For the first time, the acceptance rate at Harvard University (USA) has dropped below 5%.
Harvard Crimson reported that the acceptance rate for Harvard University’s Class of 2022 (graduating in 2022) is the lowest ever, with only 4.59% of applicants receiving an acceptance letter, meaning 1,962 out of 42,749 applicants were admitted. This year marks the first time the acceptance rate has dropped below 5%, the lowest in the school’s history.
The total number of accepted applicants last year was 2,056, corresponding to a 5.2% acceptance rate. The Class of 2022 is the fourth consecutive year that the acceptance rate has declined.
“They are an amazing group from the most economically and ethnically diverse backgrounds in Harvard’s history,” said William R. Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid.
Harvard’s acceptance rate from the Class of 2012 to 2022. The green column represents the early action acceptance rate, and the red column represents the overall acceptance rate.
Admitted students for the Class of 2022 come from 50 states in the U.S. and 90 other countries. International students make up 12%, compared to 11.4% last year.
For the first time in 10 years, the number of female applicants accepted is higher, accounting for 50.1%, compared to 49.2% last year. The acceptance rate for minority students increased. African American students make up 15.5% of the accepted students, up from 14.6% last year, a record high. The number of admitted Latinx students increased from 11.6% last year to 12.2%. The percentage of Native American students increased slightly from 1.9% to 2%. The proportion of Asian American students rose to 22.7%, compared to 22.2% last year.
These demographic changes come amid allegations of unlawful discrimination against Asian American applicants, for which Harvard is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
However, the university denies the allegations, arguing that the admissions process is based on numerous factors and complies with legal standards set by the Supreme Court.
First-generation college students account for 17.3% of this year’s admitted students, up from 15.1% for the Class of 2021.
“We are truly moved by the jump in first-generation students. This is the year I believe Harvard has made many breakthroughs,” Fitzsimmons said.
He also praised the socioeconomic diversity of the Class of 2022, noting that the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative, launched in 2004, has successfully supported students from low-income backgrounds.
Currently, more than half of the students at the university receive some form of need-based financial aid. Families earning less than $65,000 annually do not pay anything for their children’s education at Harvard, and this group represents 20%. “No matter who you are, you can afford to study here,” he said.
This year, 20.3% of admitted students qualify for Federal Pell Grants, a government initiative aimed at supporting low-income students. The projected cost for the Class of 2022 will be the highest in Harvard’s history. The total cost for the 2018-2019 academic year will be $67,580, a 3% increase from the Class of 2021.
The acceptance letter sent to admitted students includes an invitation to Visitas—a visit to the campus from April 21 to April 23. Admitted students have until May 1 to accept, defer, or decline the offer.
Source: https://vnexpress.net
