Students who have dreams to study in world-class institutions like Harvard, are always eager to know how to get into such prestigious institutions. It is obvious that academics is not the only criterion that matters. Read on to know more about what makes an individual eligible to gain entry in an institute like Harvard?
It is said that Harvard demands ruthless perfection in a candidate. Not only high academic scores are important to gain entry in this elite institution, but candidates must have demonstrated talent in numerous extra co-curricular activities, like sports, dance, music, quizzes, just to name a few. Harvard University stands at the apex of pyramid when it comes to the US educational system; it is a place you should want to be at if you want nothing but the very best training for your career.
Overview
Harvard is unarguably one of the top universities in the world, with an exceptionally low rate of acceptance. Getting into Harvard is impossible for those who have poor academic records, to be ruthlessly frank. But this doesn’t mean that candidates with average scores can’t apply. Harvard looks into many other factors before screening candidates for final admission. It is best to apply if you’re confident of excelling in numerous areas. Since there are many departments in Harvard, we’ll restrict our discussion by focusing on the law, business, and medical schools.
Law School
The Harvard law school, located in Massachusetts, is ranked 3rd in America. This demonstrates its exceptional educational quality in the law field. 6000-7000 applicants are received every year in Harvard law school, and nearly 800 are selected from that (Nearly 11% acceptance rate). Harvard has not fixed any minimum GPA for admission. This is because all applicants have studied in different colleges, and there is no uniformity in the standard of the GPA systems in various colleges.
Nevertheless, a GPA of 3 and above is commonly deemed necessary. So aim to score as high as you can in your undergraduate program. If you do that, you’ll increase the probability of getting selected into Harvard. The other important factor is your Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score. LSAT is not a test meant to analyze the knowledge of the candidate on legal matters. It is rather aimed to test the candidate’s logical reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical abilities. Harvard wants to see the potential in candidates to analyze information critically, as that is the foundation stone for success in the field of law.
You have to prepare for LSAT diligently. Even if you get all questions wrong in LSAT, you may score 120 marks, and the paper itself is of 180 marks. So, you can understand how crucial it is to score very high in LSAT. A score of 165+ puts you in a (relatively) safe zone. Many law schools average your first and second LSAT scores (if you’re taking it the second time), so ensure that you perform to the best of your abilities even in the first attempt.
Besides these, ensure that you have two letters of recommendations from authentic sources and that your resume enlists all your professional and personal achievements. A good resume must contain all information regarding your credentials and achievements. The length of the resume doesn’t matter. It is the content that will help you present yourself as a competent candidate for enrolling in Harvard.
Business School
Regarded as one of the world’s best business schools, the Harvard business school is more than a school giving MBA degrees. To get into Harvard, be prepared to score decently in your graduation, and crack GMAT or GRE and TOEFL exams. You can specialize from any chosen field of your interest that must match your scores as well as your rankings and availability for that seat. There is no particular subject you’re required to graduate in.
You can be a graduate in any subject. Go to the official website of Harvard business school and fill their application form. After having done that, you’ll be contacted by the examination committee once the admission process starts. International students from non-English speaking countries, need to appear for TOEFL and obtain a good score, to prove their competence in the English language. Based on your three letters of recommendations, resume, and credentials, you’ll be called for the interview. The interview can be scheduled on telephone, in any domestic or international location. The interview is conducted by experts of Harvard or sometimes by groups of alumni.
Medical School
Harvard medical school is one of the top medical schools in the United States, and it is known for its world-class research and excellent faculties.
Medical students have to understand that they not only have to strive towards scoring high academics grades or marks in their undergraduate medical schooling years, they have to demonstrate competence in humanities and liberal arts as well. Surprising as it appears to be, it is a fact that students can be specialized in one field of medical studies, but at the cost of even the most basic knowledge in other domains. Besides education, candidates must have at least a year’s training in medical field. Owing to numerous complexities in admission to the medical school, candidates must visit the Harvard website.
This information is subject to change, so keep checking Harvard’s website from time to time. Wishing everyone a bright career ahead!