Harvard Lampooned for Keeping Tuition at $50,000 Despite Decision to Hold All Classes Online Next Year: ‘Highway Robbery’
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Harvard University will hold all of its courses for the 2020-2021 academic year online amid the coronavirus pandemic, without changing its near $50,000 tuition.
The school announced on Monday that the Faculty of Arts and Sciences will welcome 40 percent of the student body to campus for the fall semester, including all freshmen and those who need access to the campus to learn.
“Harvard was built for connection, not isolation. Without a vaccine or effective clinical treatments for the virus, we know that no choice that reopens the campus is without risk,” the president and deans wrote in a joint statement.
“That said, we have worked closely with leading epidemiologists and medical experts to define an approach that we believe will protect the health and safety of our community, while also protecting our academic enterprise and providing students with the conditions they need to be successful academically.”
Citing the recent spike in coronavirus cases, Harvard announced that all students, including those who will live on campus, will learn remotely. Those returning to campus, including freshmen, will live in single bedrooms with a shared bathroom.
Access to non-residential Harvard buildings will be restricted, with the exception of University Health Services while Harvard Athletics has not determined when recreational facilities will open. Harvard Library will also remain closed and visitors will not be allowed to enter student residences both on and off campus.
The statement detailed the cost of attendance, noting that tuition will remain the same while they will support aided students who do not return to campus by providing a $5,000 remote room along with a board allowance in their financial aid award each semester.
Many have taken to Twitter to critique the university’s decision to request full tuition from most of their students:
Pretty nice acceptance letter you’ve got there. Pretty nice degree you might receive. Kind of a dream for you, I imagine. Would be a shame if somethin’ were to happen to it. You don’t want that. We here at Harvard don’t want that. https://t.co/PBOef5eglr
— Jon Lovett (@jonlovett) July 6, 2020
Median average starting salary of a Harvard Graduate is $70K-88K.
Avg median in America is $55K.
However 4 years of Harvard is about $200K for ONLINE.
To be honest I’d like to know what they are going to offer that People who built a 6 Figure business don’t…
— Roberto Blake ? #AWESOMESQUAD (@robertoblake) July 6, 2020
Harvard suckers customers into paying for the world’s most expensive MOOC
— Caitlin Flanagan (@CaitlinPacific) July 6, 2020
JUST IN: you can audit most of the courses you need for any Harvard undergrad for free online and not get yourself $50k in debt PER YEAR https://t.co/FKu0g0EHhD
— Chamath Palihapitiya (@chamath) July 6, 2020
Harvard is putting all classes online this coming school year and still charging $50k in full tuition. This is highway robbery: https://t.co/roGxs5Ohy1
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) July 6, 2020
Harvard is the new University of Phoenix.
— Jack Shafer (@jackshafer) July 6, 2020
Harvard just announced they’re charging the full $50k a year for 100% remote classes this coming year.
Maybe kids should just listen to podcasts, watch YouTube, and read books instead.
— Pomp ? (@APompliano) July 6, 2020
