Harvard Admissions Information
Harvard CollegeCambridge, MA (map)
Harvard College is located in historic Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA. The College was founded in 1636, making it the oldest college in the country. Known for its academic rigor and excellence, Harvard prepares students to become leaders in their fields, and Harvard graduates have extremely high rates of admission to graduate schools. Though the College offers approximately 3,500 courses, almost 80% of those courses enroll 20 or fewer students, allowing for an intimate and personalized learning experience.
Harvard has as much to offer its students outside the classroom as it does inside the classroom. There are more than 400 official clubs and organizations, including a student newspaper, a radio station, choral groups, student government, and 41 varsity athletic teams. Additionally, Harvard is home to several world-renowned museums. Harvard Square has lots to offer in the way of entertainment—boutiques, cafes, restaurants, movie theatres, and bookstores—and Downtown Boston is a quick subway (known as the T) ride away.
Basic Info
| Main Address: | 86 Brattle Street Cambridge, MA 02138 | |
| Phone Number: | (617) 495-1000 | |
| Website: | www.college.harvard.edu |
Characteristics
| Type of school: | Private, Liberal Arts | |
| Type of school: | Co-ed | |
| Setting: | Urban | |
| Athletics: | Division I, Club, and Intramural Sports | |
| Degrees offered: | Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral | |
| Size of undergraduate student body: | 6,655 | |
| Percent out-of-state: | 85% | |
| Percent international: | 10.59% | |
| Female to Male ratio: | 50:50 |
Academic Life
| Student to Professor ratio: | 7:1 | |
| Most popular majors: | Social Sciences Biology History Physical Sciences Mathematics Psychology English | |
| Special study programs: | Accelerated program Cross-registration Honors program Double major Independent study Study abroad Teacher certification ROTC (Air Force, Army, Navy) |
Campus Life
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Fun Facts
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Admissions Information
With a 7% acceptance rate, Harvard College is one of the world’s most selective colleges. If you’re interested in applying to Harvard, it’s important to know what their admission officers are looking for in prospective students. According to college officials, a student’s secondary school record is the most important factor in the admissions process, followed closely by character, creative ability in an activity or discipline, leadership, ability to endure a demanding college schedule, and demonstrated social responsibility. Other factors that are considered include the application essay, standardized test scores, academic GPA, recommendations, interview, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, work experience, geographic location, first generation college student, alumni relation, and racial/ethnic status. In essence, there are a variety of factors that Harvard’s admission officers will consider when reviewing your application. Make sure that your application materials demonstrate your abilities and accomplishments and highlight those aspects that show your unique qualities and achievements.
| Admissions address: | 86 Brattle Street Cambridge, MA 02138 | |
| Phone number: | (617) 495-1551 | |
| Fax number: | (617) 495-8821 | |
| Admissions Website: | www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/ | |
| Email: | college@fas.harvard.edu | |
| Contact Person: | William Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions | |
| Number of first-year applications received: | 29,025 | |
| Percent of applicants admitted: | 7% |
Application Information
| Regular application deadline: | January 1st (though Harvard asks that students submit the Common Application and Harvard Supplement by December 1st) | |
| Early decision/action deadline: | Not applicable | |
| Accepts the Common Application? | Yes, school-specific supplements required | |
| Admission requirements: | Essay Two academic teacher evaluations School Report Mid-Year and Final Reports Standardized test scores Interview (recommended) |
Application Information
| Standardized test scores required? | Yes – SAT or ACT with Writing; 2 SAT Subject Tests | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Policy regarding SAT score-use: | Considers highest section scores for all test dates | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| College Board code: | 3434 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ACT code: | 1840 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Learn more about other Ivy Leauge schools: Princeton Brown University Dartmouth Yale |
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