The story of 18-year-old Zaki Yadrakari seems like a dramatic departure from the classic American success narrative. This young man, who never wanted to attend university, found himself at the age of college application, running a tech empire worth over $30 million.

This huge success was achieved thanks to the “Cal AI” app, which he co-founded to track calories. Yadrakari didn’t need an acceptance letter from prestigious universities to prove his abilities; his empire thrived even before he completed registration, confirming he was on the right path to early wealth.

The app allows users to track calories by taking pictures of their meals. Yadrakari mentioned that he was inspired by his personal efforts to gain weight as a younger teenager, saying: “I was very skinny my whole life, and I wanted to start gaining weight.”

When he realized most of his progress was due to diet, he began tracking calories and overeating, but he faced a lack of an easy-to-use calorie tracking app; the most popular app at the time offered a “terrible experience.”

This lack of reliable tracking forced him to eat pre-portioned and precisely weighed meals and avoid eating out due to unclear calorie counts. After launching a smartphone solution, Yadrakari shared the vision with trusted partners: a friend from a coding bootcamp and two people he met via X.com (formerly Twitter), according to CNBC.

Together, Henry Langmack, Blake Anderson, and Jake Castillo launched the “Cal AI” app in May 2024.

On another note, Yadrakari was a programming prodigy since childhood, teaching himself programming languages at age seven. By age ten, he was charging $30 an hour teaching this skill to others.

In high school, he created a gaming site called “Totally Science,” which allowed his classmates to play unblocked online video games without downloads or registration.

This digital venture earned him his first six-figure income (hundreds of thousands). When the “Cal AI” app started gaining traction and success, his conviction solidified, saying: “I told myself, ‘Well, obviously you don’t need college to be successful.’ Only then did my parents finally see the vision.”

The Rejection Paradox

In an unexpected surprise, Yadrakari changed his mind and decided to apply to universities. However, despite his impressive entrepreneurial record, a 4.0 GPA, and a 34 ACT score (very high), he was rejected by Ivy League schools, including Stanford, which Yadrakari noted is “known for supporting startups.”

The only schools that accepted him were Georgia Tech, University of Miami, and University of Texas. Ultimately, he chose the University of Miami, not for academic prestige but for the social atmosphere. He explained his approach: “If I wasn’t going to choose based on the best academic school, I was going to choose based on the best social school.”

College as a “Six-Figure Vacation”

Two weeks into classes, Yadrakari told Fortune he was having “a really good time,” possibly because he views his college experience as “a $100,000 vacation.” He throws parties and lives in a house with a group of friends who share his passion for app development, aged 18 to 26, all successful entrepreneurs like him.

Yadrakari, who dropped out of business school and is currently taking philosophy classes, does not hide his frustration with traditional subjects.

The story didn’t end with rejection; it sparked a wide debate on X.com, where Yadrakari published his acceptance essay stating he was on a quest for “lost purpose” after making millions, and that he wanted college “to connect with other students” rather than necessarily for academic learning.

This statement and his departure from focusing on traditional academic achievements led analysts to speculate that the acceptance essay was the main reason for the collective rejection, as admissions committees saw him as “an unstable candidate” or likely to drop out soon, especially since his main goal was “making memories,” not earning a degree.

He summarizes his philosophy: “I feel like I have my whole life to make money, but the few hundred thousand dollars it will cost me now will be worth it to make memories.” This stance fuels the ongoing debate about the value of higher education versus early entrepreneurial success.

Having withdrawn from business school, currently taking philosophy classes, Yadrakari still takes one entrepreneurship course but admits he “doesn’t get much out of the material” due to his extensive experience.

He sums up his philosophy: “It’s definitely not worth it for most people, but for me, I really enjoy it and think it’s worth it. The moment it becomes pointless, I’ll stop,” adding, “I feel like I have my whole life to make money, but the few hundred thousand dollars it will cost me now will be worth it to make memories, rather than just saving, spending, investing, or anything else.”