Do you really need to go to college? I did, and college did serve me well.
But in hindsight, knowing what I know now, I would have done this instead..
Do You Really Need to go to College?
Growing up we are told to study hard and collect as many degrees as possible so we can pursue a career and eventually settle down.
Study, find a job, and then hope that your paycheck is enough to survive.
Unfortunately, the job market is in a state of ruin, and real-estate prices continue to increase, surviving is becoming more and more difficult.
Nowadays a college education does not guarantee that you will be a successful.
There are plenty of people with college degrees who work at McDonald’s and other minimum wage jobs, struggling to stay afloat.
Going to college does -however – guarantee that you will spend a lot of cash.
Not to mention student loans.
You hear of the success stories from people who dropped out of school and went on to create multi-million dollar businesses.
But you assume they were born into riches or they had some secret insider information, they must have had help from somewhere. However, the truth is that you can make plenty of money without a college education.
Take a quick look at some past college dropouts that made it big time – do you notice a few of these names?
Should You Go To College?
It depends. What are your goals?
Do you want to pursue a specific career? Or do you simply want to make money?
These are the questions you need to ask your self when debating the question of going forward with a college degree.
In my opinion, unless you have a specific career path that requires a college education, follow your passion instead.
And if you like being your own boss, working when and where you want, then the online business will work perfect for your future educational needs (discussed more below).
Become Awesome at Online Business: 100% Free Training >>
College Doesn’t Guarantee a Job:
The truth is, nowadays it can be very difficult to find a job that you enjoy and also has a decent salary and benefits. Most people work simply to earn money and survive.
It’s a requirement. You have to work.
So if you have to work, wouldn’t it make sense to spend your time on something that makes you feel fulfilled, and has the potential to make you a lot of money?
There are plenty of ways to make cash without a college education.
You don’t need to feel like you need a college education in order to make money because that’s simply not true.
Make Money Without a College Education:
When I was a teenager, I discovered a truth that made it possible for me to pursue my dreams. It’s a very simple tip that has the potential to change your life and you won’t need to worry about work like everyone else.
Here it is…
Learn a valuable, in-demand, skill.
It’s that simple.
If you are a good at one specific skill, it will always be easy for you to find work.
For instance, electricians are almost always in demand, there’s always electrical problems to fix.
Just like plumbers or other manual labor jobs, this doesn’t have to be demeaning work; it can actually be rather profitable, especially if you have your own business.
Business owners can charge their own rates, and if their work is excellent, there will be plenty of people who are willing to pay for excellent work.
College Dropout from Taiwan is Now Making 4 Figures/Month:
Best Idea! Create Your Own Business:
So if you learn a specific skill, the next step is to find clients.
Most people are afraid to create their own business, it seems like a massive hill to climb, a challenge that’s too difficult.
However, the truth is that creating a business is extremely easy!
There are plenty of tools, books, and resources available that make it incredibly easy for anyone to create their own business.
Of course, all businesses need a website, but new business owners are rarely familiar with online business topics. Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it seems, it’s actually rather simple.
There is a online business training course that takes you by the hand and explains how to create a profitable website.
I have been a member of the course for several years and it has changed my life.
It made it possible for me to make money doing what I love!
The best part is that it’s comes with a free starter membership, so it’s totally free to check out.
Forget College, Create Your Own Online Business:
There are thousands of businesses that started with one or two people that grew into massive million dollar businesses in a few years.
Eventually, as you collect more clients, it might be possible to remove yourself from the equation and hire employees to take your place.
That’s the dream, create a business where all the cogs fit in place, and the machine can run without your instructions.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
The first steps are the hardest, but once you take the first few steps you will become addicted, and the dream of being your own boss will be much closer.
Do you need to go to college? Not unless you want to work for someone else.
If you want to be your own boss, college is not necessary, in fact, some people would say that a college degree is close to worthless.
It’s the most expensive piece of paper that you will purchase in your life.
Instead, you should take a look at my favorite online education called Wealthy Affiliate. Hit the image below to read our review.
To Go or Not to Go to College: Conclusion
One of the best ways to make money is to learn a skill or trade and then turn that skill into a business.
Create a website and make it easy for people to hire your services. Work hard and the clients will come in and you will never run out of work.
You might even find problems within the industry that open doors to new business ideas and more opportunities.
Of course, students can work on their classes while building their business on the side, it’s what a lot of students are doing nowadays.
Everyone has different opinions about education.
Some people say it’s necessary while others say it’s a waste of time and cash. I believe that you should focus on what makes you feel satisfied and fulfilled.
I also believe everyone should work on their own businesses. It gives you a sense of accomplishment and pride, and those feelings motivate you to work harder, and harder, until you have created a highly successful business.
It might sound like a dream. But it doesn’t have to be a dream.
If you focus, work hard, and fill your mind with as much useful information as possible (like, with a online business course) then there is no limit to what you can achieve.
So, once again, do you really need to go to college? Leave your answer below!
I can completely relate to this post. I myself went to school for one semester and dropped out because I realized that simply going to college for the heck of it wasn’t necessarily going to get me anywhere in life. Job fields are competitive and you aren’t guaranteed anything once graduating. So ultimately creating your own business is the best way to go! Great Article!
Thanks Zach, and if you are going to start an online business, start with on online training center like Wealthy Affiliate. That way you’ll have a set plan to follow that’s proven to be successful. Plus you’ll have the support and guidance from people who are already successful online.
The cost of this education doesn’t even compare to one college course and recommended course books/lab fees.
All you have to do is be willing to learn and work at it.
Best,
Todd
I find that universities should do more than teach. Don’t get me wrong they do teach students well. But once you’ve got a degree you more or less get tossed out. And then what? It would help if you could work and learn at the same time.
Anyway, I’ve degressed from what I was going to say. You are coming from a viewpoint I had never considered before and is definitely worth considering for school kids, and also people who may be stuck in a job they don’t like.
Right on Owain, thanks for your take and feedback.
Cheers,
Todd
I sometimes wish I had gone to a university. The thing is, I spent 4 years at Further Education college after I left school at 16. The first year was to repeat my GCSEs because I did badly at school. Then the next 3 years were studying IT, eventually gaining a GNVQ. But by the end of that, I didn’t want to do formal education anymore. Someone suggested I go to university to study music because that’s what I’m interested in. Instead, I tried to get a job. It didn’t really work out, so that’s why I turned to trying to make money online instead. I much prefer the idea of working from home for myself rather than going to university or having a normal job.
That’s awesome Marcus, thanks for sharing your story. I think you’re on the right track and I’d encourage you to pursue an online business that is related to your passion, which sounds like that would be music based.
This is a great niche and any niche idea is possible to break into if you understand keyword research and getting targeted traffic that’s interested in your product.
If you have passion and can do this and you can have an amazing online career. Imagine making great money working from home or traveling the world. Do it while you’re young and you’ll thank yourself for years to come.
Best of luck,
Todd
Hey Todd,
Great article. As a student studying at my university, I am told every day to keep studying and find a job.It’s a great motivator to see that many others have dropped out and achieved absolute success.
I have a question regarding valuable skills. Do I have to be an “expert” in my profession before I set up my website/business? Or can you fake it till you make it?
By “make it”, I mean learn the necessary skill set required to practice the chosen profession.
Hi Nigel,
This is an absolutely great question. YOU FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!
Now, that being said, you better have some knowledge base, passion, or understanding of the niche that you are going to pursue as an online business.
When I took my first job as an Occupational Therapist, I was totally scared on knowing exactly what I was going to do. There’s a ton of things to learn when you enter a new job and I had been out of the profession for 5 years.
But I did take and pass the OT program, I also did a year of internships and I had a solid knowledge bass in the practice of Occupational Therapy.
But to get over that initial scare, I had to sort of fake it before I made it. I eventually became a great OT and managed the care of my patience very professionally.
In this situation, you need to follow a niche idea based on something that you know, or want to know more about.
I wanted to pursue kite surfing a few years ago, if I chose this as a niche, I better get out on the beach and start kitting, then spend my time learning every aspect I can to that sport.
Hope this helps, check out this post to get a better idea of how long it takes to make money online.
Cheers,
Todd
Wow! Great post on whether one should go to college or not. These days it makes sense to go for an online business and the educational program that you recommend, Wealthy Affiliate, is awesome. I’m using them now and fell like I’m back in college.
I think this is a great option for many students who don’t want to be riddled with debt after the graduate college. Instead, building an online business with WA doesn’t cost much, but you have to put in the effort.
Did you build this site with Wealthy Affiliate’s help? This is a very intriguing and well built and functioning website. I also love your content, it is very well put together. You have really inspired me and also gave me some ideas, and I thank you. I like your navigation and the way you put together the important pages section.
Thanks HEP for your feedback on our post as well as on my website. I did build this site by going through and by taking the weekly Webinars.
If you’re not taking the Webinars, add it into your routine. Especially the webinar on custom styling and website appearance.
WA provides a wonderful opportunity for those willing to take on an online business the same way they would if they were going to college. Work at it each day and it will grow and evolve into a great money maker.
Take a look at Wealthy Affiliate’s educational program.
Thanks,
Todd
Hey Todd thanks for sharing your ideas on whether it’s right to go to college in this day and age or not. Your message was well understood and appreciated.
Question? With education being what is in the US and the job market being what is isn’t – Do you feel that more people will lean towards starting their own business/entrepreneurship?
Absolutely Tom, with over 50% of the college students working in jobs that don’t require a college degree, I think the masses will wake up. Find a solid college degree that you love or explore the online world with a passion you bring to life.
The rewards far outweigh working for someone else all your life compared to owning a business that works for you.
Hope this helps,
Todd
First let me start by saying that the picture alone struck a chord with me– being a book lover, of course.
This actually led me to be even more anxious to read the post. 🙂
Any who– I think that a lot of folks go to college, because it has been ingrained in us to do so by parents who didn’t have a college education and didn’t want their children to become laborers (perhaps, because in their thought, hard-laborious work was/is a reflection of low class-status).
I believe that working and earning money online is a great opportunity and chance for everyone, regardless of age, to improve their quality of life and income. But it doesn’t come easy. There may be a few months or years of what feels like hard-laborious work, but well worth it in the end.
Thanks for the insight!
-Nerissa S.
You’ve totally got the right perspective Nerissa about online businesses. Although if your niche isn’t too competitive, you should be seeing online sales within 2-5 months.
You should read this post, How Long Does it Take to Make Money Online? Good Question. Anyone entertaining the idea of starting an online business should read this post.
Thanks and best of luck to you on your business.
Todd
I didn’t go to university (UK equivalent of your college system I believe) myself, sometimes regret missing the social aspect, but am happy overall that I didn’t. I think going straight to work in heavy industry served me well, as it taught me that I hated regular work!
It was that hatred that got me into home based businesses, so for that, I’m very grateful!
The saddest part is that my friends who did are, in many cases, no better off for the experience. Just saddled with debt and stuck in the rat-race.
Conversely, I’ve also gone on to get two degrees, but on topics I am passionate about – History & Archaeology and English Literature – instead of what I think will get me a job.
I certainly will be telling my kids that University is not the be all and end all, and to only go if they need to for a specific reason – if they want to become a doctor or suchlike. Much more important they learn entrepreneurship in my opinion.
Awesome Kevin, thanks for sharing your personal experience with and without college and I think your message is one that resonates with many who are asking whether they should go to college or not.
Thanks,
Todd
Todd, I preach this daily. Growing up, I too came up under the auspices that obtaining a college degree was the path to success and a career that would allow me a comfortable lifestyle, but that has been farther from the truth. All I have after graduation is my college degree and student loan debt. I would say to anyone first of all, know what it is that you want to do with your life, because in many cases, college won’t be a necessary path to take.
If you want to make money, and that’s your goal, (which I think is for all of us) do something that you love, something you enjoy. Entrepreneurship is the way. College is a waste, unless you’re studying to be a physician or attorney. Then of course a college education is necessary. But if you simply want to make money and a living, follow your passions. Start a business online around those passions. And you’ll succeed.
Perfectly stated Christian and absolutely 100% true. You only need to go to college if you know that career path and a college degree is required. The hard thing about this is that most college students don’t know this and the reality is that people change occupations throughout their lifetime.
What interests you at 21 may not interest you at 35 and so on. So if you can be the one who’s willing to learn and take action, success is waiting for you in whatever you do, college bound or not.
Cheers,
Todd
Totally agree with you Todd. I think the official/standard education is old fashioned. They just teach you to be a good employee.
I quit college 3 years ago to start my own business so I could work on what I really love. And here I am today, with an eBay/Amazon business, my own website and working as a web developer when I need or want to.
I do not regret at all about quitting the college. You just need to know what you want to do with your live… or you will end up being a pawn.
Regards!
Right on Adrian, you’re a great example to those considering to go to college or not. I think you really articulated it well that you just need to find a niche in life and explore it. If that niche means being a doctor, you should be going to college and focusing on that passion.
But if any niche can be brought into the online world, you can create something special that allows you to live a life few get to live.
The concept of making passive money online isn’t new, and everyone wants to do it. And the reality of it is that it’s one of the coolest things I have achieved in my life, but anyone can do it if they work at it.
If you can enter the Wealthy Affiliate education center with a college bound mentality, you’ll be so impressed at what you can create online.
The difference in learning internet marketing with WA compared to going to college is incredible. It’s practical and you start immediately learning and then applying what you learn to a real online business.
Super cool if you ask me. Thanks again for your feedback Adrian, great stuff.
Todd
It’s certainly true if you plan to be your boss that you would not require all the additional secondary education that we have been traditionally told to do.
Picking a trade or business venture for a skill or trade then to pursue it as your own business is usually a much better option than becoming and staying an employee for somebody else all your life.
Very informative article and a lot of truth behind the message.
Thanks Travis for your take on whether one needs to go to college or not. I totally agree with you, time and time again you meet people that have created successful careers based on their creativeness, hard work and determination.
As a matter of fact, determination seems to be the number one factor in how well one does in life and the success they achieve.
Take care,
Todd
Hi Todd,
I didn’t go to college and I have still managed to accumulate a property portfolio, share portfolio, travel the world and work in some really cool places. Really like what you say about focusing on what makes you satisfied and fulfilled. Personally I think some people are happy going down the career path, and sometimes I wish I was like this. Recently I read an article on how important it is to have a side business in the world economic climate, that seems to be what your saying. So if a degree is 4 years before you make money how long could it be before a person makes money online with the right attitude and online education?
Awesome question and perspective Keldyn. Here’s my answer… Read this post… How long does it take to make money online..
This will give anyone a realistic perspective of what it takes along with the duration and expected income potential.
Cheers,
Todd
I think one of the best quotes I EVER heard in relation to college was “Don’t let schooling get in the way of your education.”
I tell people all of the time that I went to Google University. Teach yourself what you need to learn in order to live the life that you want to live. There is probably a YouTube video out there that will teach you the skills you’re looking to learn.
You don’t need to go to college in today’s world. If anything, I feel like it’s just 4 years that you could spend building your empire but instead you’re paying 30k a year to get drunk
Nice Jay, very good perspective and I can relate with what you’re saying. You don’t really need to go to college if you want to start your own online business, all you need for that is the will to learn and take action.
Wealthy Affiliate has designed a program that works for everyone who’s leaning towards online business, and yes, without the 30K to 100K of debt that college costs these days.
Cheers,
Todd
Todd, what an inspirational post about success. Formal education does not determine how successful a person can be in the future. I hope some of my ex-vocational students read your post so they are more encouraged to survive depending on their specific skills! (They are not the ones that are good in academic, but they are very skillful in mechanic repairing stuff). I totally agree with what you said, nowadays, creating a website,be your own boss and do the niche marketing is the way to earn passive income. It is definitely not necessary to buy the most expensive paper (College Degree) in the world unless you want to get some public approval and self respect.
Thanks for your feedback Jenna, much appreciated.
I really dislike the way college has become kind of an extension of school – like a way to get all the young adults out of the way and doing something kind of useful before they need to enter the ‘real world’ and get a job.
The devaluing of the college degree is also quite depressing as is the focus on results and tests over real learning. Honestly, why would you bother going to college if you could build your own money making business online?
Very interesting point Tanaquillo, love your name btw. It’s like tranquilo in Spanish. But excellent point, it’s almost an interim position to enter the real world going from high school to adult living.
But absolutely, you don’t really need to go to college if you have a passion and want to turn it into an online business.
All you need is the right motivation, training, and support just like any good college education should provide.
Best,
Todd
You’re right about the college education. It is becoming more like some kind of certificate of achievement, but in practical terms not really useful.
Someone might feel proud that graduated from college, but then will struggle for many years to pay the debts accumulated to graduate.
Whereas someone who learned some practical skills or learned how to make money online might become financially independent fast.
Thanks for the article, you have mentioned some important things.
Thanks Sandy for your feedback and you too make some excellent points. It’s sad to see so many college grads (over half) end up with jobs that didn’t even require a college education.
Hi Todd,
My belief is that college education, with or without, does not define success in the business or corporate world. It depends on the character and mindset one developed over the time spent receiving formal education.
If you have formal education, then just use it to your advantage while developing other skills, if not, then leveraging a program like Wealthy Affiliate would be one of the best ways to develop skills for a successful online career.
Well stated Kenny and I agree. The person and the work ethic and willingness to learn new information is what I think really makes someone successful regardless if they went to college or not. That ability to solve problems seems to be what makes successful companies and businesses.
Thanks,
Todd
Hi Todd,
I like the quote “Learn a valuable, in-demand, skill”. It is very true. I have college degrees and I used to be a waitress to support my studies. As it happens, a year ago I had to take a waitress job again and believe it or not, I made more money than with my college degree.
This happened between two business attempts of mine.
I would say just to keep pushing towards your goals no matter of the failures you are going to face.
Good luck with your business ideas!
Daniela
Thanks Daniela, good story and you’re right. I think more important than a college degree is the will to persist in whatever you’re trying to achieve.
I’ve heard something like this from every successful business person, “those that are willing to fight for what the want in life can’t be stopped”. And that this is one of the most influential characteristics to achieve success in life.
One cool thing that Wealthy Affiliate states is that they’ve never seen one of their students fail in the online business that didn’t quit. You can read the statement here.
There are so many successful people that have done what I have and the difference in the cost to a traditional college education just blows my mind after going through Wealthy Affiliate’s training center for just over 2 years.
Best of luck to your Daniela, may you achieve your dreams.
Todd
Hi Todd,
I couldn’t agree more with saying that going to college/ university is still a necessity to be successful!
I think if you plan to become a doctor, dentist, archaeologist etc. then yes college is your best route but if you don’t know what you want to do I’d suggest something like affiliate marketing or blogging is great!
You get to write about a topic you’re interested in and what is better than working with your passion!
Also Affiliate marketing/ blogging can be a great way to pay for your college fees!
Well put Nate and so true. I think the majority of college kids don’t know what they want to do, many switch majors numerous times.
And if you can tap into something you love, and turn that into an online business at a young age, you can potentially create an online cash cow very early in life and that could free you up to pursue other cool things, like traveling.
Thanks for your feedback, one just needs to ask themsleves what they want out of life in order to decide if they really need to go to college or not.
Todd
Hi Todd,
I couldn’t agree more, I think a college education is very important but may not be enough in today’s world.
I’m starting to think that training on how to build extra income online should be a prerequisite course for life.
You make some interesting points about the structure of education. I like the idea of Wealthy Affiliate.
Maybe I should get my PhD in online marketing.
Thanks for the good info,Dave
Hi Dave,
That’s exactly the point, I never thought of it like that. but making internet marketing a prerequisite in high school or college would be an incredible idea.
That reminds me of an article I wrote here called how do mortgages work, and I basically make the same comparison that mortgage 101 should be a prerequisite for high school students.
Not everyone goes on to college, but most everybody goes on to eventually buy a home. It just makes sense to teach that type of subject in High School.
I tell my niece and nephew who are in high school about my experiences with internet marketing and how cool it is to wake up and make $100 a day or $300 a day online all based on the effort and work that I put in a year or two years ago.
If someone their age can start learning internet marketing and build out their website, within the same time it would take to go to college (2-4 years), they could have created a cache cow in the form of an online business.
Thanks for your kind feedback,
Todd
This is a great post man. I am currently a college student, so I am working towards my degree, but I am also a member of wealthy affiliate looking to do it on the side like you mentioned above. I think it is a great mix, I can go at my own pace while still staying in school and studying what I love and hopefully the results come soon so that I can make the best of both worlds.
That’s great to hear Matt, thanks for your feedback. It’s good to hear from other college students that are taking advantages of Wealthy Affiliate’s training. It’s nothing but value.
Stick with it and really focus on trying to help your niche audience and you’ll do great. Going into as a college student that already understands that education, awesome careers, and making money online time a bit of time like any trade.
Once you get your site out, send it to me. Here’s my WA profile, let’s connect.
Cheers,
Todd
Can I ask about your results in this online business? Because I see that everyone is talking about Wealthy Affiliate as a great way to learn how to make money, in your experience, do you openly recommend WA? Do you think that they’re a good opportunity.
A couple of years ago I learned how to use WordPress and tried to make money online because I can see that is a lucrative way to make money, I have not earned money by now, but I´m trying to do my best do it. WA sounds really interesting.
Thoughts?
Hi Alfred,
Man, you sound like me 5 years ago. Let’s throw up a WP site and see what happens.
The reason that tons of people are talking about the Wealthy Affiliate education center is because it’s a pretty awesome and amazing place.
There’s no bull shit and it’s a really incredible training center that offers tons of support and guidance. It’s really simple. You want online classes to learn to make money online? Here you go, Wealthy Affiliate is the source.
But, let me tell you one thing. If you don’t have a clue about what it takes to make money online and want to immediately go with them as an affiliate resource to promote, I think it’s a poor choice.
Not that Wealthy Affiliate is a bad affiliate. On the contrary, they’re wonderful to work with and you can promote their rock solid educational program though whatever niche website you want to create. But please, go with a niche idea that you love, are passionate about, or have a decent knowledge about.
Otherwise, you’ll go through the program in the Make Money Online or Affiliate Marketing niches and fail because you won’t be passionate about it to put in the time to make it in a super competitive niche.
Keep it real Alfred and choose something you love.
Here’s a few posts I think you should read…
How Long Does It Take To Make Money Online???
How To Create A Money Making Blog For Beginners
Cheers,
Todd
Hi Todd,
I think by default, we all HAVE to go to college, and some may drop off along the way. There are many benefits of furthering your education and networking to me is one of the biggest advantages of going to college.
Not everyone is born brilliant. You have illustrated well, successful people who were not that great during college days were able to self educate and make amazing careers and lives for themselves.
The option you offer on how to build an online business without a college education is interesting. Although I am now passed the 60-year-old barrier, learning is still a lifelong process. I belong to Wealthy Affiliate and I’ve leaned some amazing things, even built a website that is starting to get traffic and sales. Pretty neat.
Wow, that’s so cool to hear. I’m on your side, those that seek lifelong education create a healthy brain. I’ve studied this in advanced courses when I attended the Occupational Therapy program back in my college days and the evidence is overwhelming that learning new info is critical to avoiding dementia and other mental ailments.
College, trade schools, Wealthy Affiliate, it’s all a great way to increase your monthly income and keep your brain healthy. I just also love the side benefit, daily checks coming in 24/7. Keep at it my friend, you’ve seen and experienced it, just keep it going.
Best of luck,
Todd
Hello Todd, much appreciate your article and thanks for explaining the importance to having our own online business. There’s many advantages to an online education over colleges.
I truly agree with your point that there are plenty of ways to earn cash without a college education, which I very lately realized.
I have spent lot of money and earned 3 degrees which is of no help to me when entered into job market. Off course, starting my own business has been running in my mind for few months and your article boosted my spirits to drive towards my goal.
Thanks once again and wish you all the best.
Hi Sri,
Thanks for your feedback about going to college, earning 3 degrees, and now not having anything to show for it. I’m sorry that’s the case.
But it’s a good point and testimony to those college bound or college students who have a love of something or some business idea and now know that they don’t have to go to college to realize their dreams.
You can do all of this for a fraction of the cost. If you can go into the best online business training program with your ideas, treat it like going to college, you have incredible potential to plant the seeds and watch your online business grow.
I struggled at first on the amount of time it initially took, but now love waking up to online sales every day, it’s so cool.
For those that want to know how long the process takes to make money online, I wrote this post to give people a realistic idea and understanding of the process.
Thanks.
Todd
A formal education is expensive these days. I don’t regret getting any of my 3 degrees.
But I don’t use any of them any more. Not in a direct sense.
But I am at least minimally capable of using both a subject and a noun to form complete sentences (in most cases). That comes in handy.
It would have been nice to have grown up with the computer and the internet. I’m an old guy.
But I’m also naturally curious. And I like to learn. So learning “the internet” has become my latest endeavor.
I advise people who ask to figure out what they really like to do and concentrate on doing that as a career path.
I tried to start this comment with quoted lyrics from a song by Paul Simon, Kodachrome, but WA wouldn’t let me publish the comment saying my comment wasn’t original. *sigh*
Thanks for your comment Jeff, I really appreciate your take on whether or not you need to go to college based on your experience. And 100% agree with you that people should follow whatever interest they may have.
I too wish I would have this training and experience years ago, but it’s never too late to learn to use the Internet to make money. It’s a blast when you do it based on something that you love.
I think when you combine something that you’re passionate about and your work life, things just go easier. Education is wonderful, it has the power to change our lives.
Thanks again for your feedback and I guess the moral to the story is.. follow your heart and if you want the benefits of working on line, you can do that in this day and age.
Thanks, Todd
My parents are very old fashioned and set in their ways. And they can’t be reasoned with when it comes to the question of do you really need to go to college.
If they had seen this site they would think it was nonsense! That you must go to university and get a good job and forget about anything else. And that’s fine if you want to that.
But my dream is to have an online business and make money that way. And I think that that is a very realistic, achievable goal. I have signed up with wealthy affiliate and am already starting to see success.
Thanks you
Hi Jenny,
You’re parents feel that way about needing to go to college because that is what they (and most all of us) have been raised to believe for years. It’s the American dream to have 2nd generation go to college to make a better life for themselves.
And that’s what I was raised to believe as well. But after graduating Colorado State University with a major in Occupational Therapy and a minor in Anatomy I think very differently about going to college versus starting an online business. And my degree served me well for over a decade.
But if I would have had the Wealthy Affiliate training 15 years ago, I’d have an online business that generates 1,000’s a dollars per day instead of per month. It’s just your parents don’t understand online businesses, internet marketing, affiliate marketing, email marketing, etc.
So they go with what they know. As an OTR/L (Occupational Therapist) I always have a job. I get called and emailed for new jobs almost every day, and that’s great. But it’s always a job, I trade cash for time and it will never make the money that a business can make.
A business (to me) is an entity that produces income based on services that can be repeated with little to no involvement on your part. Now this isn’t the case when you start, you better be ready to work.
But eventually, and you can see this in as little as a few months, the work that you do today will pay you time and time again into the future.
I have one post about one single product that I paid a writer to create, I did the SEO and marketed it and from that post I’ve made 1,000’s dollars. And that’s been just over the last 5 months.
So I’m getting paid and will continue to get paid for the 3 hours of work I did.
Keep going with your training and online business Jenny, it’s real and it’s a beautiful thing. It just takes time, a proper education, and action to make it happen.
Good luck,
Todd
Great subject , I’m not sure if you really need to go to college these days or not. I’ve noticed that more and more people are starting to be creative and are starting to make money studying what they love on their own.
Here’s one perspective on this topic.
My university professor told me that if I know what I want to do in terms of owning a particular business then I don’t need to go to university and waste my time.
Great article 🙂
He makes a great point and I agree 100%. If you know you want to be in business for yourself and want to have the control that creating a successful online business can bring to your life, then college would be a giant waste of time and money.
Instead, you can get all the proper training and help and start making money online within the first several months. If you put 2-4 years into it like you would with college, you could be so much further ahead finanacilly by creating your business online.
Hi,
This post is very interesting. I like that you don’t completely say people do not have to go to college because I believe formal education has it’s place. However, if someone is more interested in making money then maybe college education is not for them. You are right about college education being very expensive (the reason I stopped going).
Absolutely Tatihden, college is expensive and if you don’t know what you want to do, the cost can add up quickly.
With this post, I’m trying to reach out to those college bound students who may learn towards business or have a passion for something that’s not so college related.
It’s all about niches, niche audiences, and helpful products. If you can connect to a niche audience through a website, you can really create a powerful business with limitless income potential.
Niches can be on sports, video games, crafts, hobbies, whatever.
So for those college students that are passionate, excited to learn about online business, putting up websites that earn money when you’re sleeping, and create a great life without the college debt, then you want the education, support, and guidance to create success.
And that’s where Wealthy Affiliate comes in. It’s not that much money and the training is invaluable. If you wanna check them out, they have a free membership to do so.
Thanks,
Todd
Wow I read the whole thing! You are a great writer and really know how to keep the readers attention. I like the example you used, of successful people who didn’t go to college but lived successful lives, this was really interesting.
Do you really need to go to college? In my opinion, you just need to have a thirst for knowledge and then take action on that info. I think if a young person doesn’t know if they want to give college a try should at least check out Wealthy Affiliate and see if they can make an online business out of things they enjoy doing, like hobbies.
This is better than just working minimum wage or a 9-5.
BTW: this article was organized very well, the content is fresh and flowing. I use WA and can personally tell you that they provide great service for the price!
Thanks for your take on whether one needs to go to college or not. I kind of side with you, but also know that some careers require a college education. The thing I think most new college bound students don’t understand is that it’s pretty likely that they’re career will change over time and may not even be in what the went to college for originally.
Thanks for your feedback on WA as well. For those that want to check out their educational program. Click this link to read more.
Best,
Todd
As a guy with two college degrees from a reputable state university, I can testify that you absolutely DO NOT really need to go to college.
My BA degree changed my life. My masters was a complete waste of time and needless expense.
The place you recommend here, Wealthy Affiliate, is where I learned to make money online. The skills I learned there are far more valuable than my two college degrees.
My college degrees cost a ton of money and time, and only prepared me to work for someone else. The skills I learned about making money online taught me how to earn more money and not have to answer to a soul.
Hi G.C.,
That’s great feedback from a guy who’s done the college thing and now has his own business online. Love it. I too tend to feel this way the more that my site brings in daily earnings. It’s not only fun, but a bit of a wake up call for those that want to create real success in our lives.
Spend 4 years to accumulate a bunch of college debt or pay less than a couple bucks a day to create your own online business. Boy if I could do it over, I think I’d have to go with earning and learning right away versus waiting 4-7 years.
Thanks,
Todd
Yes, yes, and YES! At 20 years old, I have not gone to college or university, and I do not plan to. Would I like to go? Maybe, but not for $50,000+ of debt – no thanks!
Post-secondary education has it’s place for specific career paths – doctor, lawyer, scientist, things that require education. But the notion that EVERYONE should go to college is absolutely absurd, especially in this day and age.
Great article. As a young person trying to make my way in life without spending thousands on school I’m not even interested in – I can certainly relate to and appreciate this post.
That’s great to hear Steph, especially from someone faced with this type of situation. If you want a great online education to build a site that’s based on something you’re passionate about, I’d highly recommend Wealthy Affiliate. To read more about what they can do for you, check out my in depth review and see how you can start learning and earning at the same time.
Best,
Todd
Hi Todd,
Very controversial article. But I love it. It is the reality of today modern world that you don’t need to go to college to be successful. It is not only happening in the US or Canada but here in Singapore and South East Asia.
Property and expenses are increasing on a yearly basis, unfortunately not with wages.
Education is important too. Its give the leverage for a decent job. But an individual needs a second income to live a comfortable life, free of debt.
So internet marketing via affiliate marketing is one of the best options to live a comfortable life. And the income sometimes can be unlimited if do it right and with persistence.
Great website. I love to read your posts again and again.
Hi Nazmi,
Thanks so kindly for your feedback on my site as well as the topic of going to college verses getting an online education to start making money as you learn.
I know colleges will never go away and there will always be higher level education, but so many college students don’t know what field they want to go into and waste $1,000’s of hard earned money on worthless degrees.
By learning the basics to online business, you can really turn any passion into a successful online career.
If you’re a college student that has a passion for anything and want to be your own boss, work from anywhere in the world, and make great money, invest in a proper education and make it happen. The cost for a years worth of training is nothing compared to a single college course.
The guidance and education is there for your taking.
Cheers,
Todd
Love This Site,
Lots of useful infomation and resources, I was able to use some of the free photo stock sites to my list! So Thanks For That!
You have some great visuals and the layout is easy to navigate and I enjoyed how you have managed to link your pages.
I think that if you have access to a great educational system like Wealthy Affiliate, you don’t really need to go to college and rack up a lot of debt.
Great Post & Wishing You All The Best
Mishyboo! X:-).
Thanks Mishyboo for your kind feedback on my site, posts, and content of this post about needing to go to college or not.
I’ve been to college and graduated with a good degree, so when I went through Wealthy Affiliate’s training center, I was so impressed because it was like getting an advanced education on everything related to putting together a successful online business.
Then when you compare the price on a yearly basis of less than $30/month to a regular 4 year college program, it’s even more incredible.
If you’re willing to learn and then take action on that knowledge, you can really accomplish your career and financial goals.
Thanks,
Todd
Great Article! I went to community college at 45 after losing my job and being unemployed for two years. In all, it was a great experience and I learned a lot, some I will never use & some I will.
I also learned a lot on my own and I continue to do so. Something about learning as you get older is so much more appealing then when I was a teenager!!! I have one child who fell in love with woodworking and is trying to start his own business since graduating high school. Now it’s time for Mom to give it a go!
Hi Jester,
Thanks for your feedback and for your advice on continuing education throughout one’s lifetime. I couldn’t agree more. You don’t need to go to college to be successful, you need to have that thirst for knowledge in whatever passion you love.
Finding an in demand skill can really go far in this world. I have a family member who went to a trade school to make glasses. That job is a fairly average paying job, but he took it to a whole other level and used his natural business sense and intelligence to create a company that dominated the competition.
So keep going with your own dreams and encourage your child as well. The key isn’t college, it’s education.
Best,
Todd
What’s the success rate of the average participant of this program? I know most will say “its the effort you put into it” and wouldn’t have an exact answer, but statistically what is it?
That’s probably the primary reason people like careers and education, education usually leads to a steady career, which means a stead flow of income.
But with today’s opportunities growing online, this isn’t unheard of.
Hi Tyler,
I assume you’re referring to the success rate of Wealthy Affiliate’s training center? That’s a great question and one you’d have to ask the owners to get the exact numbers you’re looking for.
I personally know many students that started out at Wealthy Affiliate like myself, followed the training just like it was college, and have been extremely successful with their online businesses/careers. I’m one of them 😉
I would imagine students who enter colleges have a bit of a different situation than those students who enter the Wealthy Affiliate training center.
One difference is that college students are paying thousands of dollars per year to go to college, so their working hard every day to reach the goal of graduation. Over half of those that reach graduation are getting jobs that they could have gotten without the 100K of debt.
Versus the students that are trying something like Wealthy Affiliate are people who already have full time jobs. So they may only have 10 hours per week to work on their training.
You also have a lot of people that want to check it out, realize that it requires real work and determination, and head off to find the next shiny internet marketing product.
I think what you need to consider Tyler is what if you take on a project like starting your own online business and treat it like going to college.
I went to college and worked my tail off to get my major in Occupational Therapy and minor in Anatomy. Apply the same effort to an online business for 4 years and look out – you’ll be amazed at the income and success you create. Trust me, I know the difference, I’ve done them both.
Thanks,
Todd
Hi Todd. I think you make some great points in this post. I could never knock going to college – I think education is great in any form.
Even though it has become extraordinarily expensive, most individuals make a great return on their investment from it.
But you’re right in saying that it doesn’t always go as planned for some people. They get their degree and then get stuck in a job where it’s not even required. It’s a tough job market out there.
This is where a training program/community like Wealthy Affiliate can really provide an outstanding value.
We’re talking about tens of thousands of dollars per year simply to learn (and not earn) when you go to college, compared to paying a few hundred dollars a year to run your own online business with Wealthy Affiliate (and quite possibly earn as you learn).
It takes a lot of hard work to build a full-time income this way, but it can be a rewarding experience and great opportunity, plus it takes just as much hard work to go to college. I’d rather earn while I learn than rack up debt. I truly appreciate your thoughts.
Hey Mathew,
I couldn’t agree more with you. I’m a big pusher of education. I still take CEU’s for my degree as an Occupational Therapist. Learning throughout one’s life time is great to keep a young and healthy mind.
But you’ve got it down perfectly, why not get a real education using the Wealthy Affiliate Training Center for a tiny fraction of the price and still gain skills to build your own business, do local SEO for companies, or bring your SEO/marketing skills with you to a new career.
I went to college 15 years ago and love my education, but I have seen hundreds of classmates do nothing with their degree, many found jobs in completely unrelated careers.
WA is a great opportunity. If I was 20 and going to college and not sure what I wanted to do, I’d join WA in a heart beat. And if you like making things that produce you money while your sleeping or after you’ve done the work and you still get paid, then an online business is for you.
I love being an OT, and the money was fine, but it’s a job that I’ll always be trading my time for money, unless I developed an online educational course or some assistive device that makes it big.
Thanks for your thoughts,
Todd
This is a great article Todd,
I personally went to college and speaking from experience, we don’t really need to know at least 70% of the things we learned in college because the moment we entered the real world after graduating, everything works differently and its not all rainbows and ponies anymore.
I was hit hard after graduating as a hotelier because eventually I learned that it’s not enough to keep working long hours with no life and low salary so I decided to start my own company instead.
A lot of my friends switched industries too as they tend to chase after jobs which pay more so they ended up not utilizing the knowledge they learned at college too so I can totally relate to your article.
So for me, you don’t really need to go to college, it’s just a stepping stone.
Great read man, it set me aback while there.
Thanks Riaz, that’s great to hear. You know, the more and more the world is changing and the internet is growing at incredible rates (last I heard, 8 new users per second or over 692,000 new users/day), the more it makes sense to focus on an education that is based on some online aspect.
I create my online businesses solely out of the need to travel and make good money, now I’m amazed at how my online businesses have grow. Sometime I wish I had a time clock and could go back to my college days and start working an online businesses. How knows what one can create with the right guidance, education, and time.
The online market is an even playing field, all’s it takes is finding a niche and fulfill the needs of that niche. It’s much more rewarding than going to school for 4 years, getting an average job, 100K in debt, and being a slave to your career for the rest of your life.
Cheers,
Todd
Hello Todd,
As a person that dropped out of college myself after only two semesters and now works full-time from my own home, I can personally attest to everything you are saying here.
I have quite a few friends that are attending 4 year universities, and we always find ourselves in spirited debates hashing out the differences between attending college and going into online business.
Inevitably we always come back to the same question…. Do you really need to go to college?
For a person that has staked their future on a piece of paper that may have cost them upwards of a couple hundred thousands dollars, I think they would probably sounds foolish if they gave another answer other than yes.
Going to college, earning a degree, getting a job, and paying off those massive student loans has kind of been the norm for as long as I can remember, but in all honesty I don’t see anything NORMAL in accumulating massive amounts of debt and paying it off for 20-30 years!
Especially not when you can learn to create a full-time income online in a FRACTION of the time for a FRACTION of the cost!
The program that you recommend here, Wealthy Affiliate, is by far the better option in my opinion, and the fact that it costs about $1.00 per day really makes it a no brainer.
I hear ya Matt, it’s almost dumbfounding how excepted this is in our society. It’s almost like parents feel this is where their kids are safe after high school.
It’s almost a bit disrespectful that we don’t sit down with a college bound student and really talk about what they want to do in life.
One of the great things I first learned while going to Occupational Therapy school was that occupation is an evolving process in life. What we want to do at 18, 25, 40, and so forth changes as we change in life.
In hindsight, one might think of themselves foolish to spend 4 to 6 years getting a degree that has no value. I can still remember when I was an nursing assistant working for a home health care agency and there would be college grads with exercise/sports science degrees calling for work. It was kind of a joke because there were clearly no job for them because they didn’t have the skills that we needed. What a waste of money for a degree like that!
Wealthy Affiliate’s a sweet system for those that want to take their ideas, interests, or passions and bring them alive online. And the price is almost astonishing after you’ve spent 50K on your education.
It will be fun to see what happens Matt with you and your friends in a couple of years when you are making passive income online and they’re still working for an hourly wage for someone else.
Thanks for your feedback and insight,
Todd
Hi there Todd,
I am a big believer in education, but given my experience, college is certainly not the only place to get it. The world is a bigger classroom with many teachers that won’t judge you for your grades.
This is a good article, especially for college students, to think out of the box. The cost of college aside, I think it’s more important to challenge your comfort zone and continuously seek for opportunities to grow your career and make your life more interesting.
That kind of enthusiasm will lead to you creating something and becoming an entrepreneur is where all the fun begins. My advice is this – the earlier you start a business, whether it is online or offline, the more time you will have to enjoy your return of investment.
So do you really need to go to college? For me it’s a no, you just need to go after whatever you’re interested in.
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for your feedback and words of wisdom. It’s tough to figure out which direction you want to go when you’re just getting started in life, but the more I read about college kids, debt, and the job market, the less I think going to college is important.
College, a new job, or a business adventure are all challenging at first, but they get better as you learn more and expand your horizons. If you know this, then go for the most efficient way to accomplish whatever goals you have and I don’t think one would look back with regret.
It’s those college kids that don’t know what they want to do, are coasting by in school cause it’s where Mom and Dad want them to be that need to listen up and take notes. Even back twenty years ago when I went to college there were 1,000’s of college students at my university in Colorado that were just wasting their money and ended up with worthless college degrees.
I’d rather get going and start making money so that I can explore whatever other things I want in life (travel, adventure, avocational activities), and still have a promising career and job.
Thanks for your feedback Cathy, it’s always a treat to get your take on my posts.
Todd
I really don’t think a young person needs to go to college if they are self motivated and eager to learn.
With this kind of attitude in life you don’t need to go to a formal university unless you have a passion for a specific career that requires a specific degree.
But for entrepreneurs who want to take life by the horns and start making money online – they don’t need 4 years of college and thousands of dollars of debt, they just need to learn, raise a little capital, and then take a calculated chance on something their interested in.
Making a living online is a great option if you can find the right training. Wealthy Affiliate is a excellent resource for this as well.
Great read Todd, thanks.
Vicky
Great advice and insight Vicky for those that are asking themselves if they really need to go to college.
WA is a great source for anyone who wants to work online, but I hope this post inspires those that aren’t sure if they need to go to college or not. It’s a touch decision when you’re not sure what to do or what kind of career you want to pursue.
College is such a big commitment, especially knowing that many people change careers many times over their lifetime.
Thanks for your feedback,
Todd
Hi Todd! I also asked that question to myself, “do you really need to go to college?” I often think the reason why most of the richest people out there that made their fortune not by a college degree but by making their own business.
That’s why when I was in 4th year college I thought of dropping out in school and build my business. But I didn’t continue it though, because of three main reasons:
(1) My 4 years of college will be wasted; (2) I don’t have the capital to invest (3) I don’t know how to start.
So I just continued my school until I graduated college. Fortunately a year after, I bumped into the Wealthy Affiliate Training Center while searching for legit online businesses.
I agree with everything you said about creating your own business and how it can change your life. By the way, Do you still recommend going to college even though there are already programs out there that can teach you to make your own business online?
Thanks,
John
Hi John,
Thanks for your kind feedback as well as your personal experience about going to college and now attending Wealthy Affiliate.
Does one really need to go to college? Well that depends, if you’re going for something in the medical field, accounting, lawyer, or some other specific career, then yes, college or any trade school that provides a valuable education is OK by me.
And don’t get me wrong, I’m all for education.
Now for business, that can be tricky. Because an expensive and well known business school could open some doors for you that would never exist if you never went to that particular school. But in general, I don’t think that the case.
I think what’s important to point out about the photo in this post is that every one of those famous people never went to college, some never graduated high school. But all got self-educated, all found a passion, and all of these people took relentless action to make their dreams and ideas come true.
And I think that’s the whole point I’m trying to make John. Going to college for online business, website development, or internet marketing would be a joke compared to the training provided by Wealthy Affiliate, not to mention the price difference of $1,000’s of dollars.
This is the biggest no-brainer in my opinion. Go to college and spend several thousands of dollars, get up and go to classes, learn all the theory, etc., compared to waking up every day, firing up your computer, and getting your education from the comfort of your home that actually makes you do assignments to complete your online business – There is NO COMPARISON.
If you want to create an online business, develop websites, learn internet marketing, then the Wealthy Affiliate Program is the best way to go. It’s also the most inexpensive professional level educational program that I’ve ever seen in my life.
A dollar a day for all the skills the teach you – incredible.
Thanks for your feedback John and have a great day,
Todd
Hi Todd,
Having two boys in college at the moment, I often wonder if they will use the degrees, that hopefully they will obtain, to get a decent job. I have already suggested to them it might be a good idea to start an internet marketing business, but who listens to their old dad at their age.
The cost of getting an education in college is pretty frightening and for these youngsters starting their active life in debt isn’t ideal.
I never went to college and have worked for myself all my life. Would I have done better if I had obtained a degree? I don’t think so, I would probably have finished up working for someone and not had the job satisfaction and freedom to choose where I live and work.
With the job market as it is today, it is very hard to secure a job, degree or not, so if you are willing to roll your sleeves up and get started on building your own online business it could be the best thing you have ever done.
I think the internet provides a great opportunity for starting a business and earning some money. With the training you mention and hard work, starting when you’re young is the right thing to do. You don’t need to go to college to be successful.
Thanks for your awesome post.
Peter
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your feedback and sharing your personal experience of working for yourself versus going to college to land a career/job/business.
I’ve seen some educational program in high school that are allowing students to shadow professional business people that have their own established businesses in order to get an idea if this is the path they want to take or not.
And I think that’s an awesome thing to stimulate young people’s minds to get them to think about how the want to interact with the real world as they mature.
I remember thinking when I was in my 20’s and doing quite well in the mortgage business that if I had only started doing mortgages when I was 18 versus going to college I would have had a half a million dollars in my bank account as a 28 year old instead of just graduating and paying back my college debt.
But at the same time, I ended up having a stable career that I can always walk back into and is in demand as an Occupational Therapist, so it’s a tough call as to what decision is best for each individual.
I think if you don’t know what you want to do in college and are at all inclined to create your own business, than the training provided by the Wealthy Affiliate Program is hands down the best value for your dollar. It’s truly an amazing program that allows people to flourish in their online businesses and you see success story after success story with these guys.
Thanks again Peter and it’s always good to get your feedback. Do you really need to go to college to find success, hell no, but if you want to do something specific in life it sure can help. If you don’t know about going to college and want to start an online business, then Wealthy Affiliate is your best choice for long term business success.
Cheers,
Todd
Hi Todd First let me say “Great Post” I loved the concept ‘Do you really need to go to college?.
As someone who has a marketable skill (a Qualified Electrician) I made great money in my earlier days in that trade, working on big construction projects and for Oil companies and then later in my own electrical business. I was able to afford to go back to University to get a masters degree in business as an adult student (without needing a student loan).
As someone who had already experienced the ‘real world’ of working and business, the academic world was far removed from the reality that I was already familiar with, so I had an interesting time connecting the two.
Even though I got my degree I realized that you didn’t need to go to college to make money or to own a business, rather having a degree is about ‘snob’ value and puts you ahead of other snobs (with lesser degrees) when applying for jobs, working in someone else’s business.
So your message is important. A college degree will only (maybe) get you a job as an employee. Far less money and the same amount of time you could build you a great little business that could become a big business if you work at it.
There is no better place or time to be working on building an internet business than now and Wealthy Affiliate is a great place to do exactly that. I say that from experience working with them and successfully creating my own online business – which is great in my personal opinion.
Excellent Post 🙂
Hi Peter,
That’s awesome. Thanks for you kind feedback regarding the topic “Do you really need to go to college?”. You’re an excellent example of someone who is successful because of your innovation and hard work. And what I like even better is that after you achieved success in the real world, you went back to school to further your education.
And this is the whole point of the story, get your own education by seeking new knowledge on a daily basis. Don’t just coast on auto your whole life and stick with a unsatisfying job that doesn’t stimulate you or challenge you.
Take a chance, fill your mind, and put in a real effort to improve your knowledge base, skill levels, and take yourself to the next level regardless of wherever you’re at in life.
Thanks so much Peter for leaving you comments and especially your personal experience with working with Wealthy Affiliate. It’s clearly one of the best educational platforms to learn how to make money online, and that’s comparing WA with other online programs as well as college universities.
I’d rather learn from the experienced owners of Wealthy Affiliate, who have already built several successful online businesses versus a professor who knows theory but has no prior real online business experience.
I actually went to a college that offered internet marketing courses and asked the professor if he had actually built a successful online business. His response was that he had build 3 online businesses, and after further questions, he admitted that none of them had any profit or success.
My thought was, why the hell would I want to pay $1,500 for a 6 week course from someone who doesn’t even know how to create a profitable online business versus paying $30/mo. to learn everything I need to know to be successful online using the Wealthy Affiliate Training Program.
Thanks again Peter for your feedback and have a great weekend.
Todd
Hi, Todd!
After reading your Awesome article, and knowing back then what I know now, I would never have bothered with College.
However, on the flip side, I suppose I can think of the experience as a blessing in disguise because I racked up debt and ended up in a poor paid job which resulted in looking for a “Plan B” to extra money online, and it’s working out great! Soon I will be financially free.
Unfortunately, we are all programmed to get a good education and find a job, and this is where most of the population goes wrong!
There are rich people out there who have no qualifications, but have learned what it really takes for success, and finding a job is NOT part of that!
If people really want success in life, they should learn from self-help and personal development books and start up a business… Preferably an online one! 😉
Thanks for such a great post, Todd!
Neil
Hi Neil,
Thank you for your feedback and personal experience about whether or not you need or needed to go to college or not. In your case, it sounds like it’s worked out well because of the choices you had to make.
All too often, you here the majority of college grads have this same experience. Go to college and have a hundred thousand dollars of debt and nothing to show for it.
Online businesses are an excellent opportunity for those who go into it with a college like mentality. You see, when you go to college you don’t expect to make any money while your are getting your education. Working for something for 4-12 years without any reward except grads is easier when your younger.
After you’ve worked for a while and understand the value of earning, it’s a bit more difficult to work at something for even a year without seeing a profit, but that’s a bit how online business works. You actually start making your first sales in about 2-3 months, but to really make a good amount of monthly income takes time to build.
Being an online business owner Neil, I’m sure you know exactly what I mean. Do you really need to go to college? Not if your business minded, have a niche, a goal, and take action to accomplish those goals.
If this is the case, you should still get your education, but you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars doing it, you can get it for less than one dollar/day using the program that taught me. Check out the best online education in the market, it’s the one I used to make my online dreams a reality.
Have a great weekend Neil, cheers.
Todd
Awesome post, do you really need to go to college Todd! This is a touchy subject even in my own family.
While I believe that education is important, I don’t necessarily believe that a formal education is essential.
I agree that you are really just gaining an education on how to get a job and work for someone else. I never went to University, as it is here in Australia, but I have earned 3-4 times the money in the mining industry that my wife does after a 3 year nursing degree!
However my wife is a strong believer in higher education, especially for girls as we have 4 daughters. One is currently in University at the moment doing a business degree.
I do believe that more emphasis should be taught on entrepreneurship and business, and I spend all my time now educating myself on building my own online business.
There is a famous quote from Jim Rohn that says; Formal education will make you a living, but self-education will make you a fortune!
I tend to agree!
Great post!
~John
Hi John,
Thanks for your feedback and you make some excellent points regarding whether one should go to college or not. I think education is critical. Whether you get that from an expensive college education or on your own doesn’t matter, it’s the drive to seek knowledge and then apply that knowledge in whatever you do that is most important.
Does everyone really need to go to college? It depends on the person. If you are a self motivated go getter, no way, you can build your own destiny on your own. If you lack direction and know of a profession that is supported by a formal university, then yes, college would be great for you.
I also agree with you that more emphasis should be placed on entrepreneurship and I’ve seen more colleges expand their business programs to include this aspect, even some middle and high schools are doing this. Which is great for young people to start thinking and challenging their minds to learn business concepts and so forth.
If you are interested in online business and being an entrepreneur then I wouldn’t bother with college but start working with the online university of Wealthy Affiliate. I’m amazed how much education they provide people who want to explore building online wealth.
Thanks again John on your personal feedback and experience regarding this topic.
Have a great day,
Todd
Wow, Todd, you have really blown my mind with this, i am currently a student at college but at times i do wonder is it worth it, i will treasure that piece of advice you received as a teenager LEARN A VALUABLE IN DEMAND SKILL, i think i will make this my mantra haha. learn a skill or trade and turn that skill into a business, when i read that i literally paused and just tried to fully comprehend what you just said.
one of the best articles i have read in a long time!!
Hi Gino,
Thanks for your kind feedback and I’m glad the article resonated with you. I went to college and got a good degree, but when I graduated and was working in an industry (mortgages) that at the time didn’t require any license but just an understanding of lending practices, etc., I realized that I spent a whole lot of money and time when I could have been originating loans and making killer money. So sure it helps to go to college, but you can see that some of the famous people listed above didn’t really need to go to college to be successful, but they did need to get self educated and then take action in their life to bring their passions to life.
Glad to give a little inspiration and what inspired me to publish this post was just the astonishing fact that people pay soooo much money for college and here is the most incredible online university available to people for $1 dollar/day. Can you believe that, if you have desires to be a website developer or internet marketer then forget college and join Wealthy Affiliate. Free to check out, and extremely inexpensive for all the education you get. It makes college look like a scam 😉
Thanks for your feedback and have a great day Gino,
Todd