Harvard Students Need to Stop Taking the Same Class Twice

Is Economics 10 really that easy, or did you just take the same class in high school?

Harvard’s introductory classes are meant to be an entry point to a given subject — a chance for students to explore a brand new field. But for some, these courses are indistinguishable from those they took in high school, if not outright easier.

But because skipping introductory courses is neither easy nor in students’ best interests, they can and do enroll in courses far below their skill-level.

Take one of Harvard’s largest introductory classes, Computer Science 50: “Introduction to Computer Science.” Last fall, I entered the course without any computer science background.

CS50 sections are organized by skill level via a survey, so that students can learn alongside those with a similar experience level. As a result, the section I was placed in was mostly for beginners

So imagine my surprise when I learned that people in my section, or even sections easier than mine, had far more advanced backgrounds in coding than I — some had even developed apps.

I now realize that my more experienced classmates were just responding to the incentives in front of them.

In CS50, each section has its own grading curve to account for skill level differences. As a result though, experienced coders in search of an easy A have good reason to be untruthful about their abilities.

The sectioning policy is well-intentioned. But in practice it sometimes disadvantages the very students it’s meant to help. Those already advanced students choosing to take easier classes are not only wasting their own time, but also putting their peers, who did not come into class with the same level of understanding, at an unfair disadvantage.

My experience in CS50 is illustrative of a broader trend at Harvard. In other introductory courses like Economics 10: “Principles of Economics,” some students study material far below their skill-level — and indeed, have good reason to do just that.

One way to address the issue is by bringing back Harvard’s acceptance of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate credit. The college used to allow more test scores to count towards advanced standing, but it stopped in 2020, seemingly because some faculty regarded AP and IB classes as not comparable to the work required in college.

Although it may be true that some who have scored highly on these exams are not ready to enroll in intermediate level courses, there are definitely those who can.

Skill level can easily be assessed through placement testing ahead of the semester, which the college already offers for math, sciences, writing, and language classes. The College could introduce tests like those for computer science, economics, and other disciplines.

For this change to be effective though, students need to receive college credit for courses they skip. Otherwise, they would still have a reason to take classes below their experience level for an easy, coveted A.

Harvard can’t forget about the students who need introductory-level coursework. Changing the introductory enrollment process would make Harvard’s academics more equitable for all students.

College should be a time for academic exploration and challenge, not just finding the easiest classes to graduate. But in order for that to happen, Harvard must allow advanced students to take classes that match their abilities.

Grades should reflect students’ learning over the course of a semester, not their knowledge before they even enrolled.

Naftali T. Horowitz ’27, a Crimson Editorial editor, is a double concentrator in Economics and Government in Cabot house.