{billy stanton}

ever since i was 6, pursuing computers has always been a very particular interest of mine. whether it is building computers, repairing computers, or even figuring out how to program them, i'm intrigued in every regard. thus, attending college to study the actual working of computers (in short) was a no brainer for me. obviously, there's other computer related majors such as information technology (it), cybersecurity, and computer electrical engineering, however computer science seems to be my particular forte at the moment.

similar to my interest in computers at such an early age, college has been as well. as young as i can recall, i had always wanted to attend an online college. it appeared to be the perfect concept, taking classes from the comfort of your own home, at your own pace. during corona virus, when high schools were shutdown (and the economy!) as well as largely mismanaged, i decided to shift to online high school (similar to my described online college concept!). that year turned out to be a huge success, converting me from a C+ student to an A student. with such success, would i attend online college? the answer is yes, but no.

by attending suffolk county community college, i am given the opportunity to not only attend online classes, but additionally take classes in-person as well. this flexibility is key for me, largely simplifying courses in between semesters (such as summer classes), which i will vigorously be making use of. while i could attend a fully online college such as WGU, i have learned that in-person interaction is what allows you network and build connections with valuable people, vastly propelling your future.

furthermore, attending college is certainly not cheap. by attending a community college for two years, i will remain financially stable without needing to take any student loans now, nor in the future. a full year of community college is only around $6,500 without financial aid, as opposed to $25,000 and upwards at many other colleges, for only a slightly better education in my circumstance. not to mention, one of the campuses is only 10 minutes away from my residence. the choice is very clear for me, and i cannot wait to see where my success will take me in the future.