"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." - Unknown Author

I stress education to everyone. It goes with my whole knowledge is everything attitude. But what if you can't afford to go to college? What if you are too busy? What if you need help now, not in two to four years? Consider taking a certificate course. Depending on the course you select, you can have your certification in as little as two to six months. Plus it only costs a fraction of what a typical college would cost. It doesn't replace an Associates or Bachelors degree, but it will at least give you a leg up when you go to apply for a job. You can also start your own business with many of these certifications. I mean after all, you ARE a professional now.

So now you might be saying, OK, then where do I get the money to pay for this? These courses typically cost between $1,000 and $3,000. There is currently no financial assistance available for most of these courses. So... There is only one time a year that poor people have that amount of cash. That's between February and April. Yup! Tax time. While you wait all year for it and can't wait to run out and spend it, this is a great investment into your future. The satisfaction of doing something to enrich your life will be well worth whatever you would have spent it on. Trust me. Did I mention that these careers, with some hard work will throw you right out of poverty and into the middle class?

OK, now what if I don't have time? These courses are offered through correspondence, and also on line. That means, you can take as much time as you need. Most of them will have a time frame but don't worry, it is always plenty of time. Some places to check out would be Ashworth University, Devry University, Penn Foster... the list goes on. There are some things to look at when choosing a course that is right for you. There are downfalls to everything unfortunately, so now we are going to cover that end of it as well.

Some states don't accredit these courses. You have to check with your state's Department of Education, or check out www.ED.gov. Never take the school's word for it. Most of these courses will require you to obtain a license in your state for the certification. There will be a fee for this. It usually ranges from $100 to $300. So make sure you take that into account when you are going over your budget. If you decide that it isn't for you after you have paid your money, you may have a hard time getting

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