Why do you want to get in the YC? | Hacker News Reader

Why do you want to get in the YC?

11 pointsabbasmehdi14 comments

I've noticed the strong interest in getting admitted, can you justify it? I'm curious to know.

1) The YC staff and Alumni possess a wealth of knowledge that would be available to you.

2) To get out of your bubble. Being surrounded by other intelligent individuals all working toward demo day helps you stay focused and keep moving.

3) The experience. Being able to have gone through the YC system wouldn't hurt.

4) The seed money would be a huge help.

5) Access to VC's with the YC brand name behind you. So again, the money.

6) The alumni network. I hear it is extremely supportive even after YC.

Disclaimer: I applied to Summer '11

I think YC by design cannot be the best thing in some ways for all startups: it converges you towards asking for more money rather than making money (it doesn't stop you from making money but the idea of the demo day is to present to VCs), secondly it is biased in the favor of an acquisition type of an exit strategy rather than a long term slow but steady growth company for the most part, and finally going through them vs doing it yourself is like going to a private university versus being self taught.

I am not saying these are good or bad things, I am just pointing them out.

More than anything else, it sounds like a great way to surround yourself with smart, creative people with a lot of ideas - sometimes you just need someone who doesn't know your project intimately to just point out the obvious or provide some constructive criticism. It seems like a strong network (including the alumni) of like-minded people working towards similar goals and a passion for doing what they like to do.

1. Pre-built structure to be around lots of awesome people and advice from the startup Godfather himself 2. Money to attract a cofounder 3. Vote of confidence from pg

My reasons: avoid rookie and preventable mistakes, be surrounded by teams on a mission, and have some structure.

For the camaraderie and priceless advice from the experienced mentors,founders, and alumni.

Because I want to drink vanilla coke and it's expensive here to import.

To work with the best people in the field.

to get things right, the first time...

I haven't applied. I started an application once but didn't finish it. I talked about that previously. I still kind of wistfully wish I could apply but it really doesn't fit my situation and I have other plans. I don't really know how to explain why I "wish" I could. Perhaps just the standard theme of my life of regretting that "normal" never works for me (due to health issues, among other things). I've spent much of my life frustrated that I have the brains and all that but still can't find "success" on conventional terms. Part of me still wishes I had some kind of recognition. Most of me is mostly content that I've done the right thing and all other choices would have been worse. Still, it sometimes feels like being grateful for having been crapped on by life. :-/

My prior related remarks are here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1827795

Your story is really moving. Have you found a techie co founder?

I don't really expect to go with a techie cofounder. I have two adult sons. They want to make games for a living. I imagine they are most likely going to wind up being helpful to me in my goals. I occasionally get a little help here and there from people I meet online. Mostly, I just need to get well enough and then I believe things will start to fall into place. Getting healthier has helped me develop my websites more consistently, even though it is still very, very part-time/intermittent. Eventually, other things will happen.

I'm still hoping for two things: An infusion of cash to help me move forward (because getting well all came out of my pocket -- it wasn't covered by insurance and such -- so I have a financial mess impeding my life) and some means to rapidly make forward progress on learning a programming language/learning how to make a game. So far, nothing has really clicked. I think people think I am being ridiculous when I say things like "I would like to download a programming language to my brain". I'm not. I'm just trying to convey that I am well aware that some things just are superior methods and sometimes something just clicks with a person. (I'm "twice exceptional" -- smart but also handicapped. So under the right circumstances I can get impressive things done and under the wrong ones I look really incompetent.) I haven't found that something yet. Presumably, it wasn't yet the right time.

I don't doubt you're smart, so I suggest get coding! :)

It was actually a bit of an afterthought.

We are going to try another startup anyway -- and we realized just days before the deadline that YC was a possibility (though a bit of a long-shot). So we gave it a shot. It's just one of hundreds of things we'll try...

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