The College Advantage: Making The Most Of The Community

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The College Advantage: Making The Most Of The Campus Community

Thanks to the unique environment furnished by college campuses, students hoping to start their own businesses have a variety of resources to draw upon.

Social Support

Many traditional entrepreneurs start their business ventures with very little social support or advice to guide them.  Students, on the other hand, are often involved in a variety of social circles and groups.  There are a variety of opportunities to network with other young people who share similar interests and drive.  College is a place where most people are still unencumbered with family and full-time work obligations.  Friends can be excellent sources of support and advice.

Professional Advice

Young entrepreneurs seeking expert advice must only look as far as their university’s faculty directory.  Professors are generally happy to help a student that is enthusiastic about their field of research or interest.  Whatever subject you want to discuss, from marketing strategies to product design, there is almost certainly a college professor who will point you in the right direction.

Finding a mentor

If at all possible, find a mentor.  Possible mentors abound on college campuses. Whether your mentor is the chair of the business school or a successful MBA student, having a mentor provides a wide variety of learning opportunities.

An A for effort

Most colleges offer credit for extra curricular projects that fall within your field of study.  It is not uncommon for business schools to offer undergraduate credit to students who attempt to start their own business. Generally, a professor is assigned to supervise and sign off on the student’s efforts. Many colleges also offer the option of completing a senior honors thesis based upon your extra-curricular work. Even if the business proves to be less-than-successful, you still have something positive to show for it on your academic record.

Social Networking

College can be a great place to network.  The student body of an average state university hails from all corners of the globe. Social networking sites make the task of keeping in touch easier than it has ever been before.   Your roommate from Beijing who shares your love of green technology might be the key to taking your fledgling business multi-national.  At the very least, you’ll make tons of friends.

This is a guest post written by Alexis Bonari. Alexis is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is a passionate blogger on the topic of education and free college scholarships. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

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