Brightpoint Community College Offers New Registration and Course Options for Students

Primary Media Contact:  Holly Walker, Director of Communications and Public Relations, 804-594-1530

Secondary Media Contact:  Heather Busch, Director of Marketing and Brand Strategy, 804-594-1532

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – In an ongoing effort to meet student needs and support success, Brightpoint Community College is launching new registration and class options. These options, which include registering for a year of classes, 7-Week Sessions, new class formats, and an accelerated online program, are designed to provide students with more flexibility while also helping them build an achievable pathway to their goals.

Year-round Registration
New and returning Brightpoint students now have the opportunity to register for a full year of classes. 
This new registration option allows students to plan ahead, to keep their educations on track and to create schedules that fit into their lives, which often include family and job responsibilities. Students who sign up for classes in advance do not need to pay for all their courses at once. The college will continue to have semester-based payment deadlines and will offer ongoing support for students through financial aid and the college’s payment plan. 

7-Week Sessions
The college’s new 7-Week Sessions allow students to focus on fewer classes at once and still be a full-time student. During the fall and spring semesters, two 7-Week Sessions will be offered with a wide variety of courses. Students who take at least two classes during each 7-Week Session can achieve full-time status if their total credit hours for both sessions are 12 or more. Students who can only fit one class a time into their lives can also benefit from the 7-Week Session, as taking one class during each session gives them the opportunity of completing two, rather than one course during the semester.

New Flexible Class Formats 
To offer students as much flexibility as possible, the college is making updates to the way it offers classes, known as class formats. In addition to on-campus, online (virtual) and hybrid (a blend of different class formats), Brightpoint’s schedule now includes Flex options. Flex courses allow students to switch, throughout the semester, between attending class on campus, through Zoom, or by completing the weekly assignments virtually. Students in these classes can adjust their attendance to meet their needs on any given class day.

Brightpoint Accelerate
The new Brightpoint Accelerate pathway is designed to help new students complete certain degrees in two years while only taking one class at a time. In this program, cohorts of students move together through highly engaging and interactive online classes that last 5 – 7 weeks. Students will complete weekly assignments during times that work best for them and can connect with other Accelerate students through an online chat and a virtual student lounge.

“Our vision for a success story for every student can only be accomplished if we meet our students’ scheduling needs and demands, which we know are different based on each student’s individual circumstances,” says Dr. William “Bill” Fiege, vice president of learning and student success at Brightpoint. “Most of our students work and/or have family responsibilities. From providing the traditional 15-week semester experience on campus to offering fully online degree programs in shorter class formats, Brightpoint works to create options that give students, in most programs, the ability to build a course schedule to best meet their individual plans.” 

Registration for Brightpoint’s Summer 2023, Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 classes is now underway. Those interested in exploring the classes being offered during each semester; reviewing 7-Week Session courses and classes taught in the new Flex format; and learning more about the Accelerate Pathway are encouraged to visit www.brightpoint.edu/schedule. 

Current Brightpoint students may register online through the myBrightpoint portal. Students interested in getting started at Brightpoint Community College may fill out a free application for admission by going to www.brightpoint.edu and clicking on “Apply Now.” Within two business days of completing the application, new students will be contacted by a new student navigator who will provide guidance on next steps. Prospective students interested in learning more about Brightpoint may contact our Student Engagement Office at info@brightpoint.edu. The college’s Help Hub (www.brightpoint.edu/helphub) may also be contacted for assistance.

Brightpoint Community College, formerly John Tyler Community College, offers more than 80 majors that provide pathways to careers in high-demand fields; transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities; and industry credentials and licensures. The college, with campuses in Chester and Midlothian, online classes, and off-campus classrooms, served more than 11,400 students during the 2021-22 academic year. It also assisted approximately 5,700 learners, including more than 2,700 job seekers, through its workforce development division, Community College Workforce Alliance, a partnership between Brightpoint and Reynolds community colleges.