Congrats Sahil, on your decision to take some time. I trust that you'll quickly fall in love with the energy and meritocratic environment that is the startup world. Also know that you always can go back, even if USC doesn't normally allow it, the lessons you'll likely learn in the "real world" will make you a better student, if you chose to return (looking back I'm sure many of us wish we could do it "all over again").

I have a good friend who was offered the opportunity to work for a startup out of high school in 1999 after he finished an internship. Long story short, the company sold to Netscape and he always speaks highly of his experiences and the people he met. When he returned to school, rather than graduating "into" a decimated Silicon Valley job market, he rode the bubble until the 101 felt like a ghost town during rush hour. And he made his way back to school, where he was able to get exactly the education he knew he needed, based on experience. Now, just for the purposes of the case of one example, he is a YC W10 founder.

Obviously, dropping out of school to work as broad-stroked advice probably doesn't make sense, but in the case of a talented, driven entrepreneur like yourself, I say go for it.