Harvard & Yale Research Notes

harvard_yale.md

Harvard & Yale Research Notes

Harvard University

Admissions (Class of 2029 / Fall 2025)

• Total applicants: 56,937
• Overall acceptance rate: 3.6%
• REA acceptance rate: 9.1%
• RD acceptance rate: 2.5%
• Class size: 1,650
• Yield: 84%

Academics

• SAT middle 50%: 1480–1580
• ACT middle 50%: 34–36
• Avg unweighted GPA: 3.95
• Top 10% of HS class: 95%
• Testing policy: Required

Round Strategy

• REA (Restrictive Early Action) — non-binding but restrictive
• Does not offer ED

Demographics

• Women: 48.5%, Asian: 14.7%, Black: 5.2%, Hispanic: 7.9%, White: 45.6%, International: 16.6%

Financial Aid / Net Cost

Athletics

• 430 varsity athletes (~6.3% of undergrads)
• NCAA Division I, Ivy League Conference

Notable

Most selective Ivy. Legacy and ALDC (athletes, legacies, dean's list, children of staff) comprise ~43% of white admits. Need-blind for all applicants including international.

Yale University

Admissions (Class of 2029 / Fall 2025)

• Total applicants: 52,500
• Overall acceptance rate: 3.7%
• SCEA acceptance rate: 9.3%
• RD acceptance rate: 2.5%
• Class size: 1,550
• Yield: 70%

Academics

• SAT middle 50%: 1470–1580
• ACT middle 50%: 34–36
• Avg unweighted GPA: 3.95
• Top 10% of HS class: 97%
• Testing policy: Test-flexible (AP/IB scores accepted in lieu of SAT/ACT)

Round Strategy

• SCEA (Single Choice Early Action) — non-binding but restrictive
• Does not offer ED

Demographics

• Women: 49.0%, Asian: 12.8%, Black: 5.5%, Hispanic: 7.6%, White: 47.9%, International: 19.4%

Financial Aid / Net Cost

Athletics

• 414 varsity athletes (~7.9% of undergrads)
• NCAA Division I, Ivy League Conference

Notable

Test-flexible policy is unique among HYPSM — AP/IB scores can substitute for SAT/ACT. Need-blind for domestic and international applicants.

Sources

• Harvard Common Data Set 2024–2025
• Yale Common Data Set 2024–2025
• research_colleges.json simulation data