Above: GPA and SAT scores accepted to Harvard University. Green represents a successful applicant that chose to attend Harvard, blue represents an admitted applicant that chose not to attend, and red denotes a rejected applicant.
Harvard University is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States, with over thirty-nine thousand applications for the class of 2020. This represents a 4.6% increase in applications from last year’s numbers, and continues the trend of decreasing admission rates at Ivy league universities like Harvard.
While applying to top schools like Harvard always involves some element of chance knowing what GPA and SAT score ranges universities are looking for can be one of the best ways to get an idea of your chances at getting into top schools.
Harvard University has an average composite SAT score of 2237; the third highest average SAT score of all universities in the United States, and the highest score in the Ivy league.
Average GPA to Get Into Harvard
The average unweighted GPA of the incoming Harvard class of 2017 was 3.94 on a 4.0 scale, with a majority of students reporting a perfect 4.0 score. The lowest reported score was a 3.0. With these statistics in mind, you will likely need a 3.5 or higher GPA to be strongly considered by Harvard University, and as close to a perfect GPA as possible.
Admissions officers at top schools like Harvard University take your GPA as one of a number of factors in admissions, but a high GPA is a good indicator of your potential in university classes and your dedication to classroom work. You can outweigh a relatively lower GPA with high SAT/ACT test scores, success in your AP exams, and unique extracurriculars, but your GPA will always be one of the most important factors in the admissions process.
Published in Applications Tips, University Admissions RequirementsSee Full Applications That Got Into Harvard
While your GPA and SAT are an essential part of getting into top schools like Harvard, averages don’t tell the whole story. To see full applications that got into Harvard and other Ivy League schools check out IvyApps full college applications that got in. IvyApps has full applications to Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale and other top schools and features full essays, supplements, as well as students GPA and standardized test scores.
