Rain or shine, admitted students from the Class of 2029 flocked to Ithaca from around the globe to attend Cornell Days and learn about the University on Saturday and Sunday.
Cornell Days is an annual event lasting multiple weekends in April, during which tours and various events are held across campus to teach admitted students about the school. One final Cornell Day will be held on Sunday, April 27.
This year, Cornell admitted 5,824 students to the class of 2029 from over 100 countries across the globe. In light of Cornell Days, The Sun spoke with some incoming students who have already committed to attending Cornell in the fall.
Why Choose The Hill?
Cornell offers unique programs that fit the specific needs of incoming students. Jackson De Guzman ’29 is an incoming public policy major from Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. He wrote to The Sun that he applied to Cornell because “the Brooks School is a cutting-edge policy program with strong connections to [Washington,] D.C.”
De Guzman also appreciated that since Cornell has so many colleges, the Brooks School is “a small school within a bigger university, so I get the perks of both small and big schools.”
Others fell in love with Cornell through their high school programming. Michael Chen ’29 from Taiwan attended the Cornell International Debate Camp, a one-week summer camp, twice in 2023 and 2024, where he enjoyed participating in a “dynamic discussion atmosphere” with people from around the world, he said.
“That was my first realization of how diversity is very important,” Chen said. “In Taiwan, … everyone had the same beliefs.”
Others took a less conventional road to Cornell. Samara Cooper ’29 from Eugene, Oregon, was matched with Cornell through QuestBridge’s National College Match program.
QuestBridge is a non-profit organization that provides a community for and supports low-income students. Cooper received a full-ride scholarship to Cornell, room and board included.
“As a low-income student, I really never thought that I would get into an Ivy League school,” Cooper said. “So not only having Cornell as an option but also receiving it with a full ride, … it was a no brainer [to commit].”
Students are looking forward to their time at Cornell for a variety of reasons. Student organizations are a source of excitement for many. Cooper is especially looking forward to joining the Mock Trial Association, and Chen is looking forward to exploring the Cornell Speech and Debate Program to continue his interest in debate, which brought him to this campus.
De Guzman is interested in organizations involved in political protests and organization at Cornell.
“Figuring out how to organize communities towards shared interests is a big part of the political process,” De Guzman said.
Curiosity at CU
Students still have some unanswered questions about Cornell. Chen was interested in finance internships and the timeframe for obtaining one. Kashmir Tai ’27, who majors in economics, has been accepted for a finance internship for the summer of 2026. She shared advice about preparing early for the internship application process.
“Each year, the recruiting timeline gets earlier and earlier,” she wrote to The Sun. “This means that I need to prepare early, as early as starting in September [for summer internships].”
She also wrote about the importance of “networking” and researching market trends during the application process to prepare for interviews.
Cornell Career Services also offers support for finding internships, conducting interviews and writing resumes.
Additionally, Cooper was curious about the resources for low-income students at Cornell. The Centers for Student Equity, Empowerment, and Belonging include First Generation & Low-Income Student Support, which provides a number of resources such as the Access Fund.
Furthermore, during the Fall 2024 semester, the Student Assembly funded shuttle buses — free of charge for all Cornell students — to the Ithaca and Syracuse airports during finals week under Resolution 11.
The First Generation & Low-Income Student Support Center did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
De Guzman was interested in how to obtain part-time employment as a student and what getting a job is like. On-campus job listings are generally posted to Workday, a job searching platform.
Winnie Chan ’28 is a former Cornell Dining employee who worked as a cashier and barista at Novick’s Café in the Fall 2024 semester. She wrote to The Sun about her experience with getting a job on campus.
“I applied for and got two on-campus positions across different semesters,” Chan wrote. “Depending on the job, the application process can vary in how time-consuming or competitive it is.”
However, Chan encouraged interested students to apply, explaining that employment “was a great way for me to step out of my comfort zone and meet new people!"
As spring rolls to an end, Cornell finds itself amid a tense political climate. The University recently saw 75 stop-work orders from the U.S. Department of Defense. The New York Times reported that the federal government froze over $1 billion in funding for Cornell, although Cornell administrators said they lack the information to confirm that amount. The campus has also seen a number of protests and student arrests over the past year.
Despite this, students expressed their continued willingness to attend Cornell.
“I think hard times are the times that define societies and how we respond to these problems, how we choose to stand up and fight. There's a lot of opportunity for good that comes out when there's a lot of tension,” De Guzman said. “So I wouldn't say that I'm necessarily excited for it, but I don't think I'm afraid of it either.”
Angelina Tang is a freshman in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She is an Assistant News Editor for the 143rd editorial board. She can be reached at atang@cornellsun.com.
