Learn a valuable skill
Going to college doesn’t necessarily mean you have to move into a dorm on a campus with a grassy quad and stone buildings. You can earn an associate degree in two years or a certificate in less time than that — typically in a few months to a year.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has an Occupation Finder tool you can use to search for potential career options based on median pay or the type of degree needed. For example, you need an associate degree to be a dental hygienist. Dental hygienists earned median incomes of $55,000 to $74,999 in 2015. Electrical installers and repair workers had the same median income that year, and you typically need only a certificate to get a job in that field.