You'll find far too often in the business world, its not what you can do, its who you know and how you present yourself. Unfortunately. And just as unfortunately, a degree is a big part of how people view you. That is, unless you have the capital to get the ball rolling yourself, then its about what you can do. Be patient, slow down a bit and try a bit harder to keep your feet on the ground. You'll do well, just let it happen when the time is right, not necessarily right now. Age IS a factor, being you arent out of high school yet, you simply cannot have the experience necessary to deal with a lot of situations you will encounter in the business world. People who have moved through that learning curve will recognize this, no matter how maturely you present yourself. For example, if those silicon valley companies really are interested in you, Im betting they said something along the lines of 'come talk to us when you finish school'.