When top high-school athletes are being recruiting out of college they often are faced with an option:
a.) Go to a good school and start playing right away or
b.) Go to a better school and sit on the bench for a year or two
I think you know where this is going.
There are similarities with top software developers at programs like Georgia Tech.
Earlier this evening I met with a GT student. He’s been writing code since elementary school and is interested in entrepreneurship. He’s a freshman interviewing for summer internships and is allured by tech companies with household names on the west coast.
He has two options:
a.) Stay in Atlanta, be a big fish in a small pond getting the starting job right away
b.) Go to California, join a fancy company and wait his turn.
To me, it’s a no-brainer. Especially if you want to be an entrepreneur. An intern here in Atlanta (especially at the Village) can be closer to the movers and shakers. They can create and release products that they own in shorter periods of time. They get to tackle bigger problems and make a larger impact on overall success of the business.
Worst case scenario…
The company doesn’t work out and they can try again next open semester with more wisdom.
Best case scenario…
They get on a rocket-ship early on, take it to the moon and come back with the tools and relationships to build their own.
Sounds like low risk, high reward to me. What would you choose? I’m totally biased, but I think it’s a no-brainer 
