Admissions
Getting in, fall 2025
Harvey Mudd admits about 1 in 8 applicants (12%). That puts it in the "Highly selective" tier, more selective than 97% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
$70 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Doesn't list credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 8.6%, women at 21%.
Yield
36% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Wait list: 685 offered a place, 439 accepted, 0 admitted (0.0% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Early decision: 18% admitted
109 of 594 early applicants; 12% of all applicants
Apply by Nov 15; decisions by Dec 15
Second round: apply by Jan 5; decisions by Feb 15
Early decision is binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll. Recruited athletes and other applicants with an edge often apply early, so the early rate overstates the gain for a typical applicant.
Where you stand
How Harvey Mudd reads a record
and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both considered. Scores are optional. 55% of first-years sent an SAT and 16% an ACT. Of the 18% whose high school reported a rank, 95% were in the top tenth. Recommends 4 years of math and science. See the years by subject
What they look at
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Considered | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Considered | ||||
| Essay | Important | ||||
| Recommendations | Very important | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| First generation | Considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Not considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Considered | ||||
| State residency | Considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Considered | ||||
| Work experience | Considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
Transfers may start in the fall.
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: apply by March 15, decisions by May 15, reply by June 1
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- Not required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Required
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by January 5 for fall 2026.
- Decisions are sent by April 1.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1, or within 1 week if admitted later.
- $150 housing deposit, due May 1, refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: 1 year.
What you'll need in high school
Doesn't require a high school diploma or equivalent.
Requires a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Recommended |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Math | 4 |
| Science (lab: 2) | 4 |
| Foreign language | 2 |
| Social studies | 2 |
| History | 2 |
| Academic electives | 2 |
| Total | 20* |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science. *Added up from the subjects listed; the college didn't give a total.
Recent change: Stopped considering legacy status in fall 2024.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school class rank
95% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 100% in the top quarter, of the 18% whose high school reported a rank.
This college doesn't publish first-years' .
Source:Harvey Mudd College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1535 on the SAT, 365 points above the median for colleges that report scores.
Optional
Scores are considered if you send them. For students entering in fall 2027.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
Score bands
Nearly all who sent an SAT (98%) scored 1400 or higher.
Nearly all who sent an SAT (95%) scored 700 or higher.
Nearly all who sent an SAT (98%) scored 700 or higher.
Shares of the 55% of first-years who sent an SAT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
submitted ACT
At least half of students submitted a score, so the ranges are reasonably representative.
Sources:Harvey Mudd College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Harvey Mudd College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Harvey Mudd College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Harvey Mudd College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)