Alternative to College that Can Change Your Life

After finishing your high school, the most logical thing to do is to go to college. People keep on talking about how getting a degree can improve your chances in the job market and how you can land the opportunity of your dreams if you study hard for 4 years.

It is true that getting a college or university degree can help open up closed doors. There are a lot of jobs that are only available if you choose to go to college. However, a college education is not for everyone. Just because your family and friends are telling you that you should spend 4 or even more years studying doesn’t mean that you have to.

I don’t know what to do with my life:

People usually finish high school when they are too young to take a decision that would change their lives forever. This is why you shouldn’t rush into enrolling for college if you are not sure about what you want to do next. It is normal to feel confused and overwhelmed. Taking your time and weighing other options might help you find what you really want to do next with your life.

Every student should think about what motivates and what interests them, their financial situation and the overall style of their lives. If you want to get a job that doesn’t require having a college degree, then you probably shouldn’t get one.

A lot of people also weigh online college vs. traditional college. Online education is more flexible and is probably cheaper than attending college. Getting an online degree will allow you to keep a job that pays your expenses while studying at your own pace. There are also other options that people can think about if they are not interested in college education altogether:

  1. Start Your Own Business:

If you have an interesting idea, service or product that you can sell to others, you might want to start your own business. Some people are born to be business owners and not to work for other people. Making it on your own is not impossible if you take it seriously. It takes a lot of commitment and courage to make your business grow, and as stated by a majority of essay writers you don’t have to have a degree to be successful. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of successful business owners who never went to college and still managed to become the best at what they do. It is all about following your passion and believing in what you can do.

  1. Travel the World:

Traveling is one of the most enriching life experiences that anyone can experiment. When you travel, you learn things that can’t be found in books. You might want to take some time off and travel the world before thinking about going to college. Those early years right after school will shape your character so you can become the adult version of yourself. Exploring the world and meeting new people can help you find your passion. This is the motive that drives you to do things if you are still not sure about what you want to do with your life.  You will also experience different cultures and understand that there are always two sides of the story. This helps you better cope with personal differences once you decide to work with others.

  1. Find an Internship:

Do you want to go to college but can’t afford it? Why not find an internship and later convince your employer to pay for your education? This is possible if you can prove that you are worth an internship. You can get it, especially in creative industries even if you don’t have a degree. However, the employers in these industries don’t care much about the diploma you have if you can prove that you are dedicated and talented. All you have to do is to approach a company creatively and show that you are someone that they shouldn’t let go. A lot of business owners and managers realize that no matter how many people go to college, work for an establishment, people who have talent are the ones who can help the company succeed. If you later decide to get a degree, an employer can support you, provided that it will add value to the company as a whole.

  1. Do Some Volunteer Work:

One of the best options after high school is to volunteer. You can pick anything that you find interesting and try it for some time. If you don’t like it, you can move to something else. Volunteer work helps you unite and work with others for a cause. It teaches you a lot about communication skills and teamwork. It also helps you step out of your comfort zone and think about the ethics in any industry. You can pick a short or a long-term project and quit it whenever you want to. When you do volunteer work, you also experience a sense of achievement because you help change people’s lives. It helps you become more thoughtful by contributing to the lives of others. Volunteering gives you the chance to travel to other countries where you can help the less fortunate. You might even get a job with one of the companies that organize global volunteer work.

Not getting a college degree is not the end. All you have to do is to think about other options before picking the one that suits you the most.