6 ms·

How to make your YC application stand out

90 points by aepstein 16y ago

wolfrom 16y ago
An excellent set of tips from a YC startup that we've been using for our product. The only thing I didn't see was Aaron's opinion on whether or not comments on Hacker News had helped anyone in his group stand out. I always check the karma score of co-founders to try and figure that one out.
- aepstein 16y ago
  Harj touched on it briefly last night at the NYC meetup, but I think that HN karma points are looked at as a bonus, rather than part of the criteria. Like all other aspects of the application process, it's just another chance for YC to get to know more about you. When we applied, we had (and still have by most measures) low karma scores. But we also had a working product with actual users, so that worked in our favor.
- pg 16y ago
  No one looks at actual karma numbers. It's more that if I see a name I recognize from HN, I pay special attention. E.g. if patio11 applied, I'd definitely notice, just like a lot of HN readers probably would.
  - mahmud 16y ago
    I don't think a community has ever had a man-crush on a member, like we all do on Patrick. They should teach him as an example in future "Personal Branding" courses.
  - patio11 16y ago
    Thanks, that means a lot to me. I won't be applying this time because I don't think that I could promise YC a decent shot at getting as much value from me as I got from y'all, but who knows what the future holds.
  - araneae 16y ago
    Has this ever hurt anyone? (I.e. recognized a name you Did Not Like).
DanielRibeiro 16y ago
These are some really nice hints. I'd also stress out some pg also gives on the whole application process: Drew' (from dropbox) application (good for a good example): http://files.dropbox.com/u/2/app.html http://files.dropbox.com/u/2/app.html The video from Directed Edge founders: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=855057 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=855057
- ultrasaurus 16y ago
  Wow, you see from Drew's application is that he's a good writer and a great communicator. I've been using dropbox happily so I'm sure he's a great coder too, but I wonder if 90% your application conveys is how well you'll sell users on your product down the road. (also there seem to be a fair number of concrete examples)
  - DanielRibeiro 16y ago
    On this video (http://ycombinator.posterous.com/dropbox-interview-now-online http://ycombinator.posterous.com/dropbox-interview-now-onlin...), Jessica Livingston interviews Drew. Besides being an interesting interview, it reveals that he was rejected the first time he tried out YC.
skbohra123 16y ago
brings current in my spine.
pg 16y ago
"Ultimately, the point of these videos is not for you to sell them on your idea. It's another opportunity for YC to get to know you and your team as people, in a way that words on an application form can't convey." Yes! We're not looking at the video as a way to understand your idea. That's what the written application is for. And yet so many people sit there in the video reading some prepared text in a monotone, which is not something that makes anyone look smart. Far better not to script the video. I'm not saying you should talk about random personal stuff like your favorite bands. You can talk about the startup. Just don't read a prepared statement. The best thing to talk about might be the background for the startup: how you met and how you got interested in this idea.
- retree 16y ago
  I understand the video is important - but what if we can't get round to making it in time? My cofounder currently lives the other side of the country (we're currently studying in different colleges) and so a video together would be kinda hard at the moment, not to mention expensive to meet up. Do you have any suggestions - we've looked into recording Skype video calls but it's hard to make it feel natural.
  - ziadbc 16y ago
    Skype works. Sometimes the sound is hard to deal with. However, consider that there are probably 20 other people in your same situation who will hack out a quick skype video. Keep it simple don't overthink the stuff.
  - Zev 16y ago
    Spend 20 minutes talking to each other once or twice a week on Skype. By the time you have to make the video, you'll be pretty comfortable with it. Also, close AIM/GTalk/Twitter/whatever while you do this. Don't let yourselves fall back to another way of talking to each other.
  - pg 16y ago
    Do what you can. You won't be the only one using a skype call.
zbruhnke 16y ago
Makes me have a good feeling about the app I submitted ... I know single founders are harder to get funding usually, but I'm confident I can find a co-founder in SV :)
- nl 16y ago
  If you are looking for a co-founder it probably wouldn't hurt to have a link to your blog (which you mention) on you profile.
  - zbruhnke 16y ago
    well I was not really looking for one in the post because I did not want to hijack, but a good idea nonetheless http://www.zachbruhnke.com http://www.zachbruhnke.com
cthimmer 16y ago
"I hope PG doesn't read this, but I tell people all the time that in hindsight I would've done YC for zero dollars and still given them the equity percentage. You will leave YC on the "inside" of the SV bubble. You will have personal relationships with founders and investors that you read about on TechCrunch. How can you put a price on that?" Is it just me, or is anyone else getting really tired of this type of fanboy, love-fest dribble? I have no doubt about the validity of YC as an accelerator, but it's just tiresome to read this type of stuff what feels like so often.
- dkokelley 16y ago
  This is someone who went through the program, and is commenting on the value extracted from it. For the author, the value of going through the YC program and getting the 'SV insider' connections was worth more than the equity share given to YC. I don't see how this is fanboyism in the slightest.
- Judson 16y ago
  I suppose you got very tired of those "fanboy" posts in the 10 hours you have been a member?

90 points by aepstein 16y ago

An excellent set of tips from a YC startup that we've been using for our product. The only thing I didn't see was Aaron's opinion on whether or not comments on Hacker News had helped anyone in his group stand out. I always check the karma score of co-founders to try and figure that one out.

aepstein 16y ago
Harj touched on it briefly last night at the NYC meetup, but I think that HN karma points are looked at as a bonus, rather than part of the criteria. Like all other aspects of the application process, it's just another chance for YC to get to know more about you. When we applied, we had (and still have by most measures) low karma scores. But we also had a working product with actual users, so that worked in our favor.
pg 16y ago
No one looks at actual karma numbers. It's more that if I see a name I recognize from HN, I pay special attention. E.g. if patio11 applied, I'd definitely notice, just like a lot of HN readers probably would.
- mahmud 16y ago
  I don't think a community has ever had a man-crush on a member, like we all do on Patrick. They should teach him as an example in future "Personal Branding" courses.
- patio11 16y ago
  Thanks, that means a lot to me. I won't be applying this time because I don't think that I could promise YC a decent shot at getting as much value from me as I got from y'all, but who knows what the future holds.
- araneae 16y ago
  Has this ever hurt anyone? (I.e. recognized a name you Did Not Like).

DanielRibeiro 16y ago

These are some really nice hints. I'd also stress out some pg also gives on the whole application process: Drew' (from dropbox) application (good for a good example): http://files.dropbox.com/u/2/app.html http://files.dropbox.com/u/2/app.html The video from Directed Edge founders: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=855057 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=855057

ultrasaurus 16y ago
Wow, you see from Drew's application is that he's a good writer and a great communicator. I've been using dropbox happily so I'm sure he's a great coder too, but I wonder if 90% your application conveys is how well you'll sell users on your product down the road. (also there seem to be a fair number of concrete examples)
- DanielRibeiro 16y ago
  On this video (http://ycombinator.posterous.com/dropbox-interview-now-online http://ycombinator.posterous.com/dropbox-interview-now-onlin...), Jessica Livingston interviews Drew. Besides being an interesting interview, it reveals that he was rejected the first time he tried out YC.

skbohra123 16y ago

brings current in my spine.

pg 16y ago

"Ultimately, the point of these videos is not for you to sell them on your idea. It's another opportunity for YC to get to know you and your team as people, in a way that words on an application form can't convey." Yes! We're not looking at the video as a way to understand your idea. That's what the written application is for. And yet so many people sit there in the video reading some prepared text in a monotone, which is not something that makes anyone look smart. Far better not to script the video. I'm not saying you should talk about random personal stuff like your favorite bands. You can talk about the startup. Just don't read a prepared statement. The best thing to talk about might be the background for the startup: how you met and how you got interested in this idea.

retree 16y ago
I understand the video is important - but what if we can't get round to making it in time? My cofounder currently lives the other side of the country (we're currently studying in different colleges) and so a video together would be kinda hard at the moment, not to mention expensive to meet up. Do you have any suggestions - we've looked into recording Skype video calls but it's hard to make it feel natural.
- ziadbc 16y ago
  Skype works. Sometimes the sound is hard to deal with. However, consider that there are probably 20 other people in your same situation who will hack out a quick skype video. Keep it simple don't overthink the stuff.
- Zev 16y ago
  Spend 20 minutes talking to each other once or twice a week on Skype. By the time you have to make the video, you'll be pretty comfortable with it. Also, close AIM/GTalk/Twitter/whatever while you do this. Don't let yourselves fall back to another way of talking to each other.
- pg 16y ago
  Do what you can. You won't be the only one using a skype call.

zbruhnke 16y ago

Makes me have a good feeling about the app I submitted ... I know single founders are harder to get funding usually, but I'm confident I can find a co-founder in SV :)

nl 16y ago
If you are looking for a co-founder it probably wouldn't hurt to have a link to your blog (which you mention) on you profile.
- zbruhnke 16y ago
  well I was not really looking for one in the post because I did not want to hijack, but a good idea nonetheless http://www.zachbruhnke.com http://www.zachbruhnke.com

cthimmer 16y ago

"I hope PG doesn't read this, but I tell people all the time that in hindsight I would've done YC for zero dollars and still given them the equity percentage. You will leave YC on the "inside" of the SV bubble. You will have personal relationships with founders and investors that you read about on TechCrunch. How can you put a price on that?" Is it just me, or is anyone else getting really tired of this type of fanboy, love-fest dribble? I have no doubt about the validity of YC as an accelerator, but it's just tiresome to read this type of stuff what feels like so often.

dkokelley 16y ago
This is someone who went through the program, and is commenting on the value extracted from it. For the author, the value of going through the YC program and getting the 'SV insider' connections was worth more than the equity share given to YC. I don't see how this is fanboyism in the slightest.
Judson 16y ago
I suppose you got very tired of those "fanboy" posts in the 10 hours you have been a member?