Without seeing the work going into YC firsthand, I can only speculate on the limitations of that end.
However, looking further into the lack of quality applicants, I believe strongly that the failures of the public education system are a direct cause of this lack of applicants. In fact, I would be willing to wager that most applicants are some of the few that 'slipped through the cracks' of the public schooling experience with their minds and ambitions intact. To avoid infringement: this is all covered in Paul's oldie-but-goodie article, "Why Nerds are Unpopular."
And then you have the even higher end (less direct) influences. ie: the modern world diluting the American dream through the 'satisfaction' derived from a big screen TV and a dozen maxed out credit cards. (anyone feel the urge to reread Great Gatsby?). But thats more the realm of philosophers and sociologists.
However, looking further into the lack of quality applicants, I believe strongly that the failures of the public education system are a direct cause of this lack of applicants. In fact, I would be willing to wager that most applicants are some of the few that 'slipped through the cracks' of the public schooling experience with their minds and ambitions intact. To avoid infringement: this is all covered in Paul's oldie-but-goodie article, "Why Nerds are Unpopular."
And then you have the even higher end (less direct) influences. ie: the modern world diluting the American dream through the 'satisfaction' derived from a big screen TV and a dozen maxed out credit cards. (anyone feel the urge to reread Great Gatsby?). But thats more the realm of philosophers and sociologists.