How to Get Into Harvard

Do you dream of getting accepted into Harvard? While it's no easy task, there are ways to stack advantages in your corner. In this guide, we're going to share five proven strategies that will help you stand out.

These strategies were distilled from our own experience—we both got into every Ivy League school, plus Stanford. But more importantly, we've applied these strategies to help thousands of other motivated students get into their dream schools.

"Each year we admit about 2,100 applicants. We like to think that all of them have strong personal qualities and character, that they will educate and inspire their classmates over the four years of college, and that they will make a significant difference in the world after they leave Harvard."

- William R. Fitzsimmons, long-time Dean of Admissions at Harvard College

The key thing to know about Harvard's admissions criteria is that it places special emphasis on personality and character. Aside from strong academics, Harvard is looking for students who can educate and inspire their classmates.

Admissions officers at Harvard rate applicants on a score of 1 to 6 for each of the following categories:

• Academics
• Extracurriculars
• Athletics
• Personality
• Recommendations
• Interview

And even for that last one, alumni interviewers are asked to rate the candidate's personality after meeting face-to-face.

The bottom line: To get into Harvard, you must let your personality and character shine through in your application. You cannot be just another set of numbers on a page. You must tell a unique personal story to stand out.

Without further ado, let's get into the strategies!

“After we determine there is a match between a student and Harvard in terms of academics, then we’re basically looking to find out who you are, what makes you tick - to flesh out the other sides of you.”

- Marlyn McGrath Lewis, Director of Admissions, Harvard

Strategy #1: Pick a “Central Passion” ASAP.

In high school, it’s easy to “go with the flow.” Most students end up choosing the same popular classes and clubs. As a result, they end up with a hodge-podge profile that makes them seem "okay" at everything. That's exactly how you don't stand out.

Imagine you’re an admissions officer comparing these two students:

As you can see, both Alex and Blake declared for a Physics major. But between the two, who's a better fit? The answer is Blake. Alex is more “well rounded.” But Blake is clearly passionate about Physics. His profile makes it easy for the admissions officer to say: “Yes, he'd be a great fit for our Physics department!”

That's the type of reaction you want admissions officers to have. You want them to be able to picture you somewhere specific on campus, thriving. The key is to pick a Central Passion to structure your application around. That will ensure your application tells a clear and focused personal story.

The earlier you pick your Central Passion, the stronger your application will be. It will serve as the guiding light throughout high school. When you’re undecided about which classes, clubs, or tests to join, you can use your Central Passion as a compass. By 12th grade, all those small decisions will have snowballed into a standout profile. Every piece will work in harmony to tell your unique story, and the sum will be greater than the parts.

Here are some tips for picking the right Central Passion for you:

Tip: Consider your favorite subjects from school.

Your Central Passion could be a school subject like Math, Biology, History, or Physics. It can be the subject that you’re most interested in (or the one you’re best at). In general, you’ll have a much easier time if you pick a subject you’re good at.

Tip: Consider fields from outside of school.

You can also consider subjects that aren’t commonly taught in school. Those include Economics, Business, Psychology, Computer Science, Engineering, or Architecture. This is an especially good option if you have family members who work in a field you're interested in. Bonus points if they can potentially help you land summer internships.

You can also look at the available majors at your dream college. This will give you ideas for interdisciplinary areas that you may not have even thought of.

Tip: Still undecided? Simply choose your best subject in school as the default.

There’s no need to overthink it! This is NOT a permanent choice. This won’t lock you in for the next 4 years. We’re only making a strategic choice for your eventual college application. So if you're uncertain, just choose your best subject in school to be your Central Passion.

Also, for seniors or juniors, you'll need to be practical. Look at your best classes, most impressive internships, or the activities you’ve devoted the most time to. Pick a Central Passion related to those.

Strategy #2: Embrace your “weird” hobbies.

Many teenagers feel like it’s important to “fit in.” They try to follow a “normal” path, join “normal” clubs, or imitate what their friends do. Unfortunately, this often means losing a unique part of themselves—their quirkier side. However, top colleges like Harvard actually like students who are a bit “weird.” They look for students who are not afraid to be different from the norm.

In a pool of yellow ducks, the purple duck stands out.

One of our past students was that “purple duck.” She was passionate about origami. She loved folding all sorts of animals and objects. At first, some of her classmates made fun of her for it. They called her the “weird papercraft girl.” But she continued to do what she enjoyed… and she got really good at it.

Eventually, others took notice. She even partnered with nearby hospitals to make origami for the elderly. Her unconventional hobby ended up impacting hundreds of people in her community. She wrote her main essay about her love for origami and how she was able to use it to bring smiles to the faces of others. (And yes, she got into her dream school.)

Bottom line: Pursue your hobby and don't worry about what your peers may think!

Tip: Lean into your quirkiness.

Most of us have something quirky. Sometimes, we’ve just hidden it. Take a moment to brainstorm: What non-traditional hobbies did you have growing up? E.g. origami, geocaching, beatboxing, etc.

Of your non-traditional hobbies, which was your favorite? Would you want to pick up that hobby again? If so, how?

Tip: Brainstorm ways to make an impact from it.

If you decide to continue with your quirky hobby, great! But you should also think of ways to make an impact with it. In the origami example, the student used her hobby to bring happiness to the elderly.

Ask yourself these two questions:

• How can your hobby have a positive impact on others?
• What are the first steps for you to take to make that happen?

Strategy #3: Start a Showstopper Activity.

Harvard doesn't want students who only work hard to get good grades. Remember, they want to see strong character traits like dedication and intellectual curiosity. This is where your extracurricular activities can shine... especially if you have a "Showstopper Activity" related to your Central Passion.

Put simply, a Showstopper Activity is a unique, personal project. It's aligned with your Central Passion and has a positive impact on others. But what sets it apart is that it demonstrates extra creativity and initiative. It goes above and beyond your normal coursework or typical clubs at school. For example, you could start a non-profit, write a blog, launch a podcast, or even self-publish a book.

A big misconception is that you need to invent something new, program an amazing app, or start a booming business. While those things are great, they're not necessary. Your Showstopper Activity doesn’t need to be groundbreaking or especially time-consuming. Even a podcast with monthly episodes can check all the boxes. Just make sure it's interesting and relevant to your Central Passion.

Tip: Pick a proven medium, and then just get started.

In general, we recommend students to pick a proven medium, such as a podcast, blog, or newsletter. Then, simply apply your unique spin to the content. For example, if your Central Passion is Engineering, you could start a podcast about how the latest inventions in robotics will help us get to Mars.

Tip: Build a simple, but professional website.

Even without a Showstopper Activity, we still suggest students to have a website. It’s the digital age. Admissions officers have admitted to looking up applicants on Google and social media. Some top colleges are now even directly asking students for their online profiles.

Your online presence matters. So don’t be caught on the back foot. Have a website that showcases your Showstopper Activity—and yourself—in the best light possible. Then, link to it directly on the application!

Tip: Get others involved. Think “who” not “how.”

You do NOT need to do everything yourself. If you wanted to build your dream house, you wouldn't start chopping down trees on your own. You would hire experienced builders, electricians, plumbers, etc... so that you could focus on the vision for your home.

Likewise, don't get stuck on “how to do this?” Think, “who can do this?” If you can get your friends or siblings involved, great. This also shows resourcefulness, leadership, and the ability to collaborate with others.

Strategy #4: Unify your application around your Central Passion.

Imagine you walk into a small shop. The shelves are filled with random items for sale. You see pencils... doorknobs... cupcakes… and even bathroom tiles.

What would you think of this store? Would you trust the quality of that cupcake sold alongside bathroom tiles? Probably not, right?

Unfortunately, that’s how most students’ applications end up: a collection of seemingly unrelated items. Instead, a strong application should feel like the opposite. Everything should be congruent.

You should know right away if it's a bakery or a hardware store.
Shoppers should walk away and tell their friends, "Hey… you know that bakery around the corner? It has the best croissant I've ever had!"

That’s why it's important to build your application around your Central Passion. It gives something unique for admissions officers to remember about you.

By the way, your Central Passion does not need to encapsulate everything about you and what you’ve done. You can have other interests, activities, and passions. The point of it is not to limit you, but rather to help unify your application.

Tip: For your personal statement, pick a topic related to your Central Passion.

The main essay for the common app (a.k.a “personal statement”) is a piece that every college will read. You don’t need to write award winning essays to get into a top college. But it's essential to write about a topic related to your Central Passion.

For example, let's say your Central Passion is Engineering. You could write how your robotics project went haywire before the competition. Tell the story vividly, and explain how the experience inspired you and helped you grow.

Tip: Rank your activities properly.

In the Activities Section, don't just list your activities in chronological order or by time spent on them. That's a common mistake. Instead, place more value on activities that meet one or more of the following three criteria:

• Activities related to your Central Passion. These contribute to your personal story and make your application more memorable.
• Activities in which you’ve held leadership positions. These show your willingness to make an impact.
• Activities you’ve consistently participated in across many years. These show commitment and discipline, two fantastic character traits.

Tip: Proactively address any red flags or gaps.

Don't be afraid to use the Common App's Additional Information section. If you have low grades in a class—especially if it's one related to your Central Passion—you can use this space to address it.

Maybe you struggled at the beginning of high school due to poor study habits. Maybe external circumstances—such as a family emergency—disrupted your schoolwork. Regardless, you’ll want to provide an explanation for any glaring gaps in your application.

Be sure to acknowledge and explain these circumstances in a mature and neutral tone. You should never carry a defensive tone, nor should you be making excuses. Don’t blame your teachers, parents, or anybody else. Instead, describe how you identified the issue and then improved your study habits.

Strategy #5: If possible, apply to Harvard early.

The Early Action Restrictive deadline for Harvard is November 1st. So should you apply early?

First, let’s define some key terms.

• Regular Decision (RD): Jan. 1st is the deadline for RD at most colleges. There are no limits to how many RD schools students can apply to.
• Early Action (EA): Nov. 1st is the deadline for most colleges that offer EA. Early action is a “no strings attached” option to submit apps and hear back early.
• Early Decision (ED): ED shares deadlines with EA. However, Early Decision is binding—if a student applies and is accepted to a school ED, they must go.
• Early Action Restrictive (EAR): Also known as Single-Choice EA, this is a variation of EA. When applying EA Restrictive, students may not apply to any other school ED or EA, unless that other EA school is a public school.

For example, Harvard only has EA Restrictive. So if you apply to Harvard early, you cannot apply Early Action to a private school like Georgetown. However, you can still apply EA to a public school like U. of Michigan. Note that Early Decision schools would be off limits, regardless of public or private.

Now, you may be wondering: Why would I apply EA Restrictive if it limits my options elsewhere?

The answer is very simple. When you apply to Harvard early, you benefit from a big boost in acceptance rates. How big? Last year, Harvard accepted 7.9% of early applicants vs. only 2.3% of regular decision applicants.

Students were over 3.4 times more likely to get accepted when applying early.

The reason is that in both ED and EAR, you’re showing the colleges that they’re your first choice. Early Decision is binding. EA Restrictive prevents you from applying to any other private EA schools. Both of these options show colleges that you are willing to forfeit other options.

Today, students on average are applying to twice as many schools as they did twenty years ago. Top colleges like Harvard are being flooded with applications. So of course they would prefer candidates who are truly committed to that school. If Harvard is your clear #1 choice, then you can boost your chances substantially by forgoing other options.

Bonus: Why Harvard?

Harvard doesn't have a "Why Harvard" supplemental essay like many other schools do. However, you will need to answer that question in your alumni interview. It's worth taking time to think about why you want to go to Harvard. Don't give some generic answer like "prestige" or "I've always wanted to." Instead, talk about how Harvard will help you on your journey toward your future aspirations.

Here are 11 reasons Harvard is a special place to attend college. You can use these to spark your own ideas.

1. Freedom to explore: guided paths or unchartered routes. You don’t have to declare your concentration (Harvard’s way of saying majors) until sophomore year. This gives you plenty of time to figure out what subjects interest you the most. You also don’t have to go at it alone. You'll be assigned a general advisor (there are 400+ advisors just for first year students) to help you explore your options. After you declare your concentration, you'll get a specialized advisor for your field. And if you don’t want to walk a well-paved path? No problem. If you don’t find a concentration you like, you can actually work with an advisor to create your own.
2. Depth in academics. There are over 3,700 courses in 50 undergraduate fields of study available at Harvard. Beyond that, you can take courses at any of Harvard’s ten graduate schools. Those include world-class institutions like Harvard Business School and Kennedy School of Government. You can even cross-register for courses at MIT. This allows you to go as deep on any subject as you want.
3. Curated onramp to intellectual opportunities. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the academic opportunities. That’s why Harvard has a Freshman Seminar Program. This is carefully designed for first-years to explore different concentrations. Each of the 150+ freshman seminars is capped at 15 students each. This allows students to work closely with faculty and classmates. You can discover new areas of interest through seminars like “Deciding What (and Who) to Believe”, “Global Capitalism: Past, Present, Future”, “Holding Politicians Accountable”, and even “Is There Cancer on Mars?”
4. Thoughtfully designed community. With 7000+ students on campus, it’s difficult to get to know everyone in your class. Harvard has put a lot of thought in onboarding freshmen and curating communities. For example, all freshmen dine in the same place: Annenberg Hall (fondly called the "Berg"). This is a dining hall exclusive to freshmen. Many compare it to the Great Hall in Harry Potter because of its hanging lights and long wooden table. This encourages freshmen to meet each other and make new friends early on. Towards the tail end of your freshman year, you will engage in a campus wide activity called Housing Day. An envelope slips under your door, letting you know which of the 12 residential houses you'll be in for the rest of your time at Harvard. Each house has its own unique culture and events. The houses also compete against each other in athletic competitions and other events.
5. Breadth in activities. Undergraduates can get involved in 450+ student organizations and 42 varsity sports. This is the most offerings of any college. From clubs focused on public service to creative & performing arts - if you can think of it, Harvard has it. They even have a Quidditch team! And if Harvard doesn’t have one you're looking for, they make it easy for you to start your own.
6. Far reaching alum network. You’re not on your own after graduation. You're automatically a part of the Harvard Alumni Association. You get access to a portal that allows you to reach out to other alums, post updates, and find events. You'll enjoy frequent activities, continuing education programs, and networking events around the world. Plus, most cities will also have its own Harvard Club, allowing you to connect with alums wherever you are.
7. Countless career opportunities. Harvard makes it incredibly easy for you to lock in a summer internship, job on campus, or even explore new careers. There’s an Office of Career Services dedicated to giving you programs and job resources. You also have access to thousands of opportunities through the Crimson Careers Database. Plus, every year, top companies in finance, consulting, and many other industries come to campus to recruit students.
8. Big resources. Harvard has the oldest library system in the U.S. and the world’s largest academic library. With a $50.9 Billion endowment fund (the largest academic endowment in the world), Harvard has unrivaled resources. This means that Harvard is always investing in its students. From updating residential houses to building an Innovation Lab, Harvard is always improving.
9. …but intimate relationships. With Harvard’s resources, they spare no expenses to hire the best. The entire faculty is highly impressive. Professors include Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, National Book Award winners, and Nobel laureates. The 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio lets you get to know your professors, who may even become your mentors.
10. Incredible (funded) research opportunities. Whatever you're interested in - humanities, sciences, arts - you can conduct research on it. You can choose to work on an independent project or help a faculty with their project. Harvard encourages research by giving you (1) academic credit and/or (2) paid employment opportunities through the Harvard College Research Program and Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program (MMUF).
11. Located in one of the most vibrant cities in the United States. Harvard is a 10 minute metro ("T") ride away from downtown Boston. In the area, there are 200,000+ students across 50+ institutions. You get discounted event tickets as a student and get access to world class museums like the Museum of Fine Arts. You can wander through gorgeous parks and get lost in historic neighborhoods. And you can watch the Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins, or the Boston Symphony Orchestra… all just a short subway ride away.