college decision reactions 2021! (+ dealing w/ rejection) (10 schools!!)

Skip to 1:25 for the reactions
It is finally my turn to upload one of these videos! I wanted to get really real with y'all in this video because I'm sure that this has been a really emotional experience for a lot of people.
I really want to emphasize that I am EXTREMELY happy l to have gotten accepted and waitlisted to these schools!!! :D Some people might think that 10 schools isn’t that many, but that is because I only applied to places that I would genuinely want to attend. I’ve already attended some virtual events for one of these schools and I’m getting reeeeaaaalllly excited! I don't want to make it seem like I am ungrateful, I just wanted to share my (relatably) real reactions.
(SPOILER) LIST OF RESULTS:
University of South Carolina (Honors College)- Accepted
University of Chicago- Rejected
UC San Diego- Accepted
Emory- Accepted
UC Berkeley- Waitlisted
Cornell- Rejected
Harvard- Rejected
Yale- Rejected
Columbia- Rejected
Stanford- Rejected
Congrats to all of my class of '21/'25 homies for getting through this process! 🎉
#collegedecisionreaction

[@petiojude012]

This year was so brutal. I applied to 10 US schools, got into 4. Didn’t get into colleges with ≈30% acceptance rates, but I did get into Brown. It’s so random.

[@uttaraiyer5158]

This year was as random as it could get 🥲🥲 thanking my stars because I’ll be applying as high school batch of 2022. But as an international student , it will be brutal 😀✋🏼

[@aikoconnelly8055]

Wow, Congrats!!

[@aikoconnelly8055]

I'm not going to lie, being international is definitely brutal, but I wish you luck!

[@petiojude012]

I applied as a US citizen living abroad, not sure if that counts as international? Ultimately US schools are way too expensive and far from home for me, so I'll be staying in the UK :) Grateful for all the opportunities though.

[@sydneyfessenden6119]

My dream school was Brown and I got deferred and then rejected🤧

[@fanboy1398]

Loved your video! Years ago I got rejected from UCLA, UCSB and UCSD. I eventually went to undergrad at UC Irvine. Years later I went to grad school at Columbia and received 2 degrees there. Life is strange and you never know how things work out. I'm sure you'll do great wherever you go!

[@ejw2002]

I got rejected from UCSB (my top school for a while) but then I got into UCI and visited and loved it so much more!! Life does work out

[@saarthshah]

Same applied to 24 schools, got into 3(UCSD, Waterloo, UW Madison), and waitlisted at 4(CMU, Georgia Tech, UMich, Purdue). Got rejected from all 8 Ivies, Stanford, UCB, UCLA & more. This year was fucked.

[@hangar8921]

U going to uw ?? That’s where I’m going hehe

[@saarthshah]

@@hangar8921 I am going to UCSD.

[@hannacisney2199]

I really appreciate you posting this! I applied to 9 schools and got into two and waitlisted at one and thought that I was the only one. This is honorable of you to post this, thank you.

[@vladgurmanov9064]

Congrats on Emory and UCSD. That is amazing

[@ChristianA197]

You did amazing! The fact you got into any university is a great accomplishment. Don’t worry about what others think and your life will be so much easier

[@gulfbaby230]

Honey, please don’t worry about what people think about you!! Getting rejected from some of these schools is in no way a reflection of the wonderful person that you are. Some of these schools are next to impossible to get accepted to. You got into some really great schools and your future is bright!! Best of luck to you!!

[@aftoncrain2042]

They really shouldn’t release decisions on Christmas because they could ruin someone’s Christmas. Congrats btw

[@zachlupo2307]

Ur so not stupid for applying to those schools tbh it’s smart to apply to mostly schools u probably wont get into because the more of them you apply to, the more chance you have of getting into one. And the fact u got into Emory shows u rly did have a good chance

[@oliviasykes2177]

So proud of you AIko! This year was so so hard for all of you applying and I feel for you guys so much. Just remember you are a talented, smart, cool ass gal who is going to do AMAZING no matter where you go. Love ya lots

[@gardencat8578]

My daughter also applied 10 schools, Columbia is also her favorite. This year is so crazy. She was only accepted by 3schools. Most of colleges she applied acceptance rate dropped to less than 5%.

[@user-uo7id7xb8h]

hey, Aiko, I watched your video, and it encourages me a lot. While I was watching, my heartbeat was just getting faster. I know that feeling truly. You’re so brave to put your results and feelings on the internet.

[@sarah.93.30]

I so admire your strength and bravery. Congratulations on getting into college. Columbia is missing out big time!!

[@mistertee.e]

Continue believing in yourself and pushing for your goals! You got into great schools! You can even transfer after a year or go to grad school at one of your dream college. Congratulations on your acceptances! 👏👏👏👏

[@hopehope8116]

This was such a real and helpful video. This year was the worst year to apply. Proud of you.

[@millieskippy_g]

I’m a senior waiting for decisions and I really appreciate what you talked about at the end of the video. I’ve been obsessively watching these videos and it’s been hurting my mental health so much. You should be super proud of yourself and know that you can have a much happier and more fulfilling life than someone who’s stressing themselves for perfection at an ivy. You seem like such a genuine and amazing person and I hope you have an amazing college journey and life :)

[@carnatik_]

bro ur still cool af for this, you'll do great regardless of where you go !

[@carnatik_]

@S w it’s a term of endearment

[@IKNOKWORLDWIDE]

UCSD and Emory! That's amazing!

[@rainbowdiva714]

You did great! This year so much more difficult and everything is also down to luck. The schools you applied to were really difficult to get into and you gave it a shot. I think you'll do well wherever you go!

[@rissriss3608]

I had a very similar experience a couple years ago when I applied but also got into Emory!! There is a strong confirmation bias on KZbin, and there is a serious lack of videos on the 85%-97% of people who get rejected from these schools. This year especially was extremely competitive also. I’ve learned that college admissions are a total shot in the dark, and college applications can never fully encapsulate who you are. The admissions team is just attempting to make a semi-educated guess on who will do best at their school. If you have any questions about Emory, feel free to reach out!

[@serqna6454]

愛子ちゃん you did so well and i’m so proud of you 😭❤️

[@TheRealLifeofDes]

Congrats !!!!! Happy for u Uc San Diego is my dream school !! I just posted a CSU reaction video , I’m still waiting on UCs as a transfer student they told me it will out at the end of this month so so scared

[@jaehans]

i went through a very similar experience this year, and it means so much to me to hear that i'm not alone

[@woyer999]

aiko, u r a ROCKSTAR! stay true to yourself, lead with your chin, never give up!

[@YAYHQ]

I think it's important for uni applicants to know their place. I know people who are way overconfident, thinking they can get into UCL, UCLA, Berkeley, NYU, etc., and then got rejected from ALL their college choices (and they did apply for objectively 'safety' schools, but apparently not too safe for them).

[@sumiranmaiskar]

I like your honesty and the realness in your video! I really hope you do great in college :) It's kinda relatable to me, I entered college in 2020 and faced something similar, so I appreciate your strength and niceness, (is that even a word lol). Thanks!

[@jacindapaf8076]

Very nice video. Thanks for your insights, especially the final minutes of your video. All kids need to see this. And never feel bad about believing in yourself. That’s the most important thing.

[@imaniphipps1843]

You are so beautiful!! Thank you for sharing your experience

[@kabaomccarver6039]

You are going to do wonderful in life. You have a fabulous outlook and are so relatable. Thanks for being willing to share your journey.

[@johannaand4624]

Congratulations! In response to your comment about rejections and your fear that people might think you're stupid for thinking you could get in to these places... I just want to remind you that an application is simply a piece of work, not a definer of your intelligence level. Rejections do in no way mean that you are not smart enough to get in to the schools or that you didn't have a chance to get in or that you are not good enough for the schools. This is a common fear, especially among high achieving girls and women. All the best!

[@Mitzi73]

Congratulations on the honors college! Very prestigious.

[@oyeong22]

Congrats!! I'm so proud of you, and I admire your strength 💗

[@baltimoremike9490]

Your video was so real. God bless u for sharing your reactions. U should do videos on your experience in the first year

[@lea2767]

hey thank you so much for uploading this! i love how real this is and it truly shows how random the admission process is haha

[@charliewallace8297]

Thank you for making this video. You will be so successful wherever you end up

[@a.m.6847]

She is an intelligent young woman!!!

[@richardberman6694]

The Ivy and Ivy plus schools are luring people into applying and so many amazing kids apply there but few perhaps understand that getting into them is mainly, almost entirely based on your “story”, race, HS, connections and athletic or other recruitment. Everyone else who applied has barely a shot to even be considered.

[@jk-zx8pd]

I'm so proud of you! Emory is a great university, congrats!!

[@mintyt3392]

My dream is Columbia too but maybe you can do grad there🥰 but besides that I hope you the best in the future

[@jomasht]

wow this is so brave ! thanks for sharing

[@Katie-xm5ck]

Thank you for being so real. Congratulations by the way!

[@yassinezaim-sassi4771]

Congrats on all your wonderful acceptances! I was also applying for the class of 2025 and it was definitely a challenge to say the least. I did also get my hopes up for some reach schools and got rejected by all the ivies I applied to lol. Regardless, thanks for your wise words and good luck wherever you end up!

[@meganngeorge]

You read the rejections so quickly, are you sure they weren’t waitlists? You did get into great schools anyway, Congratulations on your great options!

[@aarna7128]

Congrats!!

[@stuartkeylock4199]

2021 I hope you stay safe Praying for you know to get through college and stay safe with family

[@madeleinecarroll7277]

Yes you have to make more vids about this!

[@hardikagarwal8552]

Your voice is so sweet.❤️

[@estherbradley3218]

You are a very courageous young lady! Well done

[@mintyt3392]

I want to see more college related videos 💙

[@owenbarger8873]

I love your hair!

[@calm713]

It took me awhile, but now I've figured it out, you sound and behave a LOT like Zoey Deutch. She's in a few movies, TV shows--"The Politician" being her latest, i think. I consider that a compliment 😀 Also, you never told us which school you decided to go to!

[@savedbychrist504]

Can you share your stats that you applied with? SAT/ ACT/ GPA/EC’s? Thank you

[@RaquelAbracadabrantes]

Congrats!!!!

[@andresramirez4469]

Getting into Harvard or Yale is beyond tough. You'd have a better chance being struck by lightening on a sunny day. I know the feeling believe me its disapointing.

[@nnn3842]

omg i love your voice so much

[@gabriellacatilli]

I’m from the UK so I don’t know much about the US college system. What extra benefits do you get from being in the honours college?? Congrats on all your acceptances :))

[@michaelcortinas6993]

You finish a bachelors and a masters in 5 years.

[@hardikagarwal8552]

Congratulations

[@AlexFiskervanVeen]

Hey I’m also an international student in Japan and also a SENIOR!! I go to ASIJ

[@Ceren-ln4km]

I think it's not embarrassing to getting rejected by ivys. You are in Emory it's a great university.

[@pascalvfx]

Hi! Hope u are doing good. Im an international student looking forward to apply in the U.S. I’d be so glad if u could answer me this question.. I assume u chose early action for harvard, did they allow you to take early action for other schools? I saw they didnt let you do that :( so im actually really curious. Thank u so much!

[@aikoconnelly8055]

So for early action you can apply to more than one school. For example, I applied to UofSC and Harvard under early action. BUT when it comes to some private schools, they say that you are only allowed to apply to one school early (not including state schools). So for example, you could apply early action to Harvard but you would not be allowed to apply early action to another ivy league school, like Yale. Please check the individual schools that you are thinking about just to make sure.

[@christabelnneoma3158]

Random but you have the nicest smile

[@theone4042]

You're very mature. Grad school is better to go to IVY anyways.

[@user-kz9hv2bl4o]

You are beautiful ❤

[@nykiralong5588]

i have a question , what grades do they look at when you go to college , how far do they go ? do they only look at your junior and senior year grades ?

[@ebubechiabonyi5149]

Girl your so strong and I am proud of you because you seem like an awful person

[@Schen-nh5qw]

Girl where are your safeties

[@aikopeterson4509]

Omg hi we have the same name

[@vishwajeetd1483]

Watch the video on x1.5

[@dipanshu2374]

I'm completed 12th I search international college

[@wryandwatchful]

You have a singing voice, in case you didn’t know

[@jamiloke]

Thanks for 👍🔥

[@tracylatak2970]

What school are you going to

[@gdwwt8303]

are u Japanese or American? i'm curious because if you're American but study in Japan, that also puts u in the international pool?

[@aikoconnelly8055]

Hi! So I have dual citizenship in Japan and the US and I am a resident of the state of South Carolina, so that means that I am not an international student. However, from my understanding, most colleges have admissions officers that are assigned to different regions, so my application was in the East Asia or Japan pool of applicants (or however they divided regions).

[@gdwwt8303]

@@aikoconnelly8055 ohhh i got it ! thx so much!

[@CA-fc8kl]

Are you an embassy kid?

[@melvacaiza2838]

Hello, could you help me, I am 14 years old and I am an international student, I want to enter Hadvard or other universities, I want to make an effort, I still have 3 years to get it, could you give me some advice, please, it would be important to me. ❤

[@samuelsegal3542]

I'm a senior going through the college application process right now, and what I can't emphasize enough is to get involved in student organizations and found a club or two. If you have any idea what you want to major in, I recommend you do an independent project relating to it (e.g. a medical device for biomedical engineering, compositions for music major, a tutoring service for education, etc etc). It also helps to start researching schools earlier on: Fiske's guide to colleges and USNews are good starting points, but you're going to want to attend virtual information sessions (remember to take notes for your future essays) from the specific colleges to narrow down your list, which should have around 10-15 schools. After you've attended those virtual information sessions, follow up with admissions with other questions you have about the school: this shows interest, which colleges are taking more into account as application numbers are increasing. I recommend applying to ~2 safety schools (this was what Aiko did for UofSC, schools that you're almost definitely going to get into), ~3 target schools (schools that you have a realistic chance at: ~50%), and the rest for reaches (any Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, etc). You're also going to want to take more difficult classes if you've got your eyes set on a higher tier university, as the difficulty of a class oftentimes matters more than the grade you get in it. Applying REA (Restrictive early action, means you can't apply to other universities early) or ED(Early decision, means if you get accepted you HAVE to go) can boost your admission rates, but not as much as it might seem: a lot of athletes and legacy kids apply REA and ED so the numbers are skewed. Don't leave your essays for the last minute, apply early action when you can, line up your teacher recommendations as soon as possible, and you'll be fine. Good luck, remember that a lot of it is luck, and here's hoping that you'll get accepted where you want to go

[@atiqurrahman1605]

2:59

[@yashthakkar5503]

*moral of the story* - DONT BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!!!