Incoming USC student’s rejection letter becomes viral hit

Sometimes, getting turned down is a good thing.

An incoming University of South Carolina student has become an Internet viral sensation with her rejection of a rejection letter from Duke University.

“With a pool of letters so diverse and accomplished I was unable to accept reject letters I would have been able to only several years ago,” Siobhan O'Dell wrote in the letter to Duke. “Despite Duke's outstanding success in rejecting previous applicants, you simply did not meet my qualifications. Therefore, I will be attending Duke University's 2015 freshmen class. I look forward to seeing you then.”

The High Point, N.C., high schooler’s Tumblr post with the letter that she sent to the famed Durham school has been shared more than 100,000 times

Her story has generated hundreds of news articles from as far away as India, Norway, South Korea and Croatia.

O’Dell said wanted to give Duke what it gives to rejected applicants like herself.

“Seniors labor over their applications, stress over waiting, and sometimes even cry over the answer,” she told WTVD in Raleigh. “It made me realize how much power these universities have over us. Their word is final and absolute.”

Duke wished O’Dell well while offering her a chance to appeal its rejection, according to the TV news report.

Instead, O’Dell chose to come to Columbia next fall.

“USC is too beautiful,” she tweeted with the smiley face emojis last month.

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Incoming USC student’s rejection letter becomes viral hit."