Despite the Hype, Few Study Entrepreneurship

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

According to the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA, which surveys incoming college freshmen annually, only 0.7 percent of the 193,000 students at 283 U.S. colleges and universities who responded to the 2012 survey, said that they intend to major in entrepreneurship. To give you a sense of how large this fraction is, consider these numbers: 2.3 percent of incoming college students plan to study accounting; 2.6 percent intend to major in elementary education; 6.9 percent aim to major in biology; 2.7 percent plan to study mechanical engineering; and 1.0 percent intend to major in economics.

Of course, the fraction of students planning to study entrepreneurship isn’t the same everywhere; the intended major is more common at some types of academic institutions than others. The major is most popular at historically Black colleges and universities, where 1.6 percent of incoming freshmen planned to major in it in 2012. In fact, at private Black colleges the fraction reached 2 percent of entering students, the HERI survey revealed.

The numbers were considerably lower at other types of academic institutions. The HERI survey revealed that 0.8 percent of freshmen at nonsectarian colleges, and 0.6 at Catholic institutions planned to major in the subject. But only 0.5 percent of students at non-Catholic religious institutions planned to study the topic.

At universities, the numbers were higher than at four-year colleges. The HERI survey shows that 1.2 percent of students at private universities, but only 0.7 percent of students at public universities, intended to major in the subject.

The vast majority of intended entrepreneurship majors are male. The HERI survey shows that 1.1 percent of male students plan to major in entrepreneurship versus only 0.3 percent of female ones.

http://smallbiztrends.com/2014/04/despite-hype-study-entrepreneurship.html

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[SMR 368]

If you have the drive and an idea to be a successful entrepreneur, college is four years for your idea to get preempted or stale while you gain skills that you could have hired someone to do if you really needed them. If you haven't got an idea and entrepreneurial drive, college won't give it to you.

Admittedly, not all entrepreneurship is based on completely innovative ideas. But even then you're better off either studying business or something that directly relates to the field where you want a business. Take a class in entrepreneurship if needed. An entire major is insane.

[luckytxn 2,264]

I agree. It can't be taught but it can be studied. Best course is to study business and accounting if anything. Entrepreneurs need no schooling. They do need mentors if they are available.

If you have the drive and an idea to be a successful entrepreneur, college is four years for your idea to get preempted or stale while you gain skills that you could have hired someone to do if you really needed them. If you haven't got an idea and entrepreneurial drive, college won't give it to you.

Admittedly, not all entrepreneurship is based on completely innovative ideas. But even then you're better off either studying business or something that directly relates to the field where you want a business. Take a class in entrepreneurship if needed. An entire major is insane.