Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Stanford's SAT midpoint is 45 points higher than Harvard's
SAT midpoint - 2
Stanford admits 3.6% vs. 4.2% at Harvard
Acceptance rate - 3
Harvard's yield is 2 pts higher than Stanford's
Yield rate
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- HarvardUltra selective
- StanfordUltra selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1300–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 29–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- HarvardTest scores required
- StanfordTest scores required
How they read a record
Harvard
, GPA, and tests are all very important. This college reports (average 4.22), which pile most students into the top band; the bands can't show how crowded unweighted GPAs are.
Stanford
, GPA, class rank, and tests are all very important. 89% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight.
What they look at
| Factor | Harvard | Stanford |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Very important | Very important |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Not considered | Very important |
| College-prep program | Considered | Considered |
| Recommendations | Very important | Very important |
| Essay | Very important | Very important |
| Legacy status | Very important | Considered |
| Work experience | Very important | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Considered | Considered |
| English proficiency test | Considered | Considered |
| Other tests | Considered | Not considered |
Sources:Harvard University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;Harvard University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Harvard University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Harvard University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;Stanford University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why