Harvard College sees drop in early applicants compared to last year: 'Harvard's reputation has been damaged'

Harvard graduate student Shabbos Kestenbaum joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the rise in antisemitism on college campuses and the backlash after President Claudine Gay's testimony before Congress.

Harvard College reported on Thursday its early application total and the results show a significant drop from last year.

The Ivy League institution reported that they received 7,921 early applications and accepted 692 students. The submissions are a 17% drop from last year, which saw 9,553 applications.

Bob Sweeney, a retired college counselor at Mamaroneck High School in New York who worked as a counselor for almost 30 years, told Bloomberg that the soaring antisemitism could be one of the factors in the drop in early application submissions.

LAW FIRM TO CEASE ON-CAMPUS RECRUITING AT HARVARD DUE TO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT'S CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY

Harvard President Claudine Gay, who recently made headlines for refusing to say if genocide of Jews was against Harvard policy during a congressional hearing, was accused of plagiarism earlier this week.  (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

"That’s possibly one of several reasons, about the concern of safety on the campus," Sweeney said. "There might be other factors as well as students are being more realistic about their expectations and chances for acceptance."

Applications were due on Nov. 1, before Harvard University President Claudine Gay’s testimony during a congressional hearing that addressed rampant anti-Semitic rhetoric on college campuses.

A current Harvard Law student, Matias Mayesh, told Fox News Digital that the results of early application submissions are "not surprising" because the academic institution's "reputation is damaged."

"Not surprising. Harvard’s reputation has