A lesson from ‘The Apprentice’

It’s not NBC’s “The Apprentice’’ show starring celebrity real estate mogul Donald Trump, but rather a new class at Babson College in Wellesley that’s modeled after the popular reality TV show.

In the “The Ultimate Entrepreneurial Challenge’’ class, 50 students are divided into five-person teams and they earn an “A’’ by competing against one another in 13 business challenges.

“Babson is big in social entrepreneurship,’’ said Len Green, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship. “If you are successful, you’re going to be able to give something back.’’

But it’s not your typical college course: There are no books, no exams, not even a long, drawn-out semiweekly lecture. The professor is known to encourage food and drinks in the classroom, and more than once, he has delivered a lecture while sitting or lying on the floor. And Green has students compete in several challenges throughout the semester, they earn “success points’’ for great ideas and “you’re fired’’ deductions for ideas that wouldn’t work - or failed to work - in the real world.

Some of the challenges throughout the semester include working with a venture capital firm, practicing pitching entrepreneurial ideas to get funding; going to schools and offering athletic training and requiring that for every hour of coaching by the Babson students, the kids from the local schools offer an hour of public service; and coming up with team names and presenting them in a unique way.

Recently, the teams competed to see who could raise the most money for the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk last week. So, far the students have raised nearly $20,000, and they are going to continue raising money for the Jimmy Fund until Dec. 31.

One of those students, Babson senior Peter Hoffman, 21, said for the Jimmy Fund Walk, his team went to family and friends for donations. The team is also got some businesses and campus organizations to rent tables on the Babson campus during the walk to promote themselves.

Hoffman said he jumped at the chance to take Green’s class, which is four credit hours.

“Personally, I really enjoy it. I love going to class,’’ said Hoffman, a finance and strategic management major. “It’s real life, and even when you get out of class, you’re always trying to think of new ideas and ways you can win each individual competition.’’

Green, the CEO of New Jersey-based The Green Group, which offers business services like accounting, consulting, and business valuations, said applying his business skills to a good cause like the Jimmy Fund has been a breath of fresh air.

“In my world of dog-eat-dog, with profit as the bottom line, counting success by dollars, it’s nice to have this kind of thing,’’ Green said. “I call it a reality check.’’

The Jimmy Fund applauded the efforts of the class. “His class teaches future entrepreneurs about creative ways to raise money for charity and about the importance of corporate philanthropy,’’ said Ann Beach, director of the Jimmy Fund Walk.

Hoffman said there’s more to the class than just raising the most money. After all, a lot of students have family members with big companies who can just write checks. These competitions are about finding good, sound business ideas and putting them to good use.

“It’s about your effort,’’ Hoffman said.

If the teacher “sees that, then he’s liable to help your team out a little more, even if you can’t raise as much as people who have connections or ins with alums or bigger corporations.’’