but also there are many restrictions on what their endowment can be used on and how, it isn’t exactly free pocket money.
Agonizing makes no sense. We don’t know the size of the least. Harvard may have decided to wait list 2,000 kids for all we know. Even if best case there are 200 spots opening up, a 10% acceptance rate is still low. We would all like to think we would be in that 10%, but who knows what needs they have and what profiles are appealing.
In theory, I agree that extra tuition from 100 students isn’t a big deal to Harvard. But it’s also weird that they seemed to have been purposefully admitting full pay students off the waitlist this year. So I don’t really know their objective on the money front.
Also selectivity with small size is a myth to me as they have a target class size for a reason. This also means they should be aware of the under enrollment risk.
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This is true, but in the end, they’ll be just fine with a smaller class.
Harvard is very protective of its brand. And any move that seems to kowtow to the current administration would not be in it’s best interest. They’re going to fight to the bitter end. It stinks to be one of those “caught in the middle”, but the fact is the waitlist will be a last resort insurance policy.
well good luck yall. not sure what I could do if I did get off the waitlist after my first tuition payment, but I’m not counting on it anyway
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I think there will be one last small round of movement right before school starts. Once Harvard determines how many international students successfully make it through the border, they’ll likely offer any remaining spots to students on the waitlist. At that stage, priority will probably go to full-pay domestic students and those who meet specific institutional needs. I’m expecting very late notice—and not many spots.
ehh maybe a few new spots but nothing too crazy. too many from wl would definitely make headlines and give the signal that trump is winning-they won’t let that happen.
It’s all speculation at this point. I guess we’ll just have to wait. It looks like nothing will happen before 8/1.
To be honest, I don’t think that Harvard taking students off the waitlist is a signal that the university is giving in to Trump. It’s clear to most that the administration is in the wrong, and Harvard would simply be ensuring that its class is full by replacing the spots from International Students who defer for a year. It’s not as if Harvard is giving up on its legal battle.
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Why keep FA-need students on the wait list? Probably so Harvard can say it is still need-blind. If they released everyone who needs aid, that would look bad.
Yes, the sample is small, but so far the movement I see is all full-pay. Someone leaves, another full-pay arrives. It feels like money matters more than they admit.
I get it: they need the budget solid and the numbers (yield, acceptance rate) looking good. Keeping everyone “just in case” gives them that flexibility.
Different Ivy, but window on what’s going on with international students and why there is so much uncertainty: Cornell Students, Athletics Faces Visa Policy as Cornell Revises International Student Enrollment Numbers - The Cornell Daily Sun
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yeah every school likely facing troubles but harvard more than others
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any movement yet today?
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I have not heard or read anything about new developments with the waitlist. I’m still of the belief that we will hear something after July 31st.
I thought this article was interesting.
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wow yeah this article puts it perfectly. but since they say the issue is with grad schools, will they change anything at undergrad level?
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A much smaller percentage of Harvard undergraduates are international students than within the graduate schools.
According to the following, 12% of the college population were international students:
This 2024 article places it at under 20%: Harvard Needs More International Students | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson
I don’t see why it shouldn’t also apply to undergraduate students as well. The logic is exactly the same. I’m surprised that all colleges don’t immediately understand the persuasive reasoning behind the article. I hope that they will open their eyes to perhaps some different perspectives than the direction they were heading the past few years.
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According to various legit sources Harvard has nearly 7,000 international students come to its campuses. This is more than 27 percent of its total enrollment, according to 2024-2025 [data from Harvard.]
Here’s another interesting read
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To clarify, a large chunk of the 27% quoted are grad students. For undergrads, 15% are international, per Harvard’s most recent CDS (section B2).
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Does anybody think Harvard will comment on the international and waitlist situation before August 1st? I feel like there has been a major lack of communication about the timeline for the rest of the summer and I move into the college I committed to in a few weeks. I honestly would not be upset if I got rejected, I’d just rather know before packing up my life and beginning college somewhere else.
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