So putting effort into the application now can mean more time to focus on the product later if I'm accepted.
True, but remember you're riding on the "if I'm accepted" part. It's highly unlikely that you will be, especially if your application lacks the knowledge you're likely to gain during the process of developing your product. I'm not saying that it doesn't make sense for you to apply. Just keep in mind that every second you spend doing A is time that you could have spent doing B.
While I won't say I hated college, I was eager to get out and start my own company from day one. I seriously considered it a few times, but I'm glad I didn't go through with it. College has a lot of resources that are harder to come by on the outside. (I just graduated a few months ago, so it could be that I'm wrong and the resources are just as easy to tap into, but I haven't figured it out yet.)
Take advantage of the fact that other people are taking care of your finances, and spend your time improving yourself. Take advantage of the fact that you're surrounded by students who are quite possibly as ambitious as you, and make some connections with promising people. It could pay off in the future. I really recommend working on small projects during college, instead of trying to create an actual startup.
Sure you probably won't make money from doing this, but there are other benefits. Small projects don't have to be time-intensive, so you can still pass your classes and enjoy college life. They also provide a really good excuse for you to sit down and work alongside one of those promising classmates I mentioned earlier. Plus, taking a project from the initial phases through completion is bound to be a great learning experience. The phrase "learning experience" is a bit cliche and overused, but trust me, this is truly a field where learning pays off.
Also, consider the fact that all these talented people starting companies are really just out to make money. This limits their choices, consequently creating a large space out there for apps that aren't designed to make money. If you do a good enough job on the right project, you stand to gain a lot of attention, respect, experience, and opportunities.
I've been doing small projects before I was in high school. Frankly I feel college classes (at my college at least) are a waste of time and I don't want to be held back anymore. I don't care much about college life either. I'm not interested in the same things other people my age.
I have taken a project from initial phases through completion... when I was in high school. I even got a law firm to do the legal stuff pro Bono.
I'm not riding on being accepted to work on this. I'm just saying it would be a really good if I do get accepted. It would make it a lot easier for me. I still plan on working on it if I'm not accepted, just as I have done for countless previous projects from before I knew what a startup was.
I'm not getting much in return for the almost 20000 per year I spend on college (and I'm just not built to be told what to learn) and to be able to not only stop paying 20000 per year in pursuit of a degree to get a job I won't want (I will be self employed; no way I will be able to work for someone for more than a summer), but to be paid almost 20000 to do that, that sir is as ideal as it can get.
is someone slapping your wrists when you touch a keyboard? you are not being "held back", if college is easy then all the more time for you to be working on your own projects.
and you seem to have completely missed the point of this article, it is not 20k to work on a project so you dont have to deal with professors / employers.
Its easy in that the coursework is not challenging. There could be busy work, which take time. College work even if easy still takes time. "held back" I guess is not a good way to describe it then. What I mean is that its simply wasting time I could be spending completely on the startup. And yes, I do have lots of time to work on the startup and I do. I don't mean to imply that school is preventing me from working on it. I could have more time if there wasn't school. I could also be saving a lot of money if I don't pay for school.
>it is not 20k to work on a project so you dont have to deal with professors / employers.
But from my perspective that's what it potentially means.
True, but remember you're riding on the "if I'm accepted" part. It's highly unlikely that you will be, especially if your application lacks the knowledge you're likely to gain during the process of developing your product. I'm not saying that it doesn't make sense for you to apply. Just keep in mind that every second you spend doing A is time that you could have spent doing B.
While I won't say I hated college, I was eager to get out and start my own company from day one. I seriously considered it a few times, but I'm glad I didn't go through with it. College has a lot of resources that are harder to come by on the outside. (I just graduated a few months ago, so it could be that I'm wrong and the resources are just as easy to tap into, but I haven't figured it out yet.)
Take advantage of the fact that other people are taking care of your finances, and spend your time improving yourself. Take advantage of the fact that you're surrounded by students who are quite possibly as ambitious as you, and make some connections with promising people. It could pay off in the future. I really recommend working on small projects during college, instead of trying to create an actual startup.
Sure you probably won't make money from doing this, but there are other benefits. Small projects don't have to be time-intensive, so you can still pass your classes and enjoy college life. They also provide a really good excuse for you to sit down and work alongside one of those promising classmates I mentioned earlier. Plus, taking a project from the initial phases through completion is bound to be a great learning experience. The phrase "learning experience" is a bit cliche and overused, but trust me, this is truly a field where learning pays off.
Also, consider the fact that all these talented people starting companies are really just out to make money. This limits their choices, consequently creating a large space out there for apps that aren't designed to make money. If you do a good enough job on the right project, you stand to gain a lot of attention, respect, experience, and opportunities.