College Or Not? That Is The Question If You Want To Be An Entrepreneur

You want to go to college for a different reason: to start your own business. Besides going to a university that offers classes and degrees in entrepreneurship, what other factors should you consider when you think about going to college? The guys over at DevelopIntelligence provide some insights into how to make a decision about which university to attend if you’re going to create a startup.  

 If you go to college with the goal of starting your own business, you’re likely to have a different mindset and goals than the average student. You don’t focus so much on what clubs to join or what major to decide on. College for you is a bit different. It’s an opportunity to gain a variety of skills and to network. Networking leads to possible investors and business partners, and you will also get to go through life experiences that will prepare you to strike out on your own in the business world.  

 As an entrepreneurial-minded student, remember that no one is really going to care much about where you went to school. The college that you choose to attend doesn’t matter as much as it does for a traditional college student. Future partners and investors likely don’t care about it as much, either. So paying a lot of money for a school isn’t the way to go, necessarily.  

 On the other hand, a prestigious or highly-rated college with a history of graduates that start their own businesses can put you in the right place to network with people who have the right contacts and resources to help you solidly establish your business. At the right university, you will be exposed to ideas, relationships, and resources that can help you build your company. Consider a college that has a strong alumni network as well. Former students who are in contact with each other on a regular basis after graduation can be the perfect place to get mentorship help, find a business partner, or perhaps even an investor or two.  

 Finally, consider where the university is that you’re considering. It should be in an area with a lot of startup businesses. That way, you’ll have more chances to network and learn about entrepreneurship in a real-world setting. A college in this type of community is likely to have strong business relationships with local organizations. You should also think about going to college in an area that focuses on the industry you want to enter so that you can potentially meet more mentors and investors who are experts in the field you want to build your business in.  

 In the end, it does matter where you go to college, but it doesn’t matter for the same reasons as it does for traditional students. You want to position yourself to be in an area and among people who know the industry you want to enter and that can provide the right resources to get a strong start in starting your venture.