I'd argue that a $100,000 grant from an investor like Peter Theil isn't functionally all that different than an inheritence in all the ways that matter. Rememb

I'd argue that a $100,000 grant from an investor like Peter Theil isn't functionally all that different than an inheritence in all the ways that matter. Remember that recent Paul Graham article posted here advising students to get into the most selective school they could for networking reasons? Not because those schools have a better education. If this guy went to a different university, I bet they would have never had the opportunity to demonstrate their venture to Peter Thiel. Getting into Stanford is itself is something that functions a lot like an "inheritance." The mere fact that you are there is a gigantic leg up. To me, "self-made" would be building a profitable business completely bootstrapped with either personal funds or maybe at most a small business loan from a bank. But then again, this whole distinction of "self-made" is a bit of an exercise on where you draw that line.