Where is Harvard? 

Harvard University is located in Cambridge, MA, roughly 3 miles from downtown Boston. The heart of Harvard’s campus is located in the Harvard Square neighborhood and includes administrative buildings, classrooms, and libraries in Harvard Yard.

How many people apply to Harvard? 

Last year, Harvard accepted 3.59% of applicants to its Class of 2028 and received a total of 54,008 applications (compared to 56,248 for the Class of 2027). With 1,937 admitted students to the Class of 2028, the rate of admission increased slightly from 3.43% to just 3.59% for the combined SCEA and regular decision pools. Last fall, Harvard University accepted 692 students or 8.74% of the 7,921 early applicants to the Class of 2028.

What is the difference between Harvard College and Harvard University?

Harvard College refers to the liberal arts program where you earn your undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science). Harvard University refers to the entire school and encompasses the many graduate programs offered. Harvard College is one part of Harvard University.

What are the Ivy League schools? 

The Ivy League is a collegiate athletic conference comprised of eight private research universities in the Northeast. The members of this group of elite colleges are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University.

What are the best colleges in the U.S.? 

The U.S. News & World Report’s Best National University Rankings has given Princeton University the #1 spot based on data that includes student-faculty ratios, the average federal loan debt of graduates, majors offered, tuition policies, student body demographics, and campus life. MIT sits at #2 with Harvard right behind at #3.

What is STEM?

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It refers to a broad field of study that focuses on these four disciplines and emphasizes problem-solving, critical thinking, innovation, and hands-on learning. STEM education aims to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in careers in fields like computer science, medicine, engineering, research, and more.

When do AP scores come out? 

AP scores are typically released in early-mid July. After a number of disruptions due to the pandemic, the AP schedule has returned to the normal two-week testing period in May. See the College Board website for an updated schedule and exact score release dates.

What are the best colleges in the world? 

The most recent list of the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities includes Harvard University, MIT, Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, University of Oxford (UK), Columbia University, University of Washington, University of Cambridge (UK), California Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University. Other international universities on this list include University College London (UK), University of Toronto (Canada), Imperial College London (UK), and University of Melbourne (Australia). 

Which schools have the lowest acceptance rate? 

Last year, four schools had acceptance rates under 4%: Harvard University (3.59%), Stanford University (3.61%), Columbia University (3.86%), and Yale University (3.90). See more admissions statistics here. 

What are the best liberal arts colleges? 

According to the National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings by U.S. News & World Report, the top five liberal arts colleges are: Williams College, Amherst College, Swarthmore College, U.S. Naval Academy, and Bowdoin College.

What is Harvard’s GPA requirement? 

Although Harvard no longer publishes their GPA requirement, accepted students, in previous years, have applied with an average weighted GPA of 4.2.

What is a good SAT score? 

A perfect SAT score is 1600 but a “good” score depends on a student’s target colleges. If you are aiming for top-tier schools like Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Princeton, or Yale, you should aim for a composite score above 1550. At Princeton, for example, the middle 50% of SAT Scores were Math: 760-800 and Evidenced-based Reading and Writing: 740-780.

How old are freshmen in high school? 

Most high school freshmen in the United States are 14 or 15 years old. Sophomores are generally 15-16, juniors are 16-17, and seniors are 17-18. 

Where is Stanford? 

Stanford University is located in Stanford, California, a large suburb of San Jose, adjacent to Palo Alto.

How should a student request a letter of recommendation from their teacher? 

You should ask two junior year teachers to write your college recommendations before you leave for summer break. Before you request the letters, it’s important to build relationships with your teachers and show deep engagement with the course material so they can write about your love of learning and leadership in the classroom. Read your teacher comments carefully to determine who knows you best and could write the strongest letter on your behalf. 

How many schools should I apply to? 

Your college list should include a mix of schools that are comfortably in range and “reach” schools. The exact number depends on the student’s application strategy, but usually falls somewhere between 8-15 schools. Note: The Common Application only allows applicants to apply to 20 colleges. 

How many colleges are in the U.S.? 

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), there are 5,999 total U.S. colleges and universities. This number includes four-year universities, community colleges, and other degree-granting postsecondary institutions. 

What is the difference between a college and a university?

See our Glossary of College Admissions Terms for this answer. 

What is the difference between a public and private university?

See our Glossary of College Admissions Terms for this answer.