JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATION THEORY AND PRACTICE

Comparing the Entrepreneurial Attitudes of University and Community
College Students

Author(s): Shanan G. Gibson, Michael L. Harris, Todd D. Mick, Toni M. Burkhalter

Citation: Shanan G. Gibson, Michael L. Harris, Todd D. Mick, Toni M. Burkhalter, (2011) "Comparing the Entrepreneurial Attitudes of University and Community College Students," Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, Vol.11, Iss. 2, pp. 11 - 19

Article Type: Research paper

Publisher: North American Business Press

Abstract:

Students (N = 395) at several U.S. community colleges (N = 220) and universities (N = 175) completed
the Entrepreneurial Attitudes Orientation (EAO) survey. Results indicated that university students
possessed attitudes which were stronger than their community college peers on all four of the
entrepreneurial attitudes. Similarly, university students reported that they felt significantly more prepared
to start their own businesses, wanted to start their own businesses, and felt they were significantly more
likely to start their own businesses than those students from the community colleges. Consideration is
given to potential explanations for these differences and implications for entrepreneurship education.