Alternatives to College?

Hey everyone, this is my first topic, I'm a long time reader.

I'm an 18 year old male graduating high school very soon and I plan to go to community college and then transfer to university. I was wondering if anyone has good altneratives to college which may be fruitful. (I know the safest thing is probably just going to college so I intend to do that...just want to see some responses.)

[edit on 12-6-2008 by meowmix]

Looking at the spelling on your post, college maybe is not your best choice. Sorry, no offense. You can make decent money in a skilled trade like electrical work. Technical schools offer a lot of courses where you can train for less than a year and then use your skills. Police and firefighting are interesting, but you may need some college. There is always the military.

College is over-rated if you don't know what you want to do, you'll spend four years running up debts and not earning anything. Whatever you do, make it a habit to save some of your money, and not run up credit cards. Learning how to manage money is more important really than how you make it, or how much.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. On message boards I usually type and hit submit, not checking. Don't worry on school work and other important forms I always check back on everything.

There is military,many different volunteer jobs such as peace corps,out of country college like au where most people love going if you got the money,brains,and passport.Don't worry spelling was never my big thing either so i went to a tech college and got my degree.You can do basically anything u set your mind to.Or you can be one of the lucky ones and hit the lotto and just relax your life away.That would be nice.

[edit on 12-6-2008 by alienstar]

Many options to not going post secondary.

For one you can decide to get into a trade. You can get into 90% of any job that is a certified trade as an apprentice most of the time without even a high school diploma. As long as you are somewhat handy you can be hired by most companies as an apprentice in pretty mcuh whatever field you desire. A trade is a more stable line of work than business and service sectors as more dont rely on the markets to survive. Most trades will earn you a 60k - 100k pay and you also save a ton of money by slowly becoming a do-it-youselfer. Some trades require a pre-trade training course which are offered at but are not exclusive to post-secondary institutions.

List of trades

Also things that are also considered trades. Some of these depends on where you live.

Other trades

You can also start researching companies for entry level positions. Some companies are willing to hire high school graduates for simple entry level positions. These companies have interrnal hiring systems that allow you to "move up" and be trained in different areas of work and rise through the ranks of the company with seniority. Some example of companies that do this are shipping and mailing companies, communications companies (you can work as a technician for a telco making $20+ an hour with a high school diploma), some corporate business entities, and of course many jobs in the manufacturing sector. Find out which line of work suits you and then ask around and see what places will high without college.

Things to remember:
1. Its not always about the money. Some jobs that pay more are sometimes the most boring or the most frustrating. Many people who make good money are depressed because of their jobs and some have no life because of it.

2. It takes just as long to move up the ladder with a trade or entry level job to making the good money and to getting the best jobs as it does to complete a post secondary course and starting somewhere requiring post secondary education.

3. Most people strike out their first time in college. I got through 2 years of college with a loan and all it cost me to pay back is 10000. People who make multiple attemps or take the 4 year courses (not necessary to obtain work) are the ones who end up paying 40k, also university(useless unless you want to be a teacher or MD or Psyc) will do this.

4. If you attend college stay away from any course that says GENERAL in the title. These are not diploma courses and will only land a job at Micky D's. Example: General Arts and Science.

This will give you more info :Useless college majors

[edit on 08/6/12 by metaldemon2000]

There was a thread on here a few weeks back about college and money. Do a search for it. It talks a lot about what would be better, investing the money you would spend on a four year degree, or actually spending the money on the four year degree. Investing would probably make you a wealthier person in the long run.....that is if you have the money to invest it. Example; if your parents are paying for your tuition tell them to invest the first years worth and see what happens.

It also talked about wether or not you are currently in the field of which you studied.

I think your best bet is to go to college IF AND ONLLY IF you have a passion for something in life that you cannot pursue without said degree. Never go to college just because it's the thing to do. If you don't know what you want to do with your life, DO NOT spend 40 grand trying to figure it out!!

I would say good alternatives are your local police department, fire department or a good technical/trade school and invest the extra money. That is assuming you DO NOT have a specific college degree only goal in life.

I myself have never regreted the fact that I did not attend a four year college. I went the trade school route, and still am not even working in that field. I make better money doing something differant.

Good luck to you and congrats on your graduation!!!!

Originally posted by meowmix
Hey everyone, this is my first topic, I'm a long time reader.

I'm an 18 year old male graduating high school very soon and I plan to go to community college and then transfer to university. I was wondering if anyone has good altneratives to college which may be fruitful. (I know the safest thing is probably just going to college so I intend to do that...just want to see some responses.)

Start your own business. Find out what people want and then sell it to them. I will guarantee if you spent the same amount of time and same amount of money in the next four years on building a business instead of on college, you will be WAY further ahead.

I believe working for yourself is much more "fruitful" than going to college and ending up in a 8-5 desk job position. Decide on what your goals in life are - and then find out how to best follow them.

Problem is most business ideas have been done, small businesses get crushed by wally world, and its easier to get a government student loan than a business loan from a bank. Not to mention the amount of work that goes into a business that an 18 year old just does not have the time and patience for. Also several years of work experience is needed in order to obtain the necessary skills to understand how the world works and how to work independantly.

I dont want to discourage the lad but i think at this point in the game hed be setting himself up for dissapointment.

Desk jobs blow, trades are freedom jobs. I have coffee more than i do work and i almost never worry about money. Plus chicks dig a real man.

Reasons not to work in an office: you go nuts. Just watch.

guy goes nuts in office

Most people have already said it, but I agree with them that you should learn a trade. Unless you are going to college to pursue a specific career it is a total scam. TOTAL scam. It doesn't guarantee you anything but debt, so do yourself a favor and don't buy your local uni a new anything with your tuition. Trades are the way to go.

Electricians, Plumbers, Carpenters, Concrete Formers...they make great money. No, they don't get the glory of a Bachelor's Degree, but who is Mr. Bachelor paying $70/hr to when his sink is messed? Not the guy with the Masters' in Art History.

You can always make some new holographic deal a meal cards.Try popup cook books to.