Harvard’s Class of 2029 admissions present a decline in Black and Hispanic college students and a rise in Asian American enrollment.
Admissions information launched on Oct. 23 reveals that Harvard’s Class of 2029 contains 11.5% Black college students, 11% Hispanic college students, and 41% Asian American college students, down from 14% Black and 16% Hispanic, The Hill experiences. Asian American college students are up from 37%.
The variety of Black college students at Harvard has steadily declined for the reason that 2023 Supreme Courtroom ruling that banned affirmative motion in faculty admissions. Earlier than the choice, Black college students represented 18% of Harvard’s scholar physique.
Hispanic enrollment initially elevated following the ruling earlier than dropping.
Harvard didn’t disclose the share of freshmen who establish as White or report a number of racial backgrounds. Eight p.c of scholars opted to not report their race.
Harvard’s slight decline in Black and Hispanic scholar enrollment follows related developments at fellow Ivy Leaguers Yale and Princeton. Princeton’s Black freshmen inhabitants fell to its lowest share since 1968. The long-awaited information, often launched earlier within the yr, got here this fall for the primary time, aligning with the college’s federal reporting necessities.
The college has been underneath intense scrutiny for the reason that Supreme Courtroom’s ruling in College students for Honest Admissions v. Harvard, which overturned 45 years of precedent on affirmative motion. Critics of affirmative motion, akin to President Donald Trump, have carefully monitored the racial make-up of the scholar physique. On the identical time, the college dangers backlash from its personal college students if enrollment of underrepresented minorities declines.
Harvard continues to face scrutiny from Trump, who has used his second time period to aim to chop billions in funding and block the college’s enrollment of worldwide college students, each actions have been dominated unlawful by the courts. The share of worldwide college students has declined barely, from 16% to fifteen%.
The stress on the college appears to be taking a toll, as Harvard has carried out hiring freezes and decreased Ph.D. admissions. In its fiscal 2025 report, the college posted an working lack of $113 million, marking its first finances deficit since 2020.
RELATED CONTENT: Harvard College Deads Minority Recruitment Amid Targets On Race Admissions
