NYT: Harvard Ends Early Admission, Citing Barrier to Disadvantaged

[DeepModem Mom]

Harvard Ends Early Admission, Citing Barrier to Disadvantaged
By ALAN FINDER and KAREN W. ARENSON
Published: September 12, 2006

Harvard University, breaking with a major trend in college admissions, says it will eliminate its early admissions program next year, with university officials arguing that such programs put low-income and minority applicants at a distinct disadvantage in the competition to get into selective universities.

Harvard will be the first of the nation’s prestigious universities to do away completely with early admissions, in which high school seniors try to bolster their chances at competitive schools by applying in the fall and learning whether they have been admitted in December, months before other students.

Some universities now admit as much as half of their freshman class this way, and many, though not Harvard, require an ironclad commitment from students that they will attend in return for the early acceptance.

Harvard’s decision — to be announced today — is likely to put pressure on other colleges, which acknowledge the same concerns but have been reluctant to take any step that could put them at a disadvantage in the heated competition for the top students....

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(Derek Bok, the interim president of Harvard) said students who were more affluent and sophisticated were the ones most likely to apply for early admission. More than a third of Harvard’s students are accepted through early admission. In addition, he said many early admissions programs require students to lock in without being able to compare financial aid offerings from various colleges....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/12/education/12harvard.html?hp&ex=1158120000&en=6e2c0bf3989c157f&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[WindRavenX]

1. good for Harvard

Now if only BC decides to not require tuition from anyone from a family earning <40K, I'd be very happy :)

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Best of luck with your studies there, WindRaven! nt

[pitohui]

3. good

many early admissions programs require students to lock in without being able to compare financial aid offerings from various colleges

this was becoming a ridiculous issue for many young people

i am glad to see harvard showing some leadership