26 Hardest Colleges to Get Into
- California Institute of Technology. Tied for #1 on the list of lowest acceptance rate colleges is the California Institute of Technology.
- Harvard University.
- Columbia University.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- Stanford University.
- Brown University.
- University of Chicago.
- Yale University.
Most schools use a weighted 4.0 GPA scale, and the average for accepted Harvard students is 4.18! That means you have to work extra hard to get straight A's, on top of taking difficult classes to show you can handle the workload. They're looking for students who are at the top of their graduating class.Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell is the easiest and youngest Ivy League school. It was established in 1865 and is situated in Ithaca, New York. Out of 49,114 candidates, Cornell accepted 5,330, for an admission percentage of around 10.9%.
What is Harvard known for : Research. Harvard is a founding member of the Association of American Universities and a preeminent research university with "very high" research activity (R1) and comprehensive doctoral programs across the arts, sciences, engineering, and medicine according to the Carnegie Classification.
What is the #1 hardest school to get into
Niche, a ranking and review site, recently published its list of the “2023 Hardest Colleges to Get Into.” Using data from the U.S. Department of Education on various colleges' acceptance rates and SAT/ACT scores, they found, unsurprisingly, Harvard University to be the most difficult college to get into.
Is Oxford or Harvard better : Harvard is ranked second in National Universities, first in Global Universities by U.S. News, and first by the Round University Ranking, while Oxford is ranked first in Best Global Universities in Europe, fifth in Best Global Universities by U.S. News, and second by the QS World University Rankings.
In truth, you need close to a 4.0 unweighted GPA to get into Harvard. That means nearly straight As in every class while also taking the highest rigor classes available at your high school.
GPA Requirements
Harvard University does not have a strict minimum GPA requirement for undergraduate admissions. However, admitted students typically have very high GPAs, ranging from 3.8 to 4.0, with an average GPA of 3.9.
Can you get into Harvard with bad grades
According to our research, the 25th percentile accepted unweighted GPA at Harvard is 3.80. If your GPA is much lower than this, you mostly likely don't have much a of a chance of admission regardless of the rest of your portfolio or the reasons behind the lower grades.The Z-List is a special category of admission that allows Harvard to accept students who are the children of mega-donors or other highly influential people. Harvard University has a secret way of admitting students who have influential connections but low academic scores: the Z-List.3.2% (2022)Harvard University / Acceptance rate
Final Admissions Verdict
If you don't pass their SAT/ACT and GPA requirements, they'll likely reject you without much consideration. To have the best shot of getting in, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1560 SAT or a 36 ACT. You should also have a 4.1 GPA or higher.
Which is harder, Harvard or Oxford : As of 2023, Harvard's acceptance rate is 4%. Half of the applicants accepted at Harvard have an SAT score between 1480 and 1580. On the other hand, Oxford's acceptance rate of about 17.5% is appealing. However, the Oxford acceptance rate and Harvard acceptance rate for international students happens to be 9%.
Is MIT or Harvard better : Both MIT and Harvard are widely recognized as among the most prestigious institutions in the world, but they excel in different academic domains. MIT is celebrated for its unparalleled contributions to science, technology, and innovation, making it highly prestigious in those fields.
Can a 2.5 GPA go to Harvard
While it's certainly possible to get into Harvard with a low GPA, as the numbers bear out, it's improbable. For the Class of 2026, a mere 2.09% of admitted students to Harvard had GPAs below 3.5. Such students often meet other institutional needs (e.g., star quarterback for the football team, development case, etc.).
GPA requirements for Harvard
At Harvard, the standard GPA is 4.18. (While some schools publish an unweighted GPA, most utilize a weighted GPA out of 4.0.) Harvard needs you to be at the top of your class with a GPA of 4.18. To compete with other applications, you'll need to receive almost all A's.At Harvard, the standard GPA is 4.18. (While some schools publish an unweighted GPA, most utilize a weighted GPA out of 4.0.) Harvard needs you to be at the top of your class with a GPA of 4.18.
Is 3.3 GPA good for Harvard : While it's certainly possible to get into Harvard with a low GPA, as the numbers bear out, it's improbable. For the Class of 2026, a mere 2.09% of admitted students to Harvard had GPAs below 3.5. Such students often meet other institutional needs (e.g., star quarterback for the football team, development case, etc.).