Zach Yadegari, an 18-year-old high school senior from Roslyn, New York, achieved what most adults can only dream of: launching a startup that made $30 million in its first year. But despite his stellar accomplishments, he was rejected by 15 out of the 18 colleges he applied to.
A Stellar Academic and Entrepreneurial Record
Yadegari boasts a 4.0 GPA and an impressive ACT score of 34. He’s not just a top-performing student, he’s also a tech prodigy. He learned to code at age 7, began teaching others by 10, and had an app available in the App Store by age 12.
In his junior year of high school, he founded Cal AI, an app that uses artificial intelligence to estimate calorie content in food from a photo. The app has since become a multimillion-dollar success.
College Dreams Cut Short
Despite his academic credentials and entrepreneurial achievements, Zach was stunned by the outcome of the college admissions process.
“I didn’t expect to be accepted to all of these colleges, however, I did expect to at least be accepted to a couple of the top schools I was applying to,” he told The New York Post.
He applied early decision to the University of Pennsylvania but was rejected. Things didn’t improve during the regular decision cycle.
Rejected by the Nation’s Elite
Zach was turned down by several of the most prestigious universities in the U.S., including:
- Vanderbilt
- University of Southern California
- New York University
- Washington University in St. Louis
- University of Virginia
“I held out hope for Stanford, but then when I opened their rejection letter, all of the prior rejections just flooded in and really hit me at once,” Zach said.
Acceptance Letters From Just Three Schools
In the end, Zach received offers from just three schools:
- Georgia Tech
- University of Miami
- University of Texas
While all three are strong institutions, the outcome highlights what many see as a disconnect between elite colleges and real-world achievement, especially in the tech and startup space.
A Debate Over What Colleges Value
Yadegari’s experience has sparked widespread discussion online, especially after he shared his college rejections on X (formerly Twitter), where the post gained over 27 million views. Many commenters expressed frustration with what they see as elite colleges undervaluing entrepreneurship, especially when paired with academic excellence.
“I think that entrepreneurial accomplishments may not be fully appreciated,” Zach reflected.
Bright Future, With or Without the Ivy League
Despite the rejections, Zach Yadegari’s future looks incredibly bright. As a self-made millionaire before graduating high school, he’s already built a thriving company and proven his ability to innovate.
Whether he chooses to attend one of the schools that accepted him or forgo college altogether, Zach is well on his way to leaving an even bigger mark on the tech world.
