There are many different ways that you can be educated and trained in a certain niche. A startling number of them are most likely easier and more affordable than the formal education route. However, this is not true for every scenario, and it really does depend on what career you are deciding to pursue.
One of my closest friends is actually a college professor. He always tells his students not to “let college get in the way of their education”. While this may seem paradoxical, there is definitely truth to it. College and education are not necessarily synonymous, and it is important to know how to differentiate between the two.
What my friend is mainly saying in this piece of advice is that there are many different ways for an individual to obtain the education that they need in order to accomplish their goals. College is just one option of many, and it is not always even the best choice. Society preaches that college is the only way to become successful, but this logic could not be more flawed. Think of all of the amazing people who have managed to accomplish astounding things without a degree!
Not everyone is meant to pursue a 4-year college education, and that is perfectly okay. What is not okay is when individuals spend extensive amounts of time and money to earn a degree that they do not need or even want. University can be a great option in many cases, but it is by no means the only option that is out there.
Another aspect of the traditional college education system that many find to be unfortunate is how rigid it is. When you choose to go to a university, you are forced to follow its system and all of its rules. For some individuals, that is fine. For others, it is frustrating, stifling, and inconvenient. When you design your own education, however, you are the one who creates the system and rules. You get to make your decisions based off of what is best for you, and you are the one who calls all the shots. This amount of freedom is amazing, especially in the world of education.
If you are entering an industry that allows you to have this much creative freedom with your training, I strongly recommend that you consider taking advantage of it. At the very least, give it a try and see how it works with your personality.
or go back to last chapter:
