"Jack of all trades,
Master of none,
Is often times better
Than a master of one."

I'm creating my own weird little online class schedule through certification programs to gain new skills I can use after the pandemic and thought I'd share them with you guys in a thread.

I want to start this off for people who really want to get a college degree. The CLEP program is great to get some prerequisites out of the way for a fraction of the cost of the class. It is self study and you pay for the exam for the college credit.
https://clep.collegeboard.org/ 

@Groupon has some amazing certification programs available that I had never heard of before. Online courses!
This one is the one I am most excited about, and there are more than one TEFL and TESOL course available. This one is $39, but some are cheaper.

https://www.groupon.com/deals/n-learn-tefl-150-hour-certification?utm_source=&utm_campaign=UserReferral_ma

This one is only $19! And Open Academy also has other courses available, too! I am having a hard time deciding on which one would be the best choice because there's honestly like 5-10 options.
https://www.groupon.com/deals/international-open-academy-tesol-course?utm_source=&utm_campaign=UserReferral_ma

This Open Academy course allows you to get certified in ASL. AND you can buy a new one every 30 days. AND it's only $5. Currently there is a sale going on so it's $4, but that ends soon.
It is a great opportunity if you are social distancing at home!

Online event planning course for $5?? Might be something you are into if you like the process of planning a party. I love that part. Picking the decorations and organizing entertainment, such fun!

https://www.groupon.com/deals/trendimi-718059009?utm_source=&utm_campaign=UserReferral_ma

This is the course I got for bartending, but I saw a few other options as well. One of them, with the current sale, is only $3.50 (this one is $4 with the sale), but they all are less than $10 and bartending is not bad money if you can tolerate drunks.

https://www.groupon.com/deals/n-bartender-barista-amarillo?utm_source=&utm_campaign=UserReferral_ma

This bartending class will let you buy two classes at a time, like if you've got a friend and want to split it, which is a neat option. Just something to consider. I don't know everyone's situation but anything to help.

I was just surfing around the web trying to find something that could work for me. Actual college is not my speed, having to learn at a NT pace AND do homework will literally drive me mad. I would not make it. I understand that about myself and there is nothing wrong with it.

Not to mention higher education is outrageously expensive and unrealistic in today's economy. I want something different. These certification programs and CLEP are perfect to get the ball rolling on new career paths, following dreams, etc.... depending on what you are into.

I just hope this thread helps people who are feeling like their priorities have changed since the beginning of the year but don't really know what direction to go in or what is even available for options, you know? This thread is supposed to highlight feasible options.

I will continue to add to this thread different certification courses and classes, some super affordable, maybe a couple that require more money but may satisfy your soul. I don't know about you, but I don't know if I can go back to trying to fit into a 9-5 society.

If you yourself have found interesting or affordable programs or classes or other resources to gain new skills, please comment them and I'll add them to the post.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A USELESS SKILL.

I imagine using CLEP to get prerequisites out of the way. The certification programs to help you maintain a flexible schedule after CLEP when you go to regular college to finish your degree. Bartending is perfect for college students!

Getting an effective and affordable education is a real challenge, as well as getting a job in your chosen field after.
I like to believe this plan I've come up with to be efficient and affordable, but it may not be for everyone, just take the parts that work for you!

Take the pieces you find doable and then go from there! If we put our heads together, we can work around the system that's been set in place to keep us stuck.

I'd rather have many hats to fall back on than commit to ONE thing and lose it all in a recession or pandemic. But that is just me and I know many peope think differently about it, but I just wanted to put it out there in case someone needed to hear it.
BE YOU. BE HAPPY.

Some of these skills can be cheap hobbies, some can be turned into small businesses, some can get you a full time job! I am going to try to remember to keep adding them as I come across them.

Mobile App Development anyone? Seems to be big money in that and if you can get started learning how to do it for the cost of a medium starbucks coffee, why the hell not? I mean if that's what you're into, go for it!