A gap year program is lining up six-figure startup salaries for teens

As high school seniors navigate the bustling college application season, many are contemplating a pivotal choice: taking a gap year. A fresh initiative named Common Gap, set to launch on Thursday, seeks to formalize this alternative route by connecting ambitious teens with job opportunities at startups. The trend of delaying or skipping college altogether has gained traction in Silicon Valley, with notable figures such as Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Larry Ellison having embraced similar paths. Amidst the growing hype around artificial intelligence, companies like Palantir Technologies are unveiling programs aimed at high school graduates, further normalizing the idea of entrepreneurship before formal education. Common Gap's unique offering mandates that participating startups pay high school graduates a minimum salary of $75,000 per year, with founder Oliver Zhou anticipating that many positions will exceed $100,000. This initiative operates without its own funding; instead, salaries will be covered by the participating companies. Zhou believes this approach can significantly enhance the early-career landscape for young talent in the fiercely competitive AI sector. In a recent interview with Business Insider, he stated, "Why wait for them to graduate?" At just 24 years old, Zhou reflects on his own journey, having graduated from the University of Pennsylvania a year ahead of schedule. He founded Deep24, a startup supported by Y Combinator, which focuses on analyzing productivity data to aid users in time management. Zhou's prior experience includes a role as a product manager at Uber. He emphasizes that those who opt for Common Gap are making a deliberate choice regarding their education. The name Common Gap draws inspiration from the Common App, a platform that facilitates college applications to over 1,000 institutions with a single submission. Programs aimed at early-career tech enthusiasts are not entirely new; the Thiel Fellowship, established in 2011, offers $200,000 to budding entrepreneurs who agree to forgo college. Several startups, including Austin-based SuperBuilders, which develops technology for AI-enhanced private schools, have already joined Common Gap. Other participants include firms from the health tech and insurance sectors, alongside Zhou's own Deep24, all of which have connections to Y Combinator. The application process for Common Gap will diverge from the traditional résumé approach, inviting candidates to present "the most impressive thing you've done or built," with an optional video interview. Zhou is also exploring the use of AI to aid in the initial screening of applicants. He remarked, "College isn't the right path for everyone, and it has become somewhat of a default choice. Engaging in real work rather than just completing assignments can be incredibly fulfilling and educational."