Comparing Easy Admissions to Harvard in the Early 1900s with Today

Getting into Harvard University today is a significantly more challenging process compared to the early 1900s. However, the context of admission criteria, acceptance rates, standardized testing, diversity, and academic rigor have all evolved over the years. This article will explore how the admissions landscape has changed and who had the easier path to admission in the past.

Acceptance Rates and Application Numbers

In the early 1900s, Harvard's acceptance rates were considerably higher than they are today. The university had a smaller pool of applicants and a smaller student body, allowing more applicants with lower academic qualifications to gain admission. By the mid-20th century, the use of standardized tests like the SAT became more prevalent, leading to a more uniform and competitive admissions process based on test scores rather than personal recommendations and academic performance in high school.

Standardized Testing and College Admissions

Standardized testing was not as common in the early 1900s. Admissions were often based on personal recommendations, interviews, and academic performance. These criteria could vary significantly from one applicant to another. For example, a student with exceptional personal qualities but lower academic grades could still gain admission, while a student with excellent grades but less personal appeal might be rejected. In contrast, today's admissions process places a strong emphasis on standardized test scores, which can create more predictability and uniformity in the selection process.

Diversity and Inclusivity

The student body of Harvard in the early 1900s was much less diverse. Admissions were often limited by factors such as race, religion, and socioeconomic status. Today, there is a greater emphasis on diversity and holistic admissions processes. This has made the admissions process more competitive and selective, especially for underrepresented groups. While historical discrimination has improved, the current process still requires navigating complex socio-economic and cultural barriers.

Academic Rigor and Extracurricular Activities

The academic rigor of high school curricula has increased over the years. Applicants today often have extensive extracurricular involvement, advanced coursework, and higher GPAs than those in the early 1900s. This has led to a more prepared and competitive applicant pool. Additionally, the emphasis on extracurricular activities in the admissions process has added another layer of complexity to the application experience.

Global Competition and International Applicants

In recent decades, the pool of applicants has grown internationally, increasing competition for admission. Harvard now attracts top students from around the world, making it more difficult to gain entry. This international competition further raises the bar for domestic applicants, who must stand out not only in their academic achievements but also in their unique personal and cultural backgrounds.

The Impact of Co-Education on Admissions

For White males from certain social backgrounds, it was much easier to get into Ivy League schools prior to desegregation in the 1960s and 1970s. After co-education, the number of spaces for men decreased sharply, and the women admitted were often better students. This made it more difficult for male applicants to gain admission. Conversely, for White females, the chances of admission dramatically improved after co-education as the number of male applicants decreased and the remaining applicants were more competitive.

It is important to note that the process had been becoming less exclusive for decades. The schools had to loosen their admissions criteria during the Great Depression to maintain their financial stability. The Second World War also provided a shock that reduced snobbery in the admissions process. However, they remained primarily socially based, rather than intellectually based, until the 1960s. Some institutions were more socially oriented while others were more intellectually oriented, but they were all still largely homogeneous.

However, for individuals who were not White and privileged, or who came from the "wrong" type of White and privileged background, the situation dramatically improved after 1970. Prior to 1970, many of these individuals would have been unlikely to get in. The idea that 'people could just write a check' in the past has some truth, but it is profoundly misleading. The 'right people' could write a check, but anyone else would not even get through the admissions office door.

The irony is that today, the alumni fighting tooth-and-claw for their own offspring, who would never have been admitted in the 'really good old days,' are often the children of co-education. They are environmentalists fighting for new restrictions on wilderness construction because they built their cabin in the National Forest last year.