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Ohanna Carrascoza, who grew up in Woodland Hills, California, applied to 27 universities during the latest admissions cycle in August last year and was accepted to 15 this spring.

Among her most notable achievements was gaining admission to Yale University, an Ivy League school ranked the No. 4 national university in the United States by U.S. News & World Reportwith an acceptance rate of around 4%.

She was also accepted to Dartmouth College, another Ivy League school, and the University of Pennsylvania, while receiving a full scholarship offer from the University of Southern California.

Carrascoza ultimately chose Yale, calling it her “dream school” in a TikTok video in March.

The clip, which has gone viral, captured the moment she opened her Yale email alongside her parents. After seconds of suspense, the acceptance message appeared on screen, prompting screams, tears and hugs from the family.

“I can’t believe it,” she repeated as her parents embraced her.

Her parents grew up in Guatemala and left school early to work before immigrating to the United States, where they spent years doing physically demanding labor.

“My parents are my inspiration for everything. Without them, I would not be here in the United States,” Carrascoza told Univisionan American Spanish-language television network.

“When I look at everything they sacrificed, leaving behind their family and everything familiar to come to a place where they didn’t know the language or the people, just to give us a better future, I understand that I have to work just as hard.”

Carrascoza built her applications around academic achievement and community involvement, but one of the key elements was her personal admissions essay describing her experience growing up as the daughter of immigrants, according to Extra Argentinaan Argentine news site.

The 18-year-old wrote about taking on adult responsibilities at a young age to help her father navigate language barriers and unfamiliar systems in the United States.

In a piece she wrote for CNBCCarrascoza described becoming the family’s “secretary” because of her English skills and familiarity with technology.

When her father needed to issue digital invoices for clients, she taught herself how to use Microsoft Excel, starting with simple templates before gradually learning more advanced functions.

“In order to get paid, he needed to bill his clients, and paper invoices weren’t going to cut it,” Carrascoza explained. “His limited education didn’t provide the tools he needed to understand the complexities of digital invoicing.”

Her experience helping her father adapt to technology eventually became the central theme of her university essay, which focused on turning family responsibility into motivation and developing a desire to help others navigate unfamiliar systems.

Carrascoza recalled first discovering computers in elementary school and secretly experimenting with Excel templates before a teacher noticed her interest and encouraged her through an after-school computer club.

She also reflected in her essay on learning to step outside her comfort zone, embrace failure and grow both academically and personally.

Beyond her personal statement, Carrascoza strengthened her applications through years of careful preparation. Early in high school, she targeted top universities and worked with academic advisers to plan advanced coursework.

She also researched admissions requirements, summer programs, scholarships and support resources for first-generation college students.

Ohanna Carrascoza in a profile photo on the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s website

Outside the classroom, Carrascoza served as captain of her basketball and track teams and participated in Mock Trial, Model United Nations and programs focused on the American political system, experiences that helped shape her interest in law.

According to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, a non-profit organization that provides leadership, public service, and policy experiences to outstanding Latino students and young professionals, she also volunteered on church worship teams as a guitarist and became heavily involved in the Teen Court program, where young people review real cases involving first-time juvenile offenders.

Carrascoza will begin her studies at Yale University this fall. She hopes to become a criminal defense attorney and pursue a career in public service.

As she prepares for the next chapter of her life, Carrascoza said her Ivy League admission represents more than personal success.

“It’s not just my moment, it’s their moment too,” she said, as quoted by Argentine newspaper The Nation.