The Student Room Group

Start a BUSINESS? or go to UNI?

Anybody ever wanted to own a business or be an entrepreneur? Do you feel like you HAVE to go to uni.....?

I want a business and kind of maybe want to go to uni (but not that desperately - just seems like a logical step)..

I've got my A-Levels... blah dee blah..... I've got good grades but thats not hard.... anybody can get A's if they can be bothered.

What would you do? Go to uni as the next logical step? or follow your dream, become an entrepreneur and own a string of businesses? :confused:

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Reply 1
Going to Uni doesn't mean you can't start up your own business, but it does mean you have a good back-up if your business does not work properly.

Going to Uni doesn't mean that you are unable to start up your own business; its just a 3 year (not that singificant) delay and you will probably be better equipped with the skills you get from many courses to start the courses.

3 Cambridge graduates started the smoothie craze by founding P&Js smoothies and made millions very recently for instance.

Plus, most people have the best social time of their lives at Uni.

Whilst it is perfectly reasnoble not to go to Uni, many people don't, if you have good grades and wouldn't mind too much studying something (might be management and relevant to your business) as well as enjoying yourself in socities and the independence youd gain, id say go to Uni. Not much you could do in terms of starting a business without any capital and at 17 anyway, noone would take you seroiusly... many people, like the cambridge grads that started P&Js, take a job for 3 or 4 years to gain some capital and then start their own business with the means to do it and will probably be taken more seriously as they aren't teens.
Reply 2
i feel the same way, dont really want to go to uni and would love to have my own business but not sure what exactly. Im only going to uni so i have a better chance of having a well paid job at the end of it.
Reply 3
If you have an idea and the resources to start it then there's no need to go to uni just because it's expected. If it where me I would take the chance now, but only if I had a plan and could realistically carry it out. Otherwise I would go to uni...because if you've got a good business degree and maybe a year's placement behind you then you'll find it easier to get bank loans, etc.
Reply 4
Uni isnt the only place you can enjoy yourself and get independance!

Plus I know that I want a business..... and uni won't just delay it 3 years.. it could take a decade to pay back a student loan, and debt might hamper my chances of securing bank loans.

10 years is a long time to be waiting.... plus im not 17... im 19. I'd probably work and travel for a while before going into it full throttle anyway. So I'd be starting the business in my early 20's.
Reply 5
james101
i feel the same way, dont really want to go to uni and would love to have my own business but not sure what exactly. Im only going to uni so i have a better chance of having a well paid job at the end of it.


If you're going to have your own business.. you won't be searching for graduate jobs so your degree wouldn't be worth anything..... unless it taught you something about business. Most of the big entrepreneurs haven't gone to university and it hasn't stopped them. If richard branson had gone to uni.... he probably wouldn't be where he is today.
Reply 6
Remember its not necessarily "expected" to go to Uni, its firmly a middle-class thing... remember under 50% of the UK population go to Uni.
Reply 7
Sleep
Remember its not necessarily "expected" to go to Uni, its firmly a middle-class thing... remember under 50% of the UK population go to Uni.


Well let's just say personally I am expected to go to uni. Everyone is my family has been, is currently there and will be going!
Reply 8
Well there's no reason to go just because it's what your family expects. If it's not what you really want then I'm sure they'll come to accept it eventually...even if you do have a fight on your hands to begin with.
Reply 9
sounds like a gr8 idea starting your own business.. as said above the student loan could have an effect but the experience gained from say a business management course would give you a better outlook.. you could even do a course in entrepreneurship.

if you have the neccessary finance by all means start as soon as you can but i think id rather go to uni first.. maybe with a year in a work placement..
Reply 10
i think i'd rather learn about business by getting first hand experience.... rather than learning theory from textbooks. As for the uni situation...... I think I'll defer my entry.... that way I've got about 18months to work/travel/ develop a business plan and raise finance. Then if it all goes pear shaped I'll go to uni . (but I'm hoping that won't be the case)
Reply 11
twenty1
Well let's just say personally I am expected to go to uni. Everyone is my family has been, is currently there and will be going!


Mine is the same. Being Chinese, university is a must. I also have the ambition of becoming an entrepreneur. I think both options has its benefits and draw backs. Personally I'm going to uni to gain some knowledge in the business field before I venture out into the work world. A degree may increase you earning potential so you can beter finance you future business. Some entrepreneurs meet their future business partners at uni (e.g. Bill Gates).
Reply 12
The problem with that is that if you're using your own investment to learn any mistakes could become very costly.
Reply 13
does anybody know anyone who wants to do the same?
Reply 14
Well I plan to open my own business one day...but I'm going to uni and then work for a couple of years first to get myself in a better position to run it.
Reply 15
Crazyangel
Mine is the same. Being Chinese, university is a must. I also have the ambition of becoming an entrepreneur. I think both options has its benefits and draw backs. Personally I'm going to uni to gain some knowledge in the business field before I venture out into the work world. A degree may increase you earning potential so you can beter finance you future business. Some entrepreneurs meet their future business partners at uni (e.g. Bill Gates).


Bill gates did go to harvard for a while but dropped out... I don't think I should go to uni just in the hope that I'll meet a savvy business partner
Reply 16
twenty1
Bill gates did go to harvard for a while but dropped out... I don't think I should go to uni just in the hope that I'll meet a savvy business partner

What I meant by that was you'll still meet people who will be enthusistic about your vision. Lots of universities are encouraging more enterprise in their students and there will be programmes to support your ideas.
Reply 17
Crazyangel
What I meant by that was you'll still meet people who will be enthusistic about your vision. Lots of universities are encouraging more enterprise in their students and there will be programmes to support your ideas.


Ok I see what you mean... but thats not how I view uni.... for some poeple its a ideal way to put off work for a few years... for others they're passionate about a subject.... and for others they want to have the best qualifications they can so they can get a job and have a 9-5 graduate lifestyle.

I don't want a 9-5 job.. I want to be my own boss. If I go to university I think I'll get caught up in a graduate job until my loans are paid off.

To me.. working and travelling is a far more attractive option.. life experience can go a long way.
Reply 18
It seems you've really alread made your mind up, so go for it.
I'm going to uni becuase it's whats expected. Plus at least after I graduate, I'll have no more family demands education wise, so I can get on with what I really want to do.
What type of business are you planning to set up?
Reply 19
Crazyangel
It seems you've really alread made your mind up, so go for it.
I'm going to uni becuase it's whats expected. Plus at least after I graduate, I'll have no more family demands education wise, so I can get on with what I really want to do.
What type of business are you planning to set up?


A HUGELY PROFITABLE one.. but not sure how yet.. but I will soon.

Whats stopping you from starting in business? and what would you want to start up?