Aaryan Singh Kushwah, a 17-year-old entrepreneur from Mumbai, shared his “bittersweet” emotions after receiving a rejection from Stanford University on December 14, 2024. While he won’t be heading to California, his achievements in the world of entrepreneurship are making waves.
A Double Dose of News in One Day
Kushwah posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) about the series of events that unfolded within 24 hours.
In addition to the Stanford rejection, he also reached a major milestone: his analytics dashboard gained 2 million impressions, attracted over 2.2 lakh users, and he was granted a $10,000 fellowship from Emergent Ventures.
Stanford’s Rejection Letter
In his post, Kushwah shared the contents of the rejection email he received from Stanford. The email, signed by Richard H. Shaw, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, expressed regret in informing him that he had not been accepted. The letter praised Kushwah for his hard work, dedication, and talent, acknowledging the difficult nature of the decision.
While Shaw reassured him that the decision was not a reflection of his abilities or potential, he explained that there was limited space available in the incoming class and that appeals were not possible for this admission cycle.
Despite the disappointment, Kushwah remains positive. “Tough loss but gotta come back stronger. Grateful I had the opportunity to apply, grateful I felt badly about the loss. All in God’s glory,” he said, sharing his determination to keep going.
Kushwah’s entrepreneurial journey includes founding 90nine, which he describes as “India’s largest student-led internet journalism and publishing agency.”
He also established the Mumbai Debate Society. With these accomplishments, it’s clear that the young entrepreneur is already carving his own path to success, with or without Stanford.
