Does college actually prepare you for entrepreneurship; and should you start a company while you are still in college? That depends on your entrepreneurial goals; but I’ll expand on those questions below.

What should I study in college if I want to pursue entrepreneurship? Being a philosophy major who taught himself how to program, none of my coursework directly helped my start-up career. If anything, that one adobe photoshop class I took in high school has had more of a direct affect on my start-up experience than all the Plato and Hobbes combined. But Business, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Engineering, Computer Science, and Visual Art will all give you an obvious skillset. Skipping all of those classes; I took introductory economics and called it a day. Ask me about negative externalities.

Which colleges do entrepreneurs choose? Hot shot entrepreneurs will always gravitate towards prestigious schools (Harvard, Penn, MIT) where there will be no classwork specifically regarding entrepreneurship- but you build a power network of peers that will last you a lifetime. Other hotshot entrepreneurs get a concrete skill and join the workforce as fast as possible. Any university offering a business management or accounting degree; and maybe a 5-year mba- will suit you.

Does college really matter for an entrepreneur? No, not really. If you know how to sell, and if you have some semblance of a trade or skill- you already have an edge over all of those pampered kids who expect the world to be handed to them. In entrepreneurship- knowing how to sell is a more valuable skill than knowing a foreign language, knowing advanced math, or knowing ancient history. College is more of a networking event; as well as a place to reinforce existing math and grammar skills. But it is not necessary for entrepreneurship.

Should I start a company while in college? The strong yes answer derives from the fact that you do not have a full-time job, a family, or a mortgage to distract you during college. Also; you have a university full of resources available to you. But if you want to learn a concrete skill before you start your company- spend 4 years focusing on acquiring that skill. 4 years of computer science or finance classes can establish your confidence and fall-back career for your life. Also, it’s a bargaining chip when arguing over equity.

College taught me that there is no way for me to learn the skills I need to start companies except by starting companies. 4 years of guerrilla business is a more valuable entrepreneurial education than 4 years of humanities and social sciences. College makes you well-rounded and interesting; but it is not a measure of your entrepreneurial aptitude.

People keep asking me if Chicago has a tech start-up community. There are website design companies, website hosting companies, and hobby-preneurs in every city on the map; but here’s a visual of the geographic distribution of recognizable web companies.

http://startupsearch.org/map/company/

Chicago is in the top 6 (and we have the alphabetical competitive edge)

Apparently the rest of the midwest is a web start-up wasteland.

I hope someone puts Cleveland back on the map. Besides our forefather John Rockefeller.

Come to a meeting in flip-flops and your soon-to-be ex-clients will not be impressed. Why? Because you’re not going to the beach with them. You expect your clients will respect you, right? So why shouldn’t you respect them in turn?

Dressing well is only half the battle, though. Remember that the people you and your team will be meeting with regarding your start-up are just as excited about new ideas as you are. They too are entrepreneurial, and eager to get on board with a new venture if they think it will be successful. The fact that they are meeting with you in the first place means that you’ve managed to convince them that you are a passably competent start-up.

So don’t screw it up. Be confident and collected in your meeting. Don’t check your watch or “cut to the chase.” Have nice-looking business cards. Have a nice website (see tip #3). If you don’t know how to answer a question, say “That’s an interesting question that I haven’t considered. I’ll look into that” instead of simply “I don’t know.” The important thing is that you seem cool, rational and present yourself as an exciting potential business partner.

If you act the part, you are the part. There was a story recently about how Fox News labels people as “political analysts” or “experts” who are analyzing on television for the first time. Their labels are all about the image they present as the authority in the matters they report on. In business, you can do the same thing. You don’t have to lie, but you can present an image of success just by acting like you’ve got it.

If you act like a hot start-up, you are a hot start-up. Keep your image polished, and as long as your business is making money, you will attract lots of attention.