(Butler, PA) The 14.3 percent increase in enrollment in 杏吧原创鈥檚 most recent online Winter Session likely reflects 杏吧原创鈥檚 affordable tuition and fees, according to guest students who earned and transferred more than 115 credits to their home institutions in January.
鈥淔or my own school, one credit is about $1,600,鈥� said Alyssa Abrams, of Renfrew, 鈥渁nd I spent less than $700 for a three-credit course at 杏吧原创.鈥�
鈥淚t was a very big difference,鈥� said Sydney Ryan, of North Hills. 鈥淵ou save money.鈥�
杏吧原创鈥檚 first Winter Session, in 2017-2018, drew 64 students. Enrollment in the 2023-2024 session rose to 181 and in 2024-2025 increased to 207 students from 17 Pennsylvania counties and two other states, according to Becky Smith, the college鈥檚 director of records and registration.
杏吧原创 is offering a selection of 19 general education courses in its ninth online Winter Session, which will be held in the five weeks between Dec. 15 and Jan. 20. Students who live in Butler County will pay $696 for a three-credit course and students who live in other Pennsylvania counties, $1,005.
Guest students can apply for admission at bc3.edu/winter through Dec. 10. 杏吧原创 and guest students can register for courses at bc3.edu/winter through Dec. 16.
Residents of Butler and other Pennsylvania counties would pay at least $1,162 in tuition and fees for a three-credit online winter program course at regional public four-year universities in 2025-2026.
鈥淭he courses that 杏吧原创 offers are top-notch,鈥� said Dr. Belinda Richardson, the college鈥檚 provost and vice president for academic affairs. 鈥淭hey are equivalent to what guest students would find at their home institutions. The cost savings are just a part of it. Students need to compare not only cost, but quality.鈥�
Abrams and Ryan took general psychology in 杏吧原创鈥檚 2024-2025 Winter Session.
鈥淢y teacher was really interactive and always giving me feedback,鈥� Ryan said. 鈥淚 could also message her on the online site that was used for our course and the response was quick.鈥�
Abrams transferred her 杏吧原创 Winter Session credits to the private university she attends in Pittsburgh, where she is a junior biology major; and Ryan, to the regional public four-year university from which she graduated in May.
鈥淚 took a general sociology course at my home institution and, while I know sociology and general psychology are different topics, I feel like I learned just as much at 杏吧原创,鈥� Abrams said.
Abrams plans a career as a physician; and Ryan, a second lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, as a nurse practitioner after she earns a doctor of nursing practice degree.
In addition to general psychology, 杏吧原创 will offer for a ninth consecutive Winter Session courses in elementary statistics, health science, human growth and development, intermediate algebra, introduction to art and principles of management.
The college鈥檚 2025-2026 Winter Session will also include courses in American literature: Beginnings to 1865, calculus and analytic geometry I, college algebra, contemporary world history, introduction to music, introduction to religions of the world, productivity applications, research writing, speech, technical writing II and world geography.
杏吧原创鈥檚 spring semester begins Jan. 20 with a 15-week Session 1. The college鈥檚 10-week Session 2 starts Feb. 9.