UPDATED: Jan. 30, 2021 at 1:50 p.m. Show
Applicants to Harvard’s Class of 2026 will not be required to submit standardized test scores as part of their application to the College, the Admissions Office announced Friday. “Due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, Harvard College is extending our standardized testing policy through the 2021-2022 application cycle,” the announcement reads. “We will allow students to apply for admission without requiring ACT or SAT test results.” Students may still choose to submit test results or self-report scores, but they “will not be disadvantaged” if they do not do so. In the announcement, the Admissions Office wrote it will continue to conduct a holistic review of each applicant by weighing factors other than test scores, such as community involvement, employment, and family obligations. Students who received pass-fail marks on their transcripts or only pursued limited extracurricular activities due to coronavirus restrictions will not be penalized in the admissions process, per the announcement. “Their applications will be considered on the basis of what they have presented,” it reads. “They are encouraged to send whatever materials they believe would convey their accomplishments in secondary school and their promise for the future.” Though the Admissions Office will waive the testing requirement, it will invite accepted students who choose to enroll to submit standardized test scores for “academic counseling, placement, and institutional research.” Friday's updated admissions policy comes 10 days after the College Board announced it was discontinuing both its Subject Tests and SAT with essay to “reduce and simplify the demands on students” during the pandemic. Harvard first waived testing requirements in June 2020 for applicants to the Class of 2025, following the lead of other Ivy League institutions. As of Friday, Columbia, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania are the only other Ivy League schools to indicate they will waive testing requirements for the Class of 2026. CORRECTION: Jan. 30, 2021 A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania were the only other Ivy League schools to waive testing requirements for the Class of 2026. In fact, Columbia had announced Thursday that it would also waive the testing requirement. —Staff writer Vivi E. Lu can be reached at . —Staff writer Dekyi T. Tsotsong can be reached at . What are Harvard's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things: In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into Harvard and
build a strong application. School location: Cambridge, MA This school is also known as: Harvard University, Harvard College, Harvard University If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are. The acceptance rate at Harvard is 4.7%. For every 100 applicants, only 5 are admitted. This means the school is extremely selective. Meeting their GPA requirements and SAT/ACT
requirements is very important to getting past their first round of filters and proving your academic preparation. If you don't meet their expectations, your chance of getting in is nearly zero. After crossing this hurdle, you'll need to impress Harvard application readers through their other application requirements, including extracurriculars, essays, and letters of recommendation. We'll cover more below. We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Harvard GPA RequirementsMany schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected. The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students. Average GPA: 4.18The average GPA at Harvard is 4.18.  (Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. With a GPA of 4.18, Harvard requires 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. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes - AP or IB courses - to show that college-level academics is a breeze. If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4.18, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate. This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you. SAT and ACT RequirementsEach school has different requirements for standardized testing. Most schools require the SAT or ACT, and many also require SAT subject tests. You must take either the SAT or ACT to submit an application to Harvard. More importantly, you need to do well to have a strong application. Harvard SAT RequirementsMany schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score. Average SAT: 1520The average SAT score composite at Harvard is a 1520 on the 1600 SAT scale. This score makes Harvard Extremely Competitive for SAT test scores. Harvard SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1460, and the 75th percentile New SAT score is 1580. In other words, a 1460 on the New SAT places you below average, while a 1580 will move you up to above average. Those who live near Harvard may want to look into tutors in Acton and elsewhere in the Boston area to strengthen their test performance. Here's the breakdown of new SAT scores by section:
SAT Score Choice PolicyThe Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy. Harvard has the Score Choice policy of "Highest Section." This is also known as "superscoring." This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school. Of all the scores they receive, your application readers will consider your highest section scores across all SAT test dates you submit. Click below to learn more about how superscoring critically affects your test strategy. How does superscoring change your test strategy? (Click to Learn) For example, say you submit the following 3 test scores:
Even though the highest total you scored on any one test date was 1000, Harvard will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. You can raise your composite score from 1000 to 1400 in this example. This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and Harvard forms your Superscore, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Your application readers will only see that one score. Therefore, if your SAT superscore is currently below a 1580, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it. You have a very good chance of raising your score, which will significantly boost your chances of getting in. Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the SAT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on. This will give you the highest Superscore possible. Exclusive: Want to learn how to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.
Harvard ACT RequirementsJust like for the SAT, Harvard likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash. Average ACT: 34The average ACT score at Harvard is 34. This score makes Harvard Extremely Competitive for ACT scores. The 25th percentile ACT score is 33, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 35. Even though Harvard likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 33 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 34 and above that a 33 will look academically weak. ACT Score Sending PolicyIf you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy. Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken. This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 35 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools. ACT Superscore PolicyBy and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting. We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to Harvard, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 35. Studying for the ACT instead? Want to learn how to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.
SAT/ACT Writing Section RequirementsBoth the SAT and ACT have an optional essay section. Harvard requires you to take the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section. They'll use this as another factor in their admissions consideration. SAT Subject Test RequirementsSchools vary in their SAT subject test requirements. Typically, selective schools tend to require them, while most schools in the country do not. Harvard has indicated that SAT subject tests are required for admission. Read further to see how many and which ones they require. Typically, your SAT/ACT and GPA are far more heavily weighed than your SAT Subject Tests. If you have the choice between improving your SAT/ACT score or your SAT Subject Test scores, definitely choose to improve your SAT/ACT score. Our Expert's NotesWe did more detailed research into this school and found the following information. Two SAT Subject Tests (in addition to the ACT/SAT) are strongly recommended, though not required. If taking Subject Tests causes a financial burden or if you feel other parts of your application (like AP or IB scores) convey the same information, you don't have to submit scores. Source Final Admissions VerdictBecause this school is extremely selective, getting a high SAT/ACT score and GPA is vital to having a chance at getting in. If you don't pass their SAT/ACT and GPA requirements, they'll likely reject you without much consideration. To have the best shot of getting in, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1580 SAT or a 35 ACT. You should also have a 4.18 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score. For a school as selective as Harvard, you'll also need to impress them with the rest of your application. We'll cover those details next. But if you apply with a score below a 1580 SAT or a 35 ACT, you unfortunately start out with the odds against you and have a tiny chance of getting in. There are just too many students with high SAT/ACT scores and strong applications, and you need to compete against them. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Admissions CalculatorWhat 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: New SAT ACT 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:
How would your chances improve with a better score?Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve? At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program. We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back. Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:
There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program, or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:
Application RequirementsEvery school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of Harvard here. Application Requirements Overview
Testing Requirements
Coursework Requirements
Deadlines and Early Admissions
Other Schools For YouIf 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 IntoThese schools are have higher average SAT scores than Harvard. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get IntoIf you're competitive for Harvard, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
Safety Schools: Easier to Get IntoIf 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.
Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. If You Liked Our Advice...Visit our blog for free strategy guides on college admissions and test prep. Our experts have written hundreds of useful articles on improving your SAT score and getting into college. You'll definitely find something useful here. Visit our blog now. Subscribe to our newsletter to get FREE strategies and guides sent to your email. Learn how to ace the SAT with exclusive tips and insights that we share with our private newsletter subscribers. You should definitely follow us on social media. You'll get updates on our latest articles right on your feed. Follow us on all of our social networks: Is the SAT required for the class of 2023?Dive Brief: More than 1,700 colleges and universities so far are not requiring students to submit SAT and ACT scores when they apply for admission for fall 2023, only a slightly lower number of institutions than the previous admissions cycle.
Can I apply to Harvard for 2023?The Common Application opens on August 1 for applicants to start completing their application. The Coalition Application is being developed in partnership with Scoir/Technolutions for the 2022-23 application cycle and opens on September 1.
Can you go to Harvard without SAT?We will allow students to apply for admission without requiring ACT or SAT test results. Consistent with Harvard's whole-person admissions process, standardized tests are only one factor among many.
Does Yale require SAT 2023?In response to the ongoing disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, Yale will extend its test-optional admissions policy for an additional year. All applicants for undergraduate admission for fall 2023 enrollment may apply with or without ACT or SAT scores.
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