

How to hack together a Y Combinator application - ivankirigin
http://tipjoys2cents.blogspot.com/2008/03/how-to-hack-together-y-combinator.html

======
pg
The whole late vs. early thing is a bit of red herring. I think what I
actually said was that a surprising number of the best startups only decided
to apply at the last minute. But we certainly don't look at applications that
come in at the last minute and think "ok, these guys must be good."

It doesn't help to apply late. It doesn't hurt much, either. We do start
looking at some of the early applications, and make suggestions about things
they could change to improve their prospects. But I doubt by more than 10%. If
you're good, it will show, basically.

~~~
ivankirigin
Updated the post. I'm kinda surprised that is what the comments focused on --
whoops.

~~~
pg
It's not necessarily your fault. It's very common for comments to focus on a
side point and miss the core of a post. Happens to me all the time.

------
ALee
Here's other resources for advice:

<http://mattmaroon.com/?p=247>

[http://leavingcorporate.com/2008/03/24/how-to-get-
accepted-f...](http://leavingcorporate.com/2008/03/24/how-to-get-accepted-for-
a-y-combinator-interview/)

~~~
wumi
Matt's number 1 tip is the opposite:

"# Apply early. I’m guessing something like 75% of their applications are
submitted in the last few days. That’s usually how those sorts of things work.
Doing it earlier can only help get you a little more consideration time."

and leaving co:

"Start early. If you haven’t already begun your application, do so now! It’s
due on April 2nd, and you probably should have started at least a month in
advance. There’s certainly been cases where founders have been accepted with a
last minute application, but why risk it? The longer you can think things
through and iteratively improve your application, the better chance you’ve
got."

~~~
ivankirigin
Didn't Matt apply late?

Considering there is no longer an option to start early, the only advice left
to give is "do it now!"

~~~
wumi
true

------
Payton
"The best people apply late"

I am really curious as to where that factoid came from and how you could
quantify that.

I could see that the best people put thought into the application process,
begin writing early and hold off on actually submitting until close to the
deadline.

~~~
rmobin
From <http://www.paulgraham.com/notnot.html> :

"We have some evidence to support this. Several of the most successful
startups we've funded told us later that they only decided to apply at the
last moment. Some decided only hours before the deadline."

~~~
wheels
But copying that would be particularly cargo-cult-ish. The point there is that
great people were uncertain, not that uncertain people were great. The thing
to copy is the greatness, not the uncertainty. :-)

"Cargo Cult Software Engineering" should be required reading for all nerds:

<http://stevemcconnell.com/ieeesoftware/eic10.htm>

