Whether you’re someone who is in college working towards your degree, someone who isn’t ready for college yet, or someone who has decided college isn’t for you- I’m sure you’ve come across this dilemma at least once in your life:
“How am I going to afford things without having a good education?”
While it is often easier to break into better-paying jobs with a college degree for most people, there are plenty of options for those who don’t have one. (Also keep in mind having a college degree isn’t a guaranteed pathway to jobs. It’s about the bigger picture (or resume))
1. Get Certified!
Getting a certification is a great option for many reasons. First of all, there are certifications for positions in just about any field that you can possibly think of. Certifications and/or training courses are often aimed towards trade jobs. If a traditional trade isn’t your thing, look into certifications in healthcare, cosmetology, or highly in-demand skills like computer programming. This is what I did before I entered college, so I am definitely biased towards this option!
2. Profit Off Of Your Passion
This one may be a bit controversial, because there’s always the question of if your passion should be your career, or if that causes burnout and therefore your passion should be your hobby. Whichever way you lean on the discussion, the potential to earn money is still there. Crafty hobbies may do better on a platform like Etsy, whereas if digital design is more your thing you may find something like Fiverr more suitable.
3. Invest Your Time In Getting Experience
While this isn’t as quick to get into as some of the previous options, you do have to consider your long term plan at one point or another. Maybe four years spent getting a bachelor’s degree sounds horrific, but four years of experience in your career feels right. If this is the case, consider gaining work experience in lieu of education. This won’t work in all fields- imagine if your doctors just played doctor for 12+ years and then got their title (eek!) However, for something that can be self-taught, like web design, this may be a viable option for you.
4. Become an Entrepreneur
This, of course, is an easy answer to the question of what to do without a college degree. However, becoming an entrepreneur still takes a lot of time and effort. Maybe you’ve been a plumber or electrician for years and want to have your own business. Or maybe you have solutions to problems that haven’t been tapped into by anyone else. If you’re considering starting a business, remember that it can be whatever you make it- the sky really is the limit here.
Hmm… None of those answers felt right? Lets ask this:
Why not go to college? If nothing that you read here sounds appealing, you may want to reconsider why you don’t want to attend college.
Is it the cost? Consider community college.
Is it the time commitment? That time will pass either way. Whether or not it’s spent obtaining education or valuable experience, the next one, two, four, six, years will pass no matter what you do. Make your time worth it!
Are you not ready to make a commitment to one thing (and spend thousands of dollars on it?) Choosing a college major can be scary. But, really, what’s the pressure? Who is making you decide what you need to do? It’s okay to take your time to figure things out. This actually is exactly what I’m doing- fumbling my way through school and finding out what I like and what I don’t. In the meantime though, I pay my bills as a Pharmacy Technician.
Let me know what your experience has been with this commonly faced dilemma! Reach out to me or leave a comment below!
An Olive Writes 