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Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

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31–40 of 59 posts

Re: Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

#31
Something that rung true with me was something one of my friends told me long ago.

  You go to college not to build your dreams, but to build someone else's.
If you know what you want to do, and know how to do it there is no need for a college.

If you want to go and work for someone else, you need a college education.

Re: Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

#32

Something that rung true with me was something one of my friends told me long ago. You go to college not to build your dreams, but to build someone else's. If you know what you want to do, and know how to do it there is no need for a college. If you want to go and work for someone else, you need a college education.

There is so much more to college than learning vocational skills and a certification. Those skills are only a tiny part of it and self-development, especially of your intellect and knowledge, is most of it.

Re: Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

#33
post #25

I cofounded Figma with the support of the Thiel Fellowship. It was definitely worth it to me, but dropping out of school is a very unique and personal decision. You should definitely apply and you should introspect deeply before taking it. BTW, some of the statements on this thread that "fellows are used as poster children for Thiel's vision of society" and equating taking the fellowship to becoming a "living cog in…

I am currently in my first year studying B.Architecture. But I want my lifes work(my core passion) to be around Software/Tech.

I enrolled to Arch school simply because I thought it was cool and did not do Computer Science cause the syllabus here is kind of out dated (they lack, an Artificial Intelligence module, something i want to get deeply into)

Re: Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

#34
I have 3 friends who did it. Of that, 2 eventually went back and got their degrees. They also commented that their parents were a bit upset about the whole thing. It seems like the Thiel Fellowship doesn't have the same kind of formal, large investor network that a program like YC offers, which is important for success. You should apply to YC and Thiel and then make your decision once you get accepted to both!

Re: Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

#35

Something that rung true with me was something one of my friends told me long ago. You go to college not to build your dreams, but to build someone else's. If you know what you want to do, and know how to do it there is no need for a college. If you want to go and work for someone else, you need a college education.

There is so much more to college than learning vocational skills and a certification. Those skills are only a tiny part of it and self-development, especially of your intellect and knowledge, is most of it.

I don't think that anyone would suggest that someone motivated could get by with building their own dreams without subjecting themselves to academic torture.

Re: Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

#36

Why not take advantage of college and all that you can learn there first? The chance won't come again to study the world ... not just IT but history, natural sciences, neuropsychology, literature ... and to do it surrounded by peers and with a faculty of experts to advise and teach you, and all those resources: Labs, libraries, etc. You can do startups later and will work for the rest of your life. Does the Thiel Fel…

I want to build a company, my course is 5 years, am already 20 and the age limit for application is 22.

in case i wait, I do not think i have another chance of getting 100K like that again.

Re: Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

#37
What you get.

- Incredible peer group

- Access to the best professional network on the planet

- Help to make things happen

- Introductions to investors

The price you pay.

- Part of billionaire's PR effort. Personal consequences for mistakes that might lead to negative PR

- Pressure on fund raising. Big raise == success

Re: Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

#38
post #33
post #25

I cofounded Figma with the support of the Thiel Fellowship. It was definitely worth it to me, but dropping out of school is a very unique and personal decision. You should definitely apply and you should introspect deeply before taking it. BTW, some of the statements on this thread that "fellows are used as poster children for Thiel's vision of society" and equating taking the fellowship to becoming a "living cog in…

I am currently in my first year studying B.Architecture. But I want my lifes work(my core passion) to be around Software/Tech. I enrolled to Arch school simply because I thought it was cool and did not do Computer Science cause the syllabus here is kind of out dated (they lack, an Artificial Intelligence module, something i want to get deeply into)

The vast majority of what you learn in a CS program was published in the 50-70s. Just because it's a little outdated doesn't mean there isn't a lot to learn. Also, don't forget that you can always change schools, as hard as it might seem, it can be the right call.

Re: Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

#39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is so much more to college than learning vocational skills and a certification. Those skills are only a tiny part of it and self-development, especially of your intellect and knowledge, is most of it.

I don't think that anyone would suggest that someone motivated could get by with building their own dreams without subjecting themselves to academic torture.

> academic torture

If you start with that premise, there's nothing left to discuss. But many find college worthwhile and the best years of their lives, personally and intellectually.

Re: Ask HN: Is the Thiel Fellowship worth it?

#40
post #36

Why not take advantage of college and all that you can learn there first? The chance won't come again to study the world ... not just IT but history, natural sciences, neuropsychology, literature ... and to do it surrounded by peers and with a faculty of experts to advise and teach you, and all those resources: Labs, libraries, etc. You can do startups later and will work for the rest of your life. Does the Thiel Fel…

I want to build a company, my course is 5 years, am already 20 and the age limit for application is 22. in case i wait, I do not think i have another chance of getting 100K like that again.

If your idea is truly good enough to build a company, you will.
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