Alternatives to College: What to Know

For many high school graduates, pursuing a four-year college degree remains at the top of their list before starting a career. But there are numerous alternatives to college, which may be a better path for some students.

There are numerous reasons why alternatives to college routes may be better for some students. Some students have no desire to pursue a four-year college education but recognize that the opportunity to pursue high-paying careers still exists with alternative routes.

Having said that, here are some of the popular alternatives to college that are certainly worth your attention:

Attend Vocational or Trade School

Pursuing career and technical education, commonly known as vocational programs and trade schools can always work to your advantage. These programs tend to be less costly that two-or-four-year degree programs and concentrate on training students for careers such as electrical line work, auto mechanics, and welding.

Even though some of these programs are made available through community colleges, others are run by for-profit schools. Graduates typically get a certificate rather than an associate degree after completing the program.

Enroll for a Coding Boot Camp

Attending a coding boot camp is another remarkable short-term option for students looking to develop that specific skill set. If you so desire to be a computer programmer or a front-end developer, you don’t have to attend the best universities in the world. You can always go to your local community college, and there are even some booth camps that do a commendable job of getting you to your end goal faster.

You’d be surprised to learn that there are more than 900 coding boot camps to chose from worldwide between online and in-person models. However, you need to do your homework considering program quality may vary. Depending on what is being taught, the duration of coding boot camps can range from between 6 to 28 weeks, with the average running 14 week long.

Of course, you can never run out of options when in dire need of the best alternatives to college. It narrows to what you deem viable!

Inaya
Inaya
Inaya is a seasoned entertainment journalist with over 15 years of experience in the industry. She has written for several high-profile publications, including Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Entertainment Weekly. Rachel has covered a wide range of topics, from celebrity profiles and movie reviews to industry trends and analysis.

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