Admissions Overhaul Praised

Larsen Professor of Public Policy Christopher N. Avery ’88 discussed early admissions policy and its effect on Harvard’s future at an intimate discussion with about 20 people yesterday evening.

Avery, the co-author of “The Early Admissions Game: Joining the Elite,” praised former University President Lawrence H. Summers for overseeing the creation of the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative (HFAI) and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons ’67 for helping end the College’s Early Action program last September.

“I think there’s no way we would be here tonight without those two people,” Avery said at the event, which took place in Quincy House’s Junior Common Room.

The talk, presented by HFAI staff, focused on the ways that scrapping early admissions would affect the representation of low-income applicants to Harvard.

Avery highlighted a “pipeline problem” that Harvard and other elite institutions have experienced in the past, saying that “schools can’t reform anything except the students provided to them.”

“What we found at Harvard was the introduction of the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative increased representation,” Avery said, “and it particularly did it by drawing more people into the applicant pool.”

Avery added, however, that early action policies have some benefits, saying that he might actually “choose for all colleges to have early action” as opposed to the inconsistencies in admissions policies across different campuses today.

But he praised Harvard for its precedent-setting decision.

“In a world where there are so many colleges that offer early decision, I welcome Harvard’s decision,” he said.

During the question-and-answer session, one student proposed that a lack of early admissions could result in additional costs for students from having to send more applications and would pressure them to visit more schools, also a costly endeavor.

HFAI Director Melanie B. Mueller ’01 said that the admissions office was taking steps to ensure that additional financial obligations not deter any potential applicants from seeking admission.

“I think part of the activity we hope to take on is more time out on the road to reach some of these rural high schools, these non-feeder schools,” Mueller said. “We’re really easy about giving fee waivers.”

Another student spoke about the psychological benefit of receiving early admission to the College, saying he thought students would miss that perk under the new policy.

But Avery said that much of the perceived psychological effect is just an “urban myth.”

“If you’re smart, you realize that nothing you do between November and December will have any effect,” he said. “As long as you don’t rob a bank.”

—Staff writer Malcom A. Glenn can be reached at mglenn@fas.harvard.edu.