Harvard's math crisis: Trump's jab, remedial classes and a deeper problem

It’s been a wild week for Harvard University, and not the kind that makes the alumni newsletter.

At a recent press meet, US President Donald Trump took a swipe at Harvard students, mocking them for “needing remedial math” and suggesting some “can’t even add 2 and 2.”

When a reporter asked Trump why he didn’t want the “best and brightest” from around the world to study at Harvard, he shot back:

“I do. But a lot of the people need remedial math, where these students cannot add 2 and 2 and they go to Harvard. They want remedial math and they are going to teach remedial math at Harvard.”

“How can someone who cannot add, don’t have basic skills, get into Harvard?” he added.

His remarks sparked a fresh wave of outrage, and not just from academic circles.

Because behind the jab is a sobering truth: for the first time in its history, Harvard has introduced remedial math classes.

So, how did the world’s most prestigious university end up here?

TRUMP vs HARVARD: MORE THAN POLITICS

Trump’s comments come in the middle of an ongoing standoff between his political camp and Harvard over the enrolment of international students.

In a controversial move, the Trump-backed administration recently revoked Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification. This meant the university could no longer admit new foreign students, and those already studying would be forced to transfer or lose their legal status in the US.

Over 700 of those affected students are Indian.

The crackdown was justified on grounds of campus unrest, anti-Semitic incidents, and Harvard’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies -- issues that have become lightning rods in today’s polarised political climate.

For now, a federal judge has stepped in, issuing a temporary restraining order that pauses the ban. That gives Harvard and its international students a brief window of relief, but the future remains uncertain.

If the ban returns, hundreds of Indian students and thousands more could be left stranded, mid-degree.

WHAT’S REALLY BEHIND THE REMEDIAL MATH CLASSES?

Now, back to Trump’s “can’t add 2+2” comment. That punchline wasn’t pulled from thin air. It’s based -- somewhat crudely -- on a real change: in the 2023-24 academic year, Harvard rolled out a year-long remedial math course called Math MA.

This isn’t a casual elective. It meets five days a week and covers basics like algebra and geometry -- material you’d expect students to have mastered long before applying to an Ivy League school.

But Harvard says the course is necessary. Why? Two big reasons: the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and the university’s move away from standardised testing in admissions.

With the SAT and ACT going optional, admissions officers now have less data on applicants’ maths ability. Combine that with pandemic-era learning gaps, and the result is a growing cohort of undergraduates who arrive at Harvard unprepared for college-level maths

WHY ARE SMART STUDENTS STRUGGLING?

The crisis in maths readiness goes beyond Harvard, and it’s been building for years. Four major factors stand out:

• Pandemic disruptions left students without in-person instruction during critical learning years, especially in maths.
• Test-optional admissions mean even elite schools may admit students without clear indicators of academic readiness in quantitative skills.
• Shifting high school curricula has pushed towards abstract concepts, leaving students less equipped in practical problem-solving.
• Widening achievement gaps in the US mean lower-income and minority students often enter university already behind in maths.

It’s this broader context that makes Harvard’s case so jarring. The university is turning away thousands of applicants with perfect SAT scores and AP Calculus credits, yet enrolling others who now need to relearn high school algebra.

IS HARVARD LOWERING ITS STANDARDS?

The controversy doesn’t stop at remedial courses. Grade inflation is another hot topic. Reports now show that a whopping 79% of grades at Harvard fall in the A range.

Critics see this as evidence that the university’s rigorous standards are eroding in favour of participation trophies. Defenders argue it’s a reflection of student commitment and the university’s attempt to create an equitable learning environment.

This debate over performance vs participation is playing out not just at Harvard, but across American higher education.

LEGACY OF FEDERAL OVERSIGHT AND DEI COMPLIANCE

To understand how Harvard ended up in this spotlight, we need to rewind a few decades. Since the 1970s, the university has been under federal pressure to meet diversity benchmarks -- first through executive orders, then through compliance threats tied to funding.

As a result, Harvard’s admissions process has long included affirmative action plans, oversight committees, and demographic data reporting. These policies have shaped the face of the campus: today, fewer than 15% of its incoming students are straight, white and male.

For some, this is a sign of long-overdue change. For others, it's proof that the university has veered too far from merit-based admissions. Either way, DEI has become a central flashpoint in the latest round of political and cultural battles.

THE LARGER QUESTION: IS THE US SCHOOL SYSTEM FAILING?

Trump’s jab may have been rude, but it points to a larger concern: Why are elite universities admitting students -- international or not -- who need help with basic maths?

The answer lies in America’s shaky K-12 pipeline. Years of shifting policies, underfunded schools, and pandemic fallout have left even high-achieving students with serious learning gaps.

Now, universities like Harvard are stuck filling those gaps themselves -- with remedial classes, inflated grades, and a lot of public scrutiny.

A CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE

Harvard’s remedial math course is a sign of cracks spreading through the foundation of American education.

As the legal and cultural battles rage on, the fate of thousands of international students hangs in the balance. So does the reputation of one of the world’s top universities.

The big question now isn’t whether Harvard can survive this storm. It’s whether the US education system can rise to meet the moment -- or whether we’ll keep blaming students for a system that’s failing them.