Contested math claims by Trump during his Harvard years hold inconsistencies.
The White House is reportedly planning to rescind Harvard University's authorization to enroll foreign students, deepening a standoff between the administration and the country's oldest and wealthiest institution of higher learning. This development comes amid President Donald Trump's misleading assertions that Harvard offers "rudimentary mathematics," concentrating on basic operations like simple addition.
During a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office on Wednesday for Interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro, a Fox News host and former county prosecutor, Trump lashed out at Harvard's mathematics offerings in response to a reporter's query about the resolution of the dispute.
Let us examine the facts surrounding his claim.
CLAIM: "Two weeks ago, Harvard declared they would teach rudimentary mathematics, referring to elementary numeracy skills such as adding two and two to make four. How did these individuals gain entry to Harvard if they can't even perform the most basic math operations?"
FACTS: Harvard does not offer a course that deals with rudimentary arithmetic. A White House representative, when asked to clarify Trump's statement, provided information about Mathematics MA5, a new format for an existing course that offers extra assistance in calculus, first introduced in the fall of 2024. The original course, Mathematics MA, remains available.
James Chisholm, a spokesperson for the Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which oversees the undergraduate program, stated, "Harvard College does not provide any rudimentary math courses."
He added: "Mathematics MA5 is a college-level calculus class. It is merely a revised format of Mathematics MA, an introductory freshman calculus course that has been offered at Harvard for years."
Students enrolled in Mathematics MA and MA5 have identical homework, exams, and grading structures, according to Chisholm. The only difference lies in the frequency of meetings—MA5 meets five days a week while MA meets three. Both serve as prerequisites for advanced math courses.
A sample exam provided by Chisholm included a question requiring students to devise a formula for calculating the total number of cases during a hypothetical outbreak over a specific duration.
The Harvard Crimson published an article in September, citing Brendan Kelly, the Director of Introductory Math, who said that Mathematics MA5 was established to address a deficiency in foundational algebra skills among students due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The course description notes that its extra support will focus on strengthening foundational skills in algebra, geometry, and quantitative reasoning.
Harvard Extension School, the university's continuing education program aimed at working adults, offers a precalculus course. Most students merely need to register to attend, though those aiming to earn a degree must complete at least two or three courses in their area of study. Students earning a certificate or taking a single course must meet certain enrollment criteria, such as English proficiency.
Harvard College undergraduates, who must apply and meet rigorous admission standards, are not permitted to enroll in Harvard Extension School classes.
Harvard's Rising Scholars Program, an exclusive opportunity for incoming Harvard College students from high schools with limited college-level educational opportunities, offers a summer course for students requiring additional foundational knowledge, including precalculus and algebra.
Chisholm mentioned that the significance of the Rising Scholars program lies in its focus on the quality of high schools rather than the individual students' abilities.
Harvard has also launched the Emerging Scholars Program to support freshmen enrolled in introductory calculus who are interested in STEM fields, with the objective of addressing systemic inequalities in K-12 math and science education that have impacted Harvard students for years.
The average math score for the most recently enrolled undergraduate class at Harvard College was 790 out of 800 on the SATs and 35 out of 36 on the ACTs. The average high school GPA was 4.2.
Brian Taylor, managing partner at college counseling service Ivy Coach, commented, "There is no university in America as challenging to gain admission to as Harvard—no matter your demographics. President Trump's logic on this matter is fundamentally flawed."
- The White House's allegation that Harvard teaches rudimentary mathematics is misleading, as Harvard College does not provide any courses focused on basic arithmetic.
- In response to President Trump's criticism, a White House representative clarified that Mathematics MA5, a revised format of an existing course, offers extra assistance in calculus and is not a rudimentary math course.
- In September, The Harvard Crimson published an article stating that Mathematics MA5 was created to address a deficiency in foundational algebra skills among students due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Harvard Extension School, the university's continuing education program, offers a precalculus course for working adults who wish to enhance their skills, while Harvard College undergraduates are not permitted to enroll in these classes.
- Harvard has launched programs such as the Rising Scholars Program and the Emerging Scholars Program to support students who require additional foundational knowledge and address systemic inequalities in K-12 math and science education.
