As the White House goes to revoke the certification for registering foreign students at Harvard University, the conflict between the administration and the country’s oldest and most affluent institution intensifies. President Donald Trump has made the inaccurate claim that Harvard offers “therapeutic mathematics” covering basic concepts like simple addition.
Recently, he stated to U.S. attorneys in Washington, D.C., including Jeanine Pirro, a former county prosecutor and elected judge, about a mathematics program on offer at the Oval Office. Pirro responded to a reporter’s inquiry regarding the resolution of the “dispute” with Harvard.
Let’s examine the facts more closely.
Claim: “Harvard announced two weeks ago that it would teach remedial courses, meaning that it would cover lower-level mathematics like two plus two. Are these students actually enrolled at Harvard?”
Fact: Harvard does not provide remedial math classes that address basic arithmetic. When asked if Trump was referencing a specific course, a White House spokesperson referred to Mathematics MA5, which was introduced in Fall 2024. This course is a new format designed to provide additional support in calculations. The original Mathematics MA course remains available.
“Harvard University does not offer what is referred to as remedial mathematics,” stated James Chischolm, a spokesperson for the university’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
He further explained, “Math MA5 is a college-level calculus course. It is simply a new format for Math MA, which has been an introductory freshmen course at Harvard for many years.”
According to Chischolm, students in Mathematics MA and MA5 receive the same homework, exams, and grading metrics. The only distinction is that MA meets three times a week while MA5 meets five times a week. Both serve as prerequisites for advanced mathematics courses.
One question from a sample exam asked students to formulate an equation estimating the total number of hypothetical outbreak cases after a specific day.
Harvard Crimson reported that in September, Brendan Kelly, the director of introductory mathematics, mentioned that Mathematics MA5 was “intended to address the lack of fundamental algebraic skills among students.”
A course description highlights that “additional support targets foundational skills in algebra, geometry, and quantitative reasoning.”
The Harvard Extension School runs continuing education programs aimed at working adults, including a precalculus course. Most students are required to register. Those who wish to earn a degree must complete two or three courses in their chosen field of study. Those who pursue a certificate or take a single course need to meet certain enrollment criteria, like demonstrating English proficiency.
Undergraduate students at Harvard are required to adhere to strict admission standards and are not allowed to cross-register for courses at the Harvard Extension School.
“Harvard Extension School is entirely distinct from Harvard College, and the two do not share any similarities regarding curriculum and student experience,” Chischolm stated.
The Rising Scholars Program at Harvard offers an invitation-only opportunity for students from “high schools providing limited academic enrichment opportunities at the university level.” There are also summer courses for students needing additional foundational knowledge in topics like precalculus and algebra.
“The main point regarding academic support relates more to the high schools from which incoming students come rather than the individual abilities of the students,” Chischolm noted.
Harvard also provides an Emerging Scholars Program aimed at helping freshmen enrolled in introductory calculus courses who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, aiming to “address systematic inequalities in mathematics and science education that have affected university students for years.”
The median math scores for recently admitted undergraduates at Harvard were 790 out of 800 on the SAT and 35 out of 36 on the ACT, with an average high school GPA of 4.2.
“No university is more challenging to enroll than Harvard, regardless of demographics,” stated Brian Taylor, managing partner at Coach Ivy, College Counseling Services. “In this instance, President Trump’s mathematics simply do not add up.”
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Source: apnews.com