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Number Crunch
The End of Standardized Testing Caused a Boom in Harvard Applications
The wait-list for the Ivy Leagues just got a little longer
42%: That’s the spike in freshmen applications Harvard University received, year-over-year, for next fall’s entering class according to the Wall Street Journal. That’s more than 57,000 applications.
And it’s not just Harvard: Universities and colleges across the nation are reporting a surge of growth in the size of undergraduate application pools as admissions offices waived standardized test scores, including the SAT and ACT, due to Covid-19. Common App, a streamlined application process used by more than 900 higher ed institutions, saw an 11% jump in total applications through March 1, per the Journal.
Long-time critics have argued that standardized test scores put low-income students from under-resourced schools at a disadvantage, especially as wealthy families can afford to send their children to elite prep schools and hire private tutors and college counselors. With less scrutiny on test scores, admissions officers are looking more holistically at a prospective student’s chances of success, including placing more emphasis on the individual’s background as well as their level of intellectual curiosity.
