Is the HP Student Business Laptop good for college work?

Yes for essays, web research, spreadsheets and video lectures. The i3-1215U and SSD are fine for those tasks. Heavy video editing or gaming will not run well on integrated graphics.

Does it have a touchscreen or convert to a tablet?

No. It is a standard clamshell laptop with a non-touch matte display, so it does not fold back into tablet mode.

Can I connect a monitor and older USB accessories?

Yes. It has HDMI for an external display, plus USB-C and USB-A ports for drives, mice and other accessories. There is also a 1/8-inch headphone jack.

Does it have a fingerprint reader or Windows Hello face unlock?

No. It has no fingerprint reader and no facial recognition camera, so you sign in with a password or PIN.

What comes in the box?

The laptop and its power adapter. A mouse, sleeve or external monitor are not included.

Does it have a TPM chip for business security?

No. It has no TPM 2.0, so features that depend on it, such as BitLocker device encryption, may not be available. That matters more in managed workplace setups than for a student.