[vadym909]

Unfortunately, It's a human weakness to look for 'formulaic' answers to solve for life's most difficult problems. If successful people came from Ivy Leagues, it became de rigueur that getting into an Ivy League sets you up for success. Then it was Big 4 Consulting, then it was working for FANGs, now it is Founder at a YC company.

Not saying that YC is bad, but it would be nice if getting in was easier. Maybe they should make half their seats competitive and the other half as paid ($500K) just like private schools do. Then leave it up to people's imagination how someone got in. Or maybe they should just let everyone in.

[bruce511]

Well they can't let everyone in because they have finite attention to give, and one of the reasons to be in YC is for their attention.

They also presumably have finite money, so giving money to everyone is clearly untenable.

YC is a brand, letting everyone in would dilute that brand. Letting people pay to get in would dilute that brand.

They act as a first-level-filter. Having made it into YC goes on your resume Because you passed that filter. The VC network values you more Because you passed that filter.

In other words YC as they are, are specifically working as designed. Changing that removes their value.