Name: Andrew Budlong
Age: 20
Started at Rio: Fall 2022
Degree: General Business
Anticipated Completion: Summer 2024
My name is Andrew, and I am a 20-year-old, second-year college student from Avondale. I started attending Rio in the Fall of 2022 after graduating from high school over the summer.
Why I Chose Community College
My reason for attending community college was simple: I wanted the same education a university student would receive while paying severely less in tuition. I have friends who attend public and private universities who pay upwards of $15,000 to $20,000 per year in tuition. At community college, I have found that my yearly tuition bill is typically less than $4,000 per year on a full-time schedule. In my opinion, I believe that any aspiring college graduate who can attend community college SHOULD attend community college. The quality of education is still phenomenal, yet many may find they can pay for their tuition entirely out-of-pocket.
My Academic Plan
Although it has taken long workdays and nights, I’ve been able to accomplish this feat myself. I have no student loans, yet I will have an associate degree by the end of summer 2024.
I am currently studying General Business at Rio, and my goal is to transfer to a university and obtain a Bachelor of Finance in Financial Planning by 2026. Specifically, I hope to become a Certified Financial Planner and live my life helping others achieve their financial goals. My coursework at Rio has provided me with foundational business knowledge to pursue a career in this field, and I would not have done it any other way.
My Advice for College
If anyone interested in attending college is reading this, or if you have already begun attending university, I urge you to consider attending community college. Sure, it isn’t necessarily the flashiest with the most elaborate campuses (Although I must admit, the Rio tower looks pretty fly off the I-10 freeway). Nor is it as impressive as saying you attend a highly prestigious school.
But you know what is impressive? Telling your friends that you’re attending college with no to very little debt to your name. And when you’re done, you’ll have loads of credits that you can either begin your career with or transfer to a university. Sure, at university, you’ll likely have to take out student loans (I plan to). But two years of college paying community college tuition rates will severely cut down the amount you’ll have to pay back over your career.