Options and Fit

High school students wanting to earn college credit at Butler have three options. First, they may take concurrent classes offered at the high school taught by high school teachers with appropriate credentials or Butler Community College faculty who come into the high school. Second, students can take courses at one of our many Butler campuses, including our online offerings. Or third, if accepted, students can participate in our Early College Academy. Each option meets different student needs and circumstances.

H+ at Your High School

These courses work well for students who want to take a few general education courses prior to going to college. High schools offer different courses, but typically they are English Composition, Speech, College Algebra, and History. These work well for busy students, as they fit the high school schedule and the student does not typically need to travel to a Butler location for the course. Usually students with college aspirations take these courses, as they are highly transferable and meet the requirements of most college degrees.

H+ at Butler:

If a student wants to take a more specialized course that the high school does not offer, they may take it at one of our Butler locations. The high school will need to approve it for dual credit, but in these situations, students can take a much wider array of courses, essentially picking from our entire catalog. In certain situations, the student will need to meet pre-requisites for entrance into the course. Further, in most situations, students take these courses during evenings or hours when they have release from their high school, working around their high school schedules and demands. The benefit is the wider option of courses for students who want to go beyond the general education classes but who do not want to participate in the Early College Academy.

Early College Academy:

The Early College Academy is a unique program that allows high school students the chance to be full-time college students while still in high school. The program will only accept Junior and Senior students and requires full daily participation. The schedule for the ECA follows a strict 8-11 or 12-3 schedule, with classes taking place Monday through Friday. An example of a typical day in the life of an ECA student will have them at Butler from 8-11 in the morning and the rest of the day at their high school. Students have a pre-determined schedule depending on their chosen pathway and can often complete an entire associate degree or industry certification before they graduate high school. This program works well for students who have a very particular career or educational goal in mind and are highly motivated. Entrance is based upon a lengthy application process and acceptance is not guaranteed.