You might have heard from people that if you want to get success in life, then you must get a college degree. But what if I say I wasted my four years in college just for a degree that doesn’t make sense now.
Getting a college degree is good, but it is not for everyone. There are tons of different alternatives you can choose and build a much better career than those who go to college.
So, here are some of the very enticing alternatives that you can choose from rather going college.
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1. Start a business
There are tons of successful entrepreneurs like Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and many others who don’t have a college degree. Most of them are either dropped their college or never been to college. They all took the initiative and started the business, and now they are successful. So, if you have any business idea, then it would be a wise decision to spend your four years in working on that idea, instead of wasting those four years in a college degree. Here is a list of best small business web hosting services.
2. Pursue your creative talent
Do you have any artistic talent that you want to make your profession? It could be anything such as singing, dancing, cracking jokes, or anything. You can start working hard on sharpening these skills rather than going to college. After all, doing what you love reduces the stress of working. You can spend these four years of college in auditioning and hustling to make your dream a reality. In such creative fields, no one cares about whether you are a Ph.D. holder or a college dropout.
3. Go to a trade school
Trade schools can be a great alternative to college. Trade schools teach things that can lead to work in woodwork, painting, welding, masonry, and other handyman work. Although it doesn’t seem sexy, these “Blue Collar” jobs make more sense than a college degree. According to a survey, these trade school graduates earn $42,000 compared to the college graduate’s $48,000. Even there are more job opportunities available for trade school graduates than a college graduate. On top of that, trade school costs significantly lower than college.
4. Become a Realtor
Realtor is a high paying job. According to PayScale, an average real estate agent makes around $51,000, and you don’t need a degree to become a realtor. But the best thing about becoming a realtor is that there is no limit of income on this profession. The concept is pretty simple, the more hustle you do, the more money you make. As long as people need a place to live, business opportunities for realtors will rise. Even becoming a real estate agent is very easy. You need to take a Real Estate course and pass its licensing test. After that, you can start helping people to buy, sell, or rent homes.
5. Get a job
There are tons of jobs that don’t need a college degree. Even some of these jobs pay exceptionally well. Below are some of the jobs that you can do without having a college degree-
- Web developer
- Freelancer
- Commercial Pilot
- Farmer
- Transportation inspector
- Physical Trainer
- Insurance Sell Representative
- Secretary
And many others. Doing a job is much better than spending years in college. But some of these jobs, like web developers, graphics designers, and others require some skills. And you need to learn those skills to get a job through it. But it doesn’t mean that you need to go to college for that.
6. Learn online
You don’t need a college degree to become a master at something. Sites like Coursera, edX, Harvard Extension, and others have made online learning entirely cost-free. You just need to sign up, and it will allow you to get a world-class education without asking for a single penny. Also, you can choose the subject you want to read. It is the best way to learn about something you are genuinely passionate about. This way, you can also save a lot of money that you’re going to pay for your college.
7. Join Military
Joining the military could be a great way to skip college. You’ll get to serve your country, which is a great honor. But you’ll also get a bunch of benefits-
- $35,000 salary that increases every year as long as you’re in service
- You’ll get additional training that you can use in your future career
- Free health care and almost free-living costs for your entire family
- Tax-free stuff from their canteen
Along with these benefits, you will learn discipline, self-motivation, fitness, and many other things that will help you throughout life. So, joining the military could be a great alternative to college.
8. Build a digital audience
In my view, it is the best path you can follow if you want to skip college. And it is the reason why I think that I wasted my four years of getting a college degree that doesn’t provide much value now. You can use social media, blogs, or YouTube to build an audience. I prefer the blog one because I love writing. Similarly, you can go with what you like to do.
Another thing that I love about it is that there is no limit to making money through it. Your earning will entirely depend on how much time you are giving to it. On top of that, you’ll get recognition around people.
9. Try freelancing
From writers to TV presenters, most of the people in the media industry are freelancers. Basically, freelancers are the people with some kinds of expertise. A freelancer doesn’t work full time for a company; instead, he can be hired by multiple companies for specific jobs.
For example, editors of online magazines hire freelancers to write articles. Now the same freelancer can write for other magazines too — even that at the same time.
You can visit freelance websites like Fiverr, Freelancers, and UpWork to find out what kind of services people are looking for and which one you can offer.
So, these were my best alternatives to college. College is not for everyone. But I am not saying that you shouldn’t go to college. If you want to get into a profession like a lawyer, doctor, professor, or any other. Then you need to complete your degree, but that is not the case with everyone.