Private Harvard University was established in 1636.
Harvard University is private and established in 1636. Fall 2022 undergraduate enrollment was 7,240, and the campus encompasses 5,076 acres. The academic year is semester-based. Harvard University ranks #3 in National Universities in Best Colleges 2024. Tuition and fees are $59,076.
Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has 12 graduate and professional schools, an undergraduate campus, and the Radcliffe Institute. The Business School, Medical School, Graduate Education School, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Law School, and John F. Kennedy School of Government are among its major schools. Harvard is a private, nonprofit university created by the Massachusetts Bay Colony General Court in 1636. The university records say the institution was founded to train clerics. In 1638, Puritan pastor John Harvard bequeathed the new school his 400-book collection and half of his wealth. The first Harvard graduation was in 1642 with nine graduates.
Harvard has the world’s biggest academic library and the oldest U.S. collection. Beyond literature, Harvard’s Ivy League sporting teams play Yale annually in football. Freshmen dwell in the middle of campus and upperclassmen in 12 undergraduate homes. Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy were among eight Harvard graduates. Helen Keller and Henry David Thoreau are among noteworthy graduates. Harvard possesses the world’s greatest endowment.
Admissions to Harvard University
The Harvard admittance rate is 3%. Half of Harvard University candidates with test results had SAT scores between 1490 and 1580 or ACT scores between 34 and 36. One quarter of approved candidates scored above and one quarter below these limits. Harvard’s application deadline is Jan. 1.
GPA matters to Harvard University admissions officers. Harvard University admissions staff evaluate letters of recommendation but not high school class rank. See College Compass for further academic considerations and school statistics.
Harvard Tuition and Financial Aid
Harvard’s tuition is $59,076. Harvard University charges more than $43,477, the national average.
These estimates include tuition and fees (sticker price). Some institutions charge fees for library, gym, student center, technology, and campus health center services.
Compare total and net expenses when comparing institutions. The sticker price plus lodging and board, books & supplies, transportation, and personal costs comprises the overall cost. Harvard University charges $80,263. After assistance and scholarship payments are deducted, the typical need-based aid student pays $15,210 for the institution.
Academics at Harvard
Harvard’s student-faculty ratio is 7:1, and 70.6% of courses had less than 20 students. Social Sciences, Biology/Biological Sciences, Mathematics, Computer and Information Sciences, History, Physical Sciences, Engineering, Psychology, Visual and Performing Arts, and English Language and Literature are Harvard University’s most popular majors. The average freshman retention rate, a student satisfaction metric, is 92%.
Campus of Harvard University
Harvard provides nonremedial tutoring, women’s center, placement service, health care, and health insurance. 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late-night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lit pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and restricted dormitory access are all provided by Harvard University. Harvard University allows legal students to drink.