by Jeroslyn JoVonn
October 25, 2025
There has been an increase in Asian American enrollment.
Harvard’s Class of 2029 admissions show a decline in Black and Hispanic students and an increase in Asian American enrollment.
Admissions data released on Oct. 23 reveals that Harvard’s Class of 2029 comprises 11.5% Black students, 11% Hispanic students, and 41% Asian American students, down from 14% Black and 16% Hispanic, The Hill reports. Asian American students are up from 37%.
The number of Black students at Harvard has steadily declined since the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that banned affirmative action in college admissions. Before the decision, Black students represented 18% of Harvard’s student body.
Hispanic enrollment initially increased following the ruling before dropping.
Harvard did not disclose the percentage of freshmen who identify as White or report multiple racial backgrounds. Eight percent of students opted not to report their race.
Harvard’s slight decline in Black and Hispanic student enrollment follows similar trends at fellow Ivy Leaguers Yale and Princeton. Princeton’s Black freshmen population fell to its lowest share since 1968. The long-awaited data, usually released earlier in the year, came this fall for the first time, aligning with the university’s federal reporting requirements.
The school has been under intense scrutiny since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which overturned 45 years of precedent on affirmative action. Critics of affirmative action, such as President Donald Trump, have closely monitored the racial makeup of the student body. At the same time, the university risks backlash from its own students if enrollment of underrepresented minorities declines.
Harvard continues to face scrutiny from Trump, who has used his second term to attempt to cut billions in funding and block the university’s enrollment of international students, both actions were ruled illegal by the courts. The share of international students has declined slightly, from 16% to 15%.
The pressure on the university seems to be taking a toll, as Harvard has implemented hiring freezes and reduced Ph.D. admissions. In its fiscal 2025 report, the university posted an operating loss of $113 million, marking its first budget deficit since 2020.
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