Parents & Families

Connecting your child to a bigger world

Welcome to the Eagle family, whether you are a new eagle family or seasoned eagle family, we are excited to partner with you as your student defines themselves and prepares for their future. We love seeing our students grow on campus and beyond, in transformational and unexpected ways. We hope the information and resources provided is the first step in building a great partnership with each family.

Family on a tour
Prospective Families
New Families
Current Families
 19 
average class size
 61%  
classes with fewer than 20 students
 60+ 
clubs and student organizations
 12:1 
student-to-faculty ratio

Prospective Families

Your student has accomplished so much already. Now it’s time to support them in pursuing their future. We know a college education is a big investment. So we’ll work with you to make your student’s education as affordable as possible.

Private College Experience.
Public College Price.

At BC, we think tuition should reflect the real cost of an education, and that our students deserve a realistic, up-front price. That’s why our published tuition price will be $15,000 for the fall of 2024. Learn more about how attainable a Bridgewater education can be. Learn how Bridgewater is getting real about tuition.

Questions? Contact us!

Office of Admissions

800-759-8328
admissions@bridgewater.edu
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

New Families

As they leave your nest and prepare to join ours, we understand what a stressful and exciting time this may be. As we welcome our new students, we hope this information will help ease you and your students’ transition to our community.

As your student has their Canvas page, below is the same information for you to have access to as well. The To-Do List contains items that need to be completed before the summer transition to BC. Important dates for the transition to BC are listed below under “Important Dates.” If you have any questions about BC, you can refer to the list of campus resources to contact. Lastly, there is a list of helpful BC terms to look through to help your transition to BC. Remember, your student’s date to move in (unless designated as an early arrival) will be August 22, 2024 and Welcome Week will be the following 5 days after that leading to the first day of classes on August 26, 2024.

My Student’s To-Do List

Things to help your student consider or complete:
Featured below are some things that your student can start working on today. Please make sure that your student is checking their Canvas page for any updates that we make.

Steps to Complete Now:

Be sure to work with your student to make sure they submit the following documentation:

  • High school/college transcripts
  • SAT/ACT Scores
  • IB/AP Score

Review with your student their financial aid checklist to finalize their rewards.

Remind your student to update their User Profile to ensure information is accurate. They should update information as needed and once information appears correct, click the “Confirm” button to confirm their Addresses, Email Addresses, and Phone numbers are accurate.

Note: The home address on the file cannot be edited or deleted. If the address is incorrect, please have your student click the “Add New Address” button and enter the correct address. The Registrar’s Office will review the new address and update it in our system. Once the address has been verified and updated in our system, your student’s user profile will reflect the new address.

Parent Guardian Information Form – Complete this form as your student’s parent/guardian with accurate information. We will use this information to keep you up to date with Bridgewater College news. Please note that this does not replace the “Emergency and Missing Person Contact.”

Start looking and shopping for your student’s laptop/device. Make sure your student has their laptop/device purchased and ready for the 2024-2025 academic year. Ensure your student’s laptop/device aligns with the College’s Student Device Requirement policy. Please note: Chromebooks should not be considered your students primary device per policy.

Your student can upload your ID photo today! These are the instructions that they are given to do so:

  • Go to https://get.cbord.com/bridgewater/ and click on the link for Faculty, Staff, and Students and login.
  • On the right side, choose upload ID photo. (Follow the instructions on what type of photo you need to upload.)
  • Please upload your photo no later than July 26, 2024

Prior to the start of the semester, your student must complete the following modules. The links are available now on this Canvas page.

Date Sensitive Items:

Incoming Fall 2024 Placement Tests that your student MUST complete:

Testing includes the Language Placement Test and Quantitative Literacy and Mathematics Test.

When tests are available, we will send the links to your student’s BC email.

Once your student has accessed the Incoming Placement Tests 2024-2025 course, they will need to complete the modules in this order:

  • Module 1: Canvas Resources
  • Module 2: IT Center
  • Module 3: Language Placement Test
  • Module 4: Quantitative Literacy and Mathematics Test.

To access the Placement Tests 2024-2025 course, your student can follow the link in their 2024 Fall Canvas page.

These need to be completed by the June Orientations.

Placement tests are utilized to help us gauge the level of math and language courses they can be placed in.

The First-Year Housing Application will open on May 6 at midnight for all incoming first-year students to complete. Application and roommate selection will close on June 26 at midnight.

Access the housing portal here: https://bridgewater.starrezhousing.com/starrezportalx

By the beginning of August, first-year students will be asked to complete these required modules. These modules introduce students to our campus community living standards and practices. These are reinforced by presentations they will receive during Welcome Week.

Vaccination and Health Records that your student must have completed:

Health Record Forms and Information: 

All incoming students must complete the Health Record requirements prior to Friday, June 28. All documents must be submitted on the BC forms provided, otherwise the documentation will not be accepted. Please note – All international students must do a TB screening and any additional workup recommended by a local provider if their screening is positive. An uploader will be provided on your students Canvas page to be able to submit this documentation.

Health Records

  • Health record form and uploader is available at this link.
    • An email will be sent to your students BC email when the uploader link is available.
  • Questions: See the Frequently Asked Question page or leave a message for Health Services 540-828-5384.

If your student is a NCAA Athlete please see below:

NCAA Athletic Teams forms are due August 1, 2024 at midnight – for questions contact 540-828-8043.

  • Parking Permit Registration
    • All students must opt-in or -out for a parking permit.
    • A residence hall assignment is needed to complete the registration. If your student does not know their room yet, feel free to enter anything (pet’s name, favorite food, random building). This will be updated once assignments are complete.
    • Students who register their vehicle after July 31, 2024 will be required to pay a $50.00 late fee to cover additional processing. The fee is payable by cash or check and must be paid in person at the Campus Police & Safety Department weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Important Dates

From move-in to move-out, review the schedule for the entire year semester by semester here: academic calendar

  • First-Year Orientation Dates
    • June 21, 2024
    • June 22, 2024
    • June 24, 2024
  • First-Year Orientation Parent and Family Schedule
    • 8:30 a.m. – Check-in
    • 9 a.m. – Welcome
    • 9:30 a.m. – Transitions Session
    • 10:30 a.m. – Panel with Student Leaders
    • 11:30 a.m. – Resource Fair and mock Residence Hall
  • Transfer Orientation Date
    • June 25, 2024
  • Transfer Orientation Schedule
    • 8:30 a.m. – Check-in
    • 9 a.m. – Welcome
    • 9:15 a.m. – Academic Panel
    • 9:45 a.m. – Academic Panel
    • 10:15 a.m. – Resource Fair/Snack Break
    • 11:00 a.m. – Registration
  • Welcome Week Dates
    • August 22-26, 2024

May 6: New Student Housing Application Opens
June 26: Housing Application Closes
Week of July 1: Housing Assignments Finalized

Resources

The Office of Academic Support and Disability Services (ASDS) at Bridgewater College provides students with a wide range of assistance.

  • Academic Resources include:
    • Academic Coaching
    • Tutoring
    • Writing Center
    • Math Center
    • Learning & Research Services

Questions about these resources? Contact academicsupport@bridgewater.edu

Bridgewater College is committed to providing equal access to college programs to otherwise qualified students with a disability. The College provides reasonable and appropriate accommodations to enrolled students with a disability to ensure equal access to the academic program and College-administered activities. It is the responsibility of the student with a disability to identify before receiving services. The registration process takes time. Therefore, all students are encouraged to register with ASDS in a timely manner. Ideally, requests for services should be submitted at least four weeks before beginning classes. Registering late in the semester can delay the implementation of accommodations.

Questions about Disability Services? Contact disabilityservices@bridgewater.edu

Student accounts handles your students bills for their time at Bridgewater College. Any information regarding your student’s bill, making payments, due dates, and anything similar can be addressed by the Student Accounts office.

Contact: student_accounts@bridgewater.edu

Financial Aid office handles anything related to your student’s financial aid package with Bridgewater College. This includes applying for and finalizing financial aid for tuition, the federal work-study program, and other payment alternatives for tuition to attend BC.

The mission of the Office of DEI is to educate the whole person and promote character, citizenship, and community by enabling students, faculty, and staff to explore, develop, and express their identities in a diverse, inclusive, and supportive community. We seek to engage the many voices and perspectives that exist within our community through many programs and services. Students are encouraged to engage with the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) within the Department of Student Life to investigate their personal identity and expand their knowledge about other cultures.

Contact: idea@bridgewater.edu

Bridgewater College Student Health Services, provided by Carilion Clinic, upholds core values expressed by the American College Health Association. Our student centered, multidisciplinary, and collaborative approaches to health and wellness ensures students have access to services targeting:

  • Acute Illness
  • Minor Injuries
  • Lab services
  • Diagnosis and treatment of viral illness (Flu, Strep, Mononucleosis, COVID)
  • Diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases
  • Contraception and pregnancy testing

If you have questions about specific health care services, please call 540-828-5384 or email healthservices@bridgewater.edu

At Bridgewater, you’re not just a college student. You’re part of the BC family. It’s a tight-knit community that expects you to be there for others, to talk with—not at—one another. It’s this shared sense of responsibility and accountability that reflects our heritage and makes life at Bridgewater much more than “nice.”

From the day you move into your residence hall, you’ll feel at home. From hanging out with your roommate, studying with a group of friends, to sharing opinions in late-night debates. There are so many opportunities to grow socially, intellectually and spiritually!

Contact: reslife@bridgewater.edu

  • Parkhurst Dining at Bridgewater College offers authentic culinary experiences at all dining facilities on campus. These facilities include the Kline Campus Center dining hall, concessions, catering, Smitty’s Cafe, and the campus store. For more information, please contact Amber Smith at asmith@parkhurstdining.com
Outside shot of Forrer Learning Commons on a sunny day

BC Lingo/Terms

Understand key terms that shape the Bridgewater College experience like what “FLC” and “The K” stand for.

  • Swipe – Your swipe is your ID card that you scan to get into the Main Dining Hall.
  • Holds – Holds are placed on your student’s account when there is something that needs to be finished. These holds keep a student from registering for classes. Different holds include health record holds, financial holds, and training module holds.
  • Withdrawal – To drop a class after the add/drop grace period. Withdrawing often means receiving a W on your transcript.
  • Deposit – a payment at the beginning of your college transition that holds your spot in the next class of Eagles.
  • Registration – a process that happens before the beginning of each semester for students to select the classes that they will take.
  • “The K” – The Main Dining Hall in the KCC
  • Credit Hours
  • “The FLC” – The Forrer Learning Commons. This is our library that houses study spaces and all of our academic support services
  • Smitty’s – BC’s own coffee shop that serves Starbucks that is housed in the FLC
  • “The KCC” – The Kline Campus Center. This building houses the Main Dining Hall, the Campus Store, the Post Office, and the Office of Student Life
  • “The Funk” – The Funkhouser Center. This is our campus recreation building that houses Intramural Sports, group fitness classes, and a gym,
  • Summer Soar Orientation – The summer orientation sessions are the introductory experiences to life at BC. Students will learn about campus and its resources as well as meet other students.
  • Welcome Week – This takes place in the 5 days prior to the first day of classes. During this time, you will meet your FILA group, your Soar Mentor(s), your academic advisor, and meet other students through many different activities.
  • Academic Advisor – Your academic advisor provides support and counsel on which classes to take and when to take them based on your major/minor. For the first-year, your academic advisor is also your FILA 150 instructor.
  • FILA 150 – This is our first-year seminar course. All sections of FILA 150 have a theme that is chosen by the faculty or staff instructor. Through that theme they teach foundational information for your student to be successful at BC.
  • FERPA – Known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This law governs who can access a student’s educational records.
  • “The Link” – The Link is the common connection space between Wright and Heritage Halls and houses our Esports team.
  • “The Crim” – The Crimson Inn. This is part of our upperclassman housing.
  • “The Quad” – Rebecca Quad. This is the outdoor and patio space right outside of Rebecca Hall.
  • “The Mall” – The Mall is the main courtyard in the middle of our campus.
  • The Eagle – The Eagle is the student handbook with all of BC’s campus policies.
  • SOARientation Leader – An upperclassman student who is a connection point and group leader for your student during the summer orientation sessions.
  • Soar Mentor – An upperclassman peer mentor who will lead each FILA 150 section through welcome week but will also continue to meet with all first-year students throughout the fall semester as a connection point and resource