Applying to Harvard

Harvard is committed to making educational opportunity accessible. Admission is based on achievement and promise; applying for financial aiddoes not diminish a students chances of admission. Indeed, the Admissions Committee may respond favorably to evidence that a candidate has overcome significant obstacles, financial or otherwise. Our recent sweeping changes in financial aid ensure the affordability of a Harvard education for students and families across the economic spectrum. It now costs the same or less for 90 percent of families in the U.S. to send their daughters or sons to Harvard than to their flagship public university. All studentsAmerican and internationalbenefit equally from Harvards admission and financial aid policies. Perhaps due in part to generous financial aid, Harvards graduation rate of 96 to 98 percent is at or near the top of the nations colleges. There is no formula for gaining admission to Harvard. Students with vastly different credentials come from thousands of secondary schools across the country and around the world. What unifies our students are the talents they bring to Harvard and the passion to explore its vast resources.

What We Seek
Applicants can distinguish themselves for admission in a number of ways. Some show unusual academic promise through experience or achievements in study or research. Many are "well rounded" and have contributed in various ways to the lives of their schools or communities. Others are "well lopsided" with demonstrated excellence in a particular endeavoracademic, extracurricular or otherwise. Still others bring perspectives formed by unusual personal circumstances or experiences. Academic accomplishment in high school is important, but we also seek people with enthusiasm, creativity and strength of character. Most admitted students rank in the top 1015 percent of their graduating classes, having taken the most rigorous secondary school curriculum available to them.

Supplemental Application Materials

Although the required components of the application to Harvard provide an ample basis on which to make our admission decisions, we want to be certain you have every opportunity to tell us about yourself. Supplementary materials or portfolios are neither required nor expected. Such materials may be submitted, but you should do so only if you have unusual talent. Students with truly exceptional talents or achievements may send music recordings, slides of artwork, or selected samples of academic work for the consideration of the Admissions Committee. At the discretion of the Admissions Committee, such submissions may be evaluated by faculty. Because we cannot return such materials, applicants should send only duplicates. If you plan to send supplementary materials to the Admissions Office, we ask you to observe the following guidelines:

General Guidelines

Please label your materials with your legal name, address, high school, and date of birth. All supplementary materials must be sent to the Admissions Office so that they can be properly labeled and included in your file. DO NOT submit materials directly to academic departments. If you are sending a CD, please label the disc with the format of the media contained on the disc (audio CD/DVD/other media). Do not send more than one copy of the same item unless we request it. Remember to package your submission to protect it during transit.

Include a cover letter with your legal name, address, high school and date of birth and a brief description of what you are sending.

Research/Writing Samples

If you are submitting research materials for review, please include a short statement putting the research project into the context of your academic interests and future plans as well as the name, title and contact information of your principal research mentor. Please do not place any paper-based support material in binders. Stapling or binding in the upper left corner is sufficient. Please include a header or footer and paginate each sheet (e.g., 1 of 4).

Slides

If you are sending slides, please label each mount with your legal name, date of birth and high school. Please insert all slides into clear plastic, notebook-style slide pages. Please send visual artwork only in slide format unless your work must be viewed in electronic form in order to be evaluated. Please choose a maximum of 12 slides representing your best work. Please indicate the total number of slides submitted in your cover letter.

Music Recordings

Please note that CD format is preferred but that tapes will be evaluated. Please only submit recordings of solo pieces (vocal pieces with accompaniment are permissible). Do not send video or DVD recordings of musical performances or recitals. Please place all CDs in a standard 5.5" by 5"-size soft protective sleeve to protect your item during mailing. Label both the case and the CD itself with your legal name, date of birth and high school.

Video Recordings of dance recitals, short films etc.

Please place all DVDs in a standard 5.5" by 5"-size soft protective sleeve to protect your item during mailing. Label both the case and the DVD itself with your legal name, date of birth and high school.

Financial Aid
Our goal in admissions and financial aid is clear: We want to bring the best people to Harvard, regardless of their ability to pay and we do. About 70 percent of our students receive some form of aid, with over 60 percent receiving needbased scholarships.

Two principles guide us:

Admission to Harvard is need-blind, by which we mean that financial need is not an impediment to admission. International students have the same access to financial aid as United States citizens.

Financial aid at Harvard is entirely needbased and we are committed to meeting the demonstrated need of all students. Students apply for aid annually and every year we review our financial aid program, considering such things as any changed student or family circumstances, university resources, and demand.

Removing Economic Barriers

In the past decade we have increased financial aid for low and middle income families by over 180%, and in 2011-12 we will award $166M in need-based grant assistance. No contribution is expected from parents with incomes under $65,000. Beginning with the class of 2016, those parents with annual incomes between $65,000 and $150,000 are asked to contribute from zero to ten percent of their income. Some families with incomes above $150,000 still qualify for aid. Families at all incomes who have significant assets will continue to pay more than those in less fortunate circumstances. Students are also asked to contribute to the cost of their education through term-time and summer work. Our experienced staff members are available yearround to speak with families encountering financial difficulty. The Committee on Financial Aid meets regularly to consider appeals for award reconsiderations based on adverse changes in family financial circumstances. Families with higher incomes facing unusual financial challenges may also qualify for needbased scholarship assistance, yet those with significant assets at all income levels are asked to contribute proportionately more. Home equity and retirement assets are not considered in our assessment of an expected parent contribution. Our financial aid program includes an array of financing options beyond our needbased scholarship program, such as a parent monthly payment plan, various loan programs and the opportunity to prepay tuition for four years at a student's freshman year rate. There are also other forms of financial assistance such as the Faculty Aide Program, the Harvard College Research Program and the Dean's Summer Research Program that enable students to create paid partnerships with faculty members on academic projects of mutual interest. Over two-thirds of Harvard students choose to work during their time in Cambridge and gain valuable job experience working in a wide array of University settings, including our libraries, dining halls, museums and academic departments. We hope you will visit the Financial Aid Office web site for a fuller description of our comprehensive program of financial assistance, including a Net Price Calculator which will provide you with an individualized estimate of your eligibility for aid.