HARVARD admissions statistics: Class of '09 vs. Class of '08 (new)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Harvard admission statistics – Class of 2009 vs. Class of 2008</p>

<p>Total apps: 22,796 (09) - 19,752 (08)
SCEA apps: 4,214 (09) - 3,889 (08)
RD apps: 18,501 (09) - 15,801 (08)
Total admits: 2,102 (09) - 2,110 (08)
Total admit rate: 9.2% (09) - 10.7% (08)
SCEA admits: 892 (09) - 902 (08)
SCEA admit rate: 21.2% (09) - 23.2% (08)
RD admits: 1,210 (09) - 1,208 (08)
RD admit rate: 6.5% (09) - 7.6% (08)
Total enrolled: 1,640 (09) - 1,638 (08)
Total yield: 78% (09) - 77.6% (08)
SCEA enrolled: 819 (09) - 819 (08)
SCEA yield: 91.8% (09) - 90.8% (08)
RD enrolled: 821 (09) - 819 (08)
RD yield: 67.9% (09) - 67.9% (08)
Estimated waitlist admits: 28 (09) - 81 (08)
Percentage M/F: 50-50 (09) - 50-50 (08)
Percentage Public/Private: 66-34 (09) - 65-35 (08)
Foreign citizens: 13% (09) - 12.8% (08
African American: 9.3% (09) - 8.9% (08)
Hispanic: 7.3% (09) - 8.9% (08)
Paid in scholarships: $76.2 million (09) - $72.8 million (08)</p>

2

<p>Thanks, Byerly. Very interesting.</p>

<p>Is this data publicly available?</p>

3

<p>I seem to recall the Crimson making a big deal about the rise in yield.</p>

<p>That seems not to be the case according to the big B's data.</p>

4

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<p>Given the all the variables in the process, I find it amazing that they could come so close to the same bottom line number of kids actually enrolling from one year to the next.</p>

5

<p>What an incredible jump in the total number of apps. Do you think this was due mainly to Harvard's new financial aid initiative, or to an overall trend in college applications last year?</p>

6

<p>Coureur: I think that is where the waitlist comes into play. Harvard is pretty cautious when sending out admit letters, unlike some schools that overadmit and find themselves with more students than they have housing for.</p>

7

<p>It may be online after a bit. The numbers will be released at the Cambridge Admissions Conference on Friday. If you want to give me an e-mail address, I can send you a copy of the 2009 report. I pulled the '08 data from last year's report.</p>

8

<p>The yield rate is by far the highest among elite colleges, and this year's rate was the highest in several years.</p>

9

<p>I think the increase was due to several factors: (1) the financial aid initiative; (2) intensified recruiting; (3) a general increase in the college-going age group; (4) the "Hansmann factor". <a href="http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ffp9901.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ffp9901.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

10

<p>Marite is correct. Harvard is able to cut it pretty fine because the yield rate hgas been fairly consistent. Ideally you want to admit on the slightly conservative side, so that a few waitlistees can be admitted to achieve "diversity" goals more precisely - ie, just in case you didn't get enough oboe players, you can pluck one off the reserve list!</p>