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I like this idea but it turns financial aid into a contest. Why not distribute pooled funds after aspiring programmers apply using a FAFSA or something similar?

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FAFSA isn't an option for bootcamp applicants. Most (if not all) of these schools aren't accredited, therefore, the options for financial aid are extremely limited. We're played around with the idea of targeting larger scale donors who would donate amounts that we could spread evenly across all applicants.

Definitely agree with you though, there is a gamey element to it that I would like to do away with. However, I will gladly entertain that solution for now considering that the potential social benefit far outweighs the cons of it being a contest.

I guess my thinking is, rather than collect small donations for individuals...use their individual stories to collect funds for the pool. I don't think any of these schools are accredited given their is no accreditation for software engineer out there.

I like this a lot too; it's similar to an idea we tossed around at one point, where Codefund becomes a non-profit scholarship fund and we recruit donors at a higher level, i.e. larger average donations. Still in the cards, so we'll see after Adrian and I get a chance to go through and discuss all of this awesome feedback.

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