College Admits 7.5 Percent of Early Applicants

The class of 2027 begins to take shape.

Memorial Church in Harvard Yard

Memorial Church in Harvard Yard

Photograph by Niko Yaitanes/Harvard Magazine

Today, 722 of 9,553 early-action applicants were admitted to the College class of 2027. This 7.5 percent acceptance rate is slightly lower than last year’s 7.9 percent.

Of the admitted cohort, 14 percent come from first-generation college backgrounds, up from the nearly 12 percent last year, and 10.8 percent are eligible for federal Pell Grants—for which lower-income families qualify. African Americans comprised 14.4 percent of the class (up from 13.9 percent last year), Asian Americans 29.1 percent (up from 25.9 percent last year), Latinx 8.4 percent (down from 10.5 percent last year), and Native Americans and Native Hawaiians 1.7 percent (down from 3.7 percent last year). International students comprised 14.1 percent of those admitted today—an increase from last year’s 12.6 percent.

This is the third admissions cycle for which Harvard has not required SAT or ACT standardized test scores in its application, due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s continued effect on access to testing for high-school students. The College will continue to make score-reporting optional for the admitted classes through 2030.

The class of 2027 is the second admitted cohort to receive expanded financial aid packages under the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative (HFAI) for low- and middle-income families. The full cost of attending Harvard—including tuition, housing and food, and all fees—is free for international and domestic families with annual incomes below $75,000, increased from the $65,000 threshold of previous years. 

Students were notified of early action decisions at 7 p.m. today, and those admitted are not obligated to attend. They have until May 1 to make their final decision. All students deferred in early action will be reconsidered during the regular action cycle, with those decisions slated for March 30, 2023.

The College plans to welcome admitted students for an in-person Visitas weekend this spring, April 23-24.

Read more articles by Nancy Walecki

You might also like

Harvard Graduate Student Workers Strike

Union demands higher pay, protections for non-citizen members, and changes to the harassment complaint process.

Boston Board Approves Harvard’s Enterprise Research Campus Framework

City planners adopt principles to guide future development of the commercial innovation district in Allston.

At Harvard Talk, Retired Supreme Court Justice Breyer Defends Shadow Docket

The current law professor also spoke about affirmative action, partisanship, and the limits of “bright-line rules.”

Most popular

Harvard Board of Overseers Candidates Describe Priorities

Alumni will vote for the University governing board in April and May.

Harvard’s Class of 2029 Reflects Shifts in Racial Makeup After Affirmative Action Ends

International students continue to enroll amid political uncertainty; mandatory SATs lead to a drop in applications.

Restoring justice

Exploring an alternative to crime and punishment

Explore More From Current Issue

Woman with long hair, smiling, wearing a black sweater, in a textured beige background.

For This Poet, AI is a Writing Partner

Sasha Stiles trained a chatbot on her manuscripts. Now, her poems rewrite themselves.

Alene Anello smiling surrounded by four chickens in a natural outdoor setting.

Harvard-trained Lawyer Fights for the Rights of Chickens

Alene Anello wants to apply animal cruelty laws to birds raised for meat.

Woman in historical dress standing in front of green foliage, smiling brightly.

This Harvard Graduate Brings Women of the Revolution to Life

Historical reenactor Lauren Shear reveals tricks of the trade for playing Tory loyalists, Revolutionary poets, and more.