Harvard University has dropped its standardized testing requirements for applicants to the Class of 2025, joining six other Ivy League institutions to also go test-optional for next year’s applicants. As of today, the only holdout among the Ivy League schools is Princeton University, though Ivy Coach’s crystal ball predicts Princeton will be dropping its standardized testing requirement in the days to come. After all, it has to be lonely being the only Ivy League school to require testing for the Class of 2025. Harvard took its time arriving at its decision but ultimately concluded test requirements were not to be — not in light of all the test cancelations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Princeton Remains Last Ivy League School Standing in Requiring Testing for Class of 2025

As Benjamin L. Fu and Dohyun Kim write for The Harvard Crimson in a piece entitled “Harvard Removes Standardized Testing Requirements for Class of 2025 Applicants,” “Monday’s note cites the effect of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in explaining the decision to amend its standardized test policy. Although American standardized testing is no longer required, the update encourages international applicants to submit relevant national testing results from their home country. ‘We understand that the COVID-19 pandemic has created insurmountable challenges in scheduling tests for all students, particularly those from modest economic backgrounds, and we believe this temporary change addresses these challenges,’ the guidance reads. The policy change follows other schools’ decisions to suspend standardized test requirements for applicants to the Class of 2025. All other Ivy League schools except for Princeton have amended their testing requirements to become test-optional for the 2020-2021 application cycle.”

Harvard Lies in Saying There is No Advantage to Apply Early Action

Harvard also asserted the school anticipates receiving fewer applications this coming Early Action cycle. They bookended that remark by stating there remains no advantage in applying Early Action to the university, which our loyal readers of course know is a bald-faced lie. There is absolutely an advantage in applying to Harvard — and all highly selective universities — in the Early round as compared to Regular Decision. The numbers tell the story. For the Class of 2024, the Early Action acceptance rate was 13.9%. For Regular Decision applicants, the acceptance rate was 5.8%. For the Class of 2023, the Early Action acceptance rate was 13.4%. For Regular Decision applicants that same year, the acceptance rate was 2.8%. For the Class of 2022, the Early Action acceptance rate was 14.5%. For Regular Decision applicants that same year, the acceptance rate was 2.8%. Shall we go on? But, hey, this is the same school that claims to not discriminate against Asian American applicants.