I realize people aren't supposed to care about their own credentials, but we've noticed at least one legitimate use of them: to convince third parties. E.g. if

I realize people aren't supposed to care about their own credentials, but we've noticed at least one legitimate use of them: to convince third parties. E.g. if your cofounder's parents or spouse had previously been pressuring him to stop working with you on your crazy project, getting funded by YC can fix that to some degree. Though come to think of it, it may not be entirely bad if people are influenced by their own credentials. Morale is a huge factor in a startup. If getting some credential boosts someone's confidence, even though in principle it shouldn't, it may make them more likely to succeed.