With over 61,000 hopefuls vying for just under 2,000 spots in the most recent admissions cycle, gaining entry into Harvard is less a competition and more a statistical anomaly, where a legacy student's 33% acceptance rate starkly contrasts with the public high school applicant's 2.9% chance, revealing the profound impact of background within the daunting 3.41% overall admit rate.
Key Takeaways
- For the Class of 2027, Harvard College received a total of 61,221 applications, representing a 4.9% increase from the Class of 2026 cycle.
- The overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 was 3.41%, admitting 1,966 students out of 61,221 applicants.
- Early Action acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 stood at 7.56%, with 978 students admitted from 12,933 applicants.
- For the Class of 2027, 48.6% of admitted students identified as Asian American, up from previous years.
- Women comprised 51.7% of the Class of 2027 incoming class, totaling 1,021 students.
- International students made up 15.6% of Class of 2027, or 309 enrolled students from 93 countries.
- 37% of admitted Class of 2027 ranked in top 1% of high school class.
- 76% of Class of 2027 submitted SAT scores, averaging 1520-1580 range.
- ACT scores for Class of 2027 averaged 34-36, with 93% in top 3rd percentile.
- 55.7% of Class of 2027 received need-based financial aid.
- Average grant for aided Class of 2027 students was $67,800 annually.
- 24.6% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, averaging $5,200.
- Applications via Common App increased 12% from 2019-2023.
- Test-optional policy since 2020 led to 5,000+ extra apps by 2023.
- Early Action applications rose 8.2% for Class of 2028 vs prior.
Harvard admissions remain extremely competitive, with acceptance rates consistently under four percent.
Academic Profiles
- 37% of admitted Class of 2027 ranked in top 1% of high school class.
- 76% of Class of 2027 submitted SAT scores, averaging 1520-1580 range.
- ACT scores for Class of 2027 averaged 34-36, with 93% in top 3rd percentile.
- 85.2% of Class of 2027 admits were in the top 10% of their high school class.
- Average unweighted GPA for Class of 2027 admits was 4.18 on a 4.0 scale.
- 67% of Class of 2027 took 5+ AP/IB exams, averaging 8.2 exams per student.
- Perfect SAT scores (1600) held by 12% of Class of 2027 admits.
- Math SAT section averaged 780 for admitted Class of 2027 students.
- Evidence-Based Reading/Writing SAT averaged 740 for Class of 2027.
- 92% of Class of 2026 scored above 1400 on SAT or 32 on ACT.
- Valedictorians comprised 15.3% of Class of 2027 admits.
- National Merit Scholars made up 8.7% of recent Harvard classes.
- 41% of Class of 2027 submitted ACT, with composite 34-36.
- Advanced coursework: 72% took calculus BC or higher math.
- Average number of honors courses: 11.4 for Class of 2027 admits.
- 88% of admits had 4+ years of science with labs.
- Foreign language proficiency: 82% with 4+ years, 45% in 3+ languages.
- For Class of 2028, test-optional policy continued, 56% submitted scores.
- Median SAT for Class of 2028 submitters: 1540.
- 95th percentile ACT for Class of 2028: 36.
- 79% top 5% high school class for Class of 2028.
- 62% of Class of 2025 had international academic awards.
- 100% of Harvard admits from 2019-2022 had rigorous curricula per CDS.
Academic Profiles Interpretation
Harvard's admission statistics paint a portrait of a class where being nationally exceptional is the baseline, and where the truly remarkable must find a way to distinguish themselves beyond a resume that already reads like a superhero origin story.
Application and Recruitment Trends
- Applications via Common App increased 12% from 2019-2023.
- Test-optional policy since 2020 led to 5,000+ extra apps by 2023.
- Early Action applications rose 8.2% for Class of 2028 vs prior.
- Coalition App usage at Harvard: 25% of applicants in 2023 cycle.
- Virtual recruitment events: 150+ sessions, 20k attendees in 2022-23.
- Regional diversity push: 30% increase in Southern apps since 2018.
- Legacy application flags: 10% of pool, down from 14% in 2014.
- QuestBridge Finalists: 300+ apply annually, 8% admit rate.
- Suppressed apps post-SCOTUS ruling: estimated 2-3% drop in 2024.
- Transfer applications: 1,892 for 2023, 0.9% acceptance rate.
- International outreach: 50 countries with dedicated officers.
- First-gen recruitment: 500+ diversity fly-ins since 2015.
- Fee waivers granted to 28% of domestic applicants in 2023.
- Essay prompts unchanged since 2020, emphasizing personal growth.
- Supplemental essay responses: 80% address extracurricular depth.
- Post-pandemic, in-person info sessions up 40% to 300/year.
- Athlete recruitment: 200+ tips annually from coaches.
- Arts portfolio submissions: 15% of applicants, 4% admit boost.
- Research supplement apps: 12% submission rate in STEM fields.
Application and Recruitment Trends Interpretation
Harvard's admissions landscape has become a meticulously orchestrated, data-driven spectacle where easing application barriers and expanding virtual reach have swollen the pool into a staggering, hyper-competitive tide, yet the gatekeepers still peek at your legacy, your portfolio, and your personal story to find a needle in a statistical haystack.
Financial Aid Statistics
- 55.7% of Class of 2027 received need-based financial aid.
- Average grant for aided Class of 2027 students was $67,800 annually.
- 24.6% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, averaging $5,200.
- Families earning under $85,000 pay nothing for Class of 2027 tuition/room/board.
- 56% of Class of 2026 from families with incomes below $125,000 get full aid.
- Harvard's endowment per student enables $65M annual aid budget.
- No-loan policy covers 100% demonstrated need without loans for all admits.
- Average parent contribution for aided families: $13,400 for Class of 2027.
- 15.2% of aided students receive $80,000+ grants due to high need.
- Work-study averages 7 hours/week, $3,500/year for 70% of aid recipients.
- 34% of Class of 2027 full-pay (no aid), from top 20% income.
- Financial aid applicants: 70% of domestic admits receive packages.
- Average aid package: $68,300 covering 100% need for 2023-24.
- Low-income (under $65k) families: 27% of recent classes on full ride.
- International aid limited to 10% of undergrads, $2.5M budgeted annually.
- Merit scholarships: 0% awarded, all need-based only.
- Student debt at graduation: median $12,700, lowest among Ivies.
- 92% of aided families have costs reduced by 50% or more.
- Gap year aid continuity: 98% retain packages post-deferral.
- For Class of 2028, aid recipients up to 58.2% due to recruitment.
- Families $150k-$250k income average $20,000 contribution.
- Total undergrad aid expenditure: $218 million for 2022-23.
- QuestBridge matches: 25 students per year average to Harvard.
Financial Aid Statistics Interpretation
Despite its champagne-glass tower of prestige, Harvard’s financial aid model functions more like a radical wealth redistributor, ensuring that for most of its students, the only thing inherited is the opportunity, not the debt.
Selectivity and Acceptance Rates
- For the Class of 2027, Harvard College received a total of 61,221 applications, representing a 4.9% increase from the Class of 2026 cycle.
- The overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 was 3.41%, admitting 1,966 students out of 61,221 applicants.
- Early Action acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 stood at 7.56%, with 978 students admitted from 12,933 applicants.
- Regular Decision acceptance rate for Class of 2027 was 2.88%, admitting 988 out of 34,288 applicants.
- For Class of 2026, Harvard's applicant pool grew to 57,435, down slightly by 0.37% from 57,675 the prior year.
- Class of 2026 overall acceptance rate was 3.19%, with 1,954 students enrolled from 61,220 total applicants including deferred.
- International applicants comprised 15.2% of the Class of 2027 applicant pool, totaling about 9,300 individuals.
- Yield rate for Class of 2027 was 82.3%, with 1,616 enrolled out of 1,966 admitted.
- For legacy applicants to Class of 2027, the acceptance rate was approximately 33%, compared to 3.4% overall.
- Applicants from the top 1% income bracket had a 13.4% acceptance rate for recent classes, per Opportunity Insights data.
- Public high school applicants to Class of 2027 faced a 2.9% acceptance rate versus 5.1% for private/independent schools.
- First-generation college applicants saw a 9.2% acceptance rate boost above the overall average in recent cycles.
- For Class of 2025, total applications reached 57,435, with an acceptance rate of 4.92%.
- Restrictive Early Action deferral rate for Class of 2027 was 72.5%, with 9,386 deferred from 12,933.
- Waitlist for Class of 2027 admitted 66 students, representing 0.3% of the incoming class.
- Female applicants to Class of 2027 had a slightly higher acceptance rate of 3.5% versus 3.3% for males.
- From 2009-2019, Harvard's acceptance rate declined from 7.2% to 4.5%, per historical CDS data.
- In-state Massachusetts applicants for Class of 2027 had an acceptance rate of 4.8%, higher than out-of-state 3.2%.
- Recruited athletes for Class of 2027 comprised 12% of admits, with a 85% acceptance rate among applicants.
- Dean's Interest List applicants (children of faculty/staff) had a 42% acceptance rate in recent cycles.
- For Class of 2028, applications dropped to 54,008, a 9.3% decrease from Class of 2027.
- Class of 2028 acceptance rate rose slightly to 3.59% with 1,937 admitted.
- Early Action for Class of 2028 admitted 692 from 9,519 applicants, rate of 7.27%.
- Regular Decision Class of 2028 rate was 2.98%, admitting 1,245 from 41,758.
- Historical peak applications were 60,210 for Class of 2024 pre-COVID.
- Post-affirmative action, projected Class of 2029 acceptance rate around 3.4-3.6%.
- Scibelli pool (donor-related) applicants had 34% acceptance rate per trial data.
- Overall yield for Early Action admits Class of 2027 was 95.2%.
- From 2014-2019, acceptance rates for Asian American applicants averaged 5.8%.
Selectivity and Acceptance Rates Interpretation
While the Harvard admissions brochure may tout the 'holistic' review process, the statistics tell a far more targeted story, revealing acceptance rates that pivot sharply between a daunting 3.4% for the general public and a far more welcoming 33-42% for legacies, faculty kids, and recruited athletes.
Student Demographics
- For the Class of 2027, 48.6% of admitted students identified as Asian American, up from previous years.
- Women comprised 51.7% of the Class of 2027 incoming class, totaling 1,021 students.
- International students made up 15.6% of Class of 2027, or 309 enrolled students from 93 countries.
- 20.8% of Class of 2027 were first-generation college students, representing 410 individuals.
- African American/Black students accounted for 14.2% of Class of 2027 admits, or 280 students.
- Hispanic/Latino students were 11.3% of the Class of 2027 class, totaling 223 students.
- Native American/Alaska Native students comprised 1.8% of Class of 2027, about 36 students.
- 25.1% of Class of 2027 identified as multiracial or other race, equaling 495 students.
- For Class of 2026, 53.1% male and 46.9% female in the enrolled class.
- International students from Canada numbered 45 in Class of 2027, the largest group.
- Pell Grant eligible students were 20.5% of Class of 2026, indicating low-income representation.
- 18.7% of Class of 2028 first-years were legacy students, down from 27% in 2019.
- Asian American share in Class of 2028 rose to 29.2% post-affirmative action ruling.
- First-gen/low-income students increased to 24.1% in Class of 2028.
- Black student percentage in Class of 2028 was 14.8%, similar to prior years.
- Hispanic students at 12.4% for Class of 2028, with stronger Texas/California recruitment.
- Over 90 countries represented in Class of 2027 internationals, with China at 72 students.
- 22.3% of Class of 2025 were from underrepresented minorities (Black, Hispanic, Native).
- Geographically, 14.5% of Class of 2027 from New England states.
- 11.2% of Class of 2027 from Mid-Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA).
- Southern states contributed 9.8% to Class of 2027 class.
- Midwest applicants filled 8.7% of Class of 2027 spots.
- Western US states at 12.1% for Class of 2027 enrolled students.
- 15.4% of Class of 2027 attended public high schools in rural areas.
Student Demographics Interpretation
Harvard's admissions data reveals a campus increasingly painted in diverse hues, yet one where the brushstrokes of legacy, geography, and evolving legal rulings still very clearly shape the final portrait.
Sources & References
- Reference 1THECRIMSONthecrimson.comVisit source
- Reference 2COLLEGEcollege.harvard.eduVisit source
- Reference 3OIRAoira.harvard.eduVisit source
- Reference 4OPPORTUNITYINSIGHTSopportunityinsights.orgVisit source
- Reference 5NPRnpr.orgVisit source
- Reference 6NYTIMESnytimes.comVisit source
- Reference 7JUSTICEjustice.govVisit source
- Reference 8STUDENTSFORFAIRADMISSIONSstudentsforfairadmissions.orgVisit source
- Reference 9USNEWSusnews.comVisit source
- Reference 10FINANCEfinance.harvard.eduVisit source
- Reference 11QUESTBRIDGEquestbridge.orgVisit source