If you can cheat anyone, cheat everyone!

The entire academy introduction briefly touched on education and faculty. Most of it addressed various student rights issues. 

Although it didn't quite fit the typical academy introduction, it was necessary. The culinary faculty at New Star Arts College were indeed excellent, but they couldn't be publicized. They all came from parallel worlds, so there was nothing to find online. Boasting too much would only make students skeptical and lead them to doubt everything you say.

So, it was better not to mention it.

Chase thought clearly about this. The first year wasn't about making money. The sole purpose was to build a reputation. Let students know that New Star Arts College was entirely different from other community colleges. This way, more students would be attracted to join in the second year...

Now that the official website was pretty much done, Chase needed to handle the military training issue.

Actually, if New Star Arts College could market itself as having no military training, it would probably attract a lot of students. But military training was mandated by both the Education Law and the National Defense Law. It couldn't be skipped.

Chase had looked into it. Most schools cut corners on military training to save trouble. They'd hire a few people as instructors, have students stand in the sun for a few days, march for a few days, and sing songs to wrap it up.

But military training had explicit requirements. Most schools only covered basic formation drills and regulations education. There was also supposed to be light weapons training, learning weapon performance, structure and maintenance, basic individual tactics, squad tactics, first aid training, CPR, and battlefield self-rescue knowledge.

In short, since military training had to be done, Chase decided to give students a complete training experience. Let them actually learn something valuable rather than just bake in the sun pointlessly.

Of course, this would cost money. But Chase believed it was worth it.

While conducting military training, Chase would also post videos on TikTok. The start of the school year was when colleges were doing their military training. Compared to other schools, the difference would be clear, drawing envy and attention. This buzz alone might attract hundreds more students next year, covering the costs of the military training...

Under the pressure of loans and the allure of the system's mall, Chase was always thinking about how to make more money. Of course, it was about making money honorably, not through shady means...

For most students, the period after the college entrance exam was joyful. But as the time to check scores approached, anxiety and worry surfaced. They feared underperforming, worried they hadn't done well, or that they had filled out the answer sheet incorrectly...

Of course, only good students and those with borderline scores felt this way. For those always at the bottom of the class or those who never cared about studying, there was no such concern.

Howard fell into the latter category.

Howard's high school grades were not ideal. Ironwood High School was one of the worst in Skysea City. Out of over 300 seniors each year, only about a dozen made it to college. The rest went to community colleges. So, Howard didn't have high hopes for his score. Getting into a community college was fine.

When the results came out, they didn't surprise Howard. He scored 339! Community college, no doubt.

His parents didn't scold him for the score, but their disappointment was evident. Howard felt guilty for a day, but that guilt disappeared by the next day.

After lunch, Howard and a few friends went to an internet cafe. The day before, they had shared their scores in a WeChat group.

"My mom wants me to repeat a year, hoping I can get into a college, but I flatly refused. With my level, I'd need to repeat from sophomore year to have a chance!"

"A community college is fine. It's easy, and dating isn't sneaky..."

"Why don't we all enroll in the same community college? It's all the same anyway!"

"Don't be so sure, community colleges might not be as laid-back as you think!"

"Haven't you seen on TikTok? The worse the school, the stricter the rules, with all sorts of bizarre restrictions. Some don't even allow food delivery, have no air conditioning in dorms, and some have eight-person rooms that are more cramped than workers' dorms!"

Howard had watched a lot of videos about community colleges on TikTok and learned quite a bit.

Upon hearing this, his friends frowned.

"That bad?"

"I thought bad community colleges would just let us be free!"

"I've heard some colleges have terrible internet speeds. Even if you get broadband, they ban WiFi, forcing students to pay for campus internet or get a data plan!"

"No way, I can't go to a place where you have to eat at the cafeteria every day. I saw a TikTok video, and now every time I see a Spicy Duck Neck store, I feel nauseous..."

"Damn, you guys are making me nervous too. How about we pick a school first?"

"Definitely, we at least need a comfortable place. Eight-person rooms sound awful!"

"The weather's getting crazier. Summers are unbearably hot, winters freezing. How do we live without air conditioning?"

"And we must be able to order food. Otherwise, eating will be a constant worry!"

After chatting a bit, the excited group lost interest in their game. Comfort for the next three years was most important.

"Skysea City has a university town with twenty colleges, including a dozen community colleges. Why not stay local? It'll be easy to go home on weekends!"

"That sounds good. My mom's cooking is amazing..."

"Running out of money? A quick cab ride home for a refill, perfect..."

"I kind of want to go farther, but let's see if there's a good local option first!"

They opened their browsers.

In the past, you had to spend fifty dollars on a book listing all the schools to pick one. Now, you could just search online.

"How about Skysea Institute of Technology? It's right behind the Fine Arts School, bound to have lots of beauties..."

"I'll check TikTok for reviews?"

"Definitely not. The dorms have no air conditioning, and it's a six-person room. In summer, they leak. Meanwhile, the international student dorms have air conditioning and are hotel-like. TikTok is full of complaints."

"How about Skysea College of Health and Technology? You'd see nurse trainees every day, and male nurses are in demand, earning $8-9k a month..."

"Being a nurse is hard work. You have to flip patients, clean them, and I don't want to serve others!"

"Me neither. That's too embarrassing. If I became a male nurse, I'd never show my face at reunions!"

"How about Skysea Vocational College of Agri-Industry?"

"Absolutely not. My house is near there. It's a private college and very shady, always finding ways to scam students out of money!"

"How about Starbright Vocational College? Hmm, why does that name sound familiar?"

Howard looked at the webpage for Starbright Vocational College. The name seemed familiar...

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Make sure to check out Naruto: Shadow Mage and Homelander in DC

Also give a Review!