Seems like it's in the category of things like going to Paris to learn advanced culinary skills...the kind of thing that you typically only have the resources to do if you're either extremely wealthy or have the Leo Batuta/young-Steve-Jobs detachment to eschew comforts in search of a higher goal. Perhaps that's who they're looking for?
Erm, it's not really that exclusionary. It's just small because it has like eight people on staff and is still in its early stages.
I mean, I'm in Hacker School this batch (which is sadly ending this week) and I live in a hostel in Bed-Stuy for $650/mo. You don't have to be rich. Certainly way cheaper than college tuition for me.
I'm in the summer batch. I put in my notice yesterday at work and saved for many months to have enough money to live in NYC and not starve.
Attending hackerschool is not solely a matter of circumstance but intention. If you want something enough you'll do what you need to do in order to get it.
Seconding this. It's because I've been saving up for the past few years that I have the money to attend the summer batch. I didn't know that I was saving up for hacker school, but I'm glad I was saving :)
I'm finishing up the current winter batch, having started in a position similar to yours. I think you'll find that it's time and money well spent. I've been invited back for this summer's batch and will likely be back. If I am, see you in a month or so :-)
So? The Universe does not provide us free food and housing simply by virtue of existing. It's going to cost money to live anywhere. I don't see how this is Hacker School's problem though. Part of the experience is having a physical space to work in together. Right now, that space happens to be in NYC.
Right, it is artificial social barriers set up to exclude the many for the benefit of the few, like the "Ivy League" imprimatur or being in a "good family".
At least in the Ivy's you can in principle get a scholarship, part time work to sustain you, or gasp take out a lifetime loan, this requires a bit more thought...maybe there's kickstarter funding...hey maybe Peter N. can subsidize a deserving Hacker?
Hacker School is 4 days a week (at least this batch and last batch). You can definitely work part time during HS. I worked during the last batch of hacker school, and as a commenter above says, it's possible to live (he's doing it!) in NYC paying $650/mo in rent.
That doesn't look like an arbitrary social barrier designed to exclude the many to me. MOOCs are still there, and still awesome.
It does seem like there are probably lots of formal and informal ways of getting someone there if they've got the potential and desire. That's really good to know!
HackerSchool does give out scholarships already to some.
Also someone did run a kickstarter to get funding for their expenses in NY, and it met the funding goal almost overnight.
Hacker School is a one of a kind experience. If you attend you will be among a group of people that will have 100% participation, no one there is unsure about what they want. You also will work with some of the smartest people in the industry through the Resident program.
The Ivies give out financial aid packages far more generous than most other schools. There are all sorts of ways in which they are exclusive, but affordability (for American students, at least) is not one of them.