大学生创业的必修课

    许多人认为，企业家是天生的，无法后天养成。我也赞同，成功企业的缔造者通常有一种企业家的天性；但良好的教育有助于发展这种天性。有许多人天生就是音乐家，但是这并不意味着他们不需要学习音乐。

    法律并没有规定，只有上了大学才能创业。我们可以举出很多例子，很多人从大学辍学，成为成功的企业家，仍然对世界产生着重大影响。现在的年轻人听着马克•扎克伯格的故事长大，他被视为成功的典范。但是，罗伯特•利坦称，这些没有接受高等教育却成功创业的神童是“特例”；利坦是考夫曼基金会（Kauffman Foundation）研究和政策副总裁。最成功的企业家拥有丰富的现实生活经历，他们亲历了机遇开放市场的洗礼。

    学术研究显示，这些人生经历弥足珍贵。研究还表明，如果企业所有者至少是四年制本科学历，如谷歌（Google）的谢尔盖•布林和拉里•佩奇，以及团购网站Groupon的安德鲁•梅森，那么企业的生存前景会更好。对于企业家来说，更重大的问题并非是否上过大学，而是进入大学后应该做些什么。

    • 学习创业精神，但同时要做到术业有专攻。许多高校开设了创业课程，帮助学生像企业家一样思考。但是，对某一学科——如计算机科学或工程学——的深入学习，能够让人理解某个特定行业，同时具备这个行业实际的经营能力。

    • MBA学位有用，但并不是必需品。更重要的是优秀的商业、金融和经济学课程。如果就读的高校同时也提供商业实践技巧课程，如“批判性思维”、“商务写作”，甚至“成功着装”，别忘了同样要去修习这些课程。

    • 课余进行实践活动。在感兴趣的领域寻求暑期实习机会，也可以选择整个学年都做兼职工作。因为缺乏资金管理、时间管理和确定优先次序的实践经验从而导致失败的创业企业太多了。

    Many believe that entrepreneurs are born, not made. While I agree that successful company builders usually have a natural inclination to be entrepreneurs, a good education helps polish that apple. There are people who are natural musicians, but that doesn't mean we don't try to teach them music.

    There's no law saying you have to go to college to start a business. We can all point to examples of successful entrepreneurs who dropped out of college, but still went on to make a big impact. Current young adults have grown up hearing about Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) as the paragon of success. But the entrepreneurial wunderkinds who find success without higher education "are exceptions to the rule," says Robert Litan, Vice President of Research and Policy at the Kauffman Foundation. The most successful entrepreneurs are those with multiple real-life experiences, who have personal exposure to markets where opportunities are being left on the table.

    Academic research supports that this experience pays off. It also shows that survival prospects are higher if the owner has at least four years of college, like Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google (GOOG), and Andrew Mason of Groupon (GRPN). The bigger question, then, for an entrepreneur, is not whether or not to go to college, but rather what to do once there.

    • Study entrepreneurship, but major in something else. Many colleges offer courses on entrepreneurship, to help you think like one. But a depth of knowledge in a specific discipline, like computer science or engineering, allows you to understand that business as well as run it.

    • An MBA is helpful, but not required. More important are standard business, finance, and economics courses. If offered at your college, don't forget the practical business skills like "Critical Thinking", "Business Writing" and even "Dress for Success."

    • Supplement course work with practical experience. Look for that summer internship job in the field of your interest, or even just part-time work during the school year. Too many startups fail simply by missing the practical elements of money management, time management, and setting priorities.