Class of 2027 Admitted 5,000 new students span 50 states, 87 countries

By MARISA CEFOLA Sun Assistant News Editor

This story was originally published on March 31.

Members of Cornell’s prospective Class of 2027 breathed a sigh of relief after their college admissions process came to an end, each eager to find their place on the hill this coming fall.

At 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, the University, along with each of the seven other Ivy League institutions, released its final round of admissions decisions. Students across the world know this long-standing tradition as “Ivy Day.”

“It was like this, almost sacred, type of thing,” Sam Jacobson ’26 said, recalling his emotions from last year’s Ivy Day. “It’s a lot of suspense, nerves [and] pressure… it’s definitely a hyped-up day for something as mundane as checking a portal, which happens probably in the span of thirty minutes.”

Historically, numerous universities, including the Ivy Leagues, held annual “Ivy Day” ceremonies, which consisted of placing an ivy stone on a university building in honor of academic excellence. At the time, the ceremony was also known as “planting the ivy.”

Today, Ivy League universities and their students honor this tradition by releasing regular admission decisions simultaneously each year. For current students and prospective applicants of these selective institutions, “Ivy Day” continues to bring waves of anticipation.

Jacobson recalls the day he awaited his own acceptance letter.

“I came home [from school] that day at around 3:30, and [the rest of the day] was literally my family and I sitting around waiting for the clock to turn 7… we were checking every minute,” Jacobson said.

Last year, Cornell welcomed a “talented and diverse” Class of 2026, with students hailing from all 50 states and 85 countries. This year, admitted students again represent every U.S. state including Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa. The class additionally constitutes 87 countries.

“Students in the Class of 2027 had some time to adjust to pandemic disruption during high school,” said Jonathan Burdick, vice provost for enrollment. “True to Cornell’s founding vision, these extraordinary students