Higher Learning
arrow_back Back to Directory
Featured Institution

Harvard University

A+

Grade

4%

Acceptance

$18,900

Net Price

1480-1580

SAT Range

location_on Cambridge, MA
• www.harvard.edu •
star star star star star_half
1,240 reviews
expand_more
expand_more

What the School is Known For

From the School

Harvard University, founded in 1636, is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States and consistently ranks among the world's most influential research universities. Its 12 degree-granting schools span the arts, sciences, law, medicine, business, and divinity, creating a uniquely comprehensive academic environment.

The University's libraries hold more than 20 million volumes — the largest academic library collection in the world — and its museums, research centers, and affiliated hospitals draw scholars from every corner of the globe.

The Student Body

From the School

Harvard College enrolls approximately 6,700 undergraduates drawn from all 50 states and over 100 countries, with roughly 20% coming from first-generation college families. Graduate and professional students across Harvard's 12 schools bring total enrollment to around 23,000.

Undergraduates describe a culture of intellectual intensity tempered by the warmth of the residential House system, where students build lasting friendships across disciplines, backgrounds, and interests.

Getting In

From the School

Harvard's acceptance rate is typically around 3–4%, among the most selective in the world. The admissions process is holistic, weighing academic achievement, personal qualities, extracurricular depth, and the potential to contribute meaningfully to the Harvard community.

Harvard accepts the Common Application and offers an early action program with a November 1 deadline. Financial aid applications are reviewed entirely separately from admissions decisions, and Harvard is need-blind for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Academic Programs & Research

From the School

The Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences offers concentrations in more than 50 fields and the flexibility to design joint or special concentrations. Harvard's General Education curriculum requires students to engage with aesthetic and interpretive understanding, empirical reasoning, ethical reasoning, and the science of living systems.

Harvard's eight major professional schools — including Law, Business, Medicine, and the Kennedy School of Government — allow undergraduates to take cross-registered courses, and many graduate programs enroll talented undergraduates each year.

Life on Campus

From the School

Harvard's 209-acre main campus in Cambridge and an expanding Allston campus across the Charles River provide abundant space for academics, recreation, and community life. The 12 undergraduate Houses, where most students live from sophomore year onward, are the social and intellectual centers of undergraduate experience.

More than 450 student organizations span every conceivable interest — from the Harvard Crimson, the nation's oldest daily college newspaper, to improv comedy, debate, community service, and dozens of cultural and affinity groups.

Living & Getting Involved

From the School

All first-year students live together in the historic Yard before being placed in one of 12 upperclassmen Houses through a randomized process. Each House has its own dining hall, library, fitness room, and a resident team of tutors — faculty and graduate students who live among undergraduates and support their development.

Harvard Yard, anchored by Widener Library and framed by historic gates, serves as the social and ceremonial heart of the undergraduate experience. Its traditions, from the Primal Scream to Housing Day, bind generations of Harvard students.

Athletics & Recreation

From the School

Harvard fields 42 intercollegiate varsity sports — more than any other NCAA Division I school — and competes in the Ivy League. Harvard's rivalry with Yale culminates each year in The Game, one of the oldest rivalry contests in college football history.

Facilities include the Murr Center, Gordon Track and Tennis Center, and the Bright-Landry Hockey Center. Approximately 20% of undergraduates participate in varsity athletics, and intramural and club sports programs engage thousands more.

Student Support Services

From the School

Harvard's Bureau of Study Council offers academic coaching, tutoring, and learning support services, while the Office of Career Services provides counseling, recruiting events, and alumni mentorship programs. Each residential House employs a team of resident tutors with expertise in academic and personal support.

Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) operates a full primary care practice with extended hours, mental health services, and a comprehensive referral network available to all enrolled students.

Wellness & Mental Health

From the School

Harvard's Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS) offers individual therapy, group sessions, crisis intervention, and psychiatric care. The service introduced a same-day urgent care model to reduce wait times and ensure students in acute distress receive timely support.

Harvard's wellness initiatives include stress reduction workshops, peer counseling through the Room 13 organization, and mindfulness and resilience programming offered throughout the academic year.

Plan a Campus Visit

From the School

Prospective students can attend information sessions held on weekdays and select Saturdays at the admissions office in Byerly Hall. Student-led tours of Harvard Yard depart after each session, taking visitors through the historic campus and into several residential areas.

Harvard Open Campus Events in the fall offer deeper access to residential life, classes, and extracurricular activities. Virtual tours and a comprehensive online resource library are available for those unable to visit in person.

Career Outcomes & Placement

From the School

Harvard alumni occupy leadership positions across virtually every sector — government, law, medicine, finance, technology, and the arts. The Office of Career Services hosts one of the largest university recruiting programs in the country, with thousands of employers visiting campus or hosting virtual events each year.

The Harvard Alumni Association connects students with a global network of over 375,000 living alumni. Graduating Harvard students report consistently high median starting salaries and career satisfaction across all fields.

Fields of Study

From the School

Economics, Government, Computer Science, and Social Studies are historically among Harvard's most popular concentrations. The college allows joint concentrations pairing two fields, and a Special Concentration program enables students to design entirely original academic paths.

Harvard's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences supports doctoral programs in dozens of disciplines, and the Harvard Extension School offers evening and online coursework to part-time students and lifelong learners worldwide.

Cost of Attendance

From the School

Harvard's undergraduate tuition is approximately $59,076 per year, with total cost of attendance — including room, board, and fees — reaching around $83,000 annually. The University emphasizes that its financial aid program makes Harvard more affordable for many families than in-state public universities.

Harvard has eliminated many student fees that have grown at comparable institutions, and the net cost for aided families is often significantly lower than the published sticker price suggests.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

From the School

Harvard meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for every admitted undergraduate. Families earning below $85,000 annually pay nothing; those earning between $85,000 and $150,000 pay between 0% and 10% of income; and families earning above $150,000 typically still receive significant grant aid.

Harvard awarded over $260 million in scholarships and grants in a recent fiscal year. The financial aid program is grant-only — Harvard does not require students to take loans as part of their financial aid package.

Social Media

arrow_back Back to Directory language Official Website