Harvard University, Admissions and early student experiences

Harvard and its Schools have implemented changes to admissions practices to build on the University’s commitment to excellence and attract exceptional students ready to engage in open inquiry and constructive dialogue.

The University has also taken steps to enrich orientation and pre-orientation programming so that, during these foundational moments of a student’s educational journey, students are welcomed into an inclusive environment and can begin honing the skills necessary to engage in dialogue across difference both within and outside of the classroom, and both while at Harvard and after graduation.

Highlights of the effort include new admissions questions for applicants, updated training for admissions staff, and revised orientation programs.

Admissions

Strengthening admissions processes to encourage free inquiry and civil discourse

Harvard College and many of Harvard’s graduate and professional schools have revised their respective admissions processes to ensure that appropriate value is placed on candidates’ demonstrated abilities to engage constructively with different perspectives, show empathy, and participate in civil discourse.

To note a few examples:

• Harvard College updated its application to ask applicants about a time they "strongly disagreed with someone."

• Harvard Chan School of Public Health added the following question: "Describe a specific time when you held a strong opinion on a public health-related issue but changed your mind after a conversation, class, or experience."

• Harvard Graduate School of Education updated its application to ask applicants to "describe a situation when someone said or did something that conflicted with an important belief or value" and explain what they learned from that experience.

Demonstrated Leadership

Harvard has long sought applicants with demonstrated leadership, including leadership developed through faith-based organizations.

Beginning in Fall 2025, Harvard College and several graduate and professional schools updated their admissions processes to reinforce that faith-based leadership is valued equally alongside other forms of demonstrated leadership.

Training for Admissions Staff at Harvard College

In September 2025, all members of the Harvard College admissions committee completed the Perspectives Module developed by the Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI).

They also received additional training on applying lessons from the module during application review and admissions decision-making.

CDI is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that equips individuals and institutions with the skills to communicate across differences and build cultures of constructive dialogue.

Highlighting Community Values at Harvard Graduate School of Design

The Graduate School of Design updated its admissions application for the 2025–26 admissions cycle to emphasize the importance of GSD's Community Values.

Harvard Business School also continues requiring applicants to acknowledge and sign HBS's Community Values both before submitting an application and again before enrolling.

Strengthening Orientation for Admissions Staff at Harvard Medical School

As part of annual admissions faculty orientation in Fall 2025, Harvard Medical School leadership emphasized that the ability to engage in dialogue across differences is a key personal quality sought in applicants.

Admissions faculty were also introduced to the final recommendations from the University's two presidential task forces.

These updates will remain part of annual admissions training moving forward.

Promoting Civil Discourse in Admissions at Harvard School of Dental Medicine

For the 2026–2027 admissions cycle, Harvard School of Dental Medicine added a required civil discourse and constructive engagement question to the ADEA PASS supplemental application for AGE (postdoctoral) applicants.

Additionally, multiple civil discourse interview questions were added to the AGE Admissions Manual as recommended interview prompts.

Early Student Experiences

Pre-orientation and Orientation Programming

Harvard and its Schools have expanded their orientation and pre-orientation programming to ensure welcoming, inclusive experiences while helping students develop the skills necessary to engage in dialogue across differences.

Examples include:

Harvard College

In August 2025, Harvard College introduced a new required pre-matriculation module for all incoming first-year students.

The module covers topics including:

• Living with people from different backgrounds

• Managing conflict

• Understanding what it means to live together as a university community

During the same month, orientation also included:

• an academic keynote on civil discourse and friendship

• an interactive Tango session designed to encourage conversations among students with differing beliefs

Before the 2025–26 academic year, Harvard also:

• provided Project Shema training for pre-orientation leaders on recognizing and combating antisemitism

• offered workshops for residential staff on recognizing identity-based harm and addressing contemporary antisemitism

Additionally, Hillel and the Harvard College Dean of Students Office hosted webinars for incoming students highlighting Jewish life at Harvard during both 2024 and 2025.

Harvard Business School

The MBA orientation program includes multiple sessions such as:

• Creating a Session Culture

• Learning Leadership Skills

• Learning at HBS

These sessions emphasize respectful disagreement and constructive engagement.

Each student section is also assigned a faculty Section Chair, who works with students throughout the first year to strengthen dialogue across differences.

All first-year MBA students are also required to attend the session "Dialog for Understanding," led by an expert in negotiation and value-based conflict resolution.

Harvard Chan School of Public Health

During August 2025 orientation, students participated in a program centered on the School's Principles of Citizenship and its values of:

• community

• inclusion

• belonging

The program, "Stronger Together: Belonging as a Collective Process," explored how institutional structures, practices, and relationships contribute to building a stronger community culture.

Harvard Kennedy School

Harvard Kennedy School's pre-orientation and orientation communications emphasize the importance of generous listening and constructive dialogue.

During Fall 2025 Orientation, students participated in a comprehensive program on constructive disagreement led by an HKS faculty expert, along with a session titled "Exploring Community."

Harvard Law School

During Fall 2025 JD Orientation, Harvard Law School introduced a three-part "Cultivating Community" series.

The program included sessions such as "Cultivating Community: Choosing our Purposes in Conversation," led by faculty experts from the HLS Negotiation Program, with a strong emphasis on civil discourse both inside and outside the classroom.

Harvard Medical School & Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Beginning in Fall 2025, Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine revised the combined MD/DMD orientation program (Introduction to the Profession).

The updated program explicitly addresses:

• Community expectations

• Constructive dialogue

• Prevention of discrimination and exclusion

It also introduces foundational curriculum elements that encourage:

• Bridge-building

• Civil discourse

• Constructive engagement

along with information about key School and University policies.

Harvard School of Dental Medicine

The Admissions Office connects incoming students with Community & Campus Life student leaders and a network of admissions ambassadors who provide:

• Mentorship

• Guidance

• Information about campus resources

These student leaders participate in a leadership development program focused on:

• strengthening leadership skills

• mentoring fellow students

• student-led projects and workshops

• problem-solving and conflict resolution

Harvard Radcliffe Institute

Although Harvard Radcliffe Institute does not admit students, it operates orientation programs for undergraduate mentors participating in the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP).

Constructive dialogue and open inquiry have been core elements of the program for five years.

Each fall, approximately 40–50 Harvard undergraduate mentors participate in training focused on:

• Community norms

• Open discussion

• Supporting local high school students participating in the program

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)

SEAS revised its staff orientation to reaffirm its commitment to:

• Bridge-building

• Civil discourse

• Constructive engagement across different backgrounds and viewpoints

During Fall 2025 graduate orientation, SEAS also introduced a new exercise encouraging students to reflect on both their differences and their shared experiences.

Training for Student-Facing Personnel

Harvard College and many of Harvard's graduate and professional schools have introduced new training programs for faculty and staff who work directly with students.

Harvard College

In August 2025, Dean of Students Office staff completed workshops covering:

• Contemporary antisemitism

• Spiritual and interfaith care for student wellbeing

• Preventing identity-based harm and bullying in residential communities (based on NDAB policies)

The Bok Center

The Bok Center conducted mandatory "Pedagogy in Practice" training for approximately 450 new Teaching Fellows and Teaching Assistants.

Additional sessions covered topics including:

• Teaching Controversial Topics

• Navigating Teaching Team Dynamics

• Inclusive Teaching

All training sessions specifically addressed antisemitism.

The Center also plans to expand mandatory training to 1,200–1,500 Teaching Fellows and Teaching Assistants beginning in August 2026.

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

During the 2025–26 academic year, student-facing staff completed "Dialogue Facilitator Training," while student leaders participated in "Foundations in Constructive Dialogue."

Graduate School of Design

The Community, Impact, and Opportunity Office introduced a workshop titled "Dialogue Over Division: Embracing Disagreements in Community."

In August 2025, Resident Advisors also completed required training designed to strengthen their ability to support students and foster dialogue across differences.

Harvard Business School

The START faculty orientation program continues to emphasize respectful disagreement.

Before the 2025–26 academic year, MBA Required Curriculum faculty also discussed instructional approaches that ensure a wide range of perspectives can be heard in the classroom.

Harvard Chan School of Public Health

During Summer and Fall 2025, faculty and staff participated in intensive workshops on:

• Combating antisemitism

• Addressing anti-Islamic bias

Training was provided by:

• Project Shema

• Islamic Networks Group (ING)

and included representatives from numerous academic and administrative offices across the School.

Harvard Divinity School

New faculty received professional development on:

• Academic freedom

• Rights and responsibilities

• Communicating across differences

The School also held additional faculty training in collaboration with the Bok Center on free inquiry and constructive dialogue, followed by further workshops later in 2025.

Harvard Law School

Teaching Fellows completed orientation sessions covering:

• University policies

• Professional norms

• The importance of avoiding situations where personal opinions could discourage students from expressing their own views.

Harvard Medical School & Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Beginning with the 2026–27 academic year, all incoming first-year students will be required to complete the Constructive Dialogue Institute's (CDI) "Perspectives" online training modules.

Separate versions will be provided for:

• MD/DMD students

• Master's students

The modules will also be assigned to rising second-year medical and dental students during Summer 2026.

Faculty, staff, and student leaders also participated in Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) workshops designed to prepare them to facilitate small-group discussions that complement the required online training.

Teaching Excellence Training

Harvard Medical School introduced a series of teaching excellence workshops that include sessions focused on facilitating dialogue across differences in the classroom.

These sessions will now be offered twice each year.

Harvard Radcliffe Institute

In Fall 2025, Harvard Radcliffe Institute began implementing an updated student engagement strategy that explicitly emphasizes constructive dialogue.

Official Source

Harvard University – Admissions and Early Student Experiences

Source: Harvard University