What are the alternatives to going to college?

With the large amount of information online, a common question is why go to college when everything to know is online. This is a misconception of what college provides in terms of both learning and credentials, but there are opportunities to develop skills outside of the college classroom.
What do teachers do and why can’t I just teach myself?

When the printing press was invented, many expected the end of classroom teaching since everyone could learn from a book. Clearly this did not happen. Likewise, the Internet does not mean the end to learning from a teacher.

Teachers, including college professors, do many things. First, they curate and select content. They decide what information students should learn and what does not need to be covered. A student can have access to massive amounts of information online, but it can be overwhelming to find what is useful to know. Teachers also sequence the content in a way that supports learning.

Teachers also provide assignments that allow students to apply and demonstrate what they are learning. Teachers then provide feedback on that work to help students correct errors and improve. Teachers can also answer student questions and provide encouragement to increase student motivation. A learning studying on their own does not have that type of support.

When a student finishes a college class, the course and final grade is recorded on a transcript. An employer can see the transcript as demonstration of what a student has learned. A student that is self-taught does not have this type of validation.

Other Learning Experiences

College professors are not the only places to find teachers. A wide variety of online courses exist that include teachers. In addition, seminars, workshops, and bootcamps offer face-to-face learning experiences. Many of these offer certificates of completion to document the class.

Online, many colleges offer MOOCs (massively open online courses). While some of these can be taken for free, certificates and feedback on assignments usually require payment of a fee. Some companies also offer courses related to their software. In addition, many independent teachers offer online courses.

These online learning experiences can sometimes be used for college credit. Some universities allow MOOC students to use their MOOC courses in undergraduate or graduate programs. You will want to verify this with the college or university where you intend to enroll, but it is a way to reduce the expense of college. Other colleges will award credit for experiential learning or prior learning assessment. This varies by school, but it is something worth asking about to save money and time.

Bootcamps have been a feature of IT education for decades though they have expanded in the last several years. Typically, these are face-to-face, intensive experiences to develop certain technical skills like web design. A bootcamp lasts only a few months and usually provide some assistance in finding employment at the end of the program. They are usually not cheap, but shorter and cheaper than a college degree.

Most of the students in MOOCs and bootcamps are college graduates who use these programs to develop marketable skills after graduation. Some employers will still prefer someone with a college degree. These options

may work best as an alternative to a graduate degree for someone with a bachelor’s degree.

Careers that do not require college

Many good careers do not require college. For a variety of reasons, technical and career education has decreased in most high schools. This has contributed to less awareness of the need for people working in skilled trades such as plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and other professions. These are professions that require skills but not a college degree.
Starting a business

Many people have a goal of starting a business. College is generally not well suited to preparing you to start a business. The exception are professional services like law and medicine that require a college degree to practice.

There are many paths to starting a business. One option is to buy a franchise which usually includes training from the company you buy the franchise from. Another option is to buy an existing business. You can also create a business from scratch.

To start or manage your business, you need to know how to either do (or hire someone else to do) a variety of business functions including accounting, marketing, product design, sales, customer service, and so on. College business courses tend to focus on how business is conducted in mid-large sized companies where departments handle each of these functions. These courses are not well-suited for being a one-person operation.

There are many classes online, books, and other resources for entrepreneurs. Some of them are very good and others are not. At the end, though, you must put it into practice.

I recommend that someone start with an affiliate marketing business. Affiliate marketing means that you sell someone else’s product and receive a commission. Amazon, for example, has an affiliate program where you can link to any product on their site and receive a commission on any sales that come from your web site. This means you must do the marketing and build an audience of people who purchase from your site. You do not need to invest in creating a product. The key here is that if you cannot sell established products, it is unlikely that you can sell something that you would create on your own. Affiliate marketing allows you to develop and test your marketing skills, and if you can do that, then you can move on to creating your own products to sell.

Many businesses can be and should be started as a side gig to a full-time job so that you are not relying on the business to pay the rent. Once you grow your business to the point you are earning more on the side, then it is time to think about quitting your job.

Going to college to learn to start a business slows you down from this process. It is better to use your time starting a business, learning by doing, and getting to your purpose than it is to go to school so that someday you can start a business. For most businesses, the customer will never ask you about what degrees you have earned. They will only care about the value that you can create for them.
Key Questions

A degree program is not always the best option if you need to learn new skills or credentials. While it is unlikely that these alternatives will totally replace higher education anytime soon, it is worth considering what alternatives you have to achieve your goals. Consider these questions:

• What alternatives are there beyond a degree?
• Can you learn on your own or do you need a structured learning experience?
• How are you going to pay for an alternative?
• Is the alternative compatible with your life?
• How will you stay motivated in a course or program?
• At the end of the learning, how can you demonstrate your expertise to employers?

In some cases, there are no alternatives. Professional programs often require a specific degree. For example, to become a licensed counselor, you need to complete a master’s in counseling. In other cases, especially in technology and business, there are other options for learning. Sometimes colleges and universities offer certificates that are shorter than a degree program that might meet your needs. When you know why you need additional education, the next step is to do some research to see if there are other options.

Sometimes you can teach yourself using books and online resources. Sometimes, though, you need someone to teach you. Teachers provide a variety of services beyond just presenting content. You need to think about whether this is a topic that you can teach yourself.

One of the benefits of higher education is access to federal financial aid. Most alternatives to higher education do not have access to federal loans and grants. This may require you to pay the costs for the learning out of your own pocket. Some courses are free or low-cost, but others are very expensive. Even when an alternative exists, it might be more affordable to pursue a degree.

Some alternatives such as bootcamps require daily attendance for a period of months. This type of intensive learning is faster than taking a course one night a week, but it also requires that you be able to commit to the schedule. Alternatives might not be compatible with work or other commitments. Other programs are online and might be more flexible, but you will want to include this in your research.

Staying motivated is a challenge in any learning situation. In higher education, professors and advisors are there to help you stay on track and follow a schedule. Learning on your own or in a self-paced course requires motivation to keep learning and progressing. The completion rate for MOOCs is very small. Without someone holding you to a deadline, it is easy to put off learning, thus delaying achievement of your goals.

Some alternatives have certificates of completion or other ways to demonstrate what you have learned. In some programs you may have projects that you can use to demonstrate what you have learned. Employers are used to college transcripts and degrees, so it can be a challenge to demonstrate what you have learned outside of higher education. This is something to consider before choosing an alternative path.