Scheduling Appointments Using Starfish

Starfish is an online platform used to create education plans, schedule student services, and email instructors, counselors, and advisors. To access, Starfish, login to your InsideBC. Click on Tools, then Starfish. Click on the menu and select success network. You will be able to see your assigned counselor/advisor and schedule an appointment.

Meetings are currently conducted as 30-minute Zoom Cloud Meeting or a phone appointment.

After you schedule your appointment, you will receive a “Zoom Cloud Meeting" link with steps on how to log-in and "meet" with your Counselor or Advisor. You must log-in from a computer, laptop, or tablet with a microphone and webcam to optimize your virtual appointment. Your smartphone is also an option when you download the mobile app. Please visit the Zoom Video Tutorials website for more information on starting a zoom meeting. Smartphone app downloads:

• Zoom Cloud Meetings App for iPhone
• Zoom Cloud Meetings App for Android

Appointments may not available during peak registration periods and/or during the summer. Appointments will be scheduled in 30 minute blocks and are generally two weeks out. Please be on time to your appointment. You may also need to provide copies of your unofficial college and/or university transcripts to determine course clearance or course placement.

Policies

Late Arrival Policy

As a courtesy to other students and our faculty and staff, we expect that students will be on time to counseling appointments. However, we do understand that unexpected events may arise. We will accept late attendees up to 5 minutes after a scheduled appointment. Arriving late to an appointment will reduce your appointment duration by the amount of time you are late. Students arriving more than five (5) minutes late will be required to reschedule their appointment.

No Show Policy

Please contact the Counseling and Advising Department at (661) 395-4421 or counseling@bakersfieldcollege.edu in advance if you will be unable to attend your appointment. Our support staff is more than willing to reschedule or cancel an appointment given prior notice.

If you do not attend a scheduled appointment, you will be marked as a No Show. However, we do understand that unexpected events may arise. We will allow you to receive one No Show without consequence. If you acquire 2 or more No Shows, you will no longer be able to schedule counseling appointments in the Counseling Department.

What Can You See A Counselor or Advisor For?

Some examples of what you can meet with a counselor or advisor for are as follows.

• Choose a major
• Develop or update your Comprehensive Student Education Plan (CSEP)
• Academic & Progress Probation
• Academic & Progress Disqualification
• Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) contracts
• Transferring into Bakersfield College from other colleges and/or universities
• Understanding which classes from other colleges and/or universities will transfer into Bakersfield College
• Transfer out of Bakersfield College to other colleges and/or universities
• …and more!

Our Mission

Academic counseling and advising at Bakersfield College is an on-going, intentional, and educational partnership between Bakersfield College and its students that is dedicated to student academic success. Bakersfield College is committed to an academic counseling and advising system that helps students:

• Discover and pursue life goals
• Support diverse and equitable educational experiences
• Advance students’ intellectual and cultural development
• Learn to become engaged, self-directed leaners, and competent decision makers

The Counseling and Advising Department is committed to promoting student success by assisting students with educational planning, career and education counseling, and developing strategies for navigating higher education.

Counselors & Advisors In Other Departments

In addition to the Counseling and Advising Department, there are counselors and advisors located in other departments on campus. The counselors and advisors in these areas do not schedule their appointments through the Counseling and Advising Department. Please contact the numbers below for more information.

Hours & Locations

Note: all campuses are physically closed. Services and appointments are provided via online platforms.