Learning Business Without Having to Attend Babson College

by Crapmaster on July 4, 2007

"See, in 50 years you're gonna start doing some thinking on your own, and you're gonna realize that you dropped 150 grand on a fucking education you could have got for a dollar fifty in late charges at the public library." - Will, talking to a Harvard student, in Good Will Hunting

The only thing separating me from the Harvard student in question is the fact that I have already realized how much money I wasted on a college education. And if you're at Babson, you'll most likely surpass the $150 grand mark before you graduate.

But this guide is not to debate the value of a college education. Rather, it's a guide to learning business without having to get a business degree. Going to college (Babson or not) is your decision, but keep in mind that many entrepreneurs achieve great success without wasting four years of their lives in hell.

(Not that college is hell. It's just that Babson kind of is...)

So if you want to be one of those kids who makes it on their own, this guide will get you started.

The Public Library

While greatly unappreciated, this place has all the books you need to get started. Depending on the library, it might have a ton of top-notch, newly-released business books.

Amazon.com

For the latest books, this is the place.

Some that I like:

You might read some of those for entrepreneurship classes at Babson (I did.) If you passed first grade, you can probably read. So why pay extra for an ego-driven professor to tell you his opinion about a book?

Work Experience

There's no substitute, whether you're jumping right in to a start-up or working for a big player in your preferred industry. You'd have to do this after school anyway, so why not get a head start?

You should be able to make just as many connections by working in your industry than by attending a college.

SCORE

You can find mentors at score.org. These are retired executives that want to help you succeed, and you don't need to pay them. What could be better?

Social Networking

These days, there are social networks like LinkedIn that focus on networking for business people. Meeting people online can lead to solid real-life connections, and it's easier to find the people who can help you.

Newspapers and Magazines

BusinessWeek, Entrepreneur, and the Wall Street Journal. These are all relatively inexpensive publications, and they're usually free online.

Blogs

Many business icons, along with beginning entrepreneurs, are active in the blogosphere. They are sharing their knowledge with everyone else, so you should probably take a look, too.

Just a sample of some great blogs:

Or learn from all of the Babson students with business blogs.

Forums

These online forums are like online meeting places where you can discuss business with others that share your interest. The free advice is usually worth what you pay for it (i.e. sometimes you need to shell out the cash for a lawyer,) but you can learn a lot and get quick answers to your basic questions.

Babson Business Edge

Sorry for mentioning Babson, but this summer camp is probably the best way to get a feel for Babson's curriculum without committing. It's only three weeks over the summer, and you can get all the details here.

Note: This costs over $6000 and I've never been there, so I'm not saying it's worthwhile, but it might be worth checking out.

37 Signals

This software company offers a nice, free book called Getting Real. It's about skipping all the crap that represents "real" and just getting down to business and accomplishing something.

MindPetals

Along with their blog network of business blogs, they offer free books, such as Young and Hungry: The New Entrepreneur. Great stuff for all entrepreneurs.