I took a year of from Med School to work for a startup. In The Netherlands you can go to Med School (6 years) straight out of high school. After 3 years I had the idea it was all going to fast for me and I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to do: startup life vs. Med career.<p>During that year off I learned a lot about running a startup and just as importantly about myself. When I went back to university I was 3 times as confident about my abilities and goals.
If you are an autodidact, then yes.<p>I've been building a company for the past three years, and I have to say that it has been very educational. There are no grades per se, but whether or not you eat this month is... well, very motivating.