What are Harvard's average SAT scores and GPA? In this guide, we'll discuss what scores are needed for you to get admitted into Harvard. You'll also get to calculate your own chances with our admissions calculator.
Location: Cambridge, MA
This school is also known as: Harvard University, Harvard College, Harvard University
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Harvard Admissions Statistics
There are three critical numbers when considering your admissions chances: SAT scores, GPA, and acceptance rate. All these combine to tell you what you scores are required to get into Harvard University.
Average SAT: 1520
The average SAT score composite at Harvard is a 1520.
Harvard SAT Score Analysis
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1460, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1580.
In other words, a 1460 places you below average, while a 1580 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute SAT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 1460 to have a chance at being considered.
Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 770 | 760 | 800 |
| Reading + Writing | 750 | 730 | 780 |
| Composite | 1520 | 1460 | 1580 |
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Average GPA: 4
The average GPA at Harvard is 4. This makes Harvard Extremely Competitive for GPAs.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 4, Harvardrequires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. You should also have taken plenty of AP or IB classes to show your ability to excel in academic challenge.
If you're a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change from this point on. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4, you'll need a higher SAT score to compensate and show that you're prepared to take on college academics. This will help you compete effectively with other applicants.
Admissions Rate: 3.2%
The acceptance rate at Harvard is 3.2%. In other words, of 100 students who apply, only 3 are admitted.
This means the school isvery selective. Scores are vital to getting past their first round of filters. After that, you will need to impress them beyond just your academic scores.
Final Admissions Verdict
Because this school is extremely selective, getting a high SAT score and GPA is vital to having a chance at getting in. If you don't pass their SAT and GPA requirements, they'll likely reject you without much consideration.
To be safe, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1580 SAT and a 4 GPA or higher to be above average.
This is only part of the challenge - after this, you'll need to impress them beyond your academic scores, with your accomplishments and extracurriculars. But if you apply with a 1520 SAT or below, you unfortunately have a small chance of getting in.
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Admissions Calculator
What are your chances of admission at Harvard University?
Chances of admission with these scores:
Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are.
Pick your test:SATACT
SAT Score
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Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. Instead of treating this tool as a crystal ball, we recommend you consider the big picture of what your chance means:
We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. Applying to some safety schools will guarantee you have a college to go to, while applying to some reach schools will give you a shot at getting into the school at the top of your range.
How would your chances improve with a better score?
Try to take your current SAT score and add 160 points to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?
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Other Schools For You
If you're interested in Harvard, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Harvard.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Harvard. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | 1520 | 34 |
| Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | 1518 | 34 |
| Yale University | New Haven, CT | 1515 | 34 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
If you're competitive for Harvard, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA | 1510 | 34 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 1500 | 34 |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | 1500 | 34 |
| Tufts University | Medford, MA | 1465 | 33 |
| Northeastern University | Boston, MA | 1465 | 34 |
| New York University | New York, NY | 1455 | 34 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | 1435 | 33 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
If you're currently competitive for Harvard, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Harvard is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA | 1435 | 33 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY | 1393 | 30 |
| Binghamton University | Binghamton, NY | 1375 | 31 |
Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.
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