Admissions
Getting in, fall 2025
Harvard admits about 1 in 24 applicants (4.2%). That puts it in the "Ultra selective" tier, more selective than 100% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
Men and women were admitted at similar rates (3.6% and 3.7%).
$85 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Doesn't list credit for AP exams
Yield
84% of admitted students enroll, one of the highest nationally.
75 admitted from the wait list
Applying early
Restrictive early action (not binding): apply by Nov 1; decisions by Dec 16
Restrictive early action: applicants agree not to apply to other colleges' early plans, with exceptions the college sets.
No early decision plan.
Where you stand
How Harvard reads a record
, 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. Scores are required. 79% of first-years sent an SAT and 27% an ACT. Most high schools no longer rank; this college doesn't lean on it. Requires 4 years of English, 4 of math, 4 of science, and 3 of social studies. See the years by subject
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Not considered | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Very important | ||||
| Essay | Very important | ||||
| Recommendations | Very important | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Very important | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Very important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Very important | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Very important | ||||
| First generation | Very important | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Very important | ||||
| Geographic residence | Very important | ||||
| State residency | Not considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Very important | ||||
| Work experience | Very important | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program considered; demonstration of competencies considered; English proficiency test considered; other tests considered
Transferring in
0.6% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 4.2% of first-year applicants
2,042 applied · 13 admitted · 12 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall.
At least 4 credits completed to apply as a transfer.
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: priority date March 1, apply by June 15
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- 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 1 for fall 2026.
- Decisions are sent by March 31.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1.
- 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.
Recommends a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Math | 4 |
| Science | 4 |
| Foreign language | 4 |
| Social studies | 3 |
| History | 2 |
| Total | 21* |
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.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 4.22, weighted
This average gives extra points for honors and AP courses, so it runs above 4.0 and can't be compared with an unweighted GPA.
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
At colleges with a weighted average, the “4.0” band seems to hold every GPA of 4.0 or more.
- 4.075%
- 3.75–3.9920%
- 3.50–3.743%
- 3.25–3.491%
- 3.00–3.240%
- below 3.00%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.75–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | Sent test scores |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 74.7% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 20.4% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 3.5% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 1.0% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 0.2% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.2% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.1% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
95% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 99% in the top quarter, of the 25% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Harvard University 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 1505 on the SAT, 335 points above the median for colleges that report scores.
Required
Send SAT or ACT scores: they're required to be considered. 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 ACT (93%) scored 30 or higher.
84% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
86% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
Nearly all who sent an ACT (95%) scored 30 or higher.
82% of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored 30 or higher.
Shares of the 27% of first-years who sent an ACT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Shares of the 79% of first-years who sent an SAT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
1,325 studentssubmitted ACT
450 studentsAt least half of students submitted a score, so the ranges are reasonably representative.
Sources:Harvard University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;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, 2025–26;Harvard University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)