College kind of blows these days, am I wrong?
Don’t worry, there’s some amazing college alternatives out there and the reality is.. You don’t even need to go to college to be successful now days.
It’s incredible how expensive college has become over the years.
When I went to college 20 some years ago (to become an Occupational Therapist), I spent more than $50,000 for my college education and it took me years before I made any money as a therapist.
Check out this chart that shows the current and projected costs of a Four-Year College Education.
In 2017 the national average debt for college grads was $31,333 according to StendentLoans.net.
College Doesn’t Equal a Good Job:
According to Bloomberg.com, in 2016, over half of the 22 year old college grads that actually found a job after they graduated, found work in jobs that didn’t even require a college degree.
It doesn’t make much sense to spend all that money on college just to get a mediocre job.
Does it?
College Alternatives: Our Top Choice
You can always find a job that doesn’t require a college degree. You most likely won’t make much money or have much room for advancement.
So what are your other options to college?
I suggest you follow your passions and create a business based on something you love.
For me personally, I love online business for a number of reasons.
I love to travel and be location independent. I work when I want and have much more flexibility in my life versus working 9-5 as an Occupational Therapist.
Plus, there’s so many ideas that you can bring to life online to create a business. Here are some of the advantages of an online business over a traditional brick and mortar business.
No…
- Inventory
- Rental Space
- Massive Financial Risk
Instead, you can get a quality education in online business and start building your business as you learn the technical skills to become successful online.
You can even work at it part-time while building your online business.
I started mine almost 4 years ago. If only someone would have told me that I could have done this 20 years ago instead.
Hindsight’s always 20/20, right!
I’ve went to college for 7 years, worked as an Occupational Therapist for over 12 years, and have now had an online business for over 5 years.
Knowing what I know now, I would have done online business over going to college.
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Earn While Learning: It’s the New Norm!
You can learn how to build your own online business, that earns good money, based on things that you are truly interested in.
It’s so cool to create an online business based on your hobbies, passions, or interests.
It can be about almost anything – video games, skate boarding, exercise clothing, rock climbing, fishing, jewelry, style, fashion, etc.
The possibilities are endless… Click the image below to build your free website.
If you have a special skill set, passion, or hobby, you can take that passion and build a niche website that makes great income.
Learning how to build websites, internet marketing, search engine optimization, and creating quality website content are amazing skills to have in today’s online world.
And affiliate marketing, in particular, is one of the most lucrative fields to get into right now. It offers numerous advantages such as..
- Low Educational Costs (see below for details)
- Low Start Up Costs
- No Risk of Owning or Selling Products Online
- The Ability to Create Passive Income
- Work from Anywhere in the World (I’m currently traveling in South America – It’s Awesome)
The online world offers an incredible market place to do business.
More and more people are purchasing products online in record numbers.
And the internet never sleeps nor closes, it’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What does this mean for those that can build websites and apply internet marketing principles?
It means they’ve got a massive advantage over others to create extremely successful careers, even passive income sources.
How to Start? Get Your Education On!
If you’re new to online business, I don’t want you to risk anything without knowing if this is the right path for you.
So I’d encourage you to take our free internet marketing training eCourse.
It’s the best way to see if this is right for you or not.
For those that are ready to get started right away, let me introduce you to an online educational program called Wealthy Affiliate.
Wealthy Affiliate is my #1 recommendation for online business training, especially for beginners!
They’ve been teaching budding entrepreneurs how to put up successful online businesses for over a decade now.
They provide an all inclusive educational program that is EXTREMELY affordable, and they also let you come in and check them out for FREE.
Their Free Starter Membership provides you with..
- 2 free websites and free hosting
- 10 free classes to teach you how to set up your website and learn the basics of internet marketing
- Step by Step training through video classes, tutorials, and Webinars
After checking out the program and getting a feel for it, you’ll want to join the Premium Membership to continue your education.
It costs a whopping $19 dollars the first month, $49 dollars thereafter, or $1 dollar/day if paid annually.
That’s less than one college course for an entire year compared to the price of an online education with the Wealthy Affiliate University.
So tons of value and you have most all the resources and tools you need to get started.
Sit in on a classroom to get an idea of the style of video classes Wealthy Affiliate provides. This class is about the Money Making Process in the online world.
Each daily lesson offers you written instructions, video training, and an opportunity to ask questions, along with tasks to complete.
You’ll be building your own business while learning – You can’t say that about today’s universities.
To really get an in-depth look at what Wealthy Affiliate provides their students, you’re welcome to check out my review of Wealthy Affiliate.
If you have a special skill, passion, or hobby, you can take that passion and build a niche website that makes great money.
Niche websites are incredibly successful because they touch people in a personal way.
Once you build your site based on helpful content for those that share the same passion as you, you’ll be amazed at the income potential that you can create.
What To Do Next?
- Sign up for the Free Starter Membership
- Create your personal profile
- Start taking classes
That’s it, it’s that simple.
The best thing about the Wealthy Affiliate training center is that they provide you with the right education, support, and guidance.
All you need to bring to the table is a passion for something and the willingness to work and learn.
When you enter the program, I’ll send you a welcome message with the link to the first course.
You’ll have all the support you need to bring your passion to life in the online world.
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If you have any questions or comments about the Wealthy Affiliate program, just leave me a comment below and I’ll get back to you right away.
Got any other ideas for college alternatives, please leave a comment below.
Building an online business is a great alternative to college in this day and age. What a great concept to be able to earn money while building your online business.
Thanks for the great post.
Hi Ryan,
Thanks for your feedback on our post and agreed. The new norm these days is to learn, build, earn, repeat. No more going to college, not knowing what you want to do, rack up a bunch of debt and not get a good job.
I was so impressed with this concept that I had to write this post. My only hope is that it will reach those college bound students and touch those that really are looking for an honest online education.
For those that want it, Wealthy Affiliate provides this and it costs less than $1 dollar/day.
Best,
Todd
Hi Todd,
This article brings back some memories of my college days. Just like you, I spent 7 years in college and I didn’t really start any part-time until I was in my 4th year or so.
I was totally in the college comfort zone and knew nothing about managing my finance other than borrowing money from the government.
And then I went on a working holiday and came back with some money and thought, I can actually earn while I am studying.
Despite the debt issue, I still won’t trade college for anything less. College life was great for my personal development. My only regret, however, is that no one had taken the time to talk to us about money management – everyone was just talking about good grades and getting a job.
Fast forward to now, even good grades can’t guarantee you an employment but having sound financial knowledge will keep you somewhat safe in this unpredictable economy.
I would start on an entrepreneurship program/training if I can turn back the clock and I urge college students to do the same too. It would make a whole lot of difference to your lifestyle in years to come.
You make some great points Cathy. I actually think the high school educational system should do a better job educating students on finances and mortgages, etc.
If you are anyone is interested, I wrote an educational post on How Mortgages Work. It’s not the most exciting topic, but will teach you the in’s and out’s of structuring your debt, building credit, and educating one on home refinances and purchases.
As well, check out this post on how I make over $1,000 dollars a year from my credit card and maintain excellent credit scores.
But I think the most important thing that I wanted to get out to College bound students or for people who are looking for alternatives to college, is that there are options.
The educational program from Wealthy Affiliate taught me how to put up a profitable niche website in a matter of months, now I’m starting my third. I recognize WA as a quality education because I experienced an awesome college education going through the professional Occupational Therapy program from Colorado State University.
And for the price I paid for college compared to what WA offers, it’s a really unique opportunity for anyone who wants to further their knowledge in the online world or develop marketable online skills.
Good to hear from you Cathy and thanks again for your feedback.
Todd
Great Article Todd, however feeling for all those college students who don’t find a career once they finish college – as most students don’t actually land a career in the path that they have chosen plus having all that debt to only find out after you’ve completed college that’s their’s no career in that field you’ve chosen, that would be heartbreaking to anyone for sure.
To me it makes more sense to create an online business for this reason; There are billions of people searching the internet each and every day. And by creating an online business that you are passionate about, you can create a career that you really enjoy to do for a living – yes otherwise it is just work… And everyone hates a dead-end job that doesn’t fulfill your needs.
Excellent post-Todd, I look forward to your next one.
Cheer’s
Hi Jennifer,
That’s a great point. They say if you love what you do, it’s like you never work a day in your life. I have found this true in many jobs. I like to help people, so for me I discovered this at an early age as a nursing assistant and later in life as an Occupational Therapist.
The other cool thing about an online business, that you are passionate about, is that eventually it can become a passive income source. I already have one site that I haven’t touched in months that produces me residual monthly income – It’s very cool.
Thanks for your feedback Jennifer on my college alternatives post. Hopefully it will make a strong impact on future online entrepreneurs.
Cheers,
Todd
Hi Todd,
Your figures about college debt are a little frightening. Then when you consider over half the students found work that didn’t require the degree, you have to ask yourself is it worth it.
Your idea of getting a job and at the same time following an online training course seems like a good one. Building a business around a passion could be really enjoyable, in fact, it wouldn’t seem like work.
I have tried Wealthy Affiliate and I know you are taught everything you need to learn to be successful online. I just wish I had started years ago.
Hopefully some youngsters will follow your advice.
Peter
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your feedback on my College Alternatives post. Yeah, the cost of college is shocking to say the least.
I was thinking back to my college days and how I would have loved to have a part time business online. What an amazing opportunity for such a low cost.
By the time I was done with college I had about $15,000 in debt, which wasn’t that much compared to most, and I worked two jobs to get rid of that debt. If I could of had an online business that was making money during college and then by the time I was done with college, I would of had a nice asset (in the form of an online business) without the debt I incurred.
I also felt the same as you after learning how to build websites/internet marketing, that I wish I would have started my online business years ago. Even now after a year of working online, you can see the potential of how online businesses can create passive income.
And when you base your online business on something that interests you or something you are passionate about, it doesn’t seem like work at all.
Thanks again Peter and always good to hear from you.
Take care,
Todd