Southwest Michigan College

To begin, you can review courses on Banner and refer to the Catalog to check course descriptions and prerequisites.  If you are not sure what courses to choose, you can also review the Michigan Transfer Agreement to see which classes will transfer to most state schools in Michigan.

Application Process

The application and registration process is easy:

1. SMC offers 2 locations: Dowagiac or Niles campus
2. Meet with an advisor: 
   • Brian Howard 269-783-2706
3. If you do not have high school transcripts and PSAT scores to submit, take the college's placement test (Accuplacer) which determines the student's overall reading and math proficiency.  In order to take the Accuplacer test, you MUST have a student ID, state picture ID, driver's license or a parent must bring a picture of the student with the student to be notarized on-site at the college.   They can take the tests on campus or remotely.  If they would like to take the tests on campus, please have them email the Testing Center at testingcenter@swmich.edu. If they would like to take it remotely, they can make an appointment on https://calendly.com/smctesting. 
    
4. Once the advisor has your scores and approves your choices, you can register through a simple email to the advisor, copied to Sharon Haynes: shaynes@homeoftheshamrocks.org.
   Please send the following information for each course per the example below:
   • Course: PSYC 101
   • Course Title: General Psychology
   • CRN: 3032  
   • Meeting Days: MW
   • Meeting Times: 12:40 - 2:10
   • Credit Hours: 3  
   • Contact Hours: 3  

Due to state reimbursement rules for college classes:

• If 1 dual enrollment class is taken, the student can and must take at least 1 regular partnership class, but can take up to 3 regular classes (including online).
• If 2 dual enrollment classes are taken, the student must take 1 regular partnership class, and cannot take more. 

Dual enrollment students can take any class except for religion, craft/hobby, phys ed or remedial. Dual enrollment courses can be core subjects as long as they are taken for college credit only, non-core subjects can be taken for both high school and college credit.  ​ 

Note: Our payment to the college may cover all expenses, including books, for a 3 credit/3 contact hour class. High contact hour/billing hour classes may cost more than our allowance per class.  Any amount or books over the allowance is the responsibility of the family. The exact amount may not be known until after the class has begun.  Classes such as high level math, science, art, photography, etc. tend to have labs and high contact hours (5 or 6), depending on the school.  

To get the college classes you need, you may register before partnership registration opens. One other Partnership class is required (community or virtual) in order to take any dual enrollment class. If one dual enrollment class is taken, the student must take one but may take up to 3 community or virtual classes.  If the student is taking 2 dual enrollment classes, the student must take one and can only take that one community or virtual class.

SMC has a voucher system and will notify Sharon when books are ready to be picked up.  That information will be sent to students as soon as it is received.  The student MUST return all RENTAL books promptly to the bookstore during the return period.   If the bookstore does not accept purchase buy-backs or if the supplies were consumable, the student may keep the purchase. If the store does buy-back purchased books, the money received must be returned to BSPS.   If the student does not return rentals in time, the family will be responsible for either the purchase price or the late return fees.

If a student enrolls in a college class and withdraws from that class after the college's refund/transfer window, or receives a failing ending grade, he or she will not be eligible to take future dual enrollment classes through the Partnership. Parents have the option of reimbursing BSPS for all tuition and fees incurred in order to maintain their dual enrollment eligibility status.  If the student fails to reimburse the school, the student may not participate in the partnership in the future.