Harvard University

Harvard University Overview

Harvard University is a private, nonprofit school in an urban setting in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard was founded in 1636 and the school enrolls around 19,646 students per year, including 5,222 undergraduate students. Harvard provides on-campus housing for students. Most students live in off campus housing, and 90% of students spend their weekends on campus.

📆 Mark your calendar! The final application deadline for Fall 2023 is January 1. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2023 should receive admissions decisions by March 31.

There are many ways for students to get involved at Harvard!

Love music or performing? Join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of the school's theater groups.

Are you interested in journalism and communications? Harvard students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Harvard does not have any greek life opportunties.

Planning to play sports? Harvard has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at Harvard on the Student Life page.

2022 Harvard Facts At-A-Glance
Academic Calendar	Semester
Overall Acceptance Rate	5%
Early Decision Acceptance Rate	ED not offered
Early Action Acceptance Rate	14%
Average GPA	4.0
Applicants Submitting ACT scores	14%
Applicants Submitting SAT scores	72%
Tuition	$52,659
Percent of Need Met	100%
Average First-Year Financial Aid Package	$62,252

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Is Harvard a Good School?

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The definition of a "good school" varies. Some factors that can help you determine what a good school for you might be include admissions criteria, acceptance rate, tuition costs, and more.

Let's take a closer look at these factors to get a clearer idea of what Harvard offers and if the school might be the right college for you.

2022 Acceptance Rate for Harvard University

Harvard is extremely difficult to get into. In 2022, Harvard accepted just 5% of all applicants. Out of 40,248 applications received in 2022, 2,015 students were offered admission.

Retention and Graduation Rates at Harvard

Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. It is a way to measure how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at Harvard, around 75% return for their sophomore year. 98% of Harvard undergrads graduate within six years. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outcomes for Harvard Grads

Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school.

Check with Harvard directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.

Tuition and Financial Aid at Harvard

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.

Harvard meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. The average financial aid package for a full-time, first-year student is around $62,252 a year.

Graduates in the class of 2022 had an average of $16,366 in student loans per borrower. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022

Some aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at Harvard.

Based on this information, how does Harvard sound? Remember, the best school for one person may be a terrible fit for someone else! So ask yourself: Is Harvard a good school for you?

If Harvard University seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

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Still Searching for Colleges?

To learn more about Harvard, choose from the options below:

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Then use the college admissions predictor to take a data science look at your chances of getting accepted at some of the colleges and universities in the U.S.

Where is Harvard University Located?

Harvard is located in the urban setting of Cambridge, Massachusetts, less than an hour from Boston.

If you would like to see Harvard for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 90 to Cambridge, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Logan International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what Harvard and Cambridge are like without leaving home.

Considering Going to School in Massachusetts?

See a full list of colleges in Massachusetts and save your favorites to your college list.