4%

Acceptance Rate

1460 - 1580

SAT Range

33-35

ACT Range

Harvard University Admissions

Applying to Harvard University? Congratulations on taking the plunge into seeking a quality education. Harvard University is a renowned school, ranked the second-best university in the United States. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, Harvard University was founded in 1636, making it one of the oldest schools in the United States. 

 

With great prestige, the school is extremely selective in its admissions process. Harvard admissions are no walk in the park, and to achieve a Harvard acceptance, you’ll need to perform extremely well in your high school courses and on your SATs and ACTs. 

 

We’ll go through Harvard requirements, the Harvard admissions process, and everything else you need to know about applying for Harvard. 

 

Harvard Admissions Process

Step 1: Gather Required Documents

Make sure you compile everything you need for your application well before the deadline. Harvard requires the following documents, to be submitted at application time or when available:

  • Common application or Coalition application
  • School report and counselor letter
  • 2 teacher reports
  • Midyear school report
  • Final school report
  • High school transcripts
  • SAT/ACT scores
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Supplement essays, which are part of the application forms
  • Supplemental documents, if required
  • Statement of Purpose

Step 2: Submit Your Application

You can either submit your application by November 1 for early action, or by January 1st for a regular decision. Harvard recommends that you submit your application online for faster processing. However, you can also mail your application to:

Harvard College Admissions

86 Brattle Street

Cambridge, MA 02138 USA

Step 3: Confirm Your Attendance 

Once you receive your acceptance letter, make sure you confirm your attendance and complete any financial aid documents required for scholarships.

Step 4: Register for Classes 

Usually the university will email you when it’s time to sign up for classes. completed.

SAT Scores you need to get in

SAT Range The composite score range which the Institution consistently takes, below which admission should be considered a reach.

1460 - 1580

Applicants Submitting SAT Percentage of Students submitting SAT Scores.

69%

SAT Reading 25th

720

SAT Math 25th

740

SAT Composite 25th

1460

SAT Reading 75th

780

SAT Math 75th

800

SAT Composite 75th

1580

Average SAT Score

1520

Harvard requirements include SAT score submissions, excluding applications for the Class of 2025 and 2026, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of the temporary test-optional policy, your application will be much stronger with an SAT score. Harvard looks at your best score, so you can submit more than one test result. However, they note in the Harvard FAQs that taking the test more than twice usually hurts results. 

The average range of scores for applicants for the Class of 2025 is 1460-1580, with an overall average score of 1520. Applicants are also required to send SAT subject test scores.

ACT Scores you need to get in

ACT Range The composite score range which the Institution consistently takes, below which admission should be considered a reach.

33-35

Applicants Submitting ACT Percentage of Students submitting ACT Scores.

47%

ACT Math 25th

31

ACT English 25th

34

ACT Composite 25th

33

ACT Math 75th

35

ACT English 75th

36

ACT Composite 75th

35

Average ACT Score

34

Harvard usually requires students to submit ACT scores. The average Harvard University ACT score is 34, while the average range for admitted students is 33-35. Like the SAT scores, the ACT scores have been made optional for the class of 2025 and 2026.

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Grade Points Average (GPA) The average high school GPA of the admitted students

4

Grade Points Average (GPA) 

4.18

To score a Harvard acceptance, your GPA needs to be top-notch. While Harvard doesn’t have a stated minimum GPA requirement, Harvard admissions expects you to be at the top of your class.

Admission Requirements

What Really Matters When Applying

High School GPA

Recommended

High School Rank

Recommended

High School Transcript

Required

College Prep Courses

Required

SAT/ACT

Required

Recommendations

Required

Admission Deadlines

Application Deadline Deadline for application submissions. Please contact the school for more details.

1st Jan

Application Fee Application fees may vary by program and may be waived for certain students. Please check with the school.

$75

Early Decision Deadline

N/A

Early Action Deadline

01-Nov

Offer Action Deadline

Yes

Offers Early Decision

No

Application Website

college.harvard.edu/admissions/application-process/application-requirements

Accepts Common App

Yes

Accepts Coalition App

Yes

Harvard University has a restrictive early action program, in which you can find out early if you’re accepted. The school doesn’t allow you to apply to other universities in the early action process, as part of their restrictive process. If you’re applying for scholarships, you might have to apply before the early deadline.

Acceptance Rate and Admission Statistics

WomenMenTotal
AppliedNANA57,786
AcceptedNANA2,320
Acceptance RateNANA4%
EnrolledNANANA
Percentage of admitted who Enrolled (Admission Yield)NANANA

Admission Statistics

Applied

Women

NA

Men

NA

Total

57,786

Accepted

Women

NA

Men

NA

Total

2,320

Acceptance Rate

Women

NA

Men

NA

Total

4%

Enrolled

Women

NA

Men

NA

Total

NA

Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)

Women

NA

Men

NA

Total

NA

Credits Accepted

AP Credit

Yes

Dual Credit

Not applicable

Credit for Life Experiences

Implied No

Students can submit credit courses like AP, CLEP, and Dual Enrollment or Dual Credit for benefits while at university, including reduced degree completion time, higher GPA, and increased chance of finishing a degree. 

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