It is true that many universities encourage their students to start their own small businesses while they are studying. Although there are some benefits to starting their own business at school, I firmly believe the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages.
On the one hand, there are three advantages if students starting businesses while they are still in school. Firstly, they can cover their living expenses, and may be able to pay their tuition fees if the business is profitable. Secondly, students can learn practical business skills from real-world experience rather than just theories in their textbooks. For example, they might learn how to communicate with their customers or co-workers when they are selling goods or negotiating with business partners. Furthermore, they will be better prepared for their future career, as they have more successful cases and experience to write on their resume.
However, I strongly believe that the potential disadvantages far outweigh the positives mentioned above. Running businesses while studying will negatively affect students’ academic performance and mental health. This is because university study is intense and stressful as the tasks and study-loads can be extremely high. If students put too much attention and time into their businesses, their academic life would be disrupted. For instance, students may be absent from their lectures or tutorials to run their own businesses. As a result, they are more likely to fail their courses or get poor marks on their assignments. Therefore, they face immense financial and psychological burdens as they have to delay their graduation and pay extra tuition fees.
In conclusion, even though early access to business life brings some advantages for students, I believe that the risk of facing extra tuition fees and psychological health concerns for students far outweigh the advantages.