Getting an Education Without Spending Four Years in a Classroom

If you’re looking for a career change, or simply a better education, the thought of going back to school for either two or four years and spending countless hours sitting in a classroom can be very daunting. Thankfully, in today’s age of Internet information, there are countless ways to get a very solid education without spending anytime on a desk. If you’re looking for a better job, or just a new education to help leverage a raise at your current job, consider the following things.


Online Education

It is possible today to get an incredible degree without even leaving the comfort of your own home. With the advent of virtual classrooms, online degrees are becoming increasingly popular. Sure, there are plenty of websites out there that promise to get you a solid education and degree that may claim to offer more than they do, but there are many very legitimate places online to get a degree. You just need to be smart and not fall for any Internet scams. Check out information on education from places like Bryant and Stratton online degree and you’ll be able to find an online program that offers exactly what you’re looking for.

YouTube

At first you might be a little skeptical, but YouTube is an endless treasure trove of information just waiting for you to open it. There are experts on YouTube that give free information on just about anything, from graphic design to roof shingling. Many professors at prestigious universities like Harvard or Yale also tape themselves giving lectures, and post them on YouTube for free. If you’ve got some time to watch a lot of videos, YouTube is a great free way to learn a new skill or gain a new education in just about any field.

iTunes U

If you’re looking for lectures on just about anything, check out iTunes U. It’s short for iTunes University, and is essentially an endless supply of lectures from top professors and professionals in the country. You can download lectures on whatever it is you’re interested in straight onto your iPod, and listen to them whenever and wherever you’re going. If you have a business trip coming up and want to learn something new, download a bunch of lectures from iTunes U on the topic you’re interested in and you’ll learn a lot by the time your trip is over. Many iTunes U offering are organized in collections, so you can download collection by colleges. Among the most popular are Harvard University, Stanford University, Arizona State University, and many others.

Wikipedia

If you’re looking to become an expert on any specific topic, check out Wikipedia for a start. Wikipedia has resources on every subject imaginable, and also offers links to even more in-depth articles on certain subjects. While the reliability of Wikipedia has been questioned in the past, it is almost always reliable now due to all the people who are constantly editing it. Checking out Wikipedia is a good way to find information on something you’re looking to dive more into.

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