To the editor:

In the Aug. 3 paper, there was an article about the college and career advice that area high schools offer their students. One aspect that was not discussed is the “jump start” that many juniors and seniors in the Marion county schools are able to get by taking college courses while they are still in high school. Marion County is part of the Butler Community College service area. BCC is proud to be in Marion and offers college courses to students at Marion HS, Peabody-Burns HS, Hillsboro HS and Centre HS. At Marion High School this fall, Butler is offering 17 credit hours (five different courses) for dual credit. Many students will graduate from high school with over half of their freshman year of college already completed. At a tuition cost that is less than half of the 4-year institutions, this is a great opportunity! Students must qualify for the courses either through their ACT scores or by taking a placement test through BCC.

Butler of Marion is also here to assist with transfer questions and program/major questions for any of the regent universities in Kansas. Students can meet with an advisor familiar with programs at other colleges and Butler’s programs in El Dorado and Andover. Many students who are unsure of their educational plans will choose to stay at home for a while and take night and online classes through Butler. We encourage all in the community to see Butler as an educational resource, both for the concurrent high school students and for anyone who desires to stay local and get a great education.

The Staff of Butler of Marion

Amy Kjellin, Director

Butler of the Flint Hills