I actually see being in the first rotation as an advantage! I get to start Hacker School with a core group of 35 people. I have an easier time getting to know everyone in the batch and all of the facilitators when there are only 35 of us. Then, after a few months, there are suddenly 70 people and I can see how Hacker School runs with a larger group.

I see being in the first rotation as an opportunity to experience all possible configurations of Hacker School. Furthermore, I'm excited to be able to help shape the culture by virtue of being part of the first group doing it this way.

That said, your point is true in two ways (though I don't think in the way you intended it). First, we try to make every batch better than the ones before it. That implies that it's always better to come to a later batch (I think it's certainly true that it's better to come to Hacker School today than a year or two ago). Second, every batch has been an experiment for us: we make lots of changes (big and small) and we never know a priori how well they'll work.