"Our students earned over $10 million in outside awards," Fitzsimmons said, "and roughly half those students are on financial aid."
Even if the economy does not continue its current record pace over the coming years, he said, Harvard is prepared to maintain its commitment to financial aid.
"One of the reasons we've pushed so hard for the financial aid in the capital campaign is that no one here believes the good times will roll on forever," Fitzsimmons said. "We're as ready as we're going to be."
As Harvard has continued to emphasize minority recruitment, the recent appointment of Ruth J. Simmons as the next president of Brown University may play some role in how students ultimately choose their college.
Simmons will be the first black president in the Ivy League, and as another early action school, Brown competes with Harvard for students.
While Fitzsimmons said he thinks Simmons' appointment may affect admissions decisions this year, he expects that it will also benefit Harvard in portraying the Ivy League as more accessible.
"It sends a message," Fitzsimmons said. "While I think it will certainly be helpful to Brown, I think it will be helpful to the whole Ivy League and to higher education as a whole."
The admissions committee is scheduled to finish its deliberation on December 12 and send out decisions on December 15.
Read more in News
Crimson Turns Over 117th to YaleRecommended Articles
-
Admissions Office Accepts 902 for '01Thousands of high school seniors around the country will be waiting anxiously for the mail to arrive this weekend, ready
-
Early Applicant Pool Increases By Thirty PercentOnce they get to campus, Harvard students may not often hand their work in early, but a record number of
-
Early Action Recruitment IncreasesMore than 200 students granted early action admission to the College will attend a three-day program latter this month to
-
Admits Request More Fee WaiversAlmost a quarter more of the students accepted early to Harvard’s Class of 2009 requested fee waivers on their applications
-
Early Action Applications Ebb This FallApplications for early admission to Harvard College dipped slightly this fall, with nearly 4,000 students vying for spots in the
-
Number Of Early Admits DropsThe admissions office will mail out thick envelopes to just more than 800 lucky students today, offering slots in the