Are you trying to decide how best to continue your education? Perhaps you just graduated from high school and are weighing your options. Or maybe you're ready for a career change and aren't sure which direction to take. Many young adults often default to choosing a four-year college for post-secondary schooling, even if they're not exactly sure what career they want to pursue. However, college isn't your only option. You may want to consider trade school instead. Trade schools are educational institutions that train students with the specific skills they need to pursue a particular career. Here are a few reasons why trade school might be right for you:

You don't want to work at a desk. In most cases, trade schools prepare students for jobs that require hands-on work. Common trade school career paths include things like being a plumber, carpenter, machinist, firefighter, nurse, or even a dog groomer. You're probably not going to go to trade school and end up working in accounting or marketing. If you prefer to be on your feet, work with your hands and stay out of an office or cubicle, trade school could be a good choice.

You're done with school quicker. It all depends on your program, but many trade school tracks only last one or two years. The reason for that is in trade school you often only learn about the skills needed for your specific career. In college, you may spend your first year or two taking extraneous courses in English, history, math, and other subjects. You may not even take courses in your major until years three and four.

In trade school, you usually skip those extraneous courses. Instead, you jump straight into your career learning. That helps you graduate faster and launch your career sooner.

Trade school is often less expensive. In many cases, trade school will cost far less than a degree from a four-year university. There are a number of reasons for this. One, as discussed above, is that the schooling doesn't last as long. Another is that trade schools often don't have the overhead that universities do. They may not have dorms, libraries, student unions, or other extra facilities. They likely employ working professionals as teachers, not tenured professors. They don't have to support athletic departments.

At a trade school, you are paying only for the instruction and equipment you need to learn your craft. That means lower tuition bills and a reduced student loan debt balance.

For more information, contact some trade schools in your area. They can help you determine whether trade school is right for you.