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Spielberg never graduated from college until fairly recently -- an honorary degree. That "college" was UCLA. How does then unknown teenager Spielberg get his student film to be seen by a top studio executive like Sheinberg? Unless there was a family relationship? I'm told that Spielberg's mother is Sheinberg's sister. This "rumor" was running rampant at Universal when Spielberg first directed "Duel" at age 19. Lorraine Garry, one of the stars of "Jaws" is Sheinberg's wife.

"Do you wanna graduate college or do you wanna be a film director?" – Spielberg makes his choice
More from this book.
Following on from the success, such as it was, of Firelight, Spielberg's next effort as a film maker was Amblin, and this, given that he had already made some movie industry insider contacts, got him the serious attention of Hollywood. So much so that Hollywood made him an offer which he did not refuse …http://www.brianmicklethwait.com/education/famous_educations/

A couple of months later Amblin was ready for unveiling. Since the negative was held at the Technicolor lab within Universal Studios, the twenty-four-minute movie was handily situated for a providential borrowing.

Universal's president in charge of TV was thirty-two-year-old Sidney Jay Sheinberg, and after a feature screening one night. Chuck Silvers prevailed on him to watch 'this young guy's short film'. Sheinberg agreed and was suitably impressed. He liked the way Spielberg had selected the performers and developed their relationship, he admired what he saw as the maturity and warmth in the movie. Taking in the close-to-mirror image of himself that Spielberg presented in the hastily arranged follow-up meeting was something else again. Sheinberg recalls a 'nerd-like, scrawny creature' appearing: 'The surprising thing was that he looked just like me.'

'You should be a director,' he informed Spielberg.

'I think so too,' came the rapid agreement, 'but I'm still at college. I haven't graduated yet.'

'Do you wanna graduate college or do you wanna be a film director?'

A TV contract at Universal or back to college? Oh, real tough. Spielberg quit

December 2, 2004
‘Night Gallery’ producer Sackheim dead at 83
William Sackheim, one of the producers who gave Steven Spielberg his first professional work on Universal’s “Night Gallery” series, died yesterday at his home in Beverly Hills at the age of 83.

Sackheim contended in recent years that Spielberg wasn’t forced upon him by mentor Sid Sheinberg to direct the “Eyes” segment of the “Night Gallery” pilot in 1969. Rather, Sackheim says the suggestion of hiring Spielberg was made and when he screened Spielberg’s short film “Amblin’,” Spielberg’s sizeable talents were already apparent. This of course says a lot about Sackheim’s eye for judging new talent (especially in someone as young as Spielberg at the time) and the fact that Spielberg’s talents paved the way to his outstanding career more than legends of Sheinberg pushing his protégé off on producers would have people think.

So talented after only one short "student" film?