# It's That Time of Year Again: Welcoming the Class of 2027

**Source**: https://admission.princeton.edu/blogs/its-time-year-again-welcoming-class-2027
**Parent**: https://admission.princeton.edu/taxonomy/term/944

March 27, 2023

By 

Dean Karen
Richardson
'93

## Dean Karen Richardson '93

Karen Richardson is a Class of 1993 alumna. She became the dean of admission at Princeton in July 2019. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in politics and has a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. As a Princeton student, Richardson was a resident adviser at Forbes College. She sang in the Gospel Ensemble, worked at Princeton-Blairstown Center, was a Big Sister, and worked in the Office of Admission as a federal work
... 

Close

Blog

### [Testing, Rigor, AI, and What Are We Really Looking For? Your Questions Answered by Dean Richardson](/blogs/testing-rigor-ai-and-what-are-we-really-looking-your-questions-answered-dean-richardson)

Image

Blog

### [We Have Enjoyed Getting to Know You: Bringing in the Class of 2027](/blogs/we-have-enjoyed-getting-know-you-bringing-class-2027)

Image

---

It’s that time of year again. My team and I are making last minute tweaks to the incoming first-year class.

We’ve spent the past several months reading, re-reading and discussing the applications that many of you reading this blog put hours of preparation into. We have appreciated learning about your academic pursuits, the activities that intrigue you outside of the classroom and the factors that led you to apply to Princeton. We have laughed at your funny anecdotes, cried (yes, cried) over some of the situations you have trusted us enough to share and thought about how you might add to this vibrant community. And now it comes down to your receiving a decision.

You might not believe it, but this is not my favorite part of my job. Don’t get me wrong, I think I have one of the best jobs on this campus – being able to serve my alma mater in a way that introduces her to prospective students around the world. But in this moment, providing decisions that will exhilarate some and devastate others is not my idea of fun.

So, each year, I try to remind ALL applicants that receiving a decision from a college (whether it’s Princeton or some other amazing institution of higher learning) should not make or break you. If you receive positive news, that’s excellent! Celebrate, decide if it’s the place you can see yourself learning and growing inside and outside of the classroom and base your decision on whether or not to enroll on whether or not the school is a fit for you academically, socially and financially.

If you receive not-so positive news, know that one school’s decision does not indicate anything about your ability to be successful in college. I can only speak for Princeton, but each year we receive applications from many more highly qualified students than we could possibly admit. And, each year we have to say no to many of those same students. I realize that doesn’t take the sting out of receiving anything other than an admit. Still, I hope that you will not let the received decision keep you down. Rather, take a minute to absorb it, and then regroup and put your efforts into your senior year activities. Importantly, remember to enjoy the remainder of your high school senior year, as making those memories are as important as figuring out the next phase of your life.

Whatever decision you receive from Princeton or any other college or university you have applied to, please know that we have enjoyed getting to know you. Your story is unique to you and important. And whatever campus community is allowed to benefit from your presence will be all the better for it.

Good luck with this next adventure!

## Related Articles

My Mind and Me: The Weeks Before Heading Off for College

2025-08-12

[Read More](https://admission.princeton.edu/blogs/my-mind-and-me-weeks-heading-college)

“So No One Told You [Writing Seminar] Was Gonna Be This Way”: Growing Through the Infamous Frosh-Year Requirement

2025-07-29

[Read More](https://admission.princeton.edu/blogs/so-no-one-told-you-writing-seminar-was-gonna-be-way-growing-through-infamous-frosh-year)

Lovin’ the Little Things

2025-07-02

[Read More](https://admission.princeton.edu/blogs/lovin-little-things)