<p>Harvard Magazine reports that Harvard accepted 21% of early applicants, or almost 1,000 students. That will likely leave room for only about 650 acceptances during the regular season. Since more students apply during the regular season, that means Harvard could accept as few as 3% of its regular season applicants. (Harvard</a> College early admissions increase | Harvard Magazine)
I can't help thinking that EVERYONE who wants to go to Harvard will apply early next year. And that this lopsided admissions policy will limit Harvard to a certain kind of student - wealthier, early-blooming & hyper-prepared.</p>
<p>Or they could use their BILLIONS of dollars in endowment money to expand! </p>
<p>Yeah, right.</p>
<p>Actually, they will probably admit about 1,200 in the regular round, since they tend to admit about 2,200 total to yield an entering class of about 1,600 to 1,700.</p>
<p>[Harvard</a> College Admissions Information - CollegeData College Profile](<a href=“http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=444]Harvard”>http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=444)</p>
<p>Likely it will actually be higher than 3% since Harvard does not assume all EA candidates will actually attend but its overall admission rate has been in the 6% range lately and thus it is extremely low to begin with. Applying EA or regular is irrelevant to financial aid for those who are not wealthy. Harvard gives 100% non-loan financial aid to anyone with a family income of $65,000 or less, and from there it goes from 0% to 10% for an expected family contribution from those with incomes between $65,000 and $150,000.</p>
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<p>Harvard does expect a $4,600 student contribution, according to <a href=“https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/net-price-calculator[/url]”>https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/net-price-calculator</a> .</p>
<p>If one assumes the same class size, number of RD applicants, and yield rate as last year, then the RD acceptance rate will be ~3.4%. Calculations are below:</p>
<p>Last year, Harvard had 2029 admits, split up as 895 early + 1134 regular. Their class size was 1660, leading to a 1660/2029 = 82% yield rate. REA applicants are expected to have a higher yield than RD applicants, so I’ll assume the yield rate was 90% for REA and 75.4% for EA, which results in the expected yield 82% overall yield. This year Harvard increased the early admits from 992. Assuming the specified 90% REA yield, then there are 1660 -992*90% = 767 spots remaining for RD. 767 spots / 75.4% RD yield rate = 1017 admits to fill the 767 spots. Last year there were 30,167 RD applicants. 1017 RD admits / 30,167 RD applicants ~= 3.4% RD acceptance rate.</p>
<p>Perhaps this should be under a FA thread, but I had to respond regarding Harvard Financial Aid:</p>
<p>"“0% to 10% for an expected family contribution from those with incomes between $65,000 and $150,000. “”” </p>
<p>That must be tempered with ‘it also assumes that the family has barely or no assets, little home equity, and has not planned for retirement, etc.’ My EFC is way over 10% with income at the low end of that range due to home equity acquired over 20 years that I cannot afford to borrow against, and retirement assets that should last about 10 years. They definitely do factor in retirement accounts and home equity in some way so beware. This is from working with the Financial Aid Office.</p>
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The Harvard FA website at <a href=“https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works[/url]”>https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works</a> states,</p>
<p>“Home equity and retirement assets are not considered in our assessment of financial need.”</p>
<p>According to their NPC, the first $100k of additional assets also do not influence net price. If you have more than $100k in additional assets, it alters cost to parents by (additional assets - $100k) * 5%. So $250k in additional assets, would increase price by $7,500.</p>
<p>@Rowmom is incorrect. Home equity is NOT part of Harvard’s FA calculations, nor are retirement accounts. Technically, you could own a house worth $1M (or $10M), that is completely paid off, have retirement accounts about the same $$ value, show no other liquid assets, have income under $150k and still qualify for FA. See: <a href=“https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works[/url]”>https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works</a></p>
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<p>Gibby, I respectfully have to differ. Linking to a website does not make it so. </p>
<p>We requested a financial pre-read and were told (two separate phone conversations after receiving the letter) by one of the counselors that since we have some home equity (< $700K) and "you have a good start on retirement assets (about $800K) that we did not fall into the 0-10% calculation - regardless of our income. I specifically said “I have read that home equity and retirement assets are not counted in the FA calculation.” He said it did not count dollar for dollar, but was a consideration. Believe me, it was surprising. They specifically mentioned our home equity and retirement accounts being the reason we did not qualify for the 0-10% calculation. I went through the process with a Harvard counselor (2 in fact) and have the result. Our EFC is about 30% of GROSS income, 50% of AGI. I know that you are very knowledgeable about Harvard, but this was my recent personal experience. </p>
<p>I wish your version matched my experience but it does not, at least not yet. If our final financial aid package reflects what you claim, I will come back here and state that. Otherwise, I stand by my experience. I have the pre-read letter.</p>
<p>If you have a contact I can take this up with, please PM me. Our result was not what they say on the FA website - that is true.</p>
<p>Does your family’s income exceed $150K – including the tax free money you deposit into a retirement account? If so, THAT is the reason Harvard is not able to do the 0% to 10% FA aid. Almost all financial aid, regardless of the university, is driven by your last year-to-date income, with home equity and retirement funds used as add-ins.</p>
<p>My daughter is a senior at Harvard and I will PM you the financial advisor we have been in contact with for the past 3 years.</p>
<p>I heard from Harvard info session that there is no strategic advantage in SCEA over RD. That was one of the reasons that my daughter didn’t apply to Havard. What’s your opinion ?</p>
<p>^^ Given that Harvard is taking more kids every year from SCEA (and less kids from RD) it would seem as if Harvard Admissions is being disengenious by telling you there is not a strategic advantage in applying SCEA. Given their actions, they seem to be forcing kids who want Harvard to apply early</p>
<p>@gibby, for the thread…
No our income does not meet $150K, not even close.
The counselor mentioned home equity and retirement assets being considerations. Thanks for the PM.</p>
<p>@Gibby I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Harvard, like any top-tier school (or any school for that matter) wants a high yield rate. They like the reputation that whoever they accept comes to their school just because they’re that impressive of a school; it’s a pride thing. Therefore, it’s obvious to assume that the majority of the admitted early applicants will matriculate, raising their yield rate and their grandeur. In all honesty, it’s not advantageous either way, except maybe demonstrated interest. A school’s not going to admit you if they’re pretty sure you’re not going to come.</p>
<p>^^ When Harvard accepts more than half their class SCEA (even after accounting for yield), there IS an advantage to applying early.</p>
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<p>That is a really odd way for them to determine who should money. But it is their money.</p>
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<p>$800k is a good start in Harvard’s view??? Only 3% of people age 45-54 have saved such a huge fortune (and only 3% have saved more than that), so between that and the huge amount of home equity, I am not surprised that 0-10% isn’t the right range.</p>
<p>[Retirement</a> Savings by Age: How Do You Compare?](<a href=“http://www.learnvest.com/2012/11/retirement-savings-by-age-how-do-you-compare/]Retirement”>http://www.learnvest.com/2012/11/retirement-savings-by-age-how-do-you-compare/)</p>
<p>@ccdaddio
There is a big difference in Los Angeles, NYC, Chicago and Wichita, Little Rock and Savannah when it comes to cost of living. Those numbers may seem large depending on where you live. That may be a lot in Wichita Kansas; I can assure you that it’s not a lot where we live. We are middle class.
Now lets get back to the OP question of SCEA advantage or not.</p>
<p>21% early. 4% late. Lots of high school counselors failed to see that coming.</p>
<p>21%? Isn’t that a LOT higher than usual? I thought the early admit rate was normally around 10%?</p>