Trajecta score
+2.3 since '20Ranked #5 of 2,375
5-year trend
84.9 · #5
2020
88.5 · #6
2021
87.0 · #5
2022
88.1 · #3
2023
87.2 · #6
2024
Academic Profile
99/ 100
Career Outcomes
91/ 100
Student Success
98/ 100
Affordability
75/ 100
Academic Investment
99/ 100
Access & Equity
53/ 100
Academic Profile
99
Career Outcomes
91
Student Success
98
Affordability
75
Academic Investment
99
Access & Equity
53
AI Fit Analysis
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See how your profile stacks up at Harvard University — predicted chances, program fit, and a personalized application strategy.
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Cost / Net Price
$86k / $19k
SAT Avg
1,553
Retention
98%
Grad Rate
97%
Admissions
Test Scores
Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.
Finances
Tuition
In-State Tuition
$61,676
per year
Out-of-State Tuition
$61,676
per year
Aid & Debt
Pell Grant Share
16%
undergraduates receiving Pell
Federal Loan Share
4%
students borrowing
Median Debt
among completers
$14,000
Admissions Factors
Self-reported by the school in its Common Data Set (section C7) — the school's own statement of which application factors matter in its admissions decisions.
4.21
average high school GPA of enrolled freshmen (weighted) · 99% reporting
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what Harvard University reports weighing in admissions.
| Factor | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | Rigor of secondary school record: Considered | |||
| Class rank | Class rank: Not Considered | |||
| Academic GPA | Academic GPA: Considered | |||
| Standardized test scores | Standardized test scores: Considered | |||
| Application essay | Application essay: Considered | |||
| Recommendation(s) | Recommendation(s): Considered | |||
| Interview | Interview: Considered | |||
| Extracurricular activities | Extracurricular activities: Considered | |||
| Talent/ability | Talent/ability: Considered | |||
| Character/personal qualities | Character/personal qualities: Considered | |||
| First generation | First generation: Considered | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | Alumni/ae relation: Considered | |||
| Geographical residence | Geographical residence: Considered | |||
| State residency | State residency: Not Considered | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Religious affiliation/commitment: Not Considered | |||
| Volunteer work | Volunteer work: Considered | |||
| Work experience | Work experience: Considered | |||
| Level of applicant's interest | Level of applicant's interest: Not Considered |
Supplemental Essays · 2025-26
school's admissions site ↗Life experiences and contribution to Harvard
Required150 wordsHarvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a student body with a diversity of perspectives and experiences. How will the life experiences that shaped who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?
A time you strongly disagreed
Required150 wordsDescribe a time when you strongly disagreed with someone about an idea or issue. How did you communicate or engage with this person? What did you learn from this experience?
Extracurriculars, employment, travel, or family responsibilities
Required150 wordsBriefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.
Future use of a Harvard education
Required150 wordsHow do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?
Top 3 things your roommates should know
Required150 wordsTop 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.
Drafting these? Write them with AI feedback in Trajecta →
Methodology
The Trajecta Score (0–100) blends six dimensions of public college data into one comparable number, then nudges it by how much data each school reports. Selectivity tiers are separate — they’re based purely on a school’s admission rate.
Read the full methodologyMedian earnings 10 years out, earnings vs. a high-school grad, and loan repayment.
Admission selectivity and the incoming class’s SAT / ACT scores.
Average net price after aid and the typical debt of graduates.
Graduation rate and first-year retention.
Instructional spending and faculty salaries per student.
Share of Pell-grant students and reliance on federal loans.
Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS. Figures are the most recent reported and may lag a year or two. This tool is read-only and not personalized — inside the Trajecta app, scores are tailored to your profile as a fit score.
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Neighbors in Massachusetts, plus the closest schools nationally by Trajecta Score.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA
Williams College
Williamstown, MA
Amherst College
Amherst, MA
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
Needham, MA
Northeastern University
Boston, MA
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
Rice University
Houston, TX
