Harvard Admission Requirements
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | Extreme |
Can I get into Harvard? The school has a 5% acceptance rate. Last year, 2,110 out of 39,041 applicants were admitted making Harvard an extremely competitive school to get into with a very low chance of acceptance - even for applicants with the highest scores and grades. Academically, it has exceptionally high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 2 percent. Harvard University typically accepts and attracts "A" average high school students. Of those applicants who were admitted, 79% chose to enroll. This indicates that admission to the school is highly desirable and it may be a primary choice for many students.
5% are accepted,
can you get in?
SAT Requirements
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 730 |
| SAT Math 25th | 750 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1480 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 800 |
| SAT Math 75th | 800 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1600 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Harvard University?
Harvard University typically requires applicants to be in the top 1 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1480 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1420. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1540 out of 1600. A competitive SAT score is critical as 73 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1600 | Good | >8% |
| 1540 to 1600 | Avg + | 5%-8% |
| 1480 to 1540 | Avg - | 3%-5% |
| 1420 to 1480 | Reach | 2%-3% |
| Less than 1420 | Low | <2% |
ACT Requirements
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 33 |
| ACT Math 25th | 31 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 32 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 35 |
| ACT Math 75th | 35 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 35 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Harvard?
Admission data indicates that Harvard regularly accepts students with ACT's of 32 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 3 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 30 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 34 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 35 and above have very competitive chances. 43 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Harvard University.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 35 and Above | Good | >10% |
| 33 to 35 | Avg + | 5%-10% |
| 32 to 33 | Avg - | 4%-5% |
| 31 to 32 | Reach | 3%-4% |
| Less than 31 | Low | <3% |
Estimated GPA Requirements
You will need exceptionally good grades to get into Harvard University. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Harvard University was 4.04 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A students are accepted and ultimately attend. Given the school's very highly selective admissions, acceptance at Harvard extremely difficult and unlikely even with a 4.04 GPA..
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 87% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 9% | Reach |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 2% | Reach |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 1% | Reach |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 1% | Reach |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
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Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 19,232 | 19,809 | 39,041 |
| Accepted | 1,022 | 1,088 | 2,110 |
| Acceptance Rate | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Enrolled | 795 | 868 | 1,663 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 78% | 80% | 79% |
Fall 2018 Application Deadline
The application deadline for Fall 2018 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 1, 2018.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Harvard University and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Recommended |
| High School Class Rank | Recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Recommended |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | No |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=166027 IPEDS survey data for Harvard University.