Harvard enrollments rise despite economic slump

The global economic downturn has not made a dent in students seeking admission to Harvard, but getting admission to one of the world's most prestigious college just got tougher with a record number of students applying for the class of 2013.

The Ivy League school, the wealthiest in the US, received a record 29,112 applications this year for the class of 2013, a 5.6-per cent increase from last year but admitted only 2,046 students or just 7 per cent, down from 7.9 per cent last year.

The college received 6 per cent more application this year but will admit 98 more students compared to the 1,948 admitted last year.

In the SAT reading test, more than 2,900 scored a perfect 800 and 3,500 scored perfectly on the math test while nearly 3,700 were ranked first in their senior class.

For the class of 2013, the admitted students come from a record of 82 countries, primarily because of increased international recruiting due to the global publicity given for incentives to the middle income group.

Harvard with its massive $28.7-billion endowment fund had for the first time last year introduced a scheme for needy students whose parents earn less than $60,000 a year, to enable them to attend the Ivy League college free. (See: Harvard University's endowment fund grows to $36.9 billion)

This year, nearly a quarter of the admitted students come from families earning less than $60,000 a year, thereby being eligible for free education at Harvard.

It had also reduced tuition fees to households earning $180,000 a year. They now pay a maximum of 10 per cent of their income on room and board and this year nearly 60 per cent of them will come under this scheme.

Since many families are hit by the current recession, Harvard plans to boost this scheme to $147 million, an 8 per cent increase over last year.

The admitted students came from diverse backgrounds with 10.9 per cent being Latino, 10.8 per cent African-American, 17.6 per cent Asian-American and 1.3 per cent Native American while 8.9 per cent were international students.

About 25 per cent of the students intend to enroll in biological sciences, 24 per cent in social sciences, 23 per cent in humanities, 10.5 per cent in engineering, 8 per cent in physical sciences, 7 per cent in mathematics, 2.2 per cent in computer science, and 0.4 were undecided.

In its recent history, the number of admitted students who actually enroll has been between 76 and 78 per cent, and wait-listed students will know by 8 May as to whether they will get admission.

Admitted students will have the opportunity to experience Harvard life and meet their future professors and classmates during a visiting programme made for admitted students, scheduled for 25-27 April.