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Ivy Day 2024: Everything You Need to Know and Expect

02/15/2024•15 minute read

In the competitive world of college admissions, Ivy Day 2024 (March 28th) holds a special significance for ambitious students aiming to get into an Ivy League university. Ivy Day is when the eight Ivy League schools release their regular decision admissions results. This blog will look at what Ivy Day is, when it occurs, and what to expect on this big day. We'll also discuss the history of Ivy Day, potential student emotions after results arrive, and tips on what to do next.

What Is Ivy Day?

Ivy Day is the annual date when students discover if they've been accepted to an Ivy League university, with all eight Ivy League schools releasing admissions results to regular decision applicants on the same day. These schools include:

Brown University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Harvard University
Princeton University
University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)
Yale University

History of Ivy Day

Originally, “Ivy Day” was an annual ceremony held at some schools in the northeastern part of the United States, including Ivy League universities. Students would place an ivy stone on a residential or administrative building to honor academic excellence. This ceremonial event, also known as 'planting the ivy,' often includes stones decorated with the graduation date and a symbol representing that year's class.

Today, Ivy Day specifically refers to the date all eight Ivy League schools release their regular admissions decisions. Since they share similar educational philosophies, they determined it best to share their admissions decisions on the same day.

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When Is Ivy Day 2024?

Ivy Day typically occurs in late March or early April. For the 2024 admissions cycle, it's expected to fall on March 28th.

If you applied for early decision or early action, you should have already received your Ivy Decision in December or January, depending on the school.

What Time Do Ivy Decisions Go Out?

All eight Ivy League schools announce results on the same day, around 5 pm EST or 7 pm EST.

Ivy Day Over the Years

Year	Date	Time
2024	Thursday, March 28th	5-7pm ET
2023	Thursday, March 30	5pm ET
2022	Thursday, March 31	7pm ET
2021	Tuesday, April 6	7pm ET
2020	Thursday, March 26	7pm ET
2019	Thursday, March 28	5pm ET
2018	Wednesday, March 28	7pm ET

Since all the schools release results on the same day and simultaneously, it's common for websites to crash or load slowly. If you encounter this problem, consider walking away from your computer, listening to calming music, or calling a friend for a few minutes.

Ivy Day can be exciting but also stressful. Staring at a frozen screen isn’t going to help the problem, so if you wait for it to clear up, you’ll have more success and less stress!

What to Do After Ivy Admissions Day

After hearing your Ivy League decision results, you’re bound to have many emotions. If accepted, you’re probably feeling relief, excitement, and a little nervous.

Alternatively, if you’re waitlisted, you may feel hopeful but unsure of what needs to happen next. Students who are rejected from their top schools may feel disappointed or frustrated.

Whatever happens on this day, remember you still have lots of options. Here’s a breakdown of each potential outcome after Ivy Day.

Ivy Day Decisions

You Got Accepted

Congratulations! Top Ivy League schools only accept about 4% of applicants. Before you eagerly respond, take a moment to think about your next steps. Evaluate the school’s financial aid package and consider all other acceptance offers. If you’re still 100% sure you want to attend this school, reply with an enthusiastic YES.

If you’re not entirely sure this school is your dream school, you may want to wait to hear from the other schools, both in and out of the Ivy League, that you applied to. To help you make your decision, consider trying the following:

Make a pro and con list of schools that accepted you.
Think about what you hope to gain from your college experience.
Talk to your family about financial aid.
Reach out to former or current students and see what they like or dislike about their school.
Tour the campuses that you’re most interested in attending.

Once you decide which offer is right for you, formally accept the offer, and don’t forget to decline offers from all other schools that accepted you. Also, remember to send in your deposit on time. Most Ivy League schools ask for the deposits around May 1. Check with the college you were accepted to for the exact date.

You Were Waitlisted

While waitlisted doesn’t mean rejected, it can be one of the most stressful answers because it leaves you in limbo. If you know the waitlisted school is the one you want to attend and you’re willing to wait it out, you need to tell the school immediately. Write a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) to the school’s specific regional admissions officer.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you write your LOCI:

If this school is your first choice, say it in the letter.
Stay positive.
Express gratitude for being considered.
Give specific reasons why you think you’ll be successful at that school.
Talk about anything that has changed since you applied. Maybe you have a higher GPA or won an award or honor?

It’s important to not repeat information from your application and limit the letter to one page.

Additionally, if you're on your top school’s waitlist, you should strongly consider your second-choice school since you might not receive an admissions decision from the waitlist school until right before the school year starts.

Make a deposit on your second-choice school, so you'll have a confirmed spot for the fall semester in the event you don’t get into your waitlist school. If you get into your waitlist school, you’ll likely lose your deposit at the other school, but you’ll be able to attend your first-choice school!

You Were Rejected

If you don’t get into your first-choice school or any of the Ivy League schools, it’s ok to feel disappointed, sad, or angry. Acknowledge those feelings, then shift your focus to the great opportunities ahead!

Keep in mind that the sooner you can move on from the rejection, the sooner you'll be able to move forward charting your path to another great school! Remember, the Ivy League is so competitive that many of the brightest students in the world do not get accepted.

In fact, approximately 96% of applicants who apply to Harvard, Princeton, or Yale do not get in! That means the Harvard admissions rates and Yale admissions rates are only about 4%!

The good news is that there are so many great colleges not in the Ivy League. If you apply to reach, target, and safety schools, you’ll have options. If you got accepted into your second-choice school and you’re sure you want to attend, accept it! If not, choose a school that accepted you!

Taking Your Next Steps

Once you've resolved where you will go, there’s so much to get excited about and discover at your destination, both on and off campus. Research the school, extracurricular activities, courses, and surrounding area. Tour in person, ask questions, talk to current and former students about why they like the school.

Want to connect with the Class of 2027 and get real-time results on Ivy Day? College Confidential is your source for all the Ivy Day updates and results. Check out their Ivy Day Hub, and stay up to date on trending discussions about Ivy League Schools.

Final Thoughts

The Ivy League universities are some of the best schools in the world. It’s no wonder so many students apply to these prestigious universities. Regardless of the outcome of your application, you should find a variety of options and college counseling resources available to help you chart your next steps.

Whether you're admitted, waitlisted, or rejected, remember to take the time to carefully consider all of your options before making a decision. Ultimately, Ivy Day is a day to celebrate academic achievement and the pursuit of higher education.

If you’re interested in getting into Ivy League schools, Crimson Education can help! Our admissions advisors understand everything about the Ivy League. They can help you choose classes and extracurriculars that pair well with your future major and answer any questions you have about the Ivy League application process. Scheduling your free consultation is a great way to discover all the ways a Crimson Advisor can help you make a personalized strategy for admissions to your dream schools.