1. What are your real chances of integrating Harvard?
The rate of admission to Harvard after high school is only 6%. In 2012, out of more than 34,300 candidates, only 2000 were offered a place, and among them, only 11% are international students.
In the end, in 2012, 1656 students accepted the offer from the university.
You surely want to know what average to have to the ferry to be admitted to Harvard? There is no formal answer to this question, although it can be said with some certainty that having a general average of 16/20 is a minimum.
Keep in mind that when you apply, you will not have your bin yet. So it's your First or First Terminal notes that will count. Your high school diploma will simply confirm, or not, your admission.
2. After high school, direction Harvard College
All students who wish to study at Harvard after the high school are enrolled at Harvard College.
Indeed, undergraduate studies, undergraduate (see difference between undergraduate and graduate in the United States), are placed under the auspices of the College.
The name Harvard University is used to qualify the entity as a whole (College, for the undergraduate, Schools for the second cycle).
3. Harvard Yard & House
In the first year, all the students of Harvard live on the same campus, called Harvard Yard, on which is all the necessary (classrooms, lodgings, libraries, refectories ...).
Each newly arrived student has a guaranteed place in one of the 17 residences dedicated to the Freshmen. The accommodation is shared with at least one other Harvard student.
At the end of the first year, students choose one of the 13 «Houses» reserved for sophomores (second year), juniors (third year) and seniors (last year). Each House has between 330 and 500 seats. Second-year students may also opt to live off-campus.
4. Three or four years of study
When you join Harvard after the high school diploma, you undertake in principle for a period of four years at the end of which you are awarded a Bachelor Degree. However, it is possible to opt for an accelerated formula known as Advanced Standing which makes it possible to obtain a Bachelor's degree in three years.
This choice is made at the end of the second year. To qualify for this program and complete your studies in just three years, you must have obtained excellent marks at the high school.
5. After the high school, a common program ...
Harvard's post-high school program includes more than 40 disciplinary fields representing over 3,500 different courses. You are free to choose the courses you wish to follow and thus create a tailor-made study program.
At the beginning of each semester, you will spend a week in different courses to discover and explore the disciplines that interest you. At the end of this "shopping" week, you will have to select four courses (subjects) in which you will participate during the semester.
The courses are divided as follows:
Program In General Education: consisting of eight major areas (Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding, Culture and Belief, Ethical Reasoning, Science of Living Systems, Societies of the World, The United States in the World ), You must choose a course in each of these areas. The Program In General Education represents about a quarter of the courses.
Concentration (major / major): this is the disciplinary field in which you wish to specialize. It represents about half of the program. The number of courses to be taken varies according to two key elements: the chosen field and your qualification objective (with or without honors). Concentration is only chosen at the end of the third semester. It may be possible to change concentration.
Secondary Fields (minor / minor): these are additional courses that you can choose freely. They complete the final quarter of the program.
6. Only 12 hours per week
As surprising as it may sound, studying at Harvard after school is less intense than a preparatory class in France! With only 12 courses per week, the courses with teacher are far from intensive.
This, however, is a much tougher reality. If there are not many classes in the classroom, the individual work to be provided is very tedious to the point that your work week will quickly represent more than 40 hours.
How to register for Harvard after the high school diploma
Now that you have an insight into how Harvard studies work, it's time to look into your application.
We advise you to consult, in addition to this article, the site of the admission service of Harvard.
1. Registration dates
To be sure that you can pursue your studies at harvard after obtaining your high school diploma, you must follow a precise schedule:
1st November: deadline for sending your application for the Early Action process
Mid-December: Harvard gives his answer to students who have chosen the Early Action process
1st January: deadline for sending applications for the normal process
March 1: deadline to apply for financial assistance
Early April: Harvard gives his answer to students who have chosen the normal process
1st May: deadline to confirm your place
2. How to send your application
Your application for a Bachelor's degree at Harvard should consist of the following:
- The Common Application to be returned online or by paper
- The Harvard Application Supplement
- The International Supplement
- The School Report
- Two Teacher Reports (recommendations)
- The Mid-year School Report (unless you already have your high school diploma at the time of applying)
If you have a particular talent, it is recommended that you attach to your file various documents highlighting it.
All documents in French that you may submit must be accompanied by an English translation prepared by a sworn translator. You will need to provide the name of the translator.
3. The costs
The application fee is 75 dollars. If you apply online, the fee is payable by credit card.
Tuition fees at Harvard are approximately $ 39,000 per year. The total budget to be provided (accommodation, meals, insurance etc.) is over $ 56,000 (excluding personal expenses and travel expenses).
More than 80% of Harvard students receive financial assistance.
4. Tests to pass
For your application to be considered, you must pass the SAT Reasonning Test or the ACT (with Writing) and SAT Subject Tests (you can not choose the French test!). The results of your tests must imperatively be sent by the examination center. The Harvard code is 3434 for the SAT and 1840 for the ACT.
These tests must be taken in the spring preceding the year in which you wish to start your studies (example: spring 2013 for a re-entry in August / September 2014).
A TOEFL-type English test is not required for admission to Harvard. However, if you think your TOEFL score will be sufficiently important, we advise you to pass it.
5. Post interview
Selection interview is not mandatory. On the other hand, if you are applying from France or Switzerland, you can ask to have an interview, in France or in Switzerland, with a Harvard graduate.
Do not spend maintenance will not have a negative influence on your application.