HARVARD GAZETTE ARCHIVES

Class of 2000 Selected from Record Pool of 18,190

The students just admitted to the Class of 2000 were selected from the largest applicant pool in the history of the College. Only 10.9 percent of the 18,190 applicants could be admitted, the lowest admission percentage the College has witnessed. This is the sixth year in a row of application increases, with approximately 50 percent more students applying than six years ago.

"The success of the College in attracting such a strong applicant pool is due to many factors, foremost among them our financial aid program and a recruiting network of over 5,000 alumnae and alumni volunteers from all parts of the United States and around the world," said William R. Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid. "There is also an increasing recognition of the unique set of opportunities afforded by the College and the attractions of Cambridge and Boston. The physical plant, the range of athletic and extracurricular activities, the education offered by our superb faculty, and the quality of the undergraduates themselves have never been better -- all of this made possible by the hard work and generosity of our alumnae and alumni, living and dead."

Admission letters were mailed at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, April 3, to 1,985 of the record 18,190 students who applied to the College. The admitted group is 45.4 percent female, the third largest percentage of women on record.

Over 9,400 of the applicants (52 percent of the applicant pool) scored 1,400 or higher on their combined SATs with 47 percent scoring 700 or above on the verbal SAT and 54 percent achieving comparable levels in mathematics. In the applicant pool were almost 1,600 students who scored a perfect 800 on the SAT verbal and over 1,900 with an 800 SAT math. As was the case for the past few years, there were more students who were valedictorians of their high schools (2,900) than the number admitted. Nearly 70 percent of the applicant pool were in the top 10 percent of their respective high school classes.

Geographic representation shifted slightly this year. There were increases in the South, Midwest, and Canada, while the West and Mid-Atlantic experienced modest decreases. Other areas remained stable.

Minority students did well in the admissions competition this year. Asian Americans comprise 16.4 percent of the admitted group, African Americans, 9.4 percent; Hispanic Americans 3.4 percent; Mexican Americans, 3.4 percent; Puerto Ricans 1.7 percent; and Native Americans 0.8 percent. "We are very pleased with the results of our recruitment efforts for the Class of 2000," said Director of Undergraduate Minority Recruiting Roger Banks. "Undergraduate minority recruiters, staff, and alumni/ae worked very hard to realize these successes, and we are very grateful to everyone who played a part in our recruiting program."

According to Director of Admissions, Marlyn McGrath Lewis, areas of academic interest showed some significant shifts this year. For the second year in a row, there was an increase in the percentage of students planning to concentrate in humanities. Two years ago 21.1 percent were inclined toward the humanities, last year the figure rose to 23.6 percent, and this year it was 26.6 percent, making it the most popular choice -- just ahead of biology at 26.4 percent.

"We have worked hard to make students and their families aware of Harvard's unsurpassed opportunities in the humanities, and we are gratified by this response," said Lewis. "Nationally, there have been cutbacks in humanities courses offered at the secondary level and only a small percentage (under 10 percent) of the students taking the PSAT indicate humanities as an area of intended college concentration. We have continued to run counter to national trends in achieving such high levels of interest in the humanities among our admitted group. Once again, the Faculty's deserved reputation for excellence in an extremely broad range of fields has drawn the interest of unusually promising scholars with well developed interests.

"At the same time, those students who want a broad academic experience recognize that Harvard is exceptional, perhaps unique, in the breadth of its distinction." Lewis described the work of the Faculty Admissions Committee as "absolutely crucial" in evaluating candidates as well as in the recruitment of admitted candidates, all of whom will have other attractive college choices, she said. Lewis noted also that the current freshman class (1999) includes far more National Merit Scholars than that of any other institution in the country.

Students also demonstrate an extraordinary range of interest in extracurricular activities, including music, dance, theater, sports, journalism, and public service. Over 31 percent percent of the admitted students indicate that music will be one of their principal extracurricular interests; nearly 20 percent listed the arts, such as drama or dance; 19 percent will devote their time to public service activities; 17 percent are inclined toward journalism, 10 percent are interested in student government; and 10 percent are interested in debate. More than 60 percent percent of the Class plan to be active in recreational activities, ranging from individual exercise programs to intercollegiate athletics.

Financial Aid

"A key to the size and strength of the applicant pool and to our prospects for enrolling most of the highly talented admitted students is our financial aid policy," said Director of Financial Aid James S. Miller. "Our need-blind admissions policy, along with our commitment to provide financial aid to all families with demonstrated need, has been vital in assembling incomparably strong classes," he said. Miller reported that students will be offered more than $75 million in financial aid (scholarships, loans, and jobs) with scholarships alone totaling over $40 million (including federal contributions). Approximately 45 percent of undergraduates this year will be on scholarship, matching last year's all-time high. About two-thirds of undergraduates will be eligible for some form of financial aid. The average grant will be over $13,000 with a total aid package, including scholarships, loans, and jobs, of more than $19,500.

Miller said that the College Access Plan continues to ensure that students from all economic backgrounds, including middle-income families, will have access to a Harvard and Radcliffe education. The Plan offers a wide range of scholarships, loans, jobs, and payment options, including the opportunity to pre-pay tuition at current rates or to extend payments for up to 20 years. Other forms of financial assistance, such as the Faculty Aide Program and the Ford Program, enable undergraduates to pursue special research interests in close partnerships with faculty members.

Visiting Program for Admitted Students

A Visiting Program for admitted students has been scheduled for April 20-22. Designed to introduce newly admitted students to life at Harvard, the program is coordinated by admissions officer Wendy Chang, working with undergraduate groups, including the Undergraduate Admissions Council and members of minority student organizations.

Events will include faculty panel discussions, concerts, parties, departmental open houses, and various symposia and activities offered by extracurricular organizations. "The program will not only give students the chance to attend classes, to meet faculty, and to experience college life here firsthand, but also to meet the extraordinary group of young people who will be their future classmates," Chang said.