A failed startup with experience doing cutting edge product R&D could have a lot more value in the job market than two years in school and a master's degree. I

A failed startup with experience doing cutting edge product R&D could have a lot more value in the job market than two years in school and a master's degree. Its worked out well for me - failure after failure, learned a ton, career doing quite well. I work with PhD's all day long, and they are bright, capable people. I also interview PhD's who are incapable of building things, or demonstrating their intelligence whatsoever. The Valley is a meritocracy - if you can do things, you are employable. If you can do difficult things, you'll get good work alongside degreed persons. As long as you learn a ton - its not hard to make a startup as valuable as a degree. Its called 'equivalent experience,' and in Silicon Valley at least - it means what it says.