Many high school students have entrepreneurial aspirations, seeking to follow in the footsteps of groundbreaking businessmen and innovators. Many top colleges seek to foster these dreams, and some of these schools have dedicated academic programs for helping students pursue these passions.
In this article, we’ll go over the nation’s best college entrepreneurship programs: what they offer, what they look for in students, and who will benefit most from attending. All of these programs are designed to help students turn uncertain dreams into concrete realities and to become the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.
Berkeley MET
Berkeley’s Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology program is focused on solving big problems at the intersection of business and technology. Students in the program earn a dual BS degree, in business and an engineering track. The program is offered under the umbrella of Berkeley’s Haas School of Business or under the College of Engineering.
You must select the MET program as your intended major when applying to be considered for admission. Once you have completed the UC application, you will be sent an additional essay prompt to respond to; you must write and return this essay within seven days. In some (but not all) cases, additional information will be needed. These students are asked to complete a video essay. These are by request only, and instructions are sent out in mid-January, the essays are due back in a week.
Penn Specialized Degrees
UPenn offers several specialized degree programs which cater to students interested in entrepreneurship. Each of these must be applied to specifically when you are applying to the school. These are:
The Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business
Students in this program earn a BA in International Studies and a BS in Economics simultaneously. The program focuses on language acquisition, the global implications of business, and the interconnected economy. Students who want to pursue business opportunities globally are well served by the program. An additional essay is required when applying.
Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management
Students in this program earn a BA in a life science field and a BS in Economics. Students who are interested in biotechnology and associated fields are well served by this program, and graduates go on to excel in academics or business. This includes careers in the healthcare sector. Two additional essays are required when applying.
Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology
Students in this program earn a BSE in an engineering field and a BS in Economics simultaneously. The program has several courses offered specially for students within it on the intersection between business and technology, and students within the program are encouraged to participate in research. The program is a good fit for students who wish to research new disruptive technologies and markets. Two additional essays are required when applying.
NETS
This program is on networks and social systems engineering. Students earn a BSE in engineering, and are required to take courses in the school of Arts and Sciences, and are permitted to take specific courses from the Wharton School. The program is specifically designed for students interested in networks engineering and the business applications of the field. One additional essay is required to apply.
Carnegie-Mellon University BSCF
The Bachelors of Science in Computational Finance degree is a three college venture offered by CMU. Students take courses from the schools of Science, Business, and Information Systems and Public Policy as part of this degree. The goal of the program is to allow students to understand and design the programs which underpin today’s financial markets, including statistical modeling, programming, and an understanding of business.
Current students may apply to enroll in the major; applications occur midway through a semester. Incoming students may not apply directly for the program. The core of the program is built on mathematics, with courses from other colleges filling out the structure of the program. Students may have any of the three colleges as their “home” with only minor changes to the program.
Brown’s BEO Concentration
Brown offers the Business, Entrepreneurship, and Organizations concentration, which is sponsored by the Economics Department and the School of Engineering. This functions similarly to a major at another school. Students in the program learn about organizational and managerial theory, technological innovation, and entrepreneurship, and how these apply to new companies. There are three tracks within the concentration: Economics, Organizational Studies, and Entrepreneurship & Technology Management.
This concentration requires students to complete 15 or 16 credits worth of courses, out of the 30 required for graduation. Students must declare a concentration by their fourth semester at Brown, but need to be current students to declare their concentration. When declaring your concentration, you will need to plan out all of the required courses to show you will be able to complete the program in time for graduation.
Cornell Dyson SC Johnson College of Business: Honors Research Program
Students in the business school may complete an honors research thesis in the social sciences working with a member of the faculty. Students who do so graduate with honors. These theses comprise original research done by the student and presented in the model of an MA thesis or a journal article. Students must apply to the honors research program at least two semesters before they graduate.
This program is good for students who wish to explore some of the social sciences aspects of economics, and who wish to develop a deep understanding of how these systems impact and interact with other forces in the world. Students who want to go on to do graduate research in economics or the social sciences are well served by this program as well, as it introduces students to the methodology of academic research.
USC Iovine and Love Academy
The Academy is an initiative by USC meant to instruct students in Art, Technology, and Business. While the program is focused on technology and innovation, much of the coursework is taught and modeled on arts curricula, with a focus on creating and exploring. The program offers a BS, with students taking core classes in four areas: arts and design, engineering and computer science, business and venture management, and communication. In their fourth year, students create something as part of a culminating project.
Students may apply to the academy by selecting it as their first-choice major; it is not available as a second-choice major. In addition to the regular requirements of applying to USC, applicants must submit a creative portfolio and a proposal video. Current students are allowed to transfer into the program, but doing so requires an additional application, and may delay their graduation.
Final Thoughts
Many students have entrepreneurial aspirations, dreaming of creating their own business and leaving their mark upon the world. While you don’t have to attend a program specifically dedicated to entrepreneurship to become an entrepreneur, they do give you a solid grounding in technologies, business practices, and how this world works.
If you are interested in pursuing a career in entrepreneurship and want to know if one of these programs is right for you, or you want help applying to these programs, you should schedule a free consultation with us. We have a long experience helping students pursue their academic dreams, and are always happy to hear from you.
