Going to business school is cool but it?s not the only option for advancing professional education! Here are 5 ways you can beef up your skills and knowledge without having to take on the time and expense involved in attending business school. Never miss an opportunity to invest in your professional development whether you prefer to go solo, partner or buddy up, or join a group.

1. Successful people read?a lot!

And there?s more than one way to get that reading done. If books aren?t for you, try the audio version ? easy to fit in on any commute. Don?t overlook business book summary services either. Summaries distill top-selling business books to just the key messages and are a great timesaver. They cost less too. If that?s still too much for you, a few well chosen magazines can also keep you up to date and in the know.

2. Combine networking and education by taking advantage of professional and industry association offerings.

Business associations offer many programs and seminars in the form of breakfast or lunch meetings, chapter meetings, special interest workshops and so on. And the atmosphere of these events is perfect for making new professional connections. Sometimes they even feed you too!

3. No time for a full-time MBA? See if your company will invest in an Executive MBA program for you.

Not everyone can take a couple years off to go back to school but many can manage evenings and weekends. Your company might support this as an option for you (and maybe they?ll even pay for it too) but you?ll never know if you don?t ask.

4. Check out company?offered programs; they may surprise you.

Businesses are expanding their internal training options by leaps and bounds. It?s not unusual to find live and virtual presentations on a variety of subjects. Programs not offered in-house are almost always available externally and quite often your company will pay your tuition. Just make sure any requests you make in this regard are relevant to your current job or logical next step up in the organization.

5. Work with a mentor or mastermind group.

Hang out with people who have been there, done that and associate yourself with others of a like mind. You?ll pick up great tips, benefit from the support and improve your own game simply by association.

You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with so look around and see if you?re missing opportunities to grow professionally because you?re not spending enough time with people who can do you some good. You don?t have to give up your friends; just add a few new ones along the way.