The main issue is risk in this case. In the market today there is very little in viable options that can give you a return worthwhile. If you are young and a little bit of a risk taker because you are young, there are some alternatives you might want to look at based on your self imposed timing. If you are wanting a long term growth there are certain industries which have no choice but to grow, such as 3d printing, and the software that makes them work. They are the next evolution in manufacturing...PERIOD!!! Now there are alternatives Such as keeping you nose to the trends by looking on facebook and seeing what Branson of Virgin is getting involved with because he is constantly putting his money into new companies at a tremendous success rate... It's almost like getting insider information. The last avenue is also paying careful attention to little news announcements about little companies that are doing more that the largest industries... One company whet from an idea and no assets to over 20 Billion yes BILLION in only 2 months..... another one is signing up countries around the world as actual business partners starting at 25 million each, and there is a waiting line, not bad considering it is a one person private company. All to be found in trending ideas in google/twitter/and facebook.... The opportunities are there if you look with open eyes...
take 20 one dollar bills, bury them exactly 2 inches deep in your back yard, in a few years you will have money trees, make sure you water them every day with 3 gallons of water for each one of them, do not pick the change (buds) when it starts to come out as it will turn into dollar bills, when bills are fully grown you can pick them, each tree should give you around 10-15 thousand dollars each year. that's all you have to do!
Contact a certified financial planner
Best of luck. Take care
What's the quickest way to grow 250 thousand dollars?