College education: Costly!
by FDL, BSN
My object here is not to beat that dead horse.
It is instead to trumpet, make the case, testify, about free courses offered by famous, ivy league, top ten, world renowned, (and normally expensive) institutions.
Audit or download college classes online from the comfort of your easy chair and on your own schedule. How cool is that?
Many of the classes offered will have the same content as the exorbitantly priced variety. The college credit received with the free classes? Well, they rarely count toward a degree.
Why bother? What’s the point? Actually, the better question is:
Who? Who would benefit from free college classes?
Free College courses: Who benefits?
- Tired of the low end job market your current set of job skills offers you?
- Is a college degree all that is standing between you and better pay?
Rather than spend those precious dollars taking a class just to see how you like that field, experiment with a free class. The exposure to a new subject will be priceless.
The experience could be life altering. You may find you like business, or the sciences. Sometimes, even more important, you may find you hate what you thought was your dream. Better to find that out after a free online course than after an expensive semester or year or 4 year degree…
Better job performance
My field, nursing, is one of the many areas where not one iota of business skills or management tools were taught in my bachelor’s program.
My 4 year degree qualifies me for advancement into management despite my lack of formal education in the area.
The online free classes offer me the perfect spring board into a better job performance. How cool is that? I’d do a better job, make more money, increase my job satisfaction and all through free online courses!
Your basic skills are rusty
You want to return to school. The last time you solved an algebraic equation you also knew your times tables and you weren’t hiding the gray in your hair.
I love numbers and force myself to derive answers to simple math problems in my head. Equations, division using fractions, no way. If you’ve spent time in school, you know your weakest areas. Brush up using the free classes. Who knows, you may have changed.
That subject you used to hate when you were young, lusting for love or hanging with friends-You may love it now.
You’re unemployed
I know a twenty – something who is unemployed for the first time since graduating from college 7 years ago. Adrift in a wretched job market, she is considering returning to school.
Her former job unearthed her aptitude for business, sales and managing people. She wants to use the free online classes to help narrow the field of subjects she should consider for her next stent in education. The price tag and flexibility are perfect.
Personal Growth
Not just to answer Jeopardy questions and fill in crossword puzzles.
Sometimes our job is fine, we like what we do, we get paid to do it, but we are passionate about an entirely different subject.
For me it’s history. From high school forward, I dreamed of spending my life teaching history, immersed in academia. My severely practical side said something else.
Free online classes in your area of passion can keep you happy with your reality while allowing you to pay the bills.
So, go ahead. Get your feet wet. Econ 101. Art History. Computer Science.
Listen to lectures while you exercise or drive.
Free is great. It can let you relax and enjoy a subject.
Here is just a short list of websites to get you started:
Open Culture-400 free online courses from physics, to economics. And computer science to philosophy!
Online Education Database-another 200 courses.
MIT’s Open Courseware-MIT lectures available.
Open Courseware Consortium: A group of many universities participate at this site.
And to help you get started, Lifehacker University, from has organized many of these sites and have given suggestions on how to get started with your FREE online education.
Reader Questions:
What is it you’ve always dreamed of learning about, but didn’t want to spend the money? What would be your first choice of a free online course if you could find it?
The author:
FDL BSN, is a frequent writer here at The Millionaire Nurse Blog. She works in public health.
Photo credit: bgrad2
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Tags: free computer courses online, free online computer classes, free online courses, getting courses for free online, how to get free classes online
I think that is what a lot of degrees are lacking doc – management practice, esp for professionals like yourselves. If you can graduate school and then go strike off on your own, you should at least have some management training. Even paying for it in school could save money over the long term.
This is great information. People who haven’t been to college or want to know “what’s it like” can actually dip their toe in the water. The rest of us can enjoy taking classes in areas we either need or like.
As Stephen Covey says, “sharpen the saw!”
I can’t decide whether to take a computer course or economics….But maybe I should focus on philosophy, but I’d rather make my own way there!
My father used to say why are you going to college? I said because… well just because. He would say if you want to get an education go out and experience life. Good ole dad.
Dads are usually wise.
Great resources! I might add iTunes U, where video lectures on many topics can be accessed, also for free.
Thanks for the additional resource 101!