Ivy Day 2025: What to Expect and How to Handle the Results
Ivy Day is coming up on March 27, 2025, and if you’ve applied to any Ivy League schools, you already know how big of a deal this day is. This is the moment when Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale all drop their regular decision results at the same time, usually around 7 p.m. ET. Whether you’re feeling excited, nervous, or downright terrified, you’re not alone. Let’s talk about what to expect, how to handle whatever news comes your way, and how to move forward no matter what.
What to Expect on Ivy Day
There are three possible outcomes when you open that portal:
Accepted: If you get in, congrats! Take a moment to celebrate—you worked hard for this. But also take time to really think about whether this school is the right fit for you. Prestige is great, but your happiness and success matter more.
Waitlisted: This means you’re still in the running, but the school doesn’t have space for you right now. If you really want to go, follow their instructions to stay on the waitlist and consider sending a letter of continued interest.
Rejected: This one stings, no doubt about it. But rejection does not define you or your future. The Ivy League schools have ridiculously low acceptance rates, and their decisions are based on way more than just grades and extracurriculars. You’re still an amazing student with incredible opportunities ahead.
If You Don’t Get In … It’s Going to Be Okay
Rejection hurts, but it’s not the end of your journey. Here’s how to handle it:
Let yourself feel it. It’s okay to be upset. Give yourself a moment (or a day) to be disappointed. Just don’t let it consume you.
Don’t take it personally. College admissions are a numbers game, and sometimes it just doesn’t go the way you hoped. It doesn’t mean you weren’t “good enough.”
Talk it out. Vent to a friend, a parent, a teacher—whoever makes you feel better. You’re not alone in this.
Remember: There are so many amazing colleges out there. The Ivy League isn’t the only path to success. Tons of successful people went to schools that aren’t Ivies (or didn’t even finish college at all).
Look forward. Focus on the schools you did get into, because those places saw something special in you.
Your Future is Bright—No Matter What
It’s easy to get caught up in the Ivy League hype, but where you go to college doesn’t matter nearly as much as what you do once you’re there. Hard work, passion, and persistence will take you way further than a school name on your diploma.
So if March 27th doesn’t go how you hoped, take a deep breath. This is just one step in a much bigger journey. You’ve got this!