6 ms·

I submitted my name, email and university only to receive an email that said that I wasn't qualified because I wasn't part of the five schools in their pilot pr

by wasd 14y ago

I submitted my name, email and university only to receive an email that said that I wasn't qualified because I wasn't part of the five schools in their pilot program. I wish that there was transparency from the get go instead of baiting me into entering in my personal information. wasd, Thanks for your interest in Upstart! Upstart is currently only available on a limited number of campuses, and unfortunately University of California-Berkeley is not a part of the program at this time. We are running a limited pilot at Arizona State University, Dartmouth, Rhode Island School of Design, University of Michigan and University of Washington. Your interest will be crucial in helping us decide where we should go next! We will let you know as soon as we open the Upstart network up to more campuses, including yours. Jeff, Team Upstart EDIT: I vaguely remembered this being posted before. Its been up a few times in the last 6 days without much discussion and here is a larger discussion from 4 months ago: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3718771 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3718771

andygcook 14y ago
The pilot schools are all listed in the menu next to the How it Works link, so it doesn't seem like they are purposely being sneaky. My guess is that they are using the "I'm interested" button and form as a proxy for demand. If they listed the schools in that popup and you didn't happen to go to one, you would have never filled it out and they couldn't collect that metric.
- wasd 14y ago
  Looks like you're right. I should have paid closer attention.
- ljf 14y ago
  It's not that they are being sneaky - it's just that I'd like it to be more obvious. As someone outside of the US, I find it annoying when I sign up for a new service only to be told it's US only at the last minute. If you are US only, that's cool - just remember to make that clear. Or at least do something useful with my info: "We are currently US only, but if you would like us to contact you when we expand, please click here"
larrys 14y ago
"I wish that there was transparency from the get go instead of baiting me into entering in my personal information." I'm going to say this in the nicest way possible. Life is about opportunities and attitude. Please do not worry about the fact that you filled out a form and some company (which by all means appears legit unless it was totally fabricated) has a truly nominal amount of your information. They will probably use it to gauge what schools to open up going forward most likely. I mean that seriously. I filled out the form as well (as a backer). There is nothing they requested that is of any consequence. Once again I point this out for your own benefit as I know it is common on HN to rally around something like this as if you've been truly violated and taken advantage of.
- gergles 14y ago
  Time is someone's most precious resource. Suggesting that they should waste it because "nothing they requested is of any consequence" is inaccurate. Your incredibly condescending tone doesn't help either. You could have just said the 3rd paragraph and your response would have been just as useful.
  - larrys 14y ago
    "incredibly condescending tone" doesn't exactly jive with someone who prefaces what they say with "I'm going to say this in the nicest way possible." "doesn't help either" Feel free to have a vendetta if you want and downvote my comments if you feel appropriate based on what you personally feel is condescending. I've already made my money (the old fashioned way by the way) and don't really desire to have to sugar coat my reactions based upon my years of experience.
    - Danieru 14y ago
      Saying "I'm going to say this in the nicest way possible." creates a negative implication in regards to the poster. Thus you are not putting it in the nicest way possible. It's like "No offence intended", if you say that, it means what you are about to say is offensive.
    - 14y ago

by wasd 14y ago

andygcook 14y ago

The pilot schools are all listed in the menu next to the How it Works link, so it doesn't seem like they are purposely being sneaky. My guess is that they are using the "I'm interested" button and form as a proxy for demand. If they listed the schools in that popup and you didn't happen to go to one, you would have never filled it out and they couldn't collect that metric.

wasd 14y ago
Looks like you're right. I should have paid closer attention.
ljf 14y ago
It's not that they are being sneaky - it's just that I'd like it to be more obvious. As someone outside of the US, I find it annoying when I sign up for a new service only to be told it's US only at the last minute. If you are US only, that's cool - just remember to make that clear. Or at least do something useful with my info: "We are currently US only, but if you would like us to contact you when we expand, please click here"

larrys 14y ago

"I wish that there was transparency from the get go instead of baiting me into entering in my personal information." I'm going to say this in the nicest way possible. Life is about opportunities and attitude. Please do not worry about the fact that you filled out a form and some company (which by all means appears legit unless it was totally fabricated) has a truly nominal amount of your information. They will probably use it to gauge what schools to open up going forward most likely. I mean that seriously. I filled out the form as well (as a backer). There is nothing they requested that is of any consequence. Once again I point this out for your own benefit as I know it is common on HN to rally around something like this as if you've been truly violated and taken advantage of.

gergles 14y ago
Time is someone's most precious resource. Suggesting that they should waste it because "nothing they requested is of any consequence" is inaccurate. Your incredibly condescending tone doesn't help either. You could have just said the 3rd paragraph and your response would have been just as useful.
- larrys 14y ago
  "incredibly condescending tone" doesn't exactly jive with someone who prefaces what they say with "I'm going to say this in the nicest way possible." "doesn't help either" Feel free to have a vendetta if you want and downvote my comments if you feel appropriate based on what you personally feel is condescending. I've already made my money (the old fashioned way by the way) and don't really desire to have to sugar coat my reactions based upon my years of experience.
  - Danieru 14y ago
    Saying "I'm going to say this in the nicest way possible." creates a negative implication in regards to the poster. Thus you are not putting it in the nicest way possible. It's like "No offence intended", if you say that, it means what you are about to say is offensive.
  - 14y ago