Harvard University is an Ivy League School and its admissions statistics make it one of the most competitive Ivy League Schools. Similar to the trends across all top schools, Harvard University acceptance rates have continued to decline over the past 8 years and will almost certainly continue to do so into the future.
The Class of 2024 was one of the most challenging years to be admitted to Harvard University ever. For the Class of 2024, 40,248 students applied to Harvard University of which 1,980 students were accepted, yielding an overall acceptance rate of 4.9%. Overall applications decreased by 7.1% over last year (2023 to 2024) from 43,330 to 40,248.
For the Class of 2024, 895 students were admitted through the early admissions process. Total early applications totaled 6,424, yielding an early acceptance rate of 13.9%. Early applications decreased by 7.7% over last year (2023 to 2024) from 6,958 to 6,424.
Harvard College, founded on September 8, 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the oldest college in the United States, and is one of the oldest universities in the world. Harvard is a founding member of the Ivy League and has become one of the most prestigious and respected educational institutions globally.
Harvard graduates include some of the world’s wealthiest and most influential people. In the media, Harvard alumni include Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and television and movie stars Bill O’Reilly, Tommy Lee Jones and Matt Damon. Harvard also has many alumni in the financial and political arenas including recent Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, current CEO of Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, Vice President Al Gore, and the current President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon.
Harvard College treasures its smaller, liberal arts college image and has approximately 6,500 undergraduates, maintaining a nearly 50/50 male-to-female ratio. The relatively small classes average forty or fewer students, allowing students tremendous access to Harvard faculty, which includes several Nobel Laureates.
As a whole, Harvard University has ten graduate and professional schools offering graduate studies. Some of Harvard’s most famous graduate and professional schools include Harvard Law School, Harvard Divinity School, Harvard Medical School and the renowned Harvard Business School.
The Harvard Crimson are the athletic teams of Harvard University and are comprised of forty-two Division I intercollegiate varsity teams, more than any other Division I college. Approximately eighty percent of current undergraduate students participate in some form of athletic activity, primarily at the Club or Varsity Levels. The great Harvard vs. Yale football rivalry, more commonly known as “The Game”, began in 1875. Harvard is also credited with building the first-ever concrete athletic stadium in 1903.
Harvard sponsors more than fifty cultural, ethnic and international organizations. There are also more than 400 student-run organizations including orchestras, chamber music ensembles, a Capella groups, newspapers, political publications, humor magazines, ethnic publications, economic journals, finance and investment clubs, and improve comedy groups.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY: CURRENT STUDENT POPULATION
- Total Enrollment 10,569
- Undergrad Enrollment 6,676
- Freshmen 1,675
- % Male/Female 50% / 50%
- % From Out of State 86%
- % Freshman from Public High School Not Reported
- % Undergrads Live on Campus 98%
- % African American 7%
- % Asian 18%
- % Caucasian 45%
- % Hispanic 9%
- % Native American <1%
- % Mixed (2+ Ethnicities) 5%
- % International 10%
- # of Countries Represented 109
HARVARD UNIVERSITY: FRESHMAN STUDENT PROFILE
- Range SAT Critical Reading 700-800
- Range SAT Math 710-790
- Range SAT Writing 710-800
- Range ACT Composite 32-35
- Minimum Paper TOEFL Not Reported
- Minimum Web-based TOEFL Not Reported
- % Graduated Top 10% of Class 95%
- % Graduated Top 25% of Class 99%
- % Graduated Top 50% of Class 100%
HARVARD UNIVERSITY: ACADEMICS
- Academic Rating 95
- % Students Returning for Sophomore Year 97%
- % Students Graduating within 4 Years 86%
- % Students Graduating within 6 Years 97%
- Calendar System Semester
- Student/Faculty Ratio 7:1
- Professor’s ‘Interesting’ Rating 70%
- Professor’s ‘Accessible’ Rating 89%
Most classes have fewer than 10 students.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY: MOST POPULAR MAJORS
Economics
Political science/government
Sociology
