Harvard University was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1636. The private university is the oldest in the United States and belongs to the Ivy League. Harvard University was established by the Great and General Court of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay, New England. It is the oldest university in the United States. Harvard University derived its name in 1639 from John Harvard an English clergyman, who donated to the university his library of 400 books, and half of his estate.
Harvard University Rankings for 2024
Harvard University has consistently been ranked as one of the Top 5 Global Universities. Harvard obtained an total ranking of A++. Harvard Courses like Politics and Biology are also ranked in the A++ category. Other programs, such as Business & Economics and Physics, have received the grade of A+. Computer Science, Entrepreneurship and Mathematics are all A categories.
Below are the Shiksha ranking system‘s comprehensive Harvard University Ranking.
Category/Subjects |
Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall University Ranking | A++ |
| Politics and Biology | A++ |
| Business & Economics – Physics | A+ |
| Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering | You can also find out more about the A-Team here. |
Harvard University History
Below are some historical facts about the University.
- Harvard began its journey in 1642 with nine graduates.
- John Sassamon was the first Native American known to have studied at Harvard in 1653. He was a Massachusetts Indian.
- The Harvard University Medical School opened in 1782. The following year it was officially inaugurated as the Medical Institution of Harvard University.
- The Harvard University Law School was founded in 1817.
- Harvard University won its first intercollegiate sporting event in 1852. It was a boat race on Lake Winnipesaukee against Yale University.
- The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1872.
- The Harvard Annex (Radcliffe College), which opened in 1879, had 27 female students.
- In 1886 Harvard celebrated its 250th Anniversary with over 2,500 alumni in attendance, including President Grover Cleaver.
- The Graduate School of Education (GSE) was founded in 1920.
- The Graduate School of Design and the Graduate School of Public Administration were founded in 1936.
- Hellen Keller was the first woman in 1995 to receive an honorary Harvard degree.
- In 2007, Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (HUSES) was founded.
Harvard University’s overall rank is A++. Political Science and Biochemistry are two Harvard majors that have achieved the A++ Subject Rankings. Harvard has partnered with some of world’s best research universities through its alliances, networks and the International Alliance of Research Universities. The university has produced Eight US presidents, more than 150 Nobel Prize-winning winners, and a large number of Pulitzer Prize-winning scholars. Some of the most famous Indian Harvard alumni are Ratan Tata and Kapil Sibal.
Harvard has several academic divisions, including Arts & Sciences and Business & Management. According to the historical data collected from Harvard alumni, the most popular subjects and study streams at the university include Business Administration & Management (BAM), Economics, Computer Science and Political Science & Government. The university also offers several courses to their international students.
Harvard has a student body that is diverse and inclusive, with more than 25,000 students. These students are represented by 140 different nationalities. Harvard College is Harvard University’s undergraduate school. It is home to about a third. Nearly 12 percent of the undergraduate population are International Students. As of Fall 2020, 6,713 students from abroad will be a part the Harvard community.
Harvard received more than 56,000 applicants for the class 2027. Only 2,000 students enrolled at the university to pursue their higher education. It is therefore clear that the university’s Harvard University Acceptance Rate is only 3.4%. This makes it extremely difficult to gain admission. Below is a graph of the Harvard Acceptance Rate in recent years.
Harvard University’s placement rate is 95%. This means that 95 graduates out of 100 get hired within three months after graduation. According to data gathered from the internet, graduate students at Harvard work in companies such as Google Microsoft McKinsey & Company, Goldman Sachs etc. The top industries in which the students work are Education, Research, Media & Communication, Healthcare Services, and others.
Harvard University Courses
Harvard University’s courses are available to international students and include more than fifty undergraduate courses, as well as one hundred graduate courses. According to the data collected from Harvard alumni in the past, the most popular fields of study include Business Administration & Management (BAM), Economics, Computer Science and Political Science & Government.
Harvard University has a 12 average class size. This allows students to interact with faculty and is a great way for them to get to know each other. The courses at Harvard University can be found at three different levels: undergraduate, postgraduate and research. Harvard University is a R1 (very high research activity) university. It focuses on Research. However, other popular courses are MBA or LLM.
Harvard University Placements
Harvard University Placementsoffer graduates a great return on their investment and the chance to work with world leaders. About 95% graduates get Harvard placement opportunity within three months after graduation. Below are some highlights from the placements.
- Top employers: Apple, Amazon, Google, Netflix, Microsoft, etc.
- Top industries: Consulting, Consumer Products, Health Care, Manufacturing, Investment Banking, Technology, Private Equity, etc.
- Median base salary (Business School). USD 175,000.
- Median signing bonus (Business School): US 30,000 (INR 25, L)
Conversion Rate 1 USD = INR 83.2
Harvard University alumni statistics: sectors placed
Data from the internet shows that alumni of Harvard work with top companies in multiple industries. Below are some details.
- Harvard University alumni work on the campus of the university, as well as in companies such McKinsey & Company and Goldman Sachs.
- Graduates work in various industries, including Business Development, Education, Operations, Research, Media & Communication, Healthcare Services, and more.
- Business Administration & Management (BAM), Economics, Computer Science, Political Science & Government and others are some of the most popular courses among alumni.
Harvard University Admission Process for 2024
Students from abroad can apply to Harvard University Admissions 2024in Fall and Spring. To study undergraduate programs, applicants can submit their application via the Common Application or Coalition Application. Harvard University offers a separate admission portal for graduate programs. Harvard University’s acceptance rate for the class of 2027 was the second-lowest in history, at 3.41%. The high acceptance rate shows that Harvard University is very selective when it comes to accepting students for study abroad.
Harvard University has over 110 undergraduate and graduate courses. The top Harvard University courses include MBA, MBBS LLB, BTech MIM etc. Harvard Business School offers the MBA program at the university. It is ranked among the 20 top MBA universities in the World in FT MBA Ranking in 2024.