Should I drop out?

I talked to a group of f.inc Residency students on dropping out over the summer.

Personally I finished my degree, but I considered it twice — and know many founders in Silicon Valley who didn’t.

I’ll start by saying there is no general answer to this question.

In fact the proper question to begin with — especially if you are considering dropping out to start a company, is who am I?

Like all hard questions, no amount of outsourced advice can answer this question.

Talk to 1-3 people you really trust on this topic if you must.

You may be tempted to get many opinions. You may be tempted to complicate things.

Keep it simple.

And know that every situation is as ultimately only answerable by one person you (in direct consideration of your parents / financial fiduciaries).

That said, here are the questions I would ask myself:

1) Who are the people I will be around / interact most with if I leave?

• Do they already have a proven record of achieving the result I desire?

• Will I get to apprentice them directly?

• Do I want to be like them in 5 years? Would I trade to live their life?

2) What is my superpower or area I want to compound in?

• What is my most natural strength / skill (superpower)?

• How does my current path give me the opportunity to compound in that?

• How does dropping out give me that opportunity to compound in that?

3) What’s the opportunity cost and risk?

• Is taking one semester off to pursue a project truly a risk?

• What is the risk of missing out on the current opportunity? Will it still be there in 2 years?

Framing

If you come from a traditional background (doctor, lawyer, engineer track), it is likely your parents will not be pleased at the idea of dropping out — no matter how much of a status symbol it is in Silicon Valley.

I used to think it made me a more “serious” founder to frame taking time off of school as dropping out.

In my case, this was a sure fire way to inspire an equal, yet opposite “serious” response from parents who believed I was delusionally optimisitic.

The idea of a gap semester landed much better.

Save yourself the trouble :)

Don’t take it (or yourself) so seriously

Parting words — if you can afford the risk of joining a true winning team early, maybe school can wait.

One of the best ways to become a founder is to join a rocket ship, learn the playbook, build your network, and build credibility.

And if not, that’s okay.

I moved to SF the week after graduation.

My mistake in college was viewing it as all or nothing.

It isn’t.