You probably won't. But 0.5 M at 21 through illegal means is easy: just rob a money transport and call it a day, after all: who cares if you are going to be a criminal anyway.

How you are going to legally come up with money is the question and there are no real shortcuts there other than to get lucky. But with his skills properly applied he would have a much better chance at a nice life than he has today. Money doesn't really matter much if you're in a jail cell.