Peter Thiel has replaced one flawed institution with another. College works mostly because it gives you prestige and connections. Thiel's fellowships work on the same level. If you want to skip college and start a business, then do it.
That could be all the goal is (though this is speculation). Thiel has said on a few occasions that one thing he particularly dislikes about universities is their politics: he perceives them as an obstacle to libertarianism, since in his view they promote left-wing politics. If he can replace a university with something similar, but with different politics, that could achieve his aims, if his aims are in large part political.
Institution? I don't think you can really call a small handful of unique individuals winning a contest an 'institution'.
I personally agree with the political statement being made, but regardless of our opinions on the political motivations, I think you would be hard press to find someone that thinks this is a suggestion we should stop sending kids to college and instead throw money at them and tell them to help the world.
A small handful of unique individuals winning a contest and then improving themselves using a support structure is universities. It is just a less structured institution. Although, I don't know much about Thiels Fellowship.
I'm not sure I can even have a discussion with someone who legitimately thinks a nationally recognized organization, funded directly by the public, with federal loans being used by millions to take part in a publicly funded organization, can somehow be compared in terms of organized structure to a guy who gives some 40 kids a bunch of money and tells them to go do something with it.
You may be on to something. I just stopped by a few high schools and all of the counselors were talking to me about how they develop their curriculum around trying to get their students ready for theil's fellowship institution.
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Peter Thiel has replaced one flawed institution with another. College works mostly because it gives you prestige and connections. Thiel's fellowships work on the same level. If you want to skip college and start a business, then do it.
That could be all the goal is (though this is speculation). Thiel has said on a few occasions that one thing he particularly dislikes about universities is their politics: he perceives them as an obstacle to libertarianism, since in his view they promote left-wing politics. If he can replace a university with something similar, but with different politics, that could achieve his aims, if his aims are in large part political.
The real question is: Would Thiel's idea be successful of you scaled it up to millions of people?
This is one of those times when I wish it were possible to run controlled experiments in the social sciences.
Institution? I don't think you can really call a small handful of unique individuals winning a contest an 'institution'.
I personally agree with the political statement being made, but regardless of our opinions on the political motivations, I think you would be hard press to find someone that thinks this is a suggestion we should stop sending kids to college and instead throw money at them and tell them to help the world.
A small handful of unique individuals winning a contest and then improving themselves using a support structure is universities. It is just a less structured institution. Although, I don't know much about Thiels Fellowship.
I'm not sure I can even have a discussion with someone who legitimately thinks a nationally recognized organization, funded directly by the public, with federal loans being used by millions to take part in a publicly funded organization, can somehow be compared in terms of organized structure to a guy who gives some 40 kids a bunch of money and tells them to go do something with it.
He also organizes internship and mentors hip programs, but don't let that get in your way.
You may be on to something. I just stopped by a few high schools and all of the counselors were talking to me about how they develop their curriculum around trying to get their students ready for theil's fellowship institution.