6 Paths other than College to Be Educated

Personally, I don’t believe starting your “adult” life by going into student loan debt is a good thing in any measure. If you don’t have scholarships and can’t afford it, avoid college until you can. Believe it or not, there are plenty of paths other than college.

While in high school, you probably should get a part-time job. It’ll be the closest to the real world you’ll get while in the education system. If your parents take a portion of your paycheck, you’re getting a taste of the real world! Hopefully, though, they are encouraging you to save/invest that money.

Working During/After High School

After high school, you can keep working and saving. If you show an eagerness to learn, competency, reliability, and flexibility at an early age, you are already doing more for your life and potential career than anyone who went straight to college.

Start building bridges as soon as you can and don’t burn them! Letters of recommendation and referrals can get you far in life. The earlier you start building a professional network, the better.

A lot of companies provide educational benefits while working for them, even at the entry-level. If you are dead set on getting a degree, this would be a decent way to at least get the pointless general education courses out of the way. You’ll also have work experience, and if you can get along with your bosses, you already have letters of recommendation.

“Grunt” work also makes you appreciate those that work those positions. When I was a maintenance manager at a hotel, I also ended up doing a lot of housekeeping because we were so short staffed. I thought being an infantryman had its periods of suckiness, but housekeepers got it worse!

Internships

One of the most outright silliest things are internships, especially those unpaid ones in college. I was told constantly that when I get hired (at a film studio) I should always be doing something, even if it means just sweeping the floor.

First off, why was I getting a degree to get an entry level position that interns work for free? If an employer wants free labor, would the employer really turn down someone who wants to learn and would be willing to work for free? If we have to keep high schools, there should be more focus on internships.

However, internships do get your foot in the door and gets you hands on experience. It may be the least desirable paths other than college, but it could pay off the biggest. They could be more valuable since experience is just as, or even more, valuable than education in today’s work environment.

Trade Schools

“You ought to just turn me to ashes and put me out of my misery…Twenty-first century, I’m racing a fire to the river with a herd of cattle. And I wonder why my kids won’t do this shit for a living”

Cowboy, portrayed by Taylor Sheridan in Hell or High Water

Blue collar jobs seem to be so 21st century. Technology is making our lives easier, but it’s also making us softer. Why there is that snub-nosed attitude towards blue collar workers has always surprised me. There’s a good chance they make good money since the demand for workers is so high.

Twice now, I’ve had to get my car towed (thanks AAA!) and sat in the cab with the two truck driver. I found it strange that these two drivers, one in South Dakota and one in Utah, had almost the exact same talking points – how much they are working, but more importantly, how much they were making. This information came unprompted! I think it’s because they didn’t go to college, and there’s that stigma that the “uneducated” are poor and dumb.

Welders, construction, garbage wranglers – all jobs people think less of, but there will almost always be a need for them. A trade school is one of the paths other than college that can get you ready for them. Focus solely on a skill. Don’t worry about what Plato thought or what some court case did. When that’s important for you to learn, you can learn it then.

“Informal” Education – One of the Paths other than College They Hate!

One experience I was shocked to have was when I signed up for some classes on Udemy shortly after my time in college. I paid $10 for 24 hours of video instruction, downloadable resources, and access to a community of photographers. I could also submit photos for review from other students, and possibly the instructors. The instructors recently held a public livestream on YouTube where they reviewed some photos for one of their monthly competitions. They also have a monthly subscription in which you can get more interaction with them for $490/year. In contrast, my 3 month Introduction to Digital Photography course in college cost $1,500 for 44 hours of instruction.

Another website I’ve used is Masterclass. Why learn from an instructor that has maybe had some so-so success in his/her field when you can learn from the best of the best? They run promotions from time to time. You can even have access to all of these professionals for less than $100/year.

Also Read: Udemy Vs. Skillshare Vs. Voomly

Unlike Udemy, though, you don’t get any communication with the instructors or other students. That is a downside for sure, but for pennies on the dollar compared to normal college, plus access to many different subjects and instructors, it gives you the chance to learn about other potential careers from true experts.

The major downside to the “informal” education is access to equipment and materials. It’s strange to me that lenders won’t even think twice giving money to wide-eyed students wanting to go to college without investigating the college. However, those lenders won’t invest into the student individually. Tens of thousands of dollars are lent to college students. When they graduate, they still don’t have all the tools they need to succeed.

Informal education also takes a different kind of discipline. It really requires you to be self-motivated and a self-starter. This may be deterred if one finds some friends either online or in real life to share this path.

The Military

One of the most controversial paths other than college to take is the military. Although I’m very anti-war and deeply regret enlisting into the Army, I believe my time in college was worse. I wouldn’t have ever enrolled into The Art Institute of Las Vegas if I didn’t have the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill. That’s a double-edged sword.

At least through the military, you have an almost-guaranteed job, paycheck, and benefits. You have to really mess up bad to not have all that through the military.

Spending a few years in the military has such a better chance of setting you up for success in the future. You’ll get provided job training. Many veteran-friendly companies exist. I’ve had a couple employers say my military service stood out, which I internally laughed at because I know how many dirtbags are in the service!

Also Read: Army Recruiter

Besides the G.I. Bill, you can also get tuition assistance while you’re in active duty, or even in the National Guard or Reserve.

The downside (and it’s a huge one) is that you might have to kill and die for someone you don’t even know for a cause you don’t truly believe in. It’s more than a job. You can’t just quit. You’ll lose your benefits if you come to the realization that you are supporting a terrible organization! However, you can make the system work for you…just don’t be a dirtbag about it.

The Airline Industry – The Best Path other than College to Take?

More than likely, you haven’t had the chance to travel. After I got out of the Army, I was extremely fortunate to have been a flight attendant. Later on, I also worked as a Cross-Utilized Agent.

Working for an airline (more than likely) allows you to fly for free on that airline, even if you work just part-time. If you have any passion for travel, I’d suggest start talking to airlines near you as soon as possible. If I had a time machine, I’d go back and tell myself to whine and beg to work/intern at any airline near me. Airlines provide so many entry-level jobs that don’t require a college degree.

If you have cool parents and can work out your work schedule, you could get so much life experience and travel in just a couple years of working for an airline. Since you’ll be traveling so much, stay at your family’s place. If they want you to pay rent/utilities, negotiate a much lower rate since you won’t be there every night.

Also Read: Is Working as a Flight Attendant for Me?

If you enjoy writing or making videos, start a blog or YouTube channel while on your travels. One of my biggest life regrets is not doing that while I was a flight attendant.

Be warned – it’s an industry that fosters a lot of negative attitude. Why people choose to stay in a job they hate I’ll never understand. You can ignore them and have a much better life than them.

If you’d like to hear more about my time as a flight attendant, you can check out a podcast episode or this post where I give you some things to consider before going down that route.

Bonus: The Cruiseline Industry

Here’s probably one of the best paths other than college a young, adventurous high school graduate or college graduate could make! If you love an ocean view, working for a cruise line might be for you!

It could be one of the best ways to separate from home. From what I’ve seen, almost every time I go to Indeed, I am getting some job posts from cruise lines. Norwegian Cruise Lines has a page on their site about some of the rules they have for their crewmembers. If you’re considering the cruise line route, make sure you consider each cruise line’s rules carefully. For example, Norwegian doesn’t allow intoxication while on assignment, but sounds like you can have a drink while you’re off duty. Maybe not the best choice if you enjoy your drinkie poos!

However, your housing, food, and laundry are all taken care of. Communication is available, but at a charge.

If you work for a cruise lines for a couple years out of high school, you could pocket a whole lot of money. Your possible only bills could be your cell phone and internet usage. College graduates could have their student loans paid off pretty quickly if they’re frugal enough!

Definitely do more research on working for a cruise line. One site, Cruisehive.com, makes it seem like crewmembers party a lot (even though Norwegian claims intoxication is not allowed!) The link in the previous sentence gives a much more in depth look at what it’s like to work as a crewmember on a cruise ship. The hours seem almost completely unfair, but if you’re OK with literally just working pretty much everyday for up to 9 months, this may be for you!

This is definitely a job/career that would need a pros/cons chart thought out in great detail!

Final Thoughts

The cult of education is something that needs a second look. There are so many routes to go in the world. How is it possible that everything funnels through college?

The airline industry would definitely be the way to go out of high school if you can. Out of the paths other than college I would take, the airlines would be the way to go. That cruise line opportunity pulls at my strings a bit though! If you’re young, single, and want to travel, the airline route is absolutely the best way to take advantage of your situation. Travel around, experience different cultures, and meet different people. Maybe you’ll discover it’s not what you want to do, but who you want to be around is what matters to you.

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