James Altucher's 8 Alternatives to College

He left out rob a convenience store.

Fer fooks sake. This list is NOT the best alternative I've seen....

College is not for everybody and there is no shame in that. And college has really let America down in my opinion. The real problem is that Industry has left America with no suitable option for young people who do not benefit from a college education. The Trades are gone, manufacturing is in the third world. Plenty of reasons why. I would like to see Congress make it economically feasible for real jobs to return to America for Americans. The unions have to be blamed for this as well.

All of this depends on a persons life experience. I have a high school diploma. I wasn't serious enough in high school to get grades good enough for advanced learning. I really didn't have any idea of going to college. My family was not of the economic status that does that. I retired 8 years ago. I am comfortable. I was a member of Senior Management in a Fortune 500 company at the time of retirement. Everyone that reported to me including my secretary had at least a Bachelors degree and some Masters and even a Doctrate. The big difference is that I took advantage of opportunities as they presented themselves. The definition of luck that I use is: "Luck is the intersection of opportunity and preparedness." I am really turned off by the "working at McDonalds" answer to this. There are many very wealthy people working at McDonals but they aren't the ones preparing the food and complaining about their job. They are the people who see the opportunities and take advantage of them through a positive attitude and personal drive. If this sounds like preaching, it is. I am so tired of hearing the complaining about how terrible the world is and there is no way to get ahead unless someone helps you. Well, help yourself or you will never make it. This applies no matter what your education level is. There are many people that are happy and comfortable with being tradesmen. They have a good life and make positive contributions to society. If you can do both of those things you are way ahead of the game.

those are some of the worst ideas i've ever heard. you know how hard it is to write a book and make money? well, then again, I'm 27...maybe I should become a professional NBA player. travel the world....on what money? be a comedian?....just as difficult.....this article is ridiculous. i'll take my student loan debt any day.

is very good i love, thanks alot

good article, but i still think most people need academic and formal education in order to be a better human being in a new world always changing.

write a book? ok

Well I guess we are missing the point..althought the guy is somewhat of a whacko, the point that two years into college I had classes that meant nothing to me in the real world. I would highly recommend the 1st two years being spent learning how to take care of your home(carpentry, electrical, etc....That way as we branch to our true majors, we won't need to higher a guy everytime something breaks..And the 50 k over the two years can actually add to something...Not just taking classes that won't ever help.

This guy is full of it. He only thinks this way becuase he currently has an inflated opinion of his own abilities and the role they played in his success; he doesn't realize that luck is the biggest factor. Wait and see: he will send his own kids to the most expensive schools, just like Bill Gates and all these other supposed "critics" of college.