This blog post is dedicated to showing you how to Learn Anything Online Without Going Back To School. With these tips, everyone can learn a new skill from the comfort of their home without piling up more student loan debt.
We live in the age of endless digital opportunities. There are resources for online learning for almost any topic from home gardening to digital marketing at our fingertips. In comparison to the amount that students pay for tuition in the United States, resources online come at a fraction of the cost or even FREE.
If you are reading this article you already have three of the most crucial components for learning anything independently online. 1.) Access to Wifi. 2.) A device that connects you. 3.) An interest in learning,
I want to make it very clear that my intentions are not to discredit traditional degrees. I understand their importance in society and the workplace. Let me also state the obvious, this method of learning does not apply to future surgeons, lawyers, or any profession where certified degree programs are 100% necessary. My purpose is to show those interested that they have financially friendly options and that anyone can learn anything online without going back to school.
Let’s take a look at some numbers:
A study from the College Board shows that the cost of college is rising faster than the amount of financial aid.
The average annual cost of tuition and fees for a public university in 2019 (not including room and board) was $21,370. This price has increased by roughly 29.8% in the last ten years.
Student loan debt is at a staggering record of 1.6 trillion dollars in the U.S.
These statistics are on an upward trend showing no sign of slowing down.
The Solution
The solution to this is cost-effective, convenient, and can be accessed virtually anywhere. With online learning, you can leisurely learn a new skill you have always dreamed about or something that will enhance your career.
I am confident that there is a resource for all of your interests. Here are a few ideas of topics you can learn online with links to the resources as proof.
- How to play an instrument
- Study a foreign language
- Search Engine Optimization
- Microsoft Excel
- Video Editing
- Photoshop
- Investing in the Stock Market
- Coding
Top Resources To Learn Anything Online Without Going Back To School:
1.) Youtube
.Youtube is a fantastic learning resource for many topics that is completely free. I have taught myself how to speak a new language, train my puppy, invest in stocks, and cooking techniques from this platform. Youtube is my most used social media account, so its algorithm knows me very well. When I open my youtube account, it is easy for me to fall into a rabbit hole of unproductive entertainment, which is fine as long as I limit this and separate it from my learning.
The most important tip for anyone planning to use youtube productively is to make multiple accounts. By separating your learning from your leisure account, you will be recommended better content and be able to stay focused.
Let’s use language learning as an example. Whenever I made an account to use only when I was studying my target language, I saw immediate results. The simple act of logging out of my leisure account and into my learning account helped my brain to switch gears into focus mode.
The YouTube algorithm soon recognized me as a speaker of my target language and began only recommending me content in that language. So rather than finishing one lesson to be distracted by unrelated video recommendations in my native language, I was increasing my exposure to my target language. I was able to find better resources, fine-tune my focus, and maximize my time.
2.) Independently Created Courses
Individuals who have become experts in their niche trades are creating high-quality online courses. Their courses can be found by doing a simple google search, and you will stumble upon many while you are on Medium and YouTube.
The benefit of independently created courses is that they come at a competitive price (sometimes free). These courses are typically taught by someone easy to relate to and understand.
Another benefit of independently created courses is that they are not trying to fit the university’s three-credit-hour layout. They will bypass busy work and get straight to the point.
If you are reading this and you have created an independent course, please share it in the comments for fellow readers to be able to see!
3.) A Public Library Card
A Public Library Card is not exactly online learning, but still relevant to this topic. Unless you have unlimited funds for books budgeted out, I would suggest you obtain a library card and put it to use. I have used my local library for over five years now.
I read on average 2–3 books a month, which means I have saved at least over $2,250 in the past five years by using my public library. If you were obtaining a traditional degree or taking a class on any topic, a book in the physical or digital form is almost always required.
By having a public library card you have access to 1,000’s of free learning resources at your fingertips. If your library does not have the book you are searching for, look on the library website for a “suggestion for purchase” form. I am a proud public library supporter and look forward to my weekly trip to pick up my held items.
4.) Skillshare
On Skillshare.com, for only $10 a month, you receive unlimited access to courses from thousands of topics. Skillshare focuses on creativity and is the perfect resource for those interested in the surrounding fields of content creation. Classes range from photography, design, illustration, UI/UX, and more.
5.) Coursera & Edx
Coursera.com offers courses from top professors and world-renowned universities. Many courses are free, with the option to pay more for a completion certificate. For $50 a month or $600 a year, members can have unlimited access. $600 may sound high, but that is less than half of what I was paying for just three credit hours at the public university that I attended in 2019.
Edx is a similar concept to Coursera offering classes from MIT, Harvard, Berkely, and more. Edx offers certifications, MicroMasters programs, and select courses for university credit at a very competitive price.
In Conclusion
This article barely began to scratch the surface of all of the available resources for online learning. I hope you have left inspired to search for free or low-cost resources on the topics you are interested in. Every time we open up our devices, we have to choose between mindlessly trolling the internet or seeking out knowledge. If we choose to learn just 1/2 of the time, it is incredible what can be accomplished.
I am curious to know what the readers of this article have self-studied online? What were some of the resources you used and platforms that helped you find them? If you leave specific recommendations in the comments, I would love to check them out for myself.
Thank you for reading and happy learning!
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