October 25, 2025

Harvard University just shared demographic data for its Class of 2029, months later than usual. This is the first time Harvard has waited until fall to release these numbers, and the data shows big changes in who is applying since standardized testing became required again.

The numbers tell a clear story: when Harvard made SAT or ACT scores mandatory again, thousands of prospective students chose not to apply at all. Combined with the Supreme Court's ban to consider race in college admissions, these policy changes are reshaping who applies to one of the world's most selective universities.

First, the good news: Harvard's acceptance rate rose to 4.18% this year, up from 3.65% last year. The university admitted 2,003 students out of 47,893 applicants. However, this increase wasn't due to Harvard admitting more students; it was because fewer people applied in the first place.

But let's be realistic about what this means. Harvard still rejected more than 45,000 qualified students this year: over 95% of applicants received rejection letters. If you are a strong applicant, yes, your odds are marginally better than in the previous few years. But "better" means going from roughly 1 in 27 to 1 in 24. These are still lottery-ticket odds.

And those odds are even worse than they appear. Those 2,003 admitted students include recruited athletes, legacy applicants, children of major donors, and others on the dean's interest list. For "unhooked" applicants applying through the regular process, the real acceptance rate is considerably lower than 4.18%.

Keep in mind that those 2,003 admitted students include recruited athletes, legacy applicants, children of major donors, and others on the dean's interest list. For 'unhooked' applicants applying through the regular process, the real acceptance rate is even lower than 4.18%.

Harvard also admitted 75 students from the waitlist this year, nearly twice as many as last year's 41. The school even extended its waitlist timeline beyond the usual June 30 deadline, largely due to uncertainty around international student visa issues during the Trump administration's attempts to restrict Harvard's ability to enroll students from abroad.

Of all the students who did get in, 1,675 enrolled, an 83.6% yield rate. Unsurprisingly, nearly everyone admitted to Harvard chooses to attend.

The demographic breakdown shows clear shifts:

• Hispanic enrollment dropped significantly, falling from 16% last year to 11% this year. That is a reversal after a small increase the year before.  

• Black enrollment also declined, dropping 2.5 percentage points to 11.5% of the class. 

• Asian American enrollment jumped, rising from 37% to 41%, the biggest increase in recent years. 

• Harvard didn't release data on white students or those identifying with multiple races. 

• About 8% of students chose not to report their race.

These patterns mirror what is happening at other top schools. Yale and Princeton have reported similar declines in underrepresented minority enrollment, with Princeton's Black freshman numbers hitting their lowest point since 1968.

Understanding who stayed away from Harvard this cycle is just as important as knowing who got in. The 6,000+ applicant drop reveals how policy changes reshaped the applicant pool before students even hit submit.

First, the Supreme Court's affirmative action ban likely discouraged some students from underrepresented backgrounds who questioned whether they'd receive fair consideration without race-conscious admissions. Some may have self-selected out entirely, deciding not to apply to schools where they felt the playing field had shifted against them.

The return of mandatory testing created a second barrier. Research on test-optional policies shows that standardized testing requirements disproportionately discourage certain groups from applying. Students from lower-income backgrounds often lack access to test preparation. First-generation college students may be unfamiliar with the standardized testing culture. Students from underresourced high schools face limited testing infrastructure. And academically strong students who simply don't perform well on standardized tests may opt out entirely.

These policy changes filtered out prospective applicants before they even submitted applications, fundamentally reshaping the applicant pool in ways that demographic data alone cannot fully capture.

International students make up 15% of this year's enrolled freshman class, down three points from last year but consistent with historical averages. The yield rate for international students topped 90%, meaning nearly all admitted international students chose to enroll despite the political headwinds they faced.

The Trump administration temporarily revoked Harvard's ability to enroll international students, ramped up visa screening, and tried to block students with Harvard-sponsored visas. At least one admitted student couldn't attend because of entry bans affecting 12 countries. Harvard responded by letting admitted international students accept spots at non-American universities as backup plans and extending waitlist decisions past normal deadlines to account for visa uncertainties.

Here is the most important piece of information if you are worried about affording Harvard: the Class of 2029 is the first to benefit from expanded financial aid that covers full tuition for families making under $200,000 per year. This year, 45% of the freshmen class are attending Harvard tuition-free. More than half of those students are getting full rides that also cover room and board.

Harvard can afford this level of aid through its massive endowment (over $50 billion) and because the other 55% of students likely pay full tuition. When families earning $300,000+ pay the full $86,926 annual cost of attendance, it subsidizes free or reduced tuition for students from middle and lower-income families. This model means that for some families, Harvard is more affordable than their state school.

The aid reaches students across the economic spectrum. One in five incoming freshmen are first-generation college students, meaning neither parent earned a four-year degree. Additionally, 21% qualify for federal Pell grants, which are awarded to undergraduates from lower-income families (typically those earning under $60,000 annually). The Pell grant eligibility rate serves as a key indicator that Harvard is successfully enrolling students from economically diverse backgrounds, not just the wealthy.

If you are considering applying to Harvard or similar selective schools, here is what this year's admissions numbers mean for you:

Mandatory Testing
Yes, there are new barriers. Testing is mandatory again. The end of affirmative action has led to demographic shifts. Fewer students are applying overall.

Higher Admit Rates
Acceptance rates are higher than they have been in years. Financial aid is more generous than ever. If you are from a family making under $200,000, tuition is free. If you are from a lower-income family, you might get everything covered.

Ultra Reach
Keep perspective on selectivity. Even with a 4.18% acceptance rate, Harvard rejects 95.82% of applicants. That means the vast majority of highly qualified students won't get in. The same goes for other elite schools, seeing similar trends. These institutions are ultra-reach schools on a balanced college list that includes targets and likely schools where you would be genuinely excited to attend.

Don't count yourself out, but don't count on it either. If you have strong grades, meaningful extracurriculars, and a compelling story, absolutely apply to Harvard and other highly selective schools. The 6,000 students who didn't apply because of testing requirements did create some space. But treat Harvard as what it is: an ultra-reach for everyone.

Balanced List
Build a balanced college list. This is critical. You need target schools where your stats match the middle 50% of admitted students, and likely/safety schools where you are above the 75th percentile and would genuinely be happy to attend. Many excellent universities (think top liberal arts colleges, honors programs at state flagships, other highly ranked private universities) offer generous financial aid and outstanding education. 

The admissions landscape keeps changing. If you do get into Harvard, the financial aid is more generous than ever. But getting in is still extraordinarily difficult for everyone. Build a college list of schools you would genuinely be excited to attend across all selectivity levels. The goal isn't chasing one or two dream schools. It's finding multiple great-fit colleges where you can thrive, and making sure most of them are places you actually have a realistic shot of getting into.

Source: Harvard University, Class of 2029 Admissions Data (published October 2025)

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