Harvard University Review

Harvard University Overview

Harvard University, established in 1636, was named after John Harvard, a young minister and the university's first benefactor. The university has been at the top of rankings lists for many years; in 2009, Times Higher Education ranked Harvard as the top university in the world on its QS World University Rankings. Currently, there are 2,100 faculty members and over 10,000 affiliate staff members at Harvard; since 1964, 38 faculty members have won Nobel Prizes.

In addition to its main campus located on Harvard Yard, the university also has facilities in the Boston area; Washington, D.C.; Petersham, Massachusetts; and Florence, Italy. Harvard has freshmen dormitories and a housing system for all upperclassmen; graduate student housing is also available both on and off-campus. The university has hundreds of student clubs and organizations, such as media publications, musical groups and political organizations.

Admission and Enrollment Overview

Applicants can apply to the undergraduate, graduate or professional schools or to continuing education and summer programs offered by the university; admission requirements vary for each program. Harvard does not currently admit transfer applicants. Harvard College, one of the university's undergraduate schools, doesn't require students to have minimum ACT or SAT scores. Prospective students can apply to the university during the admission rounds; however Harvard does not admit students to enter during the spring semester. Applicants can request an application fee waiver if they are unable to pay the fee.

Campus Learning Environment and Facilities

Harvard's library system is made up of over 70 libraries and more than 16 million volumes; some of these libraries are open to the public. The American Library Association classifies the Harvard University Library system as the second largest in the country. Students have access to special collections, manuscripts, maps and a number of other library resources. The university also has several scientific, art and cultural museums, including the Carpenter Center for Visual Arts, Museum for Comparative Zoology and Fogg Museum of Art.

The majority of Harvard's courses have a student-faculty ratio of 20:1. Students interested in studying in foreign countries may consider the programs in Chile, China, Germany, England and a number of other locations. The programs can be taken for a semester, a full academic year or a summer and earn students transferable credits. The Information Technology Department operates computer labs across campus and partners with the university's academic programs to meet student's needs.

Schools and Faculty at Harvard University

• Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
• Faculty of Arts and Sciences
• Harvard Business School
• Harvard School of Dental Medicine
• School of Public Health
• Faculty of Medicine
• Harvard Divinity School
• Graduate School Education
• John F. Kennedy School of Government
• Harvard Law School
• Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
• Graduate School of Design

Contact Information

• Address: Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138
• Phone Number: (617) 495-1000