Hey, fellow redditors! I'm a junior trying to gather some info about the Harvard admission process. I know that test scores are major factors, so does anyone know what kind of scores Harvard usually expects? Thanks a whole bunch in advance.
The first thing to remember is that Harvard University has resumed requiring SAT or ACT scores for the 2024-2025 application cycle after a period of being test optional. Keep in mind that there is not a strict cutoff score for acceptance. Harvard uses a holistic review process, meaning they consider many factors in addition to test scores, such as grades, essays, extracurricular involvement, and letters of recommendation.
That said, you can get a general idea of the expected scores by looking at the middle 50% range of accepted students. Historically, this range for the SAT has been between 1540 and 1580. For the ACT, it's generally been between 33 and 36. So, to be competitive, you'd want to aim for scores in these ranges or higher.
However, it's critical to remember that good scores alone don't guarantee admission. Many students with perfect or near-perfect scores get rejected each year. Therefore, while it's important to try and achieve high test scores, you should also focus on developing your academic profile, extracurricular involvement, personal essays, and other application components to make the strongest impression.
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