Does Starting a Business in High School Look Good on College Applications?
If you’re interested in making your college applications more competitive, one avenue to consider is starting a business in high school. Colleges look for students who not only have solid academic performance but also stand out for their unique interests, resilience, and drive. Starting a business as a high schooler can give you a crash course in several valuable qualities—business analysis, market research, project management, how to build a minimum viable product, financial acumen, and the basics of sales and marketing.
In our blog today, we’ll explore what starting a business in high school involves, the potential reasons for taking this route, and how colleges view entrepreneurial experience.
What is starting a business in high school like?
Starting a business while still in school can be exciting, but it’s also a challenging process that requires careful planning, learning, and continuous adaptation. Depending on the business idea you intend to pursue, the process can involve ideating a product or service, conducting market research, understanding legal basics, managing finances, and actively selling to customers. For example, you might start a small online shop selling handmade jewelry or a tutoring service to help local students excel in certain subjects. Each type of business requires different steps, but they all demand a lot of effort to manage on top of schoolwork and other commitments.
Running a business at this age also requires familiarity with tools like website builders, social media platforms, or even e-commerce sites like Etsy or Shopify, depending on your venture. You’ll need to understand and execute tasks in marketing, customer service, and budgeting, all skills that can set you apart in a college application. But remember, starting a business is not a guaranteed ticket to your dream college. It’s an experience that will teach you a lot and add to your application’s uniqueness, but success in college admissions depends on several other factors as well. For a comprehensive guide on what starting a business entails, you might find it helpful to read through resources like this one.
What makes entrepreneurship in high school a worthwhile decision?
The decision to pursue entrepreneurship should be driven by genuine interest and a legitimate business idea. While it’s true that launching a business can enhance your college application, it’s relatively easy for admissions committees to see through initiatives that seem artificial or forced. Pursuing this goal can develop your problem-solving skills, resilience, and adaptability, qualities that colleges appreciate. But more importantly, it helps you grow by learning what it takes to turn an idea into a successful venture.
For instance, encountering and overcoming setbacks while managing your business—whether it's related to customer service, cash flow, or marketing—can provide valuable lessons in perseverance and responsibility. Building a business can also improve your time management and teamwork abilities, which can serve you well both in college and beyond. These experiences have value regardless of their impact on your college application. Keep in mind that colleges are interested in your development and authenticity, and any entrepreneurial pursuits should align with your personal story and goals.
How (and why) do admissions officers value entrepreneurial students?
When you start a business venture, you take an idea and transform it into something concrete, an achievement that admissions committees value because it speaks to your independence, creativity, and willingness to take risks. This kind of hands-on experience shows that you’ve taken steps to explore interests outside the traditional academic pathway, which can make your application more memorable and compelling.
Entrepreneurship itself is a challenging test of the kind of leadership skills and vision that many colleges want to cultivate in their students. When admissions officers see that you’ve committed time and energy to a self-initiated project like a business, it indicates a level of maturity, responsibility, and ambition that goes beyond participating in extracurricular clubs at school.
Here are a few reasons that entrepreneurship experience is a compelling addition to a college application:
It shows initiative and drive
It’s one thing to join an existing club or activity, but creating a venture from scratch and seeing it through requires a proactive mindset and self-motivation. Regardless of the actual business idea, the effort highlights your commitment to a plan, your ability to execute said plan, and your drive to bring value to others. Proving that you’re not someone who waits for opportunities but creates them instead is powerful. This drive helps prove that you’re likely to make a positive impact on campus, whether through clubs, research, or other activities. Admissions officers are looking for future leaders, and students with entrepreneurial experience show that they are ready to take on leadership roles in college and beyond.
It's tangible evidence of growth and learning
Starting a business at a young age is bound to come with a steep learning curve, and colleges recognize the value of students who embrace these opportunities. When you run a business, you will inevitably make mistakes and encounter roadblocks, and these experiences can teach you valuable lessons about resilience, decision-making, and adaptability. For example, if you started a tutoring service and struggled to attract clients initially, you will be forced to learn how to refine your marketing approach and improve your pitch. Each adjustment and improvement shows your capacity for critical thinking and growth, qualities that colleges find appealing in applicants. Growth through challenges shows maturity and the ability to adapt, both of which are essential in the demanding environment of college.
You can demonstrate community impact and problem-solving skills
Launching a business also provides a platform to make a positive impact in your community, a quality that college admissions officers are especially drawn to. Whether you’ve identified a local need or created a solution to a common problem, your business can showcase your problem-solving skills and dedication to making a difference. Let’s say you created an app to connect local job seekers with small businesses or launched a recycling service in your neighborhood. Such ventures demonstrate that you’re tuned into community needs and have the motivation to address them. This quality can make your application stand out, as it underscores a commitment to service—a value that most colleges hold in high regard.
In conclusion, starting a business in high school can indeed strengthen your college application, but the true value lies in the personal growth, skills, and community impact it fosters. While it won’t guarantee admission, the experience provides a unique and impressive dimension to your application, showing that you’re ready to take on challenges, contribute to your community, and continue learning.
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you establish a developed startup in high school, consider the Young Founders Lab!
The Young Founders Lab is a real-world start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.
You can access the application link here!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.