I have done very well throughout high school. Top of my class, excellent GPA, mostly 5’s on AP exams, standardized test scores were really good, and had a few EC’s that I was passionate about and good at. I want to go into business, but I don’t know if college and B-School is worth it. I’ve always put so much value into my college and higher education, but after reading forums and articles I’m starting to doubt its worth. I wouldn’t mind going, but I am uncertain if the investment is worth what I’ll get out of it. My parent’s have saved 100,000 dollars for college, and I think thats more than enough to get a business rolling. However, I’m worried about networking, building a team, and all the other benefits one gets from university. I could get into an instate college on a full ride and make it into a top B-School for an MBA if I work as hard as I did in HS, but again, I don’t know if it’s worth it. What should I do?
Most students do benefit greatly (both socially and professionally) from attending college. I would encourage you to as least get through your bachelors degree. Whether or not you need an MBA eventually is something you can determine when you have been out of college and working or running your own business for a while.
It looks to me like you may be feeling a bit burned out by the academic rat race right now. Instead of tossing your whole college fund at a business venture, why don’t you consider taking a gap year to more fully explore your options. You could get some practical business experience while working at whatever job is locally available. That will help you find better focus.