I submitted my application on April 6th after I specifically nulled out my entire application before because I didn't want to be in Boston this summer, because I got an e-mail that said "you had started an application but never clicked Submit. Please go in and submit it." When I went via the special link in the e-mail, I saw that half of my application was still there, even though I specifically had previously deleted each field and saved it blank because I didn't want to apply or to share my information. So, I said, what the heck, they contacted me, and it seems my details were recovered from their database even though I deleted the fields, and I could say I was special if I both got in and had applied late on the 6th via a special e-mail link, so that made it interesting; so, I clicked Submit. I'm also a single founder who has a pre-existing corporation, so I guess I struck out on all the important fields that matter. :P Finally, I also knew from some post here that they say "please laugh at us if we were wrong to reject you", so I knew that even if I received such a letter, it would be fun to take them up on the offer. :P
The best part about YC, and one I will always be thankful for, is the chance to attend the Startup School. So, whether you are specifically selected for YC or not, it's good that there are many entrepreneurial peers in Cambridge and Mountain View who you can associate with, thanks to YC. Second, the articles on this site. Third, this news.ycombinator.com web site. Fourth, meeting great people.
The 5K+5K per person is great regardless of whether you are selected or not. I'm rooting for as many teams as possible get selected, versus for any one specific team, because we all benefit from a huge number of peer startups, regardless of who specifically it is. It's very lonely for those who aren't in those startup hotspots, and news.yc does something in additional to PG's articles--allows people to feel like they're part of the scene in YC, whether they are selected for YC or move to one of those areas themselves, without feeling like strangers. But, that money isn't going to make or break a startup, and if you decide not to continue because of it (or you haven't already started your idea), time is ticking.
I submitted my application on April 6th after I specifically nulled out my entire application before because I didn't want to be in Boston this summer, because I got an e-mail that said "you had started an application but never clicked Submit. Please go in and submit it." When I went via the special link in the e-mail, I saw that half of my application was still there, even though I specifically had previously deleted each field and saved it blank because I didn't want to apply or to share my information. So, I said, what the heck, they contacted me, and it seems my details were recovered from their database even though I deleted the fields, and I could say I was special if I both got in and had applied late on the 6th via a special e-mail link, so that made it interesting; so, I clicked Submit. I'm also a single founder who has a pre-existing corporation, so I guess I struck out on all the important fields that matter. :P Finally, I also knew from some post here that they say "please laugh at us if we were wrong to reject you", so I knew that even if I received such a letter, it would be fun to take them up on the offer. :P
The best part about YC, and one I will always be thankful for, is the chance to attend the Startup School. So, whether you are specifically selected for YC or not, it's good that there are many entrepreneurial peers in Cambridge and Mountain View who you can associate with, thanks to YC. Second, the articles on this site. Third, this news.ycombinator.com web site. Fourth, meeting great people.
The 5K+5K per person is great regardless of whether you are selected or not. I'm rooting for as many teams as possible get selected, versus for any one specific team, because we all benefit from a huge number of peer startups, regardless of who specifically it is. It's very lonely for those who aren't in those startup hotspots, and news.yc does something in additional to PG's articles--allows people to feel like they're part of the scene in YC, whether they are selected for YC or move to one of those areas themselves, without feeling like strangers. But, that money isn't going to make or break a startup, and if you decide not to continue because of it (or you haven't already started your idea), time is ticking.