What are the typical Harvard acceptance stats?

Hey everyone! I'm planning to apply to Harvard and was wondering if any of you could give me a heads-up on what the average accepted student's stats are like. I'm curious about GPA, test scores, extracurricular involvement, etc. Thanks!

Hello! To give you an idea of the typical stats for accepted Harvard students, here's some information based on previous admission cycles:

GPA: While Harvard doesn't share official GPA statistics, most successful applicants have a near-perfect or perfect high school GPA, usually above a 4.0 weighted or above a 3.8 unweighted GPA.

Test Scores: As of the 2024-2025 application cycle, Harvard requires standardized test scores. In previous cycles, the middle 50% for SAT scores ranged from 1490 to 1580, and for ACT scores, it ranged from 34 to 35. Keep in mind that these ranges represent the middle 50%, meaning 25% of admitted students scored above these ranges, and 25% scored below.

Extracurriculars: Extracurricular involvement varies, but most successful applicants have a strong "spike" or highly-developed specialty in one or more areas (instead of being well-rounded). Many have Tier 1 or Tier 2 extracurriculars, like national awards or high levels of achievement/leadership in their chosen activities. Quality is more important than quantity, but applicants tend to be engaged in at least 8-10 total activities, with a high degree of involvement in a few of them.

Keep in mind that admission to Harvard and other highly selective schools is holistic, meaning these statistics are just a part of the picture. Schools also consider factors like personal essays, recommendation letters, and any significant challenges or achievements that may have shaped you as an individual beyond your GPA and test scores. Good luck with your application!