid based on clock hours per week as follows:
Hours VA Status
18 hours per week or more is full-time
13-17 hours per week is 3/4 time
9-12 hours per week is 1/2 time
5-8 hours per week is less than 1/2 time
1-4 hours per week is 1/4 time or less
If a VA student is certified at one of the statuses above and drops below the minimum required hours for that status, then the VA will be notified.
CLASSES
Each class session is 50 minutes in length. All required classes are concluded by noon each day, (with the exception of some music classes) leaving the afternoon for student employment. Each semester consists of 15 weeks of instruction.
CLASS ATTENDENCE
Students are permitted discretionary absences equal to the number of hours the class meets each week. For example, a 3-hour class would permit the student 3 discretionary absences in one semester. Each absence above this limit will be considered unexcused (unless excused according to the student handbook procedure), and will deduct 3 percentage points from the students final grade in the course. Three unexcused tardies will be equivalent to one unexcused absence. If at any time a student is absent more than one-third of the total class hours for that course, he/she will be forced to withdraw from that course. A student must attend more than two-thirds of the number of class sessions or credit will not be allowed, regardless of the reason.
PROCEDURE FOR DROPPING CLASSES
Changes in course registration are to be made by the end of the second full week of classes in each semester. No change of courses may be made after this time.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Requirements for graduation are; a completion of 64 prescribed semester credit hours for a two-year Associate Degree and 128 prescribed semester credit hours for a four-year Bachelor Degree. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 with no outstanding financial obligations to PBC to graduate.
WITHDRAWAL FROM COLLEGE
Any student desiring to withdraw from the college should notify the Dean and the Registrar. With the Dean's approval, the student will be given a final grade of WP (withdrawal with passing) except for courses where the student has failing or incomplete work. The student then would receive a final grade of WF (withdraw with failing). A student who fails to notify the Dean and Registrar to receive approval for withdrawal will receive an automatic final grade of WF in all classes.
The college reserves the right to request the withdrawal of students whose conduct is deemed inconsistent with the standards of the college. All such students must have the approval of the Dean to re-enter school.
