Harvard University Acceptance Rate: Have you ever come across Harvard University? Maybe you are thinking of applying there? If that is the case, this article is just what you need.
We have got you cover with all the details about the school. Harvard University is often considered one of the top-notch colleges globally. Situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is a private Ivy League research university.
Its foundation dates back to 1636, making it one of the oldest higher education institutions across the world.
Harvard University Acceptance Rates
Considering its esteemed reputation, gaining admission to Harvard University is quite challenging. The acceptance rates are remarkably low, often dipping in the single digits. This means that getting into Harvard requires applicants to be truly exceptional.
As a result, the average unweighted high school GPA of students who are admitted to Harvard is always at 3.9, or 4.15 on an unweighted scale.
So, students who are interested in proceeding with the application process should know that Harvard gives the Restrictive Early Action program.
Therefore, this program offers students the advantage of selecting their preferred college in advance. Simultaneously, it provides them with additional time to weigh their options between different schools, collect the necessary application materials, and create a compelling and engaging personal essay.
Likewise, the restrictive early action choice at Harvard is non-binding. This means that individuals who receive acceptance letters are not obligated to enroll at the university.
Similarly, under this program, applicants who apply to Harvard may still apply early to other non-binding public schools or colleges outside of the United States.
On the other hand, early action students at Harvard may not apply to other private universities in the country.
So, if you are considering applying to Harvard, going for early action is a great choice. This is especially beneficial for students who have consistently done well in their studies throughout high school. In the next section, we will provide you with more details about Harvard’s process for early action applications.
Harvard University Acceptance Rate – Harvard Early Action Acceptance Rate
Hence, the early action acceptance rate for Harvard University years back is 7.9%. This, as a matter of fact, makes admission to the school highly competitive.
Indeed, Harvard boasts the lowest acceptance rate among all colleges in the United States. However, this statistic excludes specialized institutions like the Curtis Institute of Music.
However, when you look at this rate in comparison to many other schools, it is notably low. This is because a significant portion of schools tend to accept a large number of applicants.
Generally, the average acceptance rate for all colleges and universities in the country is around 70.1%.
However, we can say that early action applicants stand a better chance of getting into Harvard University than regular decision applicants.
On the whole, the overall acceptance rate for first-year students at Harvard is 5%, as of the end of 2020.
Meanwhile, Harvard received a total of 9,406 applications for early action for the class of 2026. From this group of applicants, the university extended offers of admission to 740 students.
In the same way, last year, Harvard received 10,087 early decision applications for the first-year class of 2025. Later, it admitted only 743 students. Read also: Top 10 Paying Scholarships Grants for International Students.
Conversely, the acceptance rate for early decision applicants has been noticeably higher than the average rate for first-year students.
This suggests that early decision acceptance rates are progressively moving closer to these higher percentages.
Harvard Early Action Decision Date
Therefore, candidates who apply through the early action option can anticipate receiving notifications from the Harvard admissions team concerning their acceptance or rejection around the middle of December every year.
Consequently, the admissions decisions will be communicated to applicants through email. Thus, to ascertain the status of their application, those who have applied to Harvard can log in to their application account on the school’s official website.
There are other notifications that applicants may receive. Some of such notifications are acceptance or rejection.
Apart from those two types of admissions decisions, students may also find out that they have been defer or placed on Harvard’s waitlist.
Meanwhile, students who extend offers of admission will be require to inform Harvard about their enrollment decision by the end of January. This notice will indicate whether they plan to enroll in classes at the university.
Accordingly, these decision dates point to the fact that Harvard does not admit students during the spring semester.
According to information available on the school’s website, this policy is in place to ensure that all incoming freshmen can take advantage of the specialized programs tailored specifically for first-year students that Harvard provides.
Harvard Early Action Deadline
Therefore, the cutoff date to submit applications for Harvard University’s restrictive early action program falls on November 1 annually. In contrast, the deadline for regular decision applications is January 1 each year.
Another important aspect to note is that students must ensure the submission of the fully completed Common Application or Coalition Application along with all the necessary materials by this specified deadline.
Furthermore, there might be a period require for the Harvard admissions team to receive test scores, high school transcripts, and additional supplementary materials.
However, as long as these documents are submit prior to the deadline, any potential processing delays will not have an impact on the student’s prospects of gaining admission.
More on the Harvard Early Action Deadline
In the same vein, Harvard stated that students who applied under the early action program are not given any special preference during application review.
They also point out that the overall rise in acceptance rates for applicants under the restrictive early action category can be attributes to the exceptional academic merit demonstrated by this specific group of applicants.
On the other hand, it can still be said that the earlier deadline for the early action program offers students considerable practical advantages over those who apply under regular decision.
So, the benefit attached is the opportunity to have more time to contact whoever it is they would like to write their letters of recommendation to the school.
Notably, the deadline for applying for financial aid for restrictive early action students differs from the deadline for regular decision candidates.
Additionally, if restrictive early action applicants wish to be evaluate for need-based financial aid by the university, it is important to ensure the submission of all required materials by no later than February 1 each year.
In the same vein, for regular decision candidates, the deadline is a month later, at the beginning of March.
Harvard University EA Deferral Rate
Accordingly, the deferral rate for restrictive early decision applicants at Harvard University is about 80%.
This means that student who apply early to the college will have to wait until the regular decision cycle starts before their applications are review.
In recent years, the competition for early decision admission to Harvard has intensified. In fact, this situation has prompted the school to defer a larger number of applicants than usual.
Hence, according to the school, Harvard receives an overwhelming 40,000 or more applications every year.
However, since the university’s goal is to accept only 1660 students for each incoming first-year class, this suggests that exceptionally qualifing applicants might be move to the regular decision group.
Similarly, to make sure the Harvard Admissions Committee has enough time to manage these relatively small class sizes, they need to set aside some spots within the class.
On the flip side, there are multiple reasons why applicants could face deferral. One possible reason is that the school might be providing the student a chance to submit additional application materials, like final semester grades.
Thus, individuals whose restrictive early action applications are defer should view this as a chance to enhance their applications. They can achieve this by providing additional details about their extracurricular activities.
Moreover, they can highlight any significant achievements during the latter part of their senior year and strive to improve their grades through all available means.
Again, the applications of all students who are defer will be review for the second time if that is the first time they are applying to the school.
How to Apply to Harvard University for Early Action
If you want to apply to Harvard using the restrictive early action program, you must complete either the Common Application or the Coalition Application.
After you have filled in the required application information, it is important to make sure that all the necessary additional materials are sent to the university before the set deadline. Of course, this deadline is on November 1 every year.
In addition to completing one of the two application options, Harvard applicants must respond to the Harvard College Questions for the Common Application or Coalition Application Harvard supplement.
If you find yourself in this situation, there will be a processing fee of $75 that you need to pay. This fee can be settled using a credit card through the application method you have selected. Alternatively, students also have the option to send a check directly to the school.
However, for students who have difficulty getting the application fee, there are chances of fee waivers.
Other required application materials are a school report, which must include a letter written by a school counselor.
Therefore, students will need to request two teachers from distinct academic subjects to complete Harvard’s Teacher Evaluation forms. These forms can be access using the link provided in the confirmation email the student will receive after submitting their application.
How to Apply to Harvard University for Early Action
In the same way, applicants will also need to provide an official high school transcript or equivalent certificate.
After you receive your final grades for the first semester of your senior year, you will need to submit a Midyear School Report. Furthermore, if you have receive an offer of admission, a Final School Report will also be in need.
However, considering the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in standardized test-taking, Harvard has decided that SAT or ACT scores will not be obligatory in the application process for students aspiring to join the university’s graduating classes from 2027 through 2030.
Conversely, individuals who believe that their SAT or ACT scores accurately showcase their academic prowess can choose to submit these standardized test scores for evaluation during the admissions review process.
Because of this, Advanced Placement (AP) or other exam scores, just like SAT or ACT scores, are not mandatory parts of the Harvard application. Applicants with strong AP test scores can decide to add these scores as extra information in their application materials.
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