From tears of triumph to ecstatic celebrations, experience pure joy and inspiration as you watch some of the most heartwarming college acceptance videos the internet has to offer.
For several years, college acceptance videos have led to some viral moments of triumph and unbridled happiness. And for a good reason: the college admission process can feel daunting, and after the applications, essays, recommendation letters, and college visits, you're left waiting for the day when prospective schools reach out with their decision. And while rejections are inevitably part of the admission process, the journey often culminates with you receiving a college acceptance letter—a milestone worth celebrating.
College acceptance videos capture students' joy, excitement, and heartfelt reactions (and often their families, too) as they receive the news that they've been accepted into their dream college. Watching these videos is not only uplifting with their good vibes, but they also remind us of the hard work, dedication, and perseverance that goes into the college application process.
Take a moment to sit back and prepare to be uplifted by 15 of our favorite college acceptance videos.
1. Harvard Class of 2025 Acceptances
Harvard is one of the most selective schools in the world—their acceptance rate is 3.41%. From emotional family reactions to friends celebrating together, this compilation of acceptance videos has it all.
2. Ivy Day
Surrounded by nervous family members, this Ivy League applicant reviews admission decisions from Brown, Columbia, Harvard, UPenn, and Yale. From literal tears of rejection to unbridled joy, this video takes you on an emotional journey.
3. Who’s Going To Stanford?
Responding to the trend of filming admission reactions, California's Stanford University offers this compilation of acceptance videos from the class of 2024. With an acceptance rate of under 4%, these acceptance celebrations are definitely warranted.
4. Yale Acceptance - We dare you not to cry at this one
Yale received over 52,000 applications for its class of 2027 and accepted just over 2,000 applicants— only 4.35%. Owing to this competitive admission process, it's no surprise that this student loses it. But the celebration with her mom is what you have to stick around for.
5. Twins find out if they’re accepted to the same college or not
Another Ivy League reaction, these twins are both accepted into the University of Pennsylvania's prestigious Wharton School. While the applicants try to temper their expectations, their boisterous and emotional reaction says it all. Maybe turn down the volume a little before hitting play.
6. MIT acceptance right in her family’s shop
When the acceptance letter comes, you could be anywhere. In this case, it's a businss - her family’s business. Getting into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a big deal, and this applicant reacts accordingly.
7. Admissions announcement compilation for one student - where will he go?
This new college student compiled his reactions to multiple elite institutions, including Wake Forest, Georgetown, and Vanderbilt. Flanked by his family, these celebrations are priceless. Did somebody say “Let’s Go”?
8. The true ups and downs of college admission
This college applicant showcases the highs and lows that come with the college admission process. From triumph to tears, this video offers an honest view of what it's like to endure both rejection and college acceptance, and includes schools like Georgetown and Tufts University. This one is worth watching until the very end.
9. Family first in this acceptance video
Let's not sleep on grad students. This student applies to Harvard's Graduate School of Education and reacts to her admission with shock. The emotions flow when sharing the news with her family, especially her grandma. I’m not crying, you’re crying.
10. More than just an acceptance video
The reaction in this acceptance video is genuine, but the message is more important. This thoughtful student lays out the stress and the hard work required to get into an elite university. In this case, it's New York University. See her entire finals week and acceptance laid out.
11. UPenn Class of 2027
This compilation of acceptance videos spotlights the University of Pennsylvania class of 2027. The emotional heft of the admission process and years of endless academic effort is often a family affair—tension and release are on full display.
12. International college decision
Let's not forget international students—this one by way of Vietnam. With family standing by, this applicant reacts to decisions from top schools like Johns Hopkins University, UCLA, Northeastern University, University of Southern California, and more.
13. The future of Harvard celebrates with their families
From prospective undergrad STEM students to graduate dental applicants, this compilation of Harvard acceptance videos evokes an expanse of human emotion. Getting into Harvard is a big deal, and these students clearly know it.
14. PhD perseverance
This video is a study in perseverance. After being rejected by PhD programs the first time, this grad student applies again to schools such as Brown, Harvard, Princeton, and Northwestern. The results were a little different for round two of grad school applications.
15. Ultimate college reaction compilation
If you enjoy basking in the jubilation that comes with gaining admission into top schools, this video is for you. This extensive compilation covers 2023 reactions to schools spanning from Duke to Columbia.