Does Harvard superscore the SAT?
Does Harvard superscore the SAT? Harvard does not offer a “superscore” policy for your SAT or ACT results. Instead, the admissions officers will take note of the highest scores that you achieved on each section of the SAT on different test dates as well as your highest overall score on the ACT.
Harvard’s official website states, “We do not create superscores for applicants.” If you choose to send in your test scores, Harvard will consider the highest scores you received in each section across all SAT test dates and your best overall ACT performance. Even if Harvard does not superscore your SAT scores, the university will always consider the level of education you have completed.
You have the option of submitting your ACT or SAT superscores to Harvard University. When you do so, they will also receive the complete results from your best sitting, including the highest composite score obtained from a single test date. If you decide to apply, we will look at all of these scores, taking into consideration any tests that are included in your application.
Students at certain educational institutions can “superscore” their exams. However, this is not a possibility in the admissions process for Harvard. With Superscoring, students would select their highest test scores in a given section from across multiple sittings to participate in the “superscoring” system.
The ability to combine and compare individual section scores from multiple test dates typically results in a “superscore” that is higher than the composite score obtained from a single sitting of either the ACT or the SAT. Students will want to include the test date on which they achieved the highest overall score when submitting applications to schools that do not accept superscores.
Students’ confidence and, potentially, the quality of their applications can be negatively impacted if they take an official ACT or SAT test before they have had adequate time to prepare for it. Students may find themselves wishing they could “hide” portions of their testing history if the colleges of their dreams require that they send all of their scores.
As Harvard does not superscore your SAT scores, students should participate in practice tests that are timed and proctored and should be administered in settings similar to those found on actual exams. The feedback that students receive from practice tests is both more immediate and more specific.
Students shouldn’t register for the actual exams until they have a solid understanding of what will be asked of them and have allowed themselves a sufficient amount of time to perform multiple mock exams and reflect on their performance.
As Harvard does not superscore the SAT scores, students should always note not to take the same official examination more than twice or thrice. Since it is crucial you consider the most appropriate number of attempts. Before you apply to colleges, make it a priority to research their policies regarding the choice of scores.
What is the Average SAT Score at Harvard?
The QS World University Ranking 2020 places Harvard University in third place, making it one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world. Candidates must take the SAT exam and rank among the highest scorers on the SAT to be considered for enrollment in the undergraduate programs.
The total score on the SAT can range anywhere from 400 to 1600. Candidates who have their sights set on attending Harvard University are always looking for information regarding the Harvard SAT score and other requirements, and we have provided that information in its entirety here.
Before we start, it is essential to point out that admission to Harvard is determined by three primary factors: SAT scores, grade point averages, and the acceptance rate. Scores on either the SAT or ACT must be submitted by all applicants to be considered for admission to Harvard University. 69% of admitted students in the 2017–18 academic year submitted SAT scores as part of the admissions process.
| SAT Range (Admitted Students) | |||
| Section | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile | Average Score |
| Reading and Writing | 720 | 780 | 750 |
| Math | 740 | 800 | 770 |
| Total | 1460 | 1580 | 1520 |
According to the admissions data, the majority of students who are accepted into Harvard fall within the top 7% of all students nationally on the SAT. Half of the students accepted to Harvard scored between 720 and 780 on the evidence-based reading and writing section of the exam, while the remaining students scored below 720 or above 780.
Half of the accepted students had scores between 740 and 800 on the mathematics portion of the exam, while the other half had scores below 740 or above 800. At Harvard University, applicants with a composite SAT score of 1580 or higher will have a better chance of being accepted than those with lower scores.
However, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, Harvard and the other schools in the Ivy League have decided to make taking the optional SAT or ACT a requirement for students applying to their schools in the year 2025.
Does Harvard Require SAT for 2022?
Does Harvard Require SAT for 2022 admissions? Aside from Harvard not being able to superscore your SAT scores, it has been decided that applicants to Harvard College will not be required to submit their scores from standardized tests for at least the next four years.
As a result of the announcement made by the College that it would extend its test optionality policy during the pandemic, prospective students for the upcoming classes of ’27, ’28, ’29, and ’30 at Harvard College will be able to apply to the institution without having to provide their SAT or ACT scores.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Harvard initially waived its testing requirement in June of 2020, enabling applicants for the Class of 2025 to do so without submitting their test scores. After that, in January, Harvard dropped the requirement for students entering the Class of 2026, citing the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic.
The college stated that it would extend the test-optional policy further when it made the announcement that it would accept 7.9 percent of early action applicants as part of its Class of 2026.
Because many students continued to have limited access to testing sites due to COVID-19, the most recent admissions cycle for the Class of 2026 was the second cycle in which students could apply to Harvard without being required to take standardized tests.
Standardized tests are just one of many factors that are taken into consideration during the admissions process at Harvard, which takes the applicant as a whole. The admissions committee will take into consideration a candidate’s achievements both inside and outside of the classroom during their senior year of high school. These may include participation in extracurricular activities and community service, as well as employment and family responsibilities.
Students who choose not to send in their scores from standardized tests will not be penalized in any way during the application process. Students are encouraged to send any materials they believe would convey their accomplishments in secondary school and their promise for the future. Applicants will be evaluated based on what they have presented, and students will be considered for the scholarship based on what they have presented.
It is more likely that Harvard is placing its bets on the fact that the move will increase the number of students from historically underrepresented groups on campus and score lower on the tests. The pandemic has prompted several colleges to move toward a test-optional admissions policy. Still, some schools have been moving in that direction for a long time in the hopes of increasing diversity.
What is the Minimum GPA Requirement at Harvard?
When applying to schools like colleges and universities, you should give careful consideration to your Grade Point Average, which is also known as your GPA. On the other hand, you could be wondering about the significance of your grade point average for the entirety of your time in college.
You can refer to your grade point average (also abbreviated as GPA) as a number that represents a summary of your overall academic performance throughout your time spent in high school. When determining your overall grade point average, a component of the calculation is the numerical value that is assigned to each letter grade that you receive. This value is known as the “grade point equivalent.”
In the United States, grade point averages are typically calculated using a scale that ranges from 0 to 4 points (1.0-4.0). If your high school calculates grades using a weighted scale, your grade point average (GPA) could be higher than 4.0 even if you have a perfect attendance record. In this scenario, the influence of particular courses on calculating your overall grade point average (GPA) will be the subject of a subsequent discussion that delves into greater depth.
It is commonly acknowledged that the admissions process at Harvard University is one of the most competitive in the entire world. Because of this, many students are interested in learning more about the Harvard GPA requirements. These students want to determine whether or not their cumulative grade point average at their current school is high enough to qualify them for admission to such a prestigious institution.
Just a quick note before we get into the specifics of Harvard’s grade point average requirements. It is essential to remember that having a high GPA does not, on its own, ensure that one will be admitted to a school with an acceptance rate of only 3.19 percent. In light of this, I was curious as to whether or not there are any specific GPA requirements for Harvard.
Aside from Harvard not being able to superscore your SAT scores, the encouraging news is that Harvard does not have any genuine requirements for a minimum acceptable grade point average for its applicants. Instead, You should calculate your own GPA for college based on the standard deviation of the average GPA among students admitted to Harvard. This will give you a more accurate representation of your academic performance. The most recent group of students to be accepted had a score of 4.22, which was their average.
Applicants to Harvard, on the other hand, need to have grade point averages that are exceptionally high to be accepted into the school. This requirement is part of the Harvard GPA and SAT requirements. The high school grade point average of students admitted to Harvard University as freshmen was a perfect score of four on a scale ranging from one to four, indicating that the university accepts and enrolls primarily A students.
The educational establishment is currently ranked first in Massachusetts regarding having the highest GPA on average. The admissions process at Harvard is so competitive that getting in will be difficult even if you have a perfect grade point average. Even with a perfect GPA, the odds of getting into Harvard are extremely low. Even if you have a perfect grade point average of 4.0, the school should still be considered a reach for you because of the competitive nature of the applicant pool.
Although Harvard does not specify a minimum grade point average for applicants, you should still make it a priority to earn a grade point average that is higher than 4.22. Your grade point average in college ought to ideally be even higher than this average GPA for you to differentiate yourself from the other students.
What is Harvard’s Current Acceptance Rate?
The notoriously competitive admissions process at Harvard University resulted in just 1,954 students being accepted out of 61,220 applicants, for an acceptance rate of 3.2%. 740 students were accepted through the early decision round, and 1,214 students were accepted through the regular round.
The students in the incoming class hail from all fifty United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the US territories and possessions overseas, and 98 different countries. There are a total of 20.5% of admitted students who are qualified to receive Pell Grants (which are typically given to students with low incomes), and there are 18 students who are veterans.
The following students will be a part of Harvard’s class of 2026:
- 27.8% of Americans are Asian
- 15.5% of the population is African American or Black.
- 12.6% Latin
- 2.9% of the population is Indigenous American
- 0.8% of Hawaiians are Native
- 54.2% of people identify themselves as female
Rates of Admission for the Harvard Class of 2026
| Applications | Accepted Students | Acceptance Rate | |
| Regular Applications | 51,814 | 1,214 | 2.3% |
| Early Applications | 9,406 | 740 | 7.9% |
| Overall | 61,220 | 1,954 | 3.2% |
The following are the results of Harvard’s regular admissions process for the class of 2026:
Only 1,954 students can call themselves members of Harvard University‘s class of 2026. Of those students, 1,214 were accepted during the regular admissions round, with an acceptance rate as low as 2.3%.
Likely, the COVID-19 pandemic, optional standardized testing, and an uptick in the number of students applying to college have contributed to the downward trend in admission rates reported by the majority of the nation’s top universities over the past three years. Harvard, which is widely considered to be the most selective school in the Ivy League, has seen a steady decline in the percentage of applicants it accepts over the past three years.
The Early Admissions Results for Harvard University for the Class of 2026
The results of Harvard University’s Early Admission process for the Class of 2026 were made public in December of 2021. This prestigious educational institution shared that 740 students had been granted early admission, making the university’s acceptance rate 7.4%. It is suggested you apply early to improve your chances of being admitted.
If you need help putting the finishing touches on your early applications or want some advice on whether or not applying Early Decision or an Early Action is a good option for you, at AdmissionSight, we have over 10 years of experience guiding students through the competitive admissions process, including our athletic recruitment program.
AdmissionSight can help you put your best foot forward when applying to college this fall. Contact us today for more information on our services.
