Entrepreneurs Debate: Do You Need a College Degree to Succeed in America? (Poll)

When PayPal co-founder Peter Theil created the Thiel Fellowship, he started a national conversation on the necessity of college.

You see, to qualify for the fellowship's $100,000 grant, applicants must meet the following requirements: they must be 20 or younger and they must drop out of college during the fellowship’s two year duration. So it's not too surprising that when Theil unveiled the program last year, many thought he was sending the following message: “You don’t need college to be successful. With the appropriate financial backing and right amount of time, you can succeed.”

PayPal co-founder and stalwart libertarian, Peter Theil

But is that Theil’s message? If so, is it a good one? Has college become an unnecessary waste of money and is a degree really necessary for success?

Lucky for us, the following video from Business Insider offers a back-and-forth discussion on this very question. The video features David Rose of Rose Tech Ventures, Shaila Ittycheria of E[nstitute], and Arden Pennell, program director for Business Insider.

And it’s an important discussion: Can you become a successful entrepreneur in the U.S. without going to college?

Watch and discuss (via Business Insider):

Now take our poll:

This article has been updated.