From June 30, 2006 to June 30, 2007, Harvard's endowment returned 23%. With the market up less than 20% and the median institutional fund up 17.7%, these returns would be impressive for any hedge fund. But Harvard's endowment isn't a hedge fund. It's a diversified pool of investments totaling nearly $35 billion. This type of outperformance on $35 billion is unbelievable.
Huge outperformance at Harvard's endowment has allowed its size to surge above Yale's endowment, which amounts to just $18 billion. Harvard has become increasingly reliant on its endowment to cover costs related to running the school, according to the AP.
Interestingly, Yale's endowment manager David Swenson recently wrote a book, Unconventional Success: A Fundamental Approach to Personal Investment, in which he essentially advocated a diversified portfolio of index funds for the average investor.
Huge outperformance at Harvard's endowment has allowed its size to surge above Yale's endowment, which amounts to just $18 billion. Harvard has become increasingly reliant on its endowment to cover costs related to running the school, according to the AP.
Interestingly, Yale's endowment manager David Swenson recently wrote a book, Unconventional Success: A Fundamental Approach to Personal Investment, in which he essentially advocated a diversified portfolio of index funds for the average investor.
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