Cambridge, MA
Harvard University, in Cambridge, MA, is a private mid-sized school, enrolling around 7,601 students. Admissions are highly selective here -- roughly 4% of applicants get in. Its highest-earning reported major is Statistics (Mathematics and Statistics), where graduates report median earnings of $230,876/year four years out. Students are required to live on campus.
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from Harvard University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 79% submitted SAT scores (reading & writing 720–770, math 730–790; no composite reported), 27% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Restrictive Early Action: Nov 1, 2026Non-binding, but you can't apply early (ED, EA or REA) to any other private college, or to a public university's binding early plan.
- Regular Decision: Jan 1, 2027
Confirm on Harvard University's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Where do you stand against Harvard University's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow Harvard University weighs your application
From Harvard University's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What applicants who posted their results listed
145 self-reported applicant profiles from public posts, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles: 19 admitted, 126 rejected or waitlisted. Figures read admitted vs. rejected or waitlisted.
Most common activities
Most common awards among admits
Who posted
How this compares across the Ivy League: Ivy League Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not Harvard University's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what Harvard University weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What is Harvard University's acceptance rate?
Harvard University in Cambridge, MA admits approximately 4% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for Harvard University?
Admitted students at Harvard University typically score between 1510–1580 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile).
What ACT score do I need for Harvard University?
Per Harvard University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 33–35 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does Harvard University cost?
Harvard University's total cost of attendance is reported at $85,540 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
When is the application deadline for Harvard University?
Harvard University's deadlines are Restrictive Early Action Nov 1, 2026; Regular Decision Jan 1, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does Harvard University require students to live on campus?
Yes -- Harvard University requires students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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