I have 3 friends who did it. Of that, 2 eventually went back and got their degrees. They also commented that their parents were a bit upset about the whole thin

I have 3 friends who did it. Of that, 2 eventually went back and got their degrees. They also commented that their parents were a bit upset about the whole thing. It seems like the Thiel Fellowship doesn't have the same kind of formal, large investor network that a program like YC offers, which is important for success. You should apply to YC and Thiel and then make your decision once you get accepted to both!