Do Nontraditional Approaches to College Pay Off?

I must admit, I’m a nontraditionalist when it comes to higher education. The four-year, bachelor’s degree route simply isn’t a good fit for everyone, particularly considering the high cost. I love the idea of a quicker path to get a similar outcome, because less time spent in the academy almost always means lower cost. With that said, other non-traditional or flexible routes are less promising, or even harmful.