Harvard released this press release announcing their grand fall 2020 plan for adapting to current COVID-stances. Things that the press release said:
Up to 40% of undergraduates will return to campus for fall, inclusive of first-year students
Up to 40% of undergraduates will return to campus for spring, inclusive of seniors
All courses for AY 2020-2021 will be offered online
Tuition will remain the same
Deadline for deferral for first-year students is extended to July 24, 2020
Cool. Cool, cool cool. It’s a lot to digest, especially if you’re planning to attend Harvard in the fall. Our main takeaway from this is that Harvard is coming out to say what we all know and have been thinking about during this global pandemic. Harvard is finally making the hush hushed truth, clear:
When it comes to top tier schools, like Harvard, you aren’t paying tuition for the experience. You also aren’t *really* even paying for connections, access to faculty, super-smart friends, or “mind-blowing” classes. You’re paying for the brand. You’re paying to say that you have a degree from “just a small school in Cambridge, MA,” you know, HARVARD.
They’re just being upfront and straight with everyone with this press release. We all knew that that was the case, but no school has actually come out and said it. Same goes for other schools, like Stanford, Yale, Princeton, [insert other Ivy or Ivy-adjacent school here]. The difference here, though, is that Harvard is being pretty shameless about it. They’re not even going to try to follow in the footsteps of Williams by giving a conciliatory price cut (they cut tuition by 15% for next year). Harvard is just straight up saying that whether you’re alone in your childhood bedroom, in an apartment near Cambridge with a roommate you’re trapped with, or on a vibrant, lively campus -- it doesn’t matter. It’s the longevity of the Harvard brand that you are paying for. Harvard’s historical and ongoing relevance is a bet that many are willing to take, and Harvard is clearly banking on its incoming and existing students continuing to put your chips on that square.
We know that this might be super tough news for anyone planning to attend Harvard in the fall. Or for those whose dream school is/was Harvard. Or for literally anyone thinking about college in the coming years. This is a really hard time for you, and we feel that deeply as we write these ongoing updates.
It’s important, when putting together your college lists right now, or when assessing if you’re going to defer freshman year to next year, that you think about “why” you are drawn to a certain school. Is it because it’s a good fit? Is it because of the school’s reputation or celebrated status as an “elite school”? What is the real goal of applying or attending, and is it worth it? That’s what we’re trying to help you with right now by presenting this information with a bit of pointed commentary.
Please let us know if you need some guidance with this conversation -- we’d love to be able to talk this out with you.