Joseph Shebek, center, is the youngest of Butler County Community College’s College Within the High School program students this fall. The sophomore was 14 when his three-credit BC3 course in marketing began in August at Mars Area High School. Pictured with him here are his father, Ron, and his mother, Jamie. BC3’s College Within the High School program this fall has set three records. Submitted Photo

A Butler County Community College program that offers qualified high school students the opportunity to earn reduced-cost, transferable college credits has set records this fall in enrollment, in seats occupied and in credits pursued.

There are 523 students enrolled in BC3’s College Within the High School program this fall. The program, in its 26th year, is open to high school students in grades 10 to 12.

The all-time high includes a record 57 students in an Early College Pioneers program on BC3’s main campus, a record 16 in a Riv-Ell Entrepreneurship program in Ellwood City, and a Mars Area High School sophomore who was 14 when his three-credit BC3 course in marketing began in August.

“I thought it would be cool to get the experience of what a college class was like,” said Joseph Shebek, the youngest of the students in the program this fall.

The College Within the High School students this fall also occupy 771 seats and are pursuing 2,199 credits.

Some enrolled students may be taking more than one class, meaning they occupy more than one seat.

Previous records were set in the spring semester, when 509 students were enrolled, 696 seats were occupied and 2,034 credits were pursued.

The program this fall is offered at 14 high schools or learning centers in Butler, Armstrong, Clarion, Clearfield, Jefferson, Lawrence and Mercer counties.

Among its 18 options are college algebra, college writing, general psychology, principles of sociology and the marketing course.

Bill Foley is coordinator of news and media content at Butler County Community College.