Recently I realized that the biggest benefit of going to Stanford is not the high quality of education or the network of successful people. It is the entitlement we develop, which the industry mistakes for confidence, that allows us to aim high and actually achieve our goals.

Speaking to the undergrad CS experience: sure, the CS curriculum is top-notch, but Dijkstra's algo is the same everywhere. Most CS undergrads don't actually become close with their professors.

We kind of bumble around for 4 years, think we're some hot shit, and actually believe we can do big crazy things. So many people in undergrad managed to raise venture $$ for dumb startup ideas. I used to think, if they can do it, I can too!

Over the four years, we grow to expect the industry to treat us for "what we're worth," and we subsequently disregard opportunities that don't meet our self-worth. We don't really "settle," even though we are not actually that much more intelligent or hardworking than others.

Anyways, as the nth peer in my undergrad cohort gets their non game-changing startup acquired, we could all use a reminder to believe in ourselves a bit more. Happy Monday 🙂