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YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

blog.ycombinator.com

21–30 of 98 posts

Re: YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

#21
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was just going to ask this. Silicon valley would be better served (and better serve others) when they stop giving hand service to the same schools they they went to and the people who think and act exactly like them.

We try to mix it up. Here's where we went last winter: https://blog.ycombinator.com/winter-2016-college-tour/ . And last fall: https://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-office-hours-in-11-countries...

Will you be visiting Georgia Tech this year?

Re: YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

#22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was just going to ask this. Silicon valley would be better served (and better serve others) when they stop giving hand service to the same schools they they went to and the people who think and act exactly like them.

Top schools attract a disproportionate of intelligent young people. Ignoring that would be stupid.

Being set up for success is different than being inherently intelligent. Who YC chooses to give separate attention does deserve scrutiny.

Re: YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

#23
post #16
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We try to mix it up. Here's where we went last winter: https://blog.ycombinator.com/winter-2016-college-tour/ . And last fall: https://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-office-hours-in-11-countries...

When YC posts about visiting the top-tier schools, it gives the impression that they are the only schools that matter. And I have to ask: If the Ivies/MIT/Stanford aren't the only schools that matter, why call them out in a post that's distinct from the winter tour post?

I'm calling out the schools this time because when I submitted a post titled "YC Winter Tour 2016" last year, this is how it performed on HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10881402.

Re: YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

#24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Through need based financial aid, these schools are very affordable for many of those students.

Once you get in. Unfortunately, it's often extremely expensive to build the resume required for getting into these schools in the first place.

That's really the problem. Sure, its cheap and they have great financial aid, but they don't pay for the tutors and the "life changing" experiences in Africa the rich kids have.

Re: YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

#25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Through need based financial aid, these schools are very affordable for many of those students.

Once you get in. Unfortunately, it's often extremely expensive to build the resume required for getting into these schools in the first place.

[deleted]

Re: YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

#26
post #23
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When YC posts about visiting the top-tier schools, it gives the impression that they are the only schools that matter. And I have to ask: If the Ivies/MIT/Stanford aren't the only schools that matter, why call them out in a post that's distinct from the winter tour post?

I'm calling out the schools this time because when I submitted a post titled "YC Winter Tour 2016" last year, this is how it performed on HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10881402 .

Is there a requirement that YC announcements perform well? I'm not trying to be negative, but just announce all the tours the same way and let people make of it what they will.

Re: YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

#27
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Once you get in. Unfortunately, it's often extremely expensive to build the resume required for getting into these schools in the first place.

That's really the problem. Sure, its cheap and they have great financial aid, but they don't pay for the tutors and the "life changing" experiences in Africa the rich kids have.

This just ain't reality. Most kids don't get in because they took a trip to Africa. Parents that pay a ton of money on making their kids the perfect college applicant generally get a bad deal and are a small minority.

Re: YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

#28
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

NC State is more qualified than you give credit. US News ranks NC State's Engineering program higher than Duke's. Duke / NC State / UNC are three strong universities. http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-gradu...

Eh - quality of education and research aside, and it's fine in that regard, it still doesn't have the same prestige as the other two by a long shot.

I have experience with NC State, Duke, UNC. At the undergraduate level there isn't much difference between the three (except basketball).

Re: YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

#29

What about the other 99% of talented students that couldn't afford these schools?

These schools are actually some of the most affordable in the country due to their extremely generous financial aid. Poor families pay nothing and even middle class families have minimal contributions. (For example, all of the elite universities I was accepted to cost less than my state school would have.)

Now if only poor people could get educational equality in the 13 years prior to college :-/

Re: YC at Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UPenn

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Top schools attract a disproportionate of intelligent young people. Ignoring that would be stupid.

Being set up for success is different than being inherently intelligent. Who YC chooses to give separate attention does deserve scrutiny.

> Being set up for success is different than being inherently intelligent.

Sure, but you're arguing against a straw man.

It's simply objectively true that students at elite are on average much smarter than students at other schools, and more ambitious. They're much more likely to have a viable YC application.

In fact, students who get into elite schools but don't attend them still far out-perform students who never got into one.

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