Hello! I'm a conscientious high school junior starting on my college searches. I was hoping to find out, purely out of curiosity, which is the hardest college to gain admission to in the USA?
Based purely on acceptance rates, Harvard University holds the title for the lowest acceptance rate in the US, making it the most difficult university to gain admission to. The average acceptance rate at Harvard is around 3.5%. This means that for every 100 students who apply, only around 3-4 are admitted.
Harvard's student body comprises extremely high-achieving students. The admitted students have an average high school GPA exceeding 4.18, reflecting a high academic rigor in their high school curriculum. Additionally, the middle 50% SAT score range for accepted students is quite high, typically within the range of 1500-1580 out of 1600.
However, it's important to remember that these statistics don't tell you everything. The admissions process at Harvard, like at many top-tier colleges, is holistic. This means they look at every part of an applicant's profile, including extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation, not just academic performance.
For instance, it's quite common for admitted students to demonstrate strong leadership qualities, either within or outside of school, and to have committed a significant amount of time to one or more extracurricular activities. In general, Harvard is looking for students who can excel both inside and outside the classroom and contribute to their collegiate community in meaningful ways.
I hope this helps to satisfy your curiosity!
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