Will College Rescue You?
If I had a dollar for every time, someone said they were going back to school to get a raise, for job security, to feel accomplished, or to change careers I would be out of student loan debt by now.
I’ve been saying this for years, but now I’m writing it, so there is a digital record. Universities and Colleges will become extinct or forced to rethink their structure. The internet has truly changed the game. It’s changed how we work, shop, listen to music, read books, watch tv, and it won’t be long until it changes the way we learn.
I’m not sure if many have taken heed on the number of online learning platforms, programs, or fast track boot camps that have popped up within the past few years, but there are a ton.
Now with the current state of the world, it wouldn’t be too much of a shock if the education system completely hit us with a plot twist.
Here is a list of the most popular alternative education programs that I’ve noticed.
Lynda.com or LinkedIn Learning
Most of these companies are allowing you to buy or take courses specifically tailored to your interests or needs. Some are offering tools to support people in making a career shift. The biggest attraction is there are no long term or 4-year commitment to complete a program, and you don’t have to take out a loan or worry about going into debt while trying to build yourself a stable and economic future.
I always thought it was weird when I was younger, and people would tell me that college is an investment for your future. Don’t get me wrong; I think it’s necessary to learn and get higher education; however, what I didn’t understand is why I had to go into debt first before getting a real job.
Can someone please explain why does it cost so much to get a college degree and you’re not guaranteed a job once you graduate with most majors?
I mean, let’s seriously think about it. If you were not one of those people who were fortunate to go to college with a full-ride scholarship or have someone pay for your schooling, you’re going into thousands of dollars of debt.
At most schools, it’s a requirement to pay and take general education courses even if you have no interest in the class. To be honest, most people, including myself, went to college because I thought that was the only way I could get a decent paying job and live a comfortable lifestyle after high school. It felt like everyone was whispering about the alternative options but bombarding me with information about colleges.
Nowadays, it seems like everyone who dropped out of college or started a youtube channel are the people who are living a pretty lavish lifestyle.
I thought college was supposed to be my backup plan, my safety net, my route to financial freedom! Instead, I graduated with a significant weight of feeling like I had to find a job that would now help me climb out of all this student loan debt.
I don’t know about anyone else, but if I were offered what some of these companies are offering now, I would have chosen one of the alternative options in a heartbeat.
There are even programs that are advertising to pay for schooling only after you have received a job making a certain amount of money. Those programs seem a lot more promising than the current structure offered by colleges and universities.
Some of the alternative programs that are advertised to young adults now are
Job Corps & More.
I’ve even come across boot camps that have a business model like Thinkful that offer to pay students a housing stipend. Yes, you read it correctly; this company is providing mentorship, interview prep, a living stipend, and you don’t have to pay to participate in the program until you get hired. You can essentially get paid to learn!
You can go down a rabbit hole of all the new programs and alternative educational models that have sprung up. Just do your research.
After learning about all of these programs, it has left me with a lingering thought. How much longer do we have until people prefer to participate in an alternative education program over going to a college or a university? Also, if more companies continue to eliminate a degree as a basic job requirement, will the current education system last?
The education system is what keeps me up at night. I’m curious to know what others think.
Did you enjoy this? I often share more thought-provoking ideas and interview people who are pushing the culture forward on my podcast called Not Your Average Culture; you can check it out here.
