As a man who has been hustling flat out to get into a program such as this for the past several months and is currently dead broke living in an 8 square meter apartment in SF, it's very difficult to read this kind of article and not wonder. I'm passing the technical filters (which admittedly should be weak for a school), but not quite making it in. I not only went out of my way to visit multiple schools and talk to former graduates, but I even sold a bank on the idea of giving me a (small) loan to cover living expenses.
With such high applicant to acceptance ratios, I can't take things too personally, but it's hard not to feel discouraged. Am I getting passed over largely because people just don't value investing in a 30 something man? Would a female in my shoes have gotten in long ago?
I know having more money would help, but it's a bit of a reinforcing cycle since the social proof and skills gained at such a program help greatly in making money. As my last submission to HN should make it clear, I love this kind of teaching system. I strongly believe that people learn way faster with guidance and peers working towards the same goal than they do working alone. What can I do to up my chances of acceptance into a similar school/bootcamp/dojo/academy?