All New BCC Students Should Enroll in English 1A

At Berkeley City College, all students are eligible to enroll in English 1A and should enroll in their first semester.

English 1A is a course that gives you foundational college-level skills in writing, reading, and research – skills that you will use throughout your college career and beyond. Taking this class in your first semester will help you succeed in college because you are required to use these skills in many of your other college courses and because it’s a prerequisite to at least one other class that you will need to transfer or get your associate degree.

Some students will enroll in English 1A by itself, and others will enroll in English 1A PLUS. In English 1A PLUS, you’ll receive help from your teacher and well-trained writing coaches in a supplemental lab course to maximize your chances of success. The lab portion of the class will provide you time and space to start assignments, check your learning, ask questions, and practice what you learn in English 1A lecture.

Please use the following guidelines to help you enroll:

• If your overall high school grade point average was below 2.6, please enroll in English 1A PLUS (consisting of English 1A, linked to English 508A, 508B, and 508C). The cost to you will be the same as if you had enrolled in English 1A.
• If your overall high school grade point average was 2.6 or above, please enroll in English 1A, rather than English 1A PLUS.
• If you don’t know your overall high school grade point average or you attended high school more than ten years ago, please use the Berkeley City College English 1A Guided Self-Placement tool to help you determine whether you should enroll in English 1A PLUS or English 1A. A counselor (including Quick Stop counselor), student ambassador, Admissions and Records staff member, or Placement and Orientation staff member can direct you to the Guided Self-Placement tool.