????許多人認為，企業家是天生的，無法后天養成。我也贊同，成功企業的締造者通常有一種企業家的天性；但良好的教育有助于發展這種天性。有許多人天生就是音樂家，但是這并不意味著他們不需要學習音樂。

????法律并沒有規定，只有上了大學才能創業。我們可以舉出很多例子，很多人從大學輟學，成為成功的企業家，仍然對世界產生著重大影響。現在的年輕人聽著馬克?扎克伯格的故事長大，他被視為成功的典范。但是，羅伯特?利坦稱，這些沒有接受高等教育卻成功創業的神童是“特例”；利坦是考夫曼基金會（Kauffman Foundation）研究和政策副總裁。最成功的企業家擁有豐富的現實生活經歷，他們親歷了機遇開放市場的洗禮。

????學術研究顯示，這些人生經歷彌足珍貴。研究還表明，如果企業所有者至少是四年制本科學歷，如谷歌（Google）的謝爾蓋?布林和拉里?佩奇，以及團購網站Groupon的安德魯?梅森，那么企業的生存前景會更好。對于企業家來說，更重大的問題并非是否上過大學，而是進入大學后應該做些什么。

????? 學習創業精神，但同時要做到術業有專攻。許多高校開設了創業課程，幫助學生像企業家一樣思考。但是，對某一學科——如計算機科學或工程學——的深入學習，能夠讓人理解某個特定行業，同時具備這個行業實際的經營能力。

????? MBA學位有用，但并不是必需品。更重要的是優秀的商業、金融和經濟學課程。如果就讀的高校同時也提供商業實踐技巧課程，如“批判性思維”、“商務寫作”，甚至“成功著裝”，別忘了同樣要去修習這些課程。

????? 課余進行實踐活動。在感興趣的領域尋求暑期實習機會，也可以選擇整個學年都做兼職工作。因為缺乏資金管理、時間管理和確定優先次序的實踐經驗從而導致失敗的創業企業太多了。

??? 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.