What does your GPA have to be to get into Harvard? (2024)

FAQs

What does your GPA have to be to get into Harvard? ›

What GPA should I have? Applicants should be between 3.9 and 4.0 to be strong candidates for admission to this school. Having less than this will require compensating by increasing your SAT or ACT score.

It's true that a 3.5 GPA might be considered low for Harvard, but it doesn't mean that your application will be dismissed entirely. Your unique background and achievements could compensate for your GPA to some extent.

Can I Get Into Harvard With a 3.7 GPA? Harvard is highly competitive, so it may be challenging to get in with a 3.7 GPA. The average GPA for entering Harvard students is 3.9.

Most students admitted to Harvard have an unweighted GPA of 4.18 or above, so you'll need to have at least a 4.2 to be seriously evaluated. To meet the Harvard requirements, you'll have to score primarily A's on your high school courses.

The minimum GPA for admission into Harvard is 4.18 on a 4.0 scale on your official high school transcript.

What is the GPA Required for Harvard? The average unweighted GPA of admitted students falls between 3.9 and 4.0, and the 25th and 75th percentiles are around 3.8 and 4.0, respectively. This means that half of all admitted students have GPAs within this narrow range.

In some high schools, AP and IB classes have a weighted GPA scale where an A in those classes is worth 5.0 points instead of the typical 4.0 points for a regular class. In this case, if a student takes all AP or IB courses and receives straight A's in every subject, they can achieve a 5.0 GPA.

For example, Harvard states they don't have a minimum GPA requirement, but the average GPA of students accepted to Harvard is 3.9, and the average MCAT score is 520.59. While Harvard says they take the complete background of each applicant into account, high grades are clearly a critical factor.

Average GPA: 4.13

The average GPA at Yale is 4.13. This makes Yale Extremely Competitive for GPAs. (Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. This school did not officially report its average GPA, but we've estimated it here using data from over 1,000 schools.)

A 92 is generally considered a good grade, as it usually falls within the range of an A or A- in the typical grading scale. However, keep in mind that grading varies at different high schools, so it's important to be familiar with your school's specific grading policy.

Can I get into Harvard with a 2.0 GPA? ›

The GPA requirements for Harvard University are between 3.9 to 4.1. You will need an incredibly high GPA and will likely be graduating at the top of their class in order to get into Harvard University.

What Is a Good GPA for the Ivy League? To get into most Ivy League schools, you'll need an average GPA between 3.9 and 4.0. However, if you're aiming for a top Ivy League university such as Stanford, MIT, or others, a 4.0 GPA — or close to it — is expected.

Even though the average weighted GPA for Harvard is 4.2, this is still an average. Successful applicants may have scores that fall well above or below that figure. That means you won't automatically be rejected if your GPA is under 4.0. Some say that the lowest GPA accepted to Harvard is about 3.0 (weighted).

Harvard SAT Score Analysis

In other words, a 1460 places you below average, while a 1580 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute SAT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 1460 to have a chance at being considered.

Average ACT: 34

The 25th percentile ACT score is 34, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 36. In other words, a 34 places you below average, while a 36 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute ACT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 34 to have a chance at being considered.

It's worth noting that a 3.0 GPA does not automatically disqualify you from consideration for admission to Harvard, and there have been students with lower GPAs who have been admitted in the past.

Since Harvard focuses on academics, the average GPA of accepted students is a 4.2. Therefore, to enhance your chances of acceptance, you should strive to be at the top of your class with at least a 4.2 GPA. That doesn't mean that you can't get accepted without that GPA, but it will be more difficult.

Harvard GPA Requirements

Weighted GPAs are not always as useful to determine how you are performing because high schools weight GPAs differently and because they can hide how far you are from a high enough GPA for Harvard. In truth, you need close to a 4.0 unweighted GPA to get into Harvard.