Other Types of Schools

If you aren’t ready for the traditional 4-year public or private school, or that type of college environment just isn’t for you, there are other types of schools out there that might fit your needs:

Community College

These days, attending community college is being touted as a wise choice by many financial experts. Many students use their time at a community college to work and save money, while taking core classes that they can transfer to a 4-year college. If you aren’t sure what type of college major or career you are interested in, exploring your interests at a community college may be an economical option. You might consider finding a suitable community college near your home to save even more money on room and board. Students who didn’t perform well in high school can improve their grades at a community college to get accepted into a 4-year college.

CollegeBoard has an online college search tool called CollegeMatchmaker that will allow you to find 2-year schools that fit your needs.

Online College

Attending an online college is considered a more “new age,” alternative way to attend college. Online colleges, also called distance learning, delivers education to students who are very rarely on-site. At an online college, you may experience learning through various formats including video conferencing, message boards, email, recorded lessons, etc. When choosing an online college, you’ll want to take things like school reputation, cost, and degree program into consideration. You should also consider whether this type of learning method works for you.

Vocational School

A vocational school, or trade school, teaches students job-skills that they will need in their career. Examples of vocational degrees might include automotive, culinary, massage therapy, nursing, and paralegal. The Federal Trade Commission publishes some information about choosing a vocational school here.