Early College Pioneers

Spend Your Mornings on BC3's Main Campus

Early College Pioneers is a partnership between BC3 and Butler Area Senior High School to give high school seniors a chance to earn college credits on BC3 Main Campus before they graduate.

You’ll learn from BC3 faculty, use college textbooks, and take classes alongside other college students—while still receiving high school elective credit.

Hours & Transportation

• Monday-Friday | 8 a.m. – 9:25 a.m. 
• Shuttle available or parking permits offered.

Early College Pioneers is fully funded for participants for the 2025-26 academic year.

Who Can Participate?

To qualify for ECP, you must:

• Be a high school senior
• Have a cumulative, unweighted GPA of 2.75 or higher
• Get a recommendation from your school counselor or principal
• Get permission from a parent or guardian
• Maintain a grade of “C” or better in each class to remain in the program

What Courses Are Offered?

Courses vary by semester and may include:

• ENGL 101: College Writing
• PSYC 201: General Psychology
• COMM 201: Speech
• SOCI 201: Principles of Sociology
• And more!

All ECP courses:

• Award 3 BC3 college credits per class
• Award .5 high school elective credit per class (as determined by your high school)

Credits can be transferred to a BC3 program or to public, private, and online four-year colleges and universities. Each receiving school decides how credits are applied.

How to Apply & Register

New to BC3’s High School Programs? Follow these steps:

Placement Testing

• ENGL 101 may require a placement test (ACCUPLACER) or qualifying SAT/ACT scores
• You’ll receive placement instructions by email after applying
• Learn more about ACCUPLACER and test prep: accuplacer.collegeboard.org/students

SAT/ACT scores must be official—either:

• Sent directly to BC3 during test registration
• Included on your official transcript
• Emailed from your school counselor

Note: Screenshots, mail copies, or emails from students cannot be accepted.