Don't drop out of school

I may have written a post on this before, but I'll say it again anyway.  Thinking about taking off school to start or focus on your company?  Don't do it...go back to school.  Unless you're Mark Zuckerberg and have the blessings of Bill Gates to drop out (or even take leave), it is foolish to throw away your college degree.  No matter what you tell yourself, if you "just take off one or two semesters" and "plan on going back after," chances are you won't. If your company is flying after you take leave (which should be your goal with any company), then why would you go back to school?  "Ok, then I'll just go back to school when I sell my company!" Ok, but who wants to go back to finish your undergrad degree when you're 27?

No I'm not saying that getting your education is the most important thing, hardly not (although it can be very important).  In any situation, having your degree on your LinkedIn and on your resume is a huge asset.  It will help you when you pitch to raise money from VC's, when you try to make connections with successful alumni, when you apply for a job, in casual conversation while making connections, in looking your parents in the eye, etc...

So point of the story...don't think about dropping out of school.  I know people say pick one or the other, if you do both you'll fail at both, etc etc... But I can tell you from first-hand experience, making school work while doing a startup is not only possible, but beneficial.  Many of the advisor's in my startup are from my school, either professors and alumni, and I find myself constantly drawing from that resource (and it doesn't stop there).  And just like your parents always tell you, there really will always be another opportunity.  However, if you think you have that one idea that truly can't wait, give Bill a call and see what he thinks.

Comments

[Abby]

Hey Nat, nice blog :)

[Rachit]

I was debating the same question coming into this semester and decided to finish up and graduate in Dec.

[Mekhi Murray]

Great blog ****

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