A new initiative called Common Gap is revolutionizing the traditional college path by connecting high school graduates with high-paying startup jobs, with salaries starting at $75,000 and often exceeding $100,000 annually. Launched by 24-year-old entrepreneur Oliver Zou, founder of Y Combinator-backed startup Deep24, the program reflects Silicon Valley’s intensifying competition for AI talent.
The initiative takes its name from the Common App college application platform and aims to formalize the gap year path that tech luminaries like Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Larry Ellison have famously taken. As artificial intelligence hype draws young founders to San Francisco, companies are increasingly looking to recruit talent earlier in their careers, bypassing traditional college education.
Zou, who graduated early from the University of Pennsylvania and founded Deep24 (a productivity analytics startup) in 2024, sees early-career recruitment as crucial in the AI talent race. Last summer, offers for technical machine learning roles reached millions of dollars, prompting his question: “Why wait for them to graduate?”
Several AI-focused startups have already partnered with Common Gap, including Austin-based SuperBuilders (which develops technology for Alpha School, an AI-powered private school), along with health tech and insurance startups. Many participating companies are Y Combinator alumni, reflecting the program’s deep Silicon Valley roots.
The application process eschews traditional résumés, instead asking candidates to share “the most impressive thing you’ve done or built,” with an optional video interview component. Zou is even considering using AI as an initial filter in early interview rounds, further demonstrating the technology’s pervasive influence.
This initiative follows similar programs like the Thiel Fellowship (founded in 2011, offering $200,000 to college dropouts) and venture capital firm internship programs like those at Kleiner Perkins. However, Common Gap specifically targets the gap year demographic and doesn’t require funding since participating startups pay salaries directly. The program won’t turn a profit, focusing instead on talent pipeline development during a critical period in AI industry growth.
Key Quotes
Why wait for them to graduate?
Oliver Zou, founder of Common Gap and Deep24, explained his rationale for recruiting high school graduates directly into AI startups. This statement reflects the urgency of the AI talent race, where companies sent machine learning role offers into the millions last summer.
If you choose to go to college, you’re going very intentionally
Zou described how completing the Common Gap program would make college a deliberate choice rather than a default path. This perspective challenges traditional educational assumptions and reflects Silicon Valley’s long-standing skepticism toward conventional higher education.
I certainly think that college is not right for everyone, and it has kind of become a default. Being able to do real work, rather than just turning in assignments for someone to grade, is quite rewarding — and good learning.
Zou articulated the philosophical foundation of Common Gap, emphasizing practical experience over academic credentials. This viewpoint aligns with broader Silicon Valley culture and the specific demands of fast-moving AI development where hands-on skills often matter more than theoretical knowledge.
Our Take
Common Gap exemplifies how AI’s explosive growth is disrupting not just industries but fundamental life pathways. The willingness to pay high school graduates $100,000+ salaries reveals the desperation—and opportunity—in today’s AI talent market. However, this raises important questions about sustainability and equity. Are we creating a two-tier system where connected teenagers access lucrative opportunities while others follow traditional paths? The program’s use of AI for screening applicants is particularly meta, showing how the technology is reshaping its own talent pipeline. While Silicon Valley has long celebrated college dropouts, institutionalizing this path through programs like Common Gap could normalize alternative education routes—for better or worse. The real test will be whether these young workers develop sustainable careers or burn out in high-pressure startup environments before gaining the broader knowledge and maturity that college can provide.
Why This Matters
Common Gap represents a significant shift in how the AI industry approaches talent acquisition, signaling that the competition for skilled workers has become so intense that companies are willing to invest six figures in high school graduates. This development underscores three critical trends: the democratization of tech careers beyond traditional college pathways, the extreme talent shortage in AI and machine learning fields, and the increasing influence of AI companies in reshaping educational norms.
The program’s focus on AI-related startups—from AI-powered schools to machine learning applications—highlights how deeply artificial intelligence has penetrated the startup ecosystem. By offering salaries that rival or exceed entry-level positions for college graduates, these companies are betting that hands-on experience and raw talent matter more than formal credentials in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
For society, this could accelerate the bifurcation of career paths, where technical skills and entrepreneurial drive become valued over traditional education. It also raises questions about accessibility and equity—whether such opportunities will be available beyond well-connected, privileged students who can afford to take financial risks.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/what-if-your-gap-year-paid-six-figures-2026-1