Stanley Zhong had a 4.42 GPA, a 1590 SAT, and ranked in the top 1% of the USA Computing Olympiad (Platinum). He built a free e-signing platform, reached the semifinals of Google Code Jam, and placed 2nd in MIT’s Battlecode. Still, 15 of 18 colleges rejected him — including Stanford, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and even Cal Poly. But numbers aside, what’s most striking is hearing from Stanley himself. In the clip below, you’ll see a thoughtful, humble young man who even admits he didn’t expect to get into every top school — but still thought the state schools were within reach. He’s not alone. Stories like this are surfacing everywhere. Students are asking: When did merit stop mattering? It’s time we start rewarding it.