What are the Harvard entry requirements?

I mean, we all know Harvard's super selective, but what do they actually consider? Test scores, sure, but what else? Personal essays? Extracurriculars? Recommendations? Anyone got any insights?

Harvard University has a number of requirements that applicants need to meet in order to be considered for admission. Since this is one of the most selective institutions globally, keep in mind that fulfilling these requirements does not guarantee admission, but it does ensure application consideration.

1. Academic Transcripts: Harvard wants to understand a student's overall academic record, including the curriculum rigor, GPA, and class rank if it's available. In high school, they expect to see a balance of courses across disciplines, although they also appreciate more specialized academic interests.

2. Standardized Test Scores: For the 2024-2025 application cycle, Harvard requires all applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. Unlike some of its peers, Harvard is not test-optional during this cycle. They have not specified a cutoff score, but you should aim to score in the top percentile to be competitive.

3. School Reports and Teacher Recommendations: Not only do you need to submit your official high school transcript, but also two letters of recommendation from teachers in different core academic subjects, and one from your school counselor.

4. Extracurricular Activities: Harvard looks for students who have demonstrated potential for achievement, leadership, and initiative in areas that interest them. These could be school clubs, sports, community service, part-time jobs or internships, or independent projects. However, it's not just about quantity but about demonstrating dedication and growth in your chosen activities.

5. Personal Essay: Harvard requires you to submit a personal essay as part of your application. This essay should give a deeper insight into your personality, interests, and values. Harvard uses it to evaluate qualities like creativity, delivery, and capacity for self-reflection. Keep in mind the importance of developing a "spike," a highly-developed specialty, over being "well-rounded.”

6. Harvard Supplemental Essays: Harvard also has an additional required essay where you can bring any aspect of your identity or experiences not covered in the other parts of the application.

7. Application Fee or Fee Waiver: There's an application fee involved, unless you qualify for a fee waiver.

8. Additional Information (Optional): Due to the holistic nature of the process, Harvard also allows applicants to share any other information that might not fit into predefined categories. This could be an explanation of circumstances that affected your academic performance, a description of a significant project, or anything else you feel is important for admissions officers to know.

Remember, meeting these requirements is the first step. Make your application stand out with strong academic performance, compelling essays, and a robust record of extracurricular involvement. The admissions process at Harvard is highly competitive and the review is holistic - they're considering your application in its entirety, not just individual parts.