Always dreamed of studying at Harvard? Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to get into Harvard.
Established in 1636, Harvard University has become a household name. It is ranked as the third-best school in the nation and has campuses in both Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts.
Harvard University’s prestige makes it an attractive institution for college hopefuls. Its world-class education can help set you up for success after graduation. This guide will explore Harvard’s requirements, class profile information, and tips on how to apply.
Crafting the perfect application can feel like a daunting task, especially when you’re applying to a top-ranked school. However, if your dream is to attend a world-renowned college, this guide will teach you how to get into Harvard.
Harvard College's most recent class had a 3.59% acceptance rate, the second-lowest in the college's history. Out of the total 56,937 applications received, only 1,942 students were admitted.
The Harvard University transfer acceptance rate is even lower than the first-year rate. Only 15 applicants out of over 1,700 were accepted for the most recent cycle, making the transfer admittance rate less than 1%. Only about 12 transfer applicants are accepted to Harvard each year.
The Harvard yield rate for the class of 2027 was 84%. Nearly all of the accepted students chose to matriculate to Harvard!
Here’s a breakdown of Harvard's acceptance rates from the past few years:
Source: The Harvard Crimson
Harvard offers a Restrictive Early Action program where candidates can apply earlier but are restricted from applying to other private universities, although they may still apply to public or foreign schools.
Restrictive Early Action can be an attractive option if Harvard is your first choice and you want to know if you’ll be accepted earlier than other applicants. The program is non-binding, meaning you're not obligated to enroll if you’re accepted.
Take a look at Harvard’s early action acceptance statistics from the past few years:
Source: The Harvard Crimson
Considering its acceptance rate is 3.59%, Harvard College is very selective. Much like the other Ivy League schools, the demand for seats at Harvard is high, and the admissions process is competitive.
While Harvard University’s acceptance rate does paint a picture of how competitive the school is, it doesn't measure application quality. If you have a well-polished application, your chances of acceptance will be much greater than applicants who submit a hasty application.
Take our interactive quiz below to find out how likely you are to get into Harvard.
Looking at enrollment statistics from previous classes can help you prepare a stronger application. Here is some information from the most recent incoming class at Harvard University.
The average GPA of incoming Harvard students was 4.2 for the most recent class. Although there are no specific Harvard GPA requirements for incoming students, it’s a good idea to submit a GPA that exceeds the average of admitted students to bolster your application.
Even if you’ve already graduated high school and your GPA is not as high as you’d like, don’t let it discourage you. Prospective students are accepted to top universities even without astounding GPAs because they’ve crafted stellar applications.
In the most recent incoming class, the average SAT score for Harvard was 1550. The 50th percentile score for the evidence-based reading and writing section was 760, and 790 for the math section.
Harvard currently operates under a test-optional policy, meaning that SAT scores are not required for admission. However, a high SAT score will give you a much stronger chance of acceptance!
The average ACT score for Harvard’s most recent class was 35. Over 98% of admitted students scored in the range of 30-36.
Although they are not required, submitting ACT scores anyway can make your application stronger. To compete with these scores, you’ll need to study hard for your standardized tests!
However, while your test score can act as a litmus test for your college readiness, it’s only one factor the admissions committee considers. Harvard College states,
“Standardized tests provide a rough yardstick of what a student has learned over time and how that student might perform academically in college.”
We asked Josef Durand, a seasoned admissions expert and Harvard alum, “can you provide a detailed breakdown of how standardized test scores are evaluated in Harvard’s admission process? Are there any specific benchmarks applications should aim for?” Here’s what he had to say:
“Standardized test scores are basically just another number that serves as a gate-keeper (along with GPA) to determine whether:
1. You have the requisite numbers/scores to pass through the “gate”, allowing them to view the rest of your application more holistically
2. You don’t have the requisite numbers/scores to pass through the “gate”, which could mean that your application is rejected then and there or that they read the rest of your application with a caveat in the back of their minds related to your scores.
On the flipside, because it’s just a number, having a perfect standardized test score will NEVER be enough on its own to get you into Harvard (or any other Ivy League school for that matter), particularly because applications are reviewed holistically."
In terms of specific benchmarks or cutoffs, Harvard explicitly says there are none: ‘There are no score cutoffs, and we do not admit “by the numbers”. For the ACT, we will evaluate your highest composite score and any other scores you choose to share with us. We take into account your educational background when reviewing your scores.’ With that said, the 25th percentile New SAT score is 1460, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1580, so a 1460 would place you below average. Thus, I’d say aim for AT LEAST a 1460 on the SAT. For the ACT, the 25th percentile ACT score is 34, and the 75th percentile score is 36, so a 34 would place you below average. Thus, I’d aim for AT LEAST a 34 on the ACT.
Last but not least, Harvard does not create superscores for applicants. Rather, they note the highest test scores in each section across test dates for the SAT and your strongest sitting for the ACT. They also account for your educational background when reviewing your standardized test scores.”
Remember that there are many ways to showcase your college readiness to the admissions committee!
While Harvard seeks to admit applicants who can excel academically, they also look for students who can demonstrate strength of character and perseverance in adversity. Leadership abilities and community involvement are also important.
To learn more about how Harvard evaluates applications, let’s look at the common data set. These are the factors that are taken into consideration during the admission process:
Source: Harvard Common Data Set
With these charts in mind, it should come as no surprise that Harvard makes specific mention of community involvement, leadership and distinction in extracurricular activities, and personal qualities and character as factors they consider in their decisions.
We asked Josef, “How does Harvard’s admissions process differentiate between students with similar academic profiles? What non-academic factors come into play?” and here’s what he had to say:
“This describes virtually every student who applies to Harvard. They ALL have similar academic profiles because they basically ALL have great transcripts, very high test scores, and stellar teacher recommendations. So at this point, the non-academic points that Harvard focuses on are clearly delineated on their website.”
Community Service:
“Nothing says “I’ll make a valuable addition to your community” like serving the community you’re in now. Most prospective students at a school like Harvard are fixated upon achieving perfect test scores and grades, valedictorian status, published research, state/national/international champion status, creating an app, or starting a business, and there’s nothing wrong with any of that. However, far fewer students focus that same energy on community service. A unique differentiator moving forward could very well be to start your own non-profit within an area you’d like to study in college, championing a cause you wholeheartedly support.”
Leadership:
“Harvard wants its students to graduate and run the world, so show them evidence that you have what it takes to “run the world” you live in now (they can extrapolate this microcosmic evidence into your macrocosmic impact on the campus and on the planet).”
Distinction in Extracurricular Activities:
"In terms of distinction: state champion/recognition < regional champion/recognition < national champion/recognition < international champion/recognition. International champion/recognition would garner the most interest from Harvard. Harvard (and other top schools like Stanford) favor students who are not only great at one thing and have received distinction for it, but rather those who are great (national- or world-class even) at two or more things. The intersection between which two things you’re world-class at could also be uniquely differentiating.
For example: CS people tend to carry the stereotype that they’re not the best at socializing, so having someone who is excellent at coding/CS but is also, say, a distinguished debater, mock trial lawyer, or Model Congress constituent will be fascinating to admissions readers because you have a student who is excellent at coding (which is usually associated with lower sociability) while also being excellent at something that requires significant sociability (see how this poses a fascinating character-based plot twist to the admissions readers?)
Personal Qualities and Character:
“You can actually win Harvard over by being ‘unapologetically yourself’ even if you don’t have the best grades/test scores in your school. Admissions officers want to get as clear a picture as possible of you by the time they’re done reading your application, so help them put a face to the name by painting them as vivid a word picture as possible that not just tells them what your qualities and characteristics are, but rather SHOWS them (through your activities, descriptions, writing style, etc.) what type of person you are (not the social media version of you). So, don’t try to apply as something you’re not; just apply as you.
With an acceptance rate under 4%, getting into Harvard is extremely challenging. Applicants with SAT scores higher than 1550 and ACT scores higher than 35 are considered highly competitive at Harvard University. To maximize your chances of acceptance, these scores should be complemented with a 4.3 GPA or above.
It’s important to be familiar with Harvard University’s requirements to know exactly what’s expected of you. These requirements are the same whether you are a domestic or international student.
Here are the application materials you’ll need to submit to apply to Harvard:
Applying to colleges can get hectic and overwhelming. To ensure you don’t miss any important deadlines, here’s an application timeline:
Source: Harvard College
The Harvard Regular Decision application deadline is January 1. By this date, you should have all your materials polished and submitted! Your admission decision will arrive by the end of March.
If you’re applying Restrictive Early Action for Harvard, you’ll need to submit your application by November 1. You will receive a decision sometime in mid-December.
Getting into Harvard is an impressive feat, and there are many ways to improve your candidacy.
There are many components of a college application, and you’ll need to balance the task of applying to many colleges at once! To get a handle on the process, one of Harvard’s admitted students advises starting early to avoid missing deadlines and getting overwhelmed.
While there is no GPA requirement at Harvard, strive for the best academic performance in high school. Although numbers aren’t everything, taking advanced IB or AP classes, having a stellar high school GPA, and earning high test scores undoubtedly strengthen your application.
Another great way to bolster your application is to provide great letters of recommendation, as these hold quite a bit of weight in the admissions process.
Your best bet is to ask the teachers that you developed meaningful relationships with if they’ll write your recommendation. Doing well within the classes that they teach is also a plus.
Perhaps the best advice to get into Harvard is to make sure that your application reflects your character authentically. It will be much easier to complete your essays if you’re discussing topics that are actually interesting and meaningful to you.
The admissions committee doesn’t want you to regurgitate information that you think they’ll be impressed by. They want to know more about who you actually are, so show them!
Here’s what Josef had to say about authenticity in Harvard essays:
“Be 100% authentic. Write from the heart, because that is what will resonate most. You already know what’s going in the essay, but it’s a question of HOW it goes in the essay that makes all the difference. So if you’re writing too strategically, you risk not showing enough personality in the essay (big no no!). Instead, if you write authentically from the heart about the content you’ve already outlined, then your pathos will elevate that outlined content to levels that should catch the attention of admissions readers.”
Admitted students at Harvard advise making a map of your strengths in your application. This means being strategic about spreading your strengths out across different application materials. Avoid re-stating your resume in your personal essay, for example.
You can use the activities section of your application to highlight your strengths! Here’s how Josef suggests you make best use of this part of your application:
“Treat the activities section descriptions like mini-essay prompts and do your best to pack as much as you can into them about what your role was, what you actually did, and what the results were (i.e. what quantifiable metrics can gauge your impact?).You don’t need to use full sentences given the limited character count, but do your best to paint a little picture in this section so that you can bring it to life in your essays.”
As Josef points out, expanding on a particularly significant extracurricular in your essays can give the admissions committee a much fuller picture of your strengths and abilities!
We asked Josef some other ways applicants can effectively highlight their extracurricular involvements and achievements, and here’s what he had to say:
“Another way to emphasize your involvements and achievements is with a resume. I’d recommend drafting one on Google Docs and then copy/pasting everything into the “Professional” template on Novoresume.com (it’s free!). If you can fit all 10 activities in the Activities section but have other things that don’t quite fit the criteria of an “Activity” (or one of its constituent categories) or you just want a little more room to elaborate on any experiences, the resume is the perfect place to do that because you control what goes on there. If you have more than 10 activities AND you want control over the format of how you emphasize these activities, then I’d recommend a curriculum vitae (CV), which is basically a multi-page resume. The CV should be the last resort, though, as it adds extra pages to an already thick stack of pages within the application. Only include a CV if you have to, like for a BS/MD program application. Remember, they have to read a lot of these, so the more you can say with less, the better!”
Overall, preparing for Harvard University means starting early, maintaining high grades, securing strong recommendations, and presenting yourself authentically. Remember, we're here to help with preparation for Harvard, offering support and guidance.
If you still feel unsure of where to start on your Harvard application, you aren’t alone! Arman, a current Harvard student, also had no idea where to start! Fortunately, our admissions experts knew exactly how to get him on track with a detailed project tracker and concrete feedback on how to elevate all of his application materials.
You can hear more about Arman’s success story here:
As part of Harvard College’s application process, you’re required to write one personal essay. Below are essay prompts you’ll see if you complete the Common Application:
You may also choose to write an essay on a topic of your choice or one that responds to a different prompt.
If you apply using the Coalition Application, the essay prompts differ. Below are the Coalition Application essay prompts:
You may also submit an essay on a topic of your choice if these prompts do not appeal to you.
The Harvard supplemental essays aren’t mandatory, but it would be in your best interest to complete one. Applicants can use the supplemental writing space in various ways; some will rework an essay they’ve written for another school, expand on another prompt listed above, or choose from the given list of supplemental prompts.
Here’s a list of potential supplemental essay prompts you may see:
These essays help the admissions committee learn more about you and why you’re an excellent fit!
If you’re invited to interview for Harvard College, congratulations! This means the admissions committee liked your application and viewed you as a strong candidate.
You’ll be interviewed by a Harvard alum who will reach out to you via phone or email to arrange a time and date for your interview. Most interviews are an hour long and may be a video interview if there are no alumni in your area. If this is the case, Harvard advises using a computer rather than a phone and being aware of your background.
Your interview is a golden opportunity to ask an alum about their experiences at Harvard and to further impress them. Although, according to Josef, many applicants mistakenly see it as an afterthought, which can potentially break their application:
Still have questions about how to get into Harvard? Take a look at our answers to these FAQs to learn more.
Along with meeting every Harvard admissions requirement, the school is looking for numerous qualities in candidates, including growth and potential, interests and activities, personal character, and possible contributions to the Harvard community.
Harvard seeks students who take the initiative, can reach their academic and personal potential, have some sort of direction for what they want in life, use their time wisely, and know who they are now and who they would like to be.
Harvard looks for passionate students who have learned valuable skills, take advantage of the opportunities available to them, commit genuinely, or show leadership capabilities.
In terms of personal character, Harvard wants to admit students who are open to new perspectives and experiences and can make informed choices for themselves. They want people who show maturity, leadership, self-confidence, and a sense of humor.
Yes, Harvard states it will “honor comparable coursework you have done prior to your transfer admission, while also giving you time to take advantage of Harvard’s course offerings and delve deeply into your concentration.”
You can transfer up to 16 semester-long courses (or two years of undergraduate academic work). Courses eligible for credit include any comparable to Harvard’s curriculum and earned a grade of “C” or better.
Yes, Harvard is considered one of the Ivy League schools, along with Brown, Cornell, Princeton, Dartmouth, Yale, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. The title of “Ivy League” started as an athletic classification for these eight private universities.
Today, the phrase “Ivy League” connotes these high-ranked schools focused on academic excellence, high levels of competition, and quality of education.
A GPA of 3.5 is by no means considered a low GPA, but top private universities like Harvard can be incredibly competitive.
However, this also doesn’t mean that a GPA of 3.5 automatically spells rejection. Do whatever you can to strengthen the rest of your application and focus on your personal strengths.
According to Harvard alum Jay Chen, one of the best things you can do to stand out in the admissions process is to showcase your leadership capabilities and commitment to extracurricular activities.
Chen said, “a lot of students can get good grades and can test well, but whether or not you can lead an organization and take it to another level—that’s what Harvard is looking for.”
However, he advises against high school students overloading their schedules and effectively becoming a jack-of-all-trades but a master of none. Instead of stretching yourself thin, try to pick two or three things that you’re particularly passionate about instead.
If you get rejected from Harvard, first and foremost, you should understand that feeling disappointed and discouraged is a natural reaction. Know that you’re not alone, and top universities can reject many wonderful candidates, and that rejection is an unfortunate part of life.
If you face rejection, you can either accept an offer from another university (especially because transferring later is always an option), or you can take a gap year and apply again next year. If you choose to take a gap year, spend your time accumulating new and exciting experiences that facilitate your personal growth.
Harvard College is test-optional until at least the 2025 admissions cycle, meaning there’s technically no SAT required to apply. You can choose to submit scores or not – if you obtained a high SAT score, it could bolster your application!
Tuition at Harvard University costs $56,550. However, including other fees and expenses, the total cost of attending Harvard is an estimated $82,866.
You may be able to find scholarships to help you afford your education.
You are welcome to visit Harvard, but it will not significantly affect your admissions chances. Harvard does not consider the level of an applicant’s interest in their basis for selection, so if you want to increase your chances, you should focus on your ACT/SAT scores and your GPA.
Admissions officers at Harvard have stated that they rarely look at students’ social media pages. However, you should always be mindful of what you post online, as a foolish post may affect your college profile as a whole.
Harvard generally does not accept credits for college coursework completed before matriculation, including credits earned through dual enrollment programs. They prefer students to engage fully in their curriculum once they enroll at Harvard, rather than relying on credits earned elsewhere.
Harvard admission officers review high school grades as part of the application process. Your transcript, which includes grades from completed coursework, is a key component they consider.
Additionally, they may request a midyear school report to assess your performance in senior-year coursework up to that point. This helps them evaluate your academic abilities and performance throughout high school.
Applying to university is a milestone, marking your commitment to higher education and the start of your professional life. The process can be daunting, especially if your goal is to study at a world-renowned school like Harvard. However, an experienced Harvard admissions counselor can help you increase your chances of acceptance.
Now that you know more about Harvard’s culture, admissions requirements, and acceptance rates, you better understand what you’ll need to do to give yourself the best chance of acceptance. Remember, if Harvard is your dream school, you can do what it takes to achieve your goals!
