how hard is it to get a phd at harvard

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July 3, 2019

Fully-Funded PhD Program at Harvard University: How I Got In

Harvard is one of those places that people often talk about with admiration but rarely as an aspiration. “Could I ever get into Harvard?” is usually a question asked with a great deal of doubt and trepidation. However, thousands have graduated from Harvard over its lengthy and illustrious history, and those people are real people. They simply had two traits that made them eligible candidates, and the rest was up to chance! Those traits were: (a) an impressive portfolio (including high grades and varied and committed experiences, including leadership roles , etc.) and (b) confidence that they could indeed be accepted. This latter element is perhaps the defining feature of students accepted to Harvard—the belief that they could ever get in!

Harvard (or other Ivy schools) aren’t for everyone all the time

Let’s be clear: we are not all, always, ready to go to Harvard, just because we believe in ourselves. I applied to Harvard in high school and was rejected—and the truth is, though I was a committed and intellectually curious student, and though I feel I would have thrived at Harvard, I know I didn’t have the portfolio they needed. My grades were good, but not stellar ; my extracurriculars and summer experiences existed, but were not extensive or impressive; and, my confidence led me to seek very little advice or writing consulting for my personal statement , so that I did not submit my best possible work.

Thinking you can’t get in at one point in your life might be true, but it does not mean you are not “Harvard/Ivy League material” ever . After completing college at a marvelous liberal arts university (an experience I would choose again any day!), I knew my portfolio had changed. I had very good grades and had fostered deep and lasting connections with professors; I had been a research assistant, a student newspaper writer and editor, and a writing tutor; I had learned a tremendous amount and felt confident that I could submit a writing sample I was proud of.

This time, in addition to the necessary confidence and portfolio, I sought a writing tutor to help make sure my statement of purpose could be the best one possible, and off my application went! Lo and behold, I got into my dream school for an MA: the University of Chicago, or the “Harvard of the Midwest.” Not only that, but I unexpectedly was awarded a fully-funded fellowship , including full tuition coverage AND a stipend! You never know what can happen!

The importance of strong essays

During the last year of my MA, I again felt ready to submit applications to competitive schools; I’d kept up my grades and activities, I’d worked hard on a polished writing sample, and I made sure to consult with others about the quality of my statement of purpose; my years as a college writing tutor had taught me that we all need editors, from the least to most experienced writers. All of that, plus a big dose of luck, won me a place in a fully-funded PhD program at Harvard, where I am currently working on my dissertation (when I’m not advising Accepted’s clients ). So remember: confidence, a great portfolio, and assistance with one’s writing—these are the three things in your power; the rest is up to the big H!

I want to add one last thought: When applying to MA and PhD programs (as opposed to undergraduate programs), there is an additional key to a positive portfolio: demonstrating interest in the work of particular scholars with whom you’d like to work. This means two things:

• Tailoring your statement of purpose to each school and its specific faculty members,
• Reaching out directly to these scholars in order to express interest in their work. Ask to schedule a phone call and/or an in-person meeting. There’s no better way to make yourself stand out than to make yourself known in person.

Remember: if you don’t do this, you are an anonymous paper application swimming in a sea of similarly anonymous applications. If you were on the admissions end, wouldn’t you feel much better accepting a student you’ve had extensive contact with, have possibly even met, who made a good impression?

Your Ivy League checklist for admissions success

So, to sum up, here is your checklist for preparing to apply to Ivy League school PhD programs, including Harvard:

• Honestly assess your own transcript: Are you seeing that the vast majority of your grades are A and A-? Is your GPA at the end of college a 3.7 or above? If you’ve answered YES to both of these questions, you might be a good candidate.
• Consider your overall profile: What does it look like? (I’ll address how one constructs a great CV in another post.) Have you been involved in a sustained way (i.e., for a year or more) in multiple activities? Have you assumed leadership roles in some of these? Have you demonstrated commitments to these pursuits? If so, you might be a good candidate!
• Think long and hard about your recommenders : Have you built sustained relationships with your previous teachers/professors? If you apply for a graduate degree, make sure your recommenders are known figures in your field, who know you well and can write from personal experience teaching or supervising you. Their credibility will build confidence in your application.
• Have confidence! If you don’t believe you can get accepted, you very well might not. Confidence (to be clear, I do not mean arrogance!) shines through a good application.

I’ll write more in an upcoming blogpost about how specifically to approach potential advisors and other faculty members during the admissions process. But for now, good luck!

Are you aiming for acceptance at a top MA or PhD program? Explore our Graduate School Admissions Consulting & Editing Services and work one-on-one with an expert advisor who will help you GET ACCEPTED.

With 30 years of career/admissions experience at four universities, including Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Business and College of Engineering,  Dr. Karin Ash  has met with thousands of recruiters seeking to hire the best students from leading schools. She has served as a member of the admissions committee, ensuring that the applicants who ultimately enroll are a good fit for the program and prime candidates for employers. Karin has been a Consultant with Accepted for 8 years and has facilitated students’ entry into top engineering, data science, MBA, and other STEM graduate MEng, MS, and PhD programs. Her clients have been accepted into MIT, the University of Chicago, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, UPenn, and USC.  Want Karin to help you get Accepted?  Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Get Your Game On: Prepping For Your Grad School ApplicationGet Your Game On: Prepping for Your Grad School Application , a free guide
• How to Write Your Master’s in Engineering Statement of Purpose
• How This Student Got Accepted to MIT’s Engineering Program and Landed a Job at Apple , podcast Episode 460

• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Graduate School Statement of Purpose , a free guide • Plotting Your Way to a PhD , a blog series • The Personal Statement That Got Me a Large Scholarship to Cambridge

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How Long Does It Take to Get a Ph.D. Degree?

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Earning a Ph.D. from a U.S. grad school typically requires nearly six years, federal statistics show.

(CAIAIMAGE/TOM MERTON/GETTY IMAGES)

A Ph.D. is most appropriate for someone who is a “lifelong learner.” 

Students who have excelled within a specific academic discipline and who have a strong interest in that field may choose to pursue a Ph.D. degree. However, Ph.D. degree-holders urge prospective students to think carefully about whether they truly want or need a doctoral degree, since Ph.D. programs last for multiple years.

According to the Survey of Earned Doctorates, a census of recent research doctorate recipients who earned their degree from U.S. institutions, the median amount of time it took individuals who received their doctorates in 2017 to complete their program was 5.8 years. However, there are many types of programs that typically take longer than six years to complete, such as humanities and arts doctorates, where the median time for individuals to earn their degree was 7.1 years, according to the survey.

Some Ph.D. candidates begin doctoral programs after they have already obtained master’s degrees, which means the time spent in grad school is a combination of the time spent pursuing a master’s and the years invested in a doctorate. In order to receive a Ph.D. degree, a student must produce and successfully defend an original academic dissertation, which must be approved by a dissertation committtee. Writing and defending a dissertation is so difficult that many Ph.D. students drop out of their Ph.D. programs having done most of the work necessary for degree without completing the dissertation component. These Ph.D. program dropouts often use the phrase “ all but dissertation ” or the abbreviation “ABD” on their resumes.

According to a comprehensive study of  Ph.D. completion rates  published by The Council of Graduate Schools in 2008, only 56.6% of people who begin Ph.D. programs earn Ph.D. degrees.

Ian Curtis, a founding partner with H&C Education, an educational and admissions consulting firm, who is pursuing a Ph.D. degree in French at Yale University , says there are several steps involved in the process of obtaining a Ph.D. Students typically need to fulfill course requirements and pass comprehensive exams, Curtis warns. “Once these obligations have been completed, how long it takes you to write your dissertation depends on who you are, how you work, what field you’re in and what other responsibilities you have in life,” he wrote in an email. Though some Ph.D. students can write a dissertation in a single year, that is rare, and the dissertation writing process may last for several years, Curtis says.

[ READ: What Is a Doctorate or a Doctoral Degree?  ]

Curtis adds that the level of support a Ph.D. student receives from an academic advisor or faculty mentor can be a key factor in determining the length of time it takes to complete a Ph.D. program. “Before you decide to enroll at a specific program, you’ll want to meet your future advisor,” Curtis advises. “Also, reach out to his or her current and former students to get a sense of what he or she is like to work with.”

Curtis also notes that if there is a gap between the amount of time it takes to complete a Ph.D. and the amount of time a student’s funding lasts, this can slow down the Ph.D. completion process. “Keep in mind that if you run out of funding at some point during your doctorate, you will need to find paid work, and this will leave you even less time to focus on writing your dissertation,” he says. “If one of the programs you’re looking at has a record of significantly longer – or shorter – times to competition, this is good information to take into consideration.”

Pierre Huguet, the CEO and co-founder of H&C Education, says prospective Ph.D. students should be aware that a Ph.D. is designed to prepare a person for a career as a scholar. “Most of the jobs available to Ph.D. students upon graduation are academic in nature and directly related to their fields of study: professor, researcher, etc.,” Huguet wrote in an email. “The truth is that more specialization can mean fewer job opportunities. Before starting a Ph.D., students should be sure that they want to pursue a career in academia, or in research. If not, they should make time during the Ph.D. to show recruiters that they’ve traveled beyond their labs and libraries to gain some professional hands-on experience.”

Jack Appleman, a business writing instructor, published author and Ph.D. candidate focusing on organizational communication with the  University at Albany—SUNY , says Ph.D. programs require a level of commitment and focus that goes beyond what is necessary for a typical corporate job. A program with flexible course requirements that allow a student to customize his or her curriculum based on academic interests and personal obligations is ideal, he says.

[ READ: Ph.D. Programs Get a Lot More Practical.  ]

Joan Kee, a professor at the University of Michigan  with the university’s history of art department, says that the length of time required for a Ph.D. varies widely depending on what subject the Ph.D. focuses on. “Ph.D. program length is very discipline and even field-specific; for example, you can and are expected to finish a Ph.D, in economics in under five years, but that would be impossible in art history (or most of the humanities),” she wrote in an email.

Jean Marie Carey, who earned her Ph.D. degree in art history and German from the  University of Otago  in New Zealand, encourages prospective Ph.D. students to check whether their potential Ph.D. program has published a timeline of how long it takes a Ph.D. student to complete their program. She says it is also prudent to speak with Ph.D. graduates of the school and ask about their experience.

Bennett urges prospective Ph.D. students to visit the campuses of their target graduate programs since a Ph.D. program takes so much time that it is important to find a school that feels comfortable. She adds that aspiring Ph.D. students who prefer a collaborative learning environment should be wary of graduate programs that have a cut-throat and competitive atmosphere, since such students may not thrive in that type of setting.

[ READ: 4 Fields Where Doctorates Lead to Jobs.  ]

Alumni of Ph.D. programs note that the process of obtaining a Ph.D. is arduous, regardless of the type of Ph.D. program. “A Ph.D. is a long commitment of your time, energy and financial resources, so it’ll be easier on you if you are passionate about research,” says Grace Lee, who has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and is the founder and CEO of Mastery Insights, an education and career coaching company, and the host of the Career Revisionist podcast.

“A Ph.D. isn’t about rehashing years of knowledge that is already out there, but rather it is about your ability to generate new knowledge. Your intellectual masterpiece (which is your dissertation) takes a lot of time, intellectual creativity and innovation to put together, so you have to be truly passionate about that,” Lee says.

Erin Skelly, a graduate admissions counselor at the IvyWise admissions consulting firm, says when a Ph.D. students struggles to complete his or her Ph.D. degree, it may have more to do with the student’s academic interests or personal circumstances than his or her program.

“The time to complete a Ph.D. can depend on a number of variables, but the specific discipline or school would only account for a year or two’s difference,” she wrote in an email. “When a student takes significantly longer to complete a Ph.D. (degree), it’s usually related to the student’s coursework and research – they need to take additional coursework to complete their comprehensive exams; they change the focus of their program or dissertation, requiring extra coursework or research; or their research doesn’t yield the results they hoped for, and they need to generate a new theory and conduct more research.”

Skelly warns that the average completion time of a Ph.D. program may be misleading in some cases, if the average is skewed based on one or two outliers. She suggests that instead of focusing on the duration of a particular Ph.D. program, prospective students should investigate the program’s attritition and graduation rates.

“It is worthwhile to look at the program requirements and the school’s proposed timeline for completion, and meet current students to get their input on how realistic these expectations for completion are,” Skelly says. “That can give you an honest idea of how long it will really take to complete the program.”

Searching for a grad school? Access our  complete rankings  of Best Graduate Schools.

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PhD Programs

• Accounting & Management
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• Health Policy (Management)
• Organizational Behavior
• Technology & Operations Management

Students in our PhD programs are encouraged from day one to think of this experience as their first job in business academia—a training ground for a challenging and rewarding career generating rigorous, relevant research that influences practice.

Our doctoral students work with faculty and access resources throughout HBS and Harvard University. The PhD program curriculum requires coursework at HBS and other Harvard discipline departments, and with HBS and Harvard faculty on advisory committees. Faculty throughout Harvard guide the programs through their participation on advisory committees.

How do I know which program is right for me?

There are many paths, but we are one HBS. Our PhD students draw on diverse personal and professional backgrounds to pursue an ever-expanding range of research topics. Explore more here about each program’s requirements & curriculum, read student profiles for each discipline as well as student research , and placement information.

The PhD in Business Administration grounds students in the disciplinary theories and research methods that form the foundation of an academic career. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program has five areas of study: Accounting and Management , Management , Marketing , Strategy , and Technology and Operations Management . All areas of study involve roughly two years of coursework culminating in a field exam. The remaining years of the program are spent conducting independent research, working on co-authored publications, and writing the dissertation. Students join these programs from a wide range of backgrounds, from consulting to engineering. Many applicants possess liberal arts degrees, as there is not a requirement to possess a business degree before joining the program

The PhD in Business Economics provides students the opportunity to study in both Harvard’s world-class Economics Department and Harvard Business School. Throughout the program, coursework includes exploration of microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, probability and statistics, and econometrics. While some students join the Business Economics program directly from undergraduate or masters programs, others have worked in economic consulting firms or as research assistants at universities or intergovernmental organizations.

The PhD program in Health Policy (Management) is rooted in data-driven research on the managerial, operational, and strategic issues facing a wide range of organizations. Coursework includes the study of microeconomic theory, management, research methods, and statistics. The backgrounds of students in this program are quite varied, with some coming from public health or the healthcare industry, while others arrive at the program with a background in disciplinary research

The PhD program in Organizational Behavior offers two tracks: either a micro or macro approach. In the micro track, students focus on the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and the effects that groups have on individuals. Students in the macro track use sociological methods to examine organizations, groups, and markets as a whole, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program includes core disciplinary training in sociology or psychology, as well as additional coursework in organizational behavior.

Accounting & Management  

Business economics  , health policy (management)  , management  , marketing  , organizational behavior  , strategy  , technology & operations management  .

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Department of Statistics

4c69b3a36a33a4c1c5b5cd3ef5360949.

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Frequently asked questions related to the Department of Statistics Ph.D. admissions process.

What is a qualified applicant's likelihood for admission?

What is the application deadline.

The complete online application, fee, and supporting materials (including official GRE scores) are due by December 1, 2023, 5:00 pm EST, for September 2024 enrollment. We cannot make exceptions for late applications. Applications that are not complete when the faculty begin reviewing them will not receive full consideration.

Can I start the program in the spring?

Can i apply to two different gsas degree programs at the same time, is a math or stats major required for admission, is the gre required, what are the guidelines for proficiency in the english language for an international applicant, what is the toefl institution code for harvard gsas, how much is tuition, is financial aid available, what is the cost of living in cambridge/boston.

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PhD Admissions

Learn more about the PhD program admissions process through GSAS  

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Psychology Graduate Program

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Please note that our GRE General Test score requirements for admission have changed. For candidates seeking Fall 2025 admission: -  required for applicants to the Clinical Science area  -  optional but recommended for applicants to the Social, Developmental, and CBB areas*  As  of Ma y 2024, GRE General Test scores will be required for all applicants seeking Fall 2026 admission.  The  Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences welcomes applications for admission from individuals who have or will have by the time of matriculation a BA, BS, or equivalent undergraduate degree (for prospective international students, a three- or four-year undergraduate degree from an institution of recognized standing) and actively seeks applicants from groups historically  underrepresented in graduate schools . All degree candidates are admitted for full-time study beginning in the fall term.

Immigration status does not factor into decisions about admissions and financial aid. For more information, see  Undocumented at Harvard .

If you already hold a PhD or its equivalent, or are an advanced doctoral candidate at another institution, you may apply to a PhD program only if it is in an unrelated field of study; however, preference for admissions and financial aid will be given to those who have not already had an opportunity to study for a doctoral degree at Harvard or elsewhere. You may also want to consider pursuing non-degree study through our  Special Student or Visiting Fellow  programs.

Eligible Harvard College students with advanced standing may apply in the fall of their junior year to earn an AM or SM degree during their final year of undergraduate study. Interested students must contact the  Office of Undergraduate Education  for eligibility details before applying.

Questions about the application or required materials should be directed to the Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions Office at  [email protected] or 617-496-6100. 

Harvard Griffin GSAS does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification. 

Required Application Materials

Please refer to Completing Your Application on the Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions site for details.  A complete application consists of:

Online application form

Application fee payment ($105) -  Application fee waivers are available to those for whom payment of the application fee would be financially challenging. Applicants can determine eligibility for a fee waiver by completing a series of questions in the Application Fee section of the application. Once these questions have been completed, the application system will provide an immediate response regarding fee waiver eligibility.

Transcripts

Letters of recommendation (at least 3)

Statement of purpose

Personal statement

Demonstration of English proficiency

GRE General Test scores:   -  required for applicants to the Clinical Science area  -  optional but recommended for applicants to the Social, Developmental, and CBB areas* As of May 2024, GRE General Test scores will be required for all applicants seeking Fall 2026 admission. 

Harvard Griffin GSAS may request additional academic documents, as needed.

*Graduate student admissions are among the most important decisions we make as a department. Like many other PhD programs around the US and abroad, we have wrestled with the question of whether we should continue to require that applicants to our PhD program submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as part of their application. After extensive review of the scientific literature and robust discussion among our faculty, we have decided to continue to make submission of GRE scores optional, but to Recommend that students submit GRE scores if they are able to do so. We wanted to share our candid thoughts on this here.  

A number of empirical and review papers have noted that performance on the GRE is not a strong predictor of performance on a number of graduate school metrics (e.g., correlation with graduate school GPA = .21-.31, which represent small to medium effect sizes; Woo et al., 2023) and that the fact that the significant group differences (by race/ethnicity and gender) in GRE scores suggest it may discourage those from underrepresented groups from applying to PhD programs. Other research has shown that although there are limitations to the GRE, other potential predictors of success in graduate school have even smaller correlations with such outcomes, and removing the GRE would lead us to rely on these other potentially biased factors, such as where a person received their undergraduate degree, what research lab they had the opportunity to train in, and letters of recommendation.(1) We have heard anecdotally from current and former PhD students (including those historically underrepresented in PhD programs) who argue that the GRE helped them demonstrate their abilities when they didn’t attend a top undergraduate institution or work in a well-known research lab.  

On balance, we acknowledge that the GRE is an imperfect test and should not be used as the single deciding factor in admissions; however, we fear that excluding it altogether will introduce more, not less, bias into the admissions decision-making process. Thus, we have decided to keep the submission of GRE scores optional, but to recommend that students submit their scores if they are able to do so.  

We know that many students might expect that we are looking for near-perfect scores as a requirement for admission. We are not. We do not use a rigid threshold for GRE scores, and take it into consideration with other factors (e.g., strong performance in undergraduate statistics might be used to demonstrate quantitative abilities in place of strong performance on the quantitative section of the GRE). To be transparent about this, we note that our past 10 years’ of admitted PhD applicants have had scores on the GRE ranging on the Quantitative section from the 38th to the 98th percentile, and on the Verbal section ranging from the 59th to the 99th percentile.(2 )

We will continue to work toward determining how to make admissions decisions in a way that identifies the candidates who match best with what our PhD training program has to offer and in doing so may make further adjustments to our admissions requirements in future admissions cycles.  

(1) For a review of these issues, see: Woo, S. E., LeBreton, J. M., Keith, M. G., & Tay, L. (2023). Bias, Fairness, and Validity in Graduate-School Admissions: A Psychometric Perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916211055374  

(2) Note: Test scores were not required for the past 3 years and so are largely unavailable for that period. 

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Course Descriptions 

Program Type

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• Degree Granting (72)
• Summer Programs (1)
• Visiting Students (4)

Academic Areas

• Arts & Architecture (4)
• Biological Sciences (4)
• Engineering & Applied Sciences (10)
• Harvard Integrated Life Sciences (14)
• History (14)
• Humanities (22)
• Languages (9)
• Mathematics (2)
• Medical Sciences (7)
• Physical Sciences (6)
• Social Sciences (21)

Degrees Offered

• AB/AM, AB/SM (1)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (68)
• Master of Arts (AM) (8)
• Master of Engineering (ME) (2)
• Master of Science (SM) (4)

GRE Requirement

• Not Accepted (28)
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• Required (14)

African and African American Studies

American studies, anthropology, applied mathematics, applied physics, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning, bioengineering, biological and biomedical sciences, biological sciences in public health.

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Harvard Ph.D. Program in Health Policy

• Frequently Asked Questions

What are the criteria for submitting an application? 

You must submit a completed online application, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, a personal statement, a resume/CV, official GRE or GMAT scores (required for the Management concentration; standardized tests are optional for all other concentrations), and transcripts from any schools attended. Additionally, applicants whose native language is not English and who do not hold the equivalent of a US Bachelor's degree from an institution at which English is the language of instruction must submit scores from the Internet based test (IBT) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

When can I begin to work on the online application? 

The application becomes available in early-mid September through the Harvard Griffin GSAS website ( http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/apply ) and the application is due on December 1st at 5 p.m. EST. 

Are the GRE/GMAT scores required?    

All applicants to the Management concentration of the PhD program, regardless of their academic or professional background, must submit official scores from the GRE General Exam or GMAT exam. The program prefers GRE scores, but will also accept GMAT scores. Standardized tests are optional for the Decision Sciences, Economics, Methods for Policy Research, and Political Analysis tracks. 

Is there a minimum GRE or GMAT score to qualify for admission?  

The program does not have a minimum score requirement.  Generally, successful applicants score above the 80th percentiles on these standardized tests.  The program does not screen or rank applications based on the GRE. Every application will be read and considered as a package.

What school code should I use to send my official GRE/TOEFL scores to the program? 

For the GRE and TOEFL, please use the code 3451 for the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. 

If the GRE is optional (with the exception of the Management track), how do I decide whether to take and submit the GRE?

Students often fall into a few different groups. Some students tell us the GRE helped them demonstrate strength in an area where they felt they had less evidence of a skill or preparation for the PhD. If that sounds like you, we recommend you submit the GRE. Other applicants (and potential applicants) report that the GRE is a burden or a poor way to represent their unique skills and strengths. If that describes you, we suggest you focus your efforts on other pieces of the application that demonstrate your strengths. It will not “count against you” if you submit an application without the GRE. The health policy PhD program does not screen applications based on the GRE. It is one of many pieces of evidence we consider. It is possible to have a strong application even without having all possible “pieces.”

How does the Health Policy PhD program evaluate applications?

Every application is reviewed carefully to consider all aspects of a potential student. Broadly, we are looking for evidence of commitment to training in the field of health policy research, a foundation of analytic and communication skills that will position our students to benefit from coursework, mentoring, and the support of the broader health policy community at Harvard, and the potential to pursue PhD level research. Evidence of maturity, perseverance, and creativity are also highly valued because successful students often show evidence of these as they navigate the PhD process from admission through completion. Because there are many different successful paths through the PhD, we look for student strengths in all available application materials: transcripts, work experience, letters, personal statements, and when available, test scores. Rarely will an applicant “have it all,” and every applicant acquires and demonstrates strengths differently. While one student may demonstrate potential based on an academic transcript, another may demonstrate it through work experience, and a third may convey strengths on the basis of successfully managing substantial personal or family responsibilities alongside work or academic demands.

Do I need a master’s degree in order to apply to the program? 

No, we do not require applicants to have a master’s degree. 

What are the instructions for writing the Statement of Purpose? 

Describe your reasons and motivations for pursuing a PhD in Health Policy at Harvard. What experiences led you to your research ambitions? Concisely state your past work in your intended field of study and in related fields. Briefly indicate your career objectives. Your statement should not exceed 1,000 words. 

What are the instructions for writing the Personal Statement?

A core part of the Harvard Griffin GSAS mission is to identify and attract the most promising students to form a dynamic and diverse community. We are committed to educating individuals who reflect the growing diversity of perspectives and life experiences represented in society today and who will contribute to our commitment to sustain a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment. Please share how your experiences or activities will advance our mission and commitment. Your statement should be no longer than 500 words. 

What should I tell my letter writers to focus on?

In addition to describing their general assessment of you as a student and/or researcher, it would be helpful for your letter writers to comment on your quantitative skills and aptitude as well as your experience as it relates to the track which you are applying.  

I am an international student, am I eligible to apply to the program?  

Yes, international students are eligible to apply to the program.  

Am I required to submit a TOEFL/IELTS score with my application?

Applicants who are non-native English speakers and who received their undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is not the primary language of instruction must take the TOEFL or IELTS.  No test other than the TOEFL or IELTS will be accepted as proof of English proficiency; a master's degree is not accepted as proof of English proficiency.

I am applying for a joint MD/PhD in Health Policy degree at Harvard; do I apply to each program separately? 

Those interested in earning an  MD/PhD in Health Policy  will only apply to HMS/MD-PhD via AMCAS, with all tailored Harvard Griffin GSAS application components included in the MD-PhD secondary application. Applicants do not need to apply to both programs.  

I am applying for a joint JD/PhD in Health Policy degree at Harvard; do I apply to each program separately? 

Yes, you should apply to each program separately but please note on the Harvard Griffin GSAS application that you also applied to the JD program. There is a box to select this in the application and/or you may include this in your statement of purpose. For further information on the JD/PhD program please visit:  https://hls.harvard.edu/academics/degree-programs/special-programs/coordinated-jd-phd-program/

What is the size of the applicant pool? How many students will you accept?  

In a typical year, we receive about 200 applications.  We usually admit 12 applicants.   

Do you offer financial aid to admitted students? 

Yes, we provide five years of tuition and health insurance to admitted students, along with three years of a stipend to cover living expenses. In the years when a stipend is not provided, students cover living expenses by working as a research assistant, teaching assistant, and/or winning their own fellowships.

Can I reapply to the program? 

Previous applicants to the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and applicants who did not register must submit a new application. The new application must include all required documents: statement of purpose, resumet/CV, transcripts, test score reports, updated letters of recommendation, and the application fee. 

Note that, according to Harvard Griffin GSAS policy, an individual may submit no more than three applications to GSAS programs during the course of their academic career.    

Is there a visiting day or open house for prospective students?  

No, we do not have a formal visiting day or open house for prospective students.  

Do I need a commitment from a Harvard faculty member to advise me before I apply to the program?  Should I meet with faculty prior to submitting my application?  

No. Faculty advisors are determined after admission to the program. Furthermore, we do not admit students specifically to collaborate on faculty research; collaborations between faculty and students develop during the first two years of study based on mutual areas of interest. Given the breadth of information provided online about the program, faculty, students, and alumni - and in an effort to create a level playing field for applicants - most faculty will not take individual meetings with prospective students.  Some, however, will provide insight about the program via websites or social media so that everyone receives the same information.  For example, Dr. Laura Hatfield and Dr. Davene R. Wright created pages for students interested in our program. You can read their thoughts here  and here .

What are the backgrounds of students admitted to the program? 

Student backgrounds vary but the typical student has a prior master’s degree and/or relevant work experience. Please see our  student profiles  for a sense of the students that we admit.  

Do you offer online courses/distance learning? 

No, we do not. 

May I complete the PhD on a part-time basis? 

No. Our program requires all students to be full-time and in residence. 

Are students required to be in residence for the entire duration of the program? 

Students are required to be in residence until they pass their dissertation proposal oral exam, and it is preferred that they remain in residence until completion of the dissertation. The dissertation proposal oral exam is taken in the third or fourth year. 

How long does it take to complete the PhD Program in Health Policy? 

On average, it takes students about five to six years to complete the PhD. 

What types of jobs do your students obtain after completing the PhD? 

Graduates of the PhD Program in Health Policy go on to jobs in a variety of fields. A majority of graduates go on to jobs in academia, though some go into the government, non-profits, think-tanks, and the private sector.  A complete list of graduates of our program and their current positions can be found here .

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• Program Requirements: Ph.D.

Below is an overview of degree requirements for the PhD in History of Science. The requirements may also be found in the History of Science section of the GSAS Policies web site.

Current students may also consult the HoS Graduate Program Canvas Site for information and resources.

Advising and Progress

For more information on advising expectations, please see the History of Science PhD Program Advising Best Practices Document .

The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) serves as the primary advisor to all first-year PhD students. In addition first-year students are also strongly encouraged to seek guidance about their academic and course plans from other faculty whose research interests correspond to their own. Students are encouraged to take courses with faculty they might ask to serve on their General Examination committee.

During the second year, students are jointly advised by the DGS and the chair of the student’s General Exam Committee.

First and second-year students meet with the DGS at the start of each semester for the first two years to discuss their plan of study. Students also meet with the graduate program coordinator at the beginning of each semester, submitting a completed  History of Science Department PhD Degree Requirements Worksheet.  This is to ensure that students are fulfilling the necessary requirements.

The formal advisor during the third year is the Chair of the student’s Prospectus Committee. Upon acceptance of the Prospectus, the chair of the Dissertation Committee becomes the student’s primary advisor.

Starting in the G3 year, students and advisors both complete an annual progress report (due in April) and meet to discuss progress and academic plans. ( This form is available on the HoS Graduate Program website .) All students’ progress is reviewed each year by the department at a May faculty meeting in which a determination is made of students’ qualification for continuing graduate work in light of both departmental and GSAS requirements.

The DGS and the Department Chair are always available to provide support and advice at any stage of the graduate program. Students are encouraged to seek help from either of these individuals if any part of the advising process seems not to be working as it should.

For more information about advising procedures and resources, see the HoS Advising Timeline and the HoS Advising Best Practices documents available on the HoS Graduate Program website.

First and Second Year of Graduate Study

Students must be in residence for minimum of two years of full-time study. While in residence, students are expected to attend the department seminar.

Coursework and Research Papers

Course Requirements

Sixteen four-credit courses or the equivalent, plus a two-credit course, Colloquium on Teaching Practices, normally taken in the fall of the G3 year, including:

• Two seminars: Historiography in History of Science (HISTSCI 303A) and Research Methods in the History of Science (HISTSCI 303B)
• Four must be offered by DHS.
• At least one must focus substantially on pre-1800 topics and one must focus substantially on post-1800 topics. (See HOS Temporal Course Distribution for more details.)
• One must be taken outside DHS.
• Eight electives, of which up to five may be graduate-level reading courses in the history of science or other divisions, departments, or committees
• The Colloquium on Teaching Practices (two credits) taken in the first year of employment as a Teaching Fellow (normally the G3 year)

Note: The four graduate seminars in DHS may include courses taught in other departments by faculty in the Department of the History of Science, courses cross-listed as HISTSCI, and graduate courses in Science, Technology, and Society offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . (A maximum of three courses may be taken at MIT). All other courses count as outside the department. Graduate reading courses or independent studies do not fulfill the graduate seminar requirement.

Note: The department does not accept transfer credits. However, students who matriculate into the doctoral program after receiving an AM degree in History of Science or who take graduate courses as Special Students in the department are eligible to transfer up to eight four-unit courses.

Research Papers

In the first two years of graduate study, students must write two research papers, at least one for a departmental course. Papers must be between 7500 and 10,500 words (exclusive of notes and bibliography); each must earn a grade of at least A-. At least one must display serious engagement with archival or other primary sources (which may include printed and/or digital materials and objects); the other may be based on fieldwork observation (e.g., ethnographic, participant-observer) or involve media production (e.g., interactive web, audio, video/photographic, museum exhibition).

One of these essays may be an independent work not connected to a course, but it is expected that the essay will have been substantially written and researched during the course of enrollment in the PhD Program. In this case, the DGS will designate a faculty member to grade the essay.

The first paper should be submitted by 1 June of the G1 year to the Graduate Program Coordinator, CC’ing the course instructor. Ordinarily this essay is written in the context of the required Research Methods course.

The second paper should be submitted by 1 April of the G2 year to the Graduate Program Coordinator. Ordinarily this is written in the context of a departmental or external graduate seminar.

By the end of first semester of the G2 year, one of these papers should be shared and discussed with one of the student’s advisor (normally the Chair of the student’s General Exam Committee).

Grades and Assessment

Eight four-credit courses must be passed at a grade level of B or above in the first year of study.

The grade of Incomplete (INC) is given in extraordinary circumstances. The decision to give an Incomplete is at the discretion of each faculty member. Students with more than one INC on their record at the end of a semester will receive a letter of warning from the department and are at risk of being placed into “unsatisfactory status.”

GSAS policy requires that academic work must be completed, and the grade converted to a letter grade before the end of the next registration period (for example coursework for an incomplete received in the fall of 2022 must be completed before the first day of registration for the fall of 2023). A petition for an extension of time for incomplete work signed by the course instructor and director of graduate studies must be submitted to the GSAS Dean of Student Affairs Office for any course work completed after the end of the next registration period.

All courses must be graded before a student is permitted to teach. Students with outstanding course requirements (excluding the Teaching Colloquium normally taken in G3 year) are not permitted to sit for the general examination.

Language Requirement

All students must demonstrate proficiency in at least one language other than English upon submission of the dissertation prospectus in November of the G3 year (see below). The language(s) in question should reflect students’ research interests and ordinarily will be agreed on in consultation with the DGS and intended dissertation director at the beginning of the first year of graduate study; the list may be revised as necessary to reflect students’ changing intellectual trajectories. Some students may enter with all the language preparation they will need for graduate study in their chosen fields. Others may have an elementary or intermediate knowledge of a language or languages and may improve on that knowledge by taking additional coursework, including first-, second-, or third-year language courses and/or the reading courses offered by some departments, whether during the regular academic year or in summer.

Students may demonstrate proficiency in one of the following ways: 1) completing two semesters of foreign-language coursework, and receiving a grade of A- or higher in the courses; 2) completing a summer Reading Knowledge or other summer language course approved in advance by the DGS and receiving a grade of A- or higher; 3) completing upper-level coursework in a language other than English; 4) making substantial use of non-English texts in one or more seminar papers or in the preparation of general examination fields and prospectuses, or 5) passing a language exam offered by the department. Proficiency is assumed in the case of native speakers and bilingual students, as long as they are skilled in both reading and speaking.

To document proficiency, students must email the graduate program coordinator, cc’ing the advisor and the faculty member who certifies the student’s language skills; students should list the language(s) and the means by which proficiency has been demonstrated. Students taking language reading courses at Harvard Summer School or in an external institution should have a transcript sent to the graduate program coordinator.

As students’ fields of study develop, they may find that they need to acquire new languages or further develop their skills in ones they already know. This should be discussed by students and their advisors on a regular basis as part of the advising process.

Year 2: The General Examination

PhD students in the History of Science normally take the General Examination at the end of the spring semester of the G2 year. The aim of the General Examination is to deepen and expand students’ historical knowledge for the purposes of both research and teaching. It is an oral examination in three fields, each one directed by a different faculty examiner. Students are not expected to demonstrate an encyclopedic command of detail but, rather, to give evidence of understanding the main historical developments in each field, mastery of the chief historiographic traditions associated with a particular content area, and an ability to discuss particular sciences or topics within relevant historical contexts.

The three examiners constitute the student’s General Examination Committee, one of whom serves as Chair. Each field is chosen in consultation with the DGS, the Chair of the Committee, and individual Committee members. Two fields should be directed by faculty in the Department of the History of Science (or in certain cases by faculty approved by the department to direct a field related to the history of science, technology, or medicine). One field should be directed by a faculty member outside the Department, and students should consult carefully with the DGS and their intended Chair about the scope of that field and who might be asked to direct it. Occasionally, a single field may be split into two subfields, each of which is directed by a distinct faculty member.

Once the student has agreed with each Committee member about the title of their field, and the Chair of the Committee has approved all of them, students should submit the General Examination Application and a completed PhD Degree Requirements Worksheet  to the Graduate Program Coordinator. This should happen by early November of the G2 year. These applications are reviewed and then voted on by Department faculty at the following Faculty Meeting.

During the G2 year, students normally enroll in a directed reading course (HSCI 3001) with each of the directors of their three fields during either the Fall or Spring semester. Preparation for the exam may take place in the fall or spring, or it may extend over both semesters. In any case, preparation should involve at least seven meetings between student and faculty member. At the beginning of preparation for each field, the student and director of each field will agree on a set of texts that constitutes the Reading List for that field. This list may be revised over the course of preparation in consultation with the Director of each field.

Early in the spring semester it is the student’s responsibility to coordinate with their General Examination Committee to determine the date and time of the exam. The Examination should be scheduled for two hours: 90 minutes for the exam itself and 30 minutes for the Committee to review the exam and discuss the result with the student. Once the date and time have been determined, the student should inform the Graduate Coordinator who will secure a room and add it to the schedule.

General Examination Applications will normally only be considered once students have completed all required coursework from the G1 year (and have no outstanding Incomplete grades). Moreover, at the time of the exam itself, students should have completed (or should be actively enrolled in) all required coursework for the degree. A rising G3 student who has not passed the General Examination will be allowed one semester in which to complete any outstanding course and writing requirements as well as to sit for and pass the examination. The department may ask students who have not completed this process and passed the Examination by the end of the first semester of the G3 year to withdraw from the Program.

For more information about General Examination Fields and the exam itself, consult the HoS General Examination Procedures document available on the HoS Graduate Program website.

Third Year of Graduate Study

All students are required by the department to participate as teaching fellows or course assistants in at least one course offered by department faculty. Students may not teach during the DCF year and so should plan accordingly. All students are required to complete the Colloquium on Teaching Practices (two credits) offered in the fall of the first year that they teach in the Department, with opportunities for additional sessions in the spring.

Rising G3 students must attend the fall Bok Center Teaching Retreat as well as the department teaching retreat held in late August/early September. The Bok Center offers numerous teaching workshops and resources to enable teaching fellows to hone their teaching skills.

Faculty course instructors hold weekly meetings with teaching fellows to guide them in leading discussion sections and grading assignments and exams.

The Dissertation Prospectus

Students are expected to begin preparing to write their prospectus following the completion of their General Examination at the end of the G2 year. To help facilitate this process, the Department normally holds two “Prospectus Study Days” (in late May and early September).

During the summer or early in the Fall term, students will assemble a Prospectus Committee in consultation with their General Examination Committee Chair, presumptive Primary Advisor, and/or the DGS. The Prospectus Committee normally consists of three faculty members, of which one is the Chair. (While Dissertation Committees may have more than three members, the Prospectus Committee is made up of exactly three members except in exceptional circumstances.) At least two members of this Committee should be members of the Department. Students are encouraged to include junior faculty on their Dissertation Committees.

Over the course of the G3 year's fall semester, students develop a draft of their prospectus in consultation with their Prospectus Committee, which will approve its submission to the department faculty as a whole. Prospectuses are to be submitted to the graduate program coordinator at least one week before the December history of science faculty meeting (usually, by the Thanksgiving break). The faculty discuss prospectuses at this meeting and vote on their approval.

Students are expected to submit their prospectuses in the fall of the G3 year; in all cases, however, approval must be obtained before the end of the G3 year.

After obtaining faculty approval, students present their prospectuses to the history of science community in a department seminar, usually in the spring of the G3 year.

For more information about the prospectus process and requirements consult the Dissertation Prospectus Guidelines Document .

Fellowship Applications

Third Year students often apply for traveling and research fellowships beginning in the late fall of the G3 year as well as other external and internal fellowships. Please see the HoS Graduate Program website for further information. Department Faculty and the GSAS Fellowships Office  offer workshops to assist students in the application process.

Progress Report

Beginning in the G3 year, students and advisors together complete an end-of-the-year Progress Report  which is submitted to the graduate coordinator in April .

Post-prospectus

Annual  Progress Reports   are due in April each year following acceptance of the Dissertation Prospectus.

The Dissertation

Once the student’s Prospectus has been approved by the department, a Dissertation Committee is formed. Normally, the chair of the Prospectus Committee becomes the chair of the Dissertation Committee and the student’s primary advisor. The chair of the Dissertation Committee must be an eligible member of the department, as must at least one other member of the committee. (The names of faculty members available for the direction of the PhD dissertation are listed in the course catalog under History of Science 3000.) Students are encouraged to include junior faculty on their committees.

Timetable for submission of the dissertation

Students planning to graduate in March, May, or November, should meet with the graduate program coordinator to review the graduation process. Students need to provide the coordinator with vital information to ensure the dissertation acceptance certificate may be processed to meet GSAS deadlines and the degree application approved.

Students must submit a final, complete draft of the dissertation to their committees no later than six weeks prior to the “dissertations are due on” date specified by GSAS. All students must submit a pdf of the submitted dissertation with the signed dissertation acceptance certificate to the graduate coordinator.

Committees will read and comment on the dissertation draft, and ask for any revisions, no later than three weeks prior to the same date.

Students will make any necessary changes and submit the dissertation in its final form to the committee and to the department no later than one week prior to the “due on” date.

The dissertation should be an original contribution to knowledge. It must conform to the online description, Formatting your Dissertation , on the GSAS Policies website.

Dissertation Defense

The dissertation defense in History of Science ordinarily takes place after the members of the Dissertation Committee have approved the dissertation. The dissertation defense is not required to receive the doctoral degree, but students often find the forum useful as they further their research. The Graduate Program Coordinator will assist students in setting a defense date.

Duration of Study

Work for the degree should be completed within a total of six years. Normally, students take a Dissertation Completion Fellowship during the year that they complete the dissertation. However, in cases in which the dissertation is not completed, the Graduate School permits students to remain enrolled in the PhD Program for one year following the Dissertation Completion Fellowship year. An extension beyond this one-year limit may be considered by the Department and the Graduate School in extraordinary circumstances.

Please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator (Linda Schneider) at [email protected] or 617-495-9978.

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We recommend that all prospective applicants THOROUGHLY read all FAQs below. Starting in September we will have live Q&A sessions, come back in the Fall to join us.

Please note: Due to the hundreds of applicant questions that we receive, any questions regarding specific content for an individual application will not receive a response. We recommend that all applicants do their best to provide the exact information requested and submit it as soon as possible. If we require additional information, we will contact you.

The Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Griffin GSAS) Admissions website via the following web link may also help you:

https://gsas.harvard.edu/admissions

Harvard University and the PHS PhD program do not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.

What is the deadline for applying to the PhD in Population Health Sciences (PHS)?

The application for admissions for Fall 2025 will open mid-September 2024, and all applications and supporting materials must be received to Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions by December 1, 2024 by 5 p.m. eastern time. No exceptions.

Can I apply to the program if I am an international student? Are there any special requirements?

Yes, international students can apply to this program with the same application and funding parameters of U.S. students.

Am I required to have a TOEFL or IELTS score if I am a non-native English speaker?

Yes. Our program, like all Griffin GSAS doctoral programs, accepts TOEFL scores and/or IELTS scores if an applicant’s native language is not English and if they do not hold the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an institution at which English is the primary language of instruction.

Please view the Griffin GSAS webpage on English Language Proficiency for more detailed information on test score eligibility and timelines.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), Box 899, Princeton, NJ 08541. When requesting official score reports, indicate the receiving institution as Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Code 3451.

Can I indicate more than one Field of Study on my application?

Upon starting the application, you will indicate your desired Field of Study as your major area of academic work. At a later point in the application, you will be asked to indicate an interest in another Field of Study, if relevant.

How do my references provide their letters of recommendation?

For all information re: letters of recommendation, please visit the following web link: https://gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/completing-your-application/letters-recommendation

Please note: At least one letter should be from a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student unless you have been out of school for more than five years. Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment on your academic potential for graduate work.

Is the GRE required?

Yes. All applicants are required to submit GRE scores as part of their application submission. This is a change from our pandemic policy. As with other application components, the GRE will be considered as part of an applicant’s holistic application, in combination with all submitted materials.

How do I send my official GRE scores?

For all information re: submitting GRE scores, please visit the following web link: https://gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/completing-your-application/gre

How do I send my official transcripts?

For all information re: submitting official transcripts, please visit the following web link:

https://gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/completing-your-application/transcripts

What kinds of backgrounds do entering students typically have?

The majority of PHS students have a distinguished undergraduate record and excellent performance record in any graduate work undertaken. Although a previous graduate degree is not required, students in any of our Fields of Study have successfully completed coursework in introductory statistics or quantitative methods.

It is preferable that all students entering the program have taken introduction to biostatistics coursework prior to the time of admission. Such background information will be considered upon application review.

In general, applicants must demonstrate strong enthusiasm and ability for rigorous pursuit of scientific knowledge in public health. Preference will be given to applicants who have either some relevant work experience or graduate work in the chosen Field of Study after completion of a bachelor’s degree.

If I have a master’s degree, will that help me get into the program?

Although it is not required for the admission, a master’s degree in public health or a related field may give your application a stronger standing.

What prior coursework, experience, or other qualifications are important?

Typical successful applicants have taken graduate-level coursework related to quantitative methods, introductory statistics, biostatistics, and epidemiology, or have some relevant work experience in the chosen Field of Study.

Do I need to have published a peer-reviewed research article to be accepted into the program?

No. You do not have to have published a peer-reviewed article to be accepted into this program.

Is work experience required for admission?

Work experience is not required to be accepted into the program.

Should I contact PHS Field of Study faculty to discuss my interest in the program? Am I supposed to find my academic adviser before applying for the admission?

You are not required to contact faculty or to find an academic advisor as part of your application to this program. However, if you have questions about faculty members’ current research projects, it is acceptable for prospective students to reach out to faculty directly to ask about research interests and the faculty member’s availability to be a mentor in upcoming years.

We encourage you to review faculty members’ websites and publication listings, and to contact the individual academic administrator for the department affiliated with the Field of Study in which you are interested as they might also have further information about specific faculty.

What are the entering PHS student GRE scores?

GRE – Verbal: 162

GRE-Quantitative: 163

GRE – Analytic: 4.5

Is admission based on an entry test and/or interview or based on academic history?

Applications are reviewed based on academic credentials (coursework), GPA, GRE, TOEFL, prior research and work experience, statement of purpose, recommendations, and a writing sample. No other entry test or interview is required.

Are there any specific Field of Study prerequisites to be accepted into the program?

No. The application requirements are the same for all Fields of Study.

If I apply for the PhD in Population Health this fall, would it also be possible for my application to be considered for the Harvard 65 credit MPH program?

No. The PHS application must go through Griffin GSAS. The application to MPH program must be submitted separately according to the MPH Admissions requirements of Harvard Chan. The PhD application cannot be used for application to any master’s program at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health.

May I apply jointly to this program and to another program at Griffin GSAS?

The Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences does not recommend submission of more than one application. However, if you choose to submit multiple applications (up to a limit of three total in your lifetime), the applications may not share any item. Each application must be unique, containing a separate statement of purpose for each program applied to, as well as separate uploads to each application of transcripts, recommendations, and test scores through the Griffin GSAS Admissions portal.

Does the program accept students who are also in medical school or another professional program?

Applications are allowed from students already enrolled in medical school/rotations, but applicants must be aware that PHS is a full-time residency program, which will necessitate negotiate by any student with their prior program. The first two years of the program, especially, must be completed in-person at the University.

The Fields of Study appear similar, if not identical, to those listed for MPH degrees. Are there differences in the courses/content/ emphasis between the Fields of Study for a PhD student versus an MPH student?

There will be some intersection in course requirements. However, students in PHS will be required to take some doctoral-level courses that are only offered for Population Health Sciences students and which are geared towards more rigorous research training.

If I completed a master’s in one area at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and then I want to do a PhD with a different Field of Study, will I be able to waive any courses?

Waivers of the courses completed during a master’s program will be considered individually on a case-by-case basis following admission to the program.

If I’m admitted, can I defer my admission?

Deferrals are handled by Griffin GSAS on a case-by-case basis, and the final decision lies with the program.

The Griffin  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences urges programs not to defer admitted students except under the most unusual circumstances.

Will I have a chance to talk with someone before I decide on to accept an offer of admission?

Certainly. After you receive a letter of acceptance, there will plenty of opportunities for contact with current PHS students and alumni, PHS and Field of Study administration teams, and Harvard faculty.

Can the program be done on a part-time basis?

No. This is a full time residential doctoral program.

If I am admitted, is there a certain grade that I must attain to continue in the program?

Yes. All students are expected to maintain a grade of ‘B’ or better, although, a ‘B+’ average is expected.

Would I be allowed to switch my Field of Study after starting the program?

No. After enrolling in the program, students are not allowed to change their Field of Study.

How much of the coursework is required class time as compared to viewing it online?

Most of the courses currently offered at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Griffin GSAS, and at Harvard University overall are face-to-face courses. Therefore, PHS students are required to be present in class.

How interdisciplinary is this program? Is there substantial collaboration between Fields of Study or do students mainly stay within their own Field of Study?

There are PHS program-wide courses that all students, regardless of Field of Study, are required to take. These courses involve significant interaction among PHS students. In addition, students can do research with faculty affiliated with departments across all five fields, as well as choose faculty members from across the five Fields of Study, other Harvard schools, and other departments to participate on dissertation committees.

The program-wide required c ourses and credits are described here .

Are program-wide courses taught by faculty from the Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, School of Public Health, or both?

PHS required courses are mostly taught by faculty from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, but all PHS students have the option of taking courses at no extra expense at all thirteen of Harvard’s schools – as well as MIT, Tufts, and Brown Universities.

What is the annual cost of attending your program?

All students (both U.S. and international) receive a multi-year funding package, which includes full tuition, fees, health insurance, and a stipend. The stipend is competitive with the amount offered by most other schools of public health. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to apply for external grants and fellowships, particularly for years three and beyond. Students are also required to complete a 12.5 credit (total) teaching fellowship/research assistant requirement in any Field and at any point of their four years in the program. Any TF/RA work beyond the 12.5 credits can also be paid on top of the stipend rate, according to all work-related laws/requirements.

What are my other funding opportunities?

• Griffin GSAS Funding and Aid Info
• Public Health Online Financial Aid Info.

Are there healthcare benefits offered to admitted PHS students?

Yes. Every graduate student at Harvard receives health insurance. You can learn more about these health care benefits via this weblink: https://hushp.harvard.edu/

As an international student, will I be funded?

Yes. All admitted PHS students who remain in solid academic standing, regardless of country of origin, are guaranteed four years of funding, which includes a monthly stipend, tuition, fees, and health coverage.

What is the difference between the PhD program and the DrPH program?

The PhD in Population Health Sciences offers training that is more geared towards an academic career track, while the DrPH program is more oriented towards public health practice and policy careers.

How many students will be in each cohort?

There are about 40 new PHS students each year across all five Fields of Study.

How will the program create a sense of cohesiveness across a cohort?

All first year PHS students are required to take a year-long methods course that encourages interaction and builds a common methodological and analytical vocabulary across the cohort. Additionally, we offer a regular (every three weeks or so) seminar at which students are expected to attend. Students in different Fields of Study will have many intra-Field opportunities for collaboration with each other as well. We also offer numerous regularly scheduled cohort- and program-wide events and social hours to build camaraderie, (ex. social hours, Red Sox game, canoeing, movies, theatre, etc.)

Are students in this program encouraged to be involved on campus, such as participating in symposiums, seminars, or graduate student organizations?

Our PHS students are definitely encouraged and choose to be involved on campus, engage in interdisciplinary opportunities with mentors and colleagues outside of the PhD program, and participate in a variety of organizations, workshops, conferences, etc.

Can the dissertation-writing phase be done remotely?

Generally, most students remain in residence for the duration of the PhD program. Petitions can be made, however, for special circumstances on a case-by-case basis.

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Department of Sociology

How long does it take to get a ph.d. in sociology at harvard.

It is possible to complete all of the degree requirements within five years, however, some students take longer to conduct research and/or write-up their dissertation. Review our sample timeline .

Graduate Office

660 William James Hall

Office Hours (Fall 2023) Monday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (remote) Tuesday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (on campus) Wednesday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (on campus) Thursday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (remote) Friday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (remote)

Email [email protected]

Phone 617.495.3813

Director  David Pedulla

Program Coordinator Jessica Matteson

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All About PhD at Harvard University

• Updated on  
• Dec 6, 2022

Studying for a doctorate or PhD at Harvard University means immersing yourself in one of the world’s most vibrant and important intellectual communities. The diverse PhD programs at Harvard Graduate School of Education take advantage of the University’s remarkable multidisciplinary strengths. The Harvard University PhD enables aspirants to experience cutting-edge interdisciplinary research informed by Cognitive Sciences, Economics , Medicine , Humanities , and more. In this blog, we’ve covered everything you’ll need to know about pursuing a PhD at Harvard University .

PhD in USA: Everything You Need To Know

This Blog Includes:

About harvard university, harvard graduate school of arts and sciences, harvard university phd acceptance rate , harvard university phd programs, research-based doctoral degrees at the harvard graduate school of education, application process , phd in harvard university requirements, living costs.

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s main aim is to improve public health through learning, discovery, and communication . To achieve this goal, the School conducts research, reproduces knowledge via the higher education, and converts information into evidence that can be shared with the public, policymakers, and practitioners in order to improve population health. They want to achieve the following:

• Deliver an evidence-based educational experience that prepares students to solve public health concerns in the twenty-first century via study, research, and practice.
• To enhance public health locally, nationally, and worldwide, create and preserve a dynamic and inclusive intellectual community with an atmosphere that supports the development of knowledge and skills concerning diversity, equality, cultural competency, and advocacy.
• Create and advance knowledge, as well as its translation into discoveries that lead to improvements in people’s and populations’ health.
• Participate in service activities that help communities better their health.
• Use new communication tactics to raise public knowledge of public health issues and remedies.

From advancing scientific discovery to educating national and international leaders, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has been at the forefront of efforts to benefit the health of populations worldwide. As we service society’s evolving health requirements, we will continue to prioritize shaping innovative ideas in our area and successfully conveying them.

The Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) is Harvard University’s largest graduate school, with a total of 12 graduate schools. GSAS, which was founded in 1872, oversees the majority of Harvard’s graduate programs in different fields of study like Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences. The aspirants can pursue Harvard University PhD In around 58 disciplines.

The Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has consistently placed first among graduate institutions to study in usa in terms of academic offerings. A varied group of renowned public officials and scholars have graduated from the School. The vast majority of Harvard’s Nobel Laureates received their education at GSAS. GSAS graduates have gone on to become US Cabinet Secretaries, Supreme Court Justices, foreign leaders of state, and heads of government, in addition to intellectuals and scientists.

The Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) oversees all Harvard University PhD programs and applications are conducted through the GSAS online application system.

Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has a low and highly competitive acceptance rate . This means that students have to really work or study hard to get admission into Harvard University PhD. The Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences received over 4300 applications for the fall 2020 class of graduate students across all PhD and master’s programs and the university has only admitted 301 applicants. As a result, the acceptance rate for the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is 7%. This means that out of every 100 applicants, only 7 applicants could make it to pursue the University of Harvard PhD programs.

Know about How to Get Into Harvard? [Complete Admission Guide] !

The Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offer an integrated PhD program in education. As a PhD student, you will work on innovative interdisciplinary research with researchers from all of Harvard’s graduate schools. Given below are some of the popular specialisations for aspirants to pursue Harvard University PhD programs along with the Harvard University PhD application deadline:

HGSE switched from awarding a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Education in the fall of 2014. The Ed.D. was superseded by the Ph.D. in Education, a joint degree given in conjunction with the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, to better reflect the program’s research focus since its beginning in 1921, and to deepen relationships with academic departments across Harvard University.

The Ed.D. and Ph.D. in Education programs both provide intensive intellectual instruction to their graduates. Both degrees involve training that builds both knowledge and experience in the spectrum of quantitative and qualitative methodologies needed to undertake high-quality research, reflecting the multidisciplinary character of education. Our alumni do independent research in a variety of disciplines, including human development, learning and teaching, policy analysis and evaluation, institutions and society, and instructional practise, with the objective of having a transformational influence on education research, policy, and practise. Graduates of both programmes have and will continue to hold positions as university professors, researchers, senior educators, and policymakers.

How to Apply for PhD at Harvard University?

The following are the application process and the basic requirements for aspirants to know how to apply for PhD in Harvard University:

• The first item to submit is a digital or online application. Only once the admission committee has received your completed online application form they will examine other application materials such as transcripts, test scores, essays, and so on. The Common Application (Common App), the Universal College Application (UCA), and the Coalition Application are all accepted by Harvard. Any of the application portals can be used to apply to Harvard.
• Following the examination of all submissions, HGSE will invite chosen Ph.D. applicants to participate in a mandatory online interview with members of the admissions committee. 
• The interviews will take place in January, with exact dates to be confirmed.

A complete application to the PhD program typically consists of the following, submitted to the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS):

• Online application form (accessed through GSAS’s website )
• Statement of Purpose
• 3 letters of recommendation
• TOEFL or IELTS .
• Transcript (s)
• Application Fee : 105 USD(7,790 INR)
• Supplemental form for the PhD in Education

Here’s a List of Important Documents Required to Study Abroad

Harvard University PhD Fees

The following table denotes the current PhD in Harvard University fees for the academic year 2022-2023:

This was all you should be knowing about Harvard University PhD programs. Want to study PhD at Harvard University? Connect with our experts at Leverage Edu and kickstart your study abroad journey from today. Call us at 1800572000 to book your first FREE counselling session with us. 

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Coordinated JD/PhD Program

Harvard Law School and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

The Coordinated JD/PhD Program is designed for students interested in completing interdisciplinary work at Harvard University and is founded on the belief that students’ legal studies and their arts and sciences graduate studies can be mutually enriched through this pursuit. Students completing the coordinated program receive a JD from Harvard Law School (HLS) and a PhD from the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences  (Harvard Griffin GSAS). It is expected that these students will be strong candidates for teaching posts at law schools and in arts and sciences programs, as well as for other positions in law and academia. Prospective students interested in the coordinated program may reach out to  HLS J.D. Admissions  and the  Harvard Griffin GSAS Office of Admissions  to learn more. Current and admitted students interested in the coordinated program are encouraged to contact  April Pettit , in the Office of Academic Affairs at HLS for questions about the JD program, or  Dan Volchok , Assistant Dean of Student Success at Harvard Griffin GSAS for questions about the PhD programs.

Prospective students must separately apply to and be admitted to both HLS and a Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD program in order to participate in the coordinated JD/PhD program.

• Students enrolled in HLS, but not yet admitted to Harvard Griffin GSAS, must apply to Harvard Griffin GSAS no later than the 2L year, meeting the Harvard Griffin GSAS application deadline for matriculation the following year.
• Students enrolled in Harvard Griffin GSAS, but not yet admitted to HLS, should apply to HLS no later than the G3 year, meeting the HLS application deadline for matriculation the following year.
• Please see below for details about participation in the coordinated program for Harvard Griffin GSAS students who apply and are admitted to HLS after the G3 year.

Once admitted to both schools, students must submit a proposed Plan of Study to the coordinated program no later than October 1 of the academic year following admission to both schools. Students should submit the Plan of Study to April Pettit in the Office of Academic Affairs at HLS.

Please note: Harvard Griffin GSAS students who apply to and are admitted to HLS after the G3 year at Harvard Griffin GSAS must then separately apply to the coordinated program. The application to the coordinated program should include (1) a statement detailing the way in which the student plans to integrate his or her legal studies with his or her graduate studies including how work done at HLS will inform the dissertation work and vice versa; and (2) a letter of support from the primary Harvard Griffin GSAS advisor; and (3) the Plan of Study.

The JD/PhD committee will review the applications to determine admission to the coordinated program.

Students will be registered in only one School during any given semester/term. Pursuant to ABA rules, students must  complete all requirements for the JD degree within seven years of the date they first enroll in HLS ; they may graduate from HLS before completing the PhD. Students must have satisfactorily completed at least 16 half courses in their Harvard Griffin GSAS department to receive the PhD. Students in the coordinated program will have two primary faculty advisors, one at HLS and one at Harvard Griffin GSAS, who will jointly advise students.

Students will be expected to complete the first-year program, three upper-level fall or spring semesters, and two winter terms at HLS, for a total of five fall and spring semesters and three winter terms. In lieu of the sixth HLS semester generally required of JD students, students in the coordinated program may take a semester at Harvard Griffin GSAS, completing courses or dissertation work pre-approved by HLS, and equivalent to at least 10 HLS credits. This Harvard Griffin GSAS semester may be taken only after a student has matriculated at HLS and completed their entire first year of study there. Students and their faculty advisors will determine the most appropriate sequencing for each student’s course of study, keeping in mind the HLS course, credit, and residency requirements for this program.

Course and Credit Requirements

First-year program.

The first year at HLS consists of (1) Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legislation and Regulation, Property, and Torts; (2) First-year Legal Research and Writing; (3) January Experiential Term; and (4) a spring upper-level elective at HLS of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 classroom credits.

Upper-Level Years

Credit and residency requirements.

Students must earn no fewer than 52 credits beyond the first year, including 36 HLS classroom credits. Classroom credits include those connected to courses, seminars and reading groups, but not writing or clinical credits. The 36 required classroom credits also include the required minimum of two credits to satisfy the Professional Responsibility Requirement and credits from the required winter terms (provided that the course chosen offers classroom credits). Of the remaining 16 required HLS credits, a maximum of ten are earned through courses or tutorials taken in Harvard Griffin GSAS and/or for dissertation writing (see below). Note that students must have their advisor’s approval before engaging in a semester of Harvard Griffin GSAS dissertation writing that is expected to count toward the HLS credit requirements . The remaining six required HLS credits may be earned in classroom, writing or clinical courses.

While at HLS, students must be enrolled in a minimum of ten total credits each semester in HLS or Harvard Griffin GSAS, with no fewer than eight of these being HLS classroom credits toward the requirement of 36 HLS classroom credits.

Winter Term Requirement

Students also must enroll in the HLS winter term two times during their upper-level years in the program. Each of the winter terms must follow a fall term enrollment or precede a spring term enrollment at HLS. Students may register for a course of two or three credits. JD/PhD students will be permitted to spend one of the winter terms in the HLS Winter Writing Program, provided they are engaged in written work for HLS credit according to the rules of that program.

Written Work Requirement

JD/PhD students must complete the JD Written Work Requirement. Students are permitted to satisfy the requirement with a portion of their dissertation, provided this work meets HLS standards for written work. However, any portion of the dissertation counted toward the JD Written Work Requirement cannot also be used as part of the 10 HLS-equivalent credits earned during a student’s Harvard Griffin GSAS semester. Further information about the J.D. Written Work Requirement and the Winter Term Writing Program is available from the HLS Registrar’s Office .

Pro Bono Requirement

JD/PhD students must complete the  HLS Pro Bono Requirement  of 50 hours of public service.

Residency Requirement

A minimum of two years of full-time study in residence is required for all PhD programs in the Harvard Griffin GSAS. During the period of registration at HLS, coordinated JD/PhD students will have “study-at-another-Harvard-school” status in Harvard Griffin GSAS.

Structure of Academic Work

Students will ordinarily be enrolled for at least four years (8 terms) in Harvard Griffin GSAS. They must complete at least 16 half courses to receive their PhD. Students may cross-register for a limited number of Harvard Griffin GSAS courses during their upper-level terms at HLS. Depending on the Harvard Griffin GSAS department, these courses may count toward the PhD. However, JD/PhD students may count a maximum of 10 credits from Harvard Griffin GSAS coursework or dissertation writing toward the JD. Therefore, students planning to spend a semester enrolled at Harvard Griffin GSAS taking courses or writing the dissertation for which they will earn 10 HLS credits may not also count cross-registered Harvard Griffin GSAS courses toward the JD.

General Examinations

In most departments, once having completed the required coursework, students must pass a general examination or other preliminary or qualifying examinations before undertaking independent research on a dissertation. Normally, when the nature of the field and previous preparation permit, students should pass these examinations by the end of the second year of full-time academic residence.

PhD Dissertation

The student’s dissertation prospectus must be approved by the department. A student who wishes to present as a dissertation a published article, series of articles, book or other document, or a manuscript that has been accepted for publication, must have the approval of the department concerned. In no case, however, may a dissertation be presented that has already been submitted toward another degree, either at Harvard or elsewhere. The Dissertation Acceptance Certificate must be signed by at least three readers approved by the student’s department, two of whom must be members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). FAS emeriti (including research professors) and faculty members from other schools at Harvard who hold appointments on GSAS degree committees are authorized to sign the Dissertation Acceptance Certificates as FAS members. GSAS strongly recommends that the chair of the dissertation committee be a member of FAS. The third reader may be a member of the HLS faculty.

Requirement of Satisfactory Status

Continuous registration, a satisfactory grade record, and evidence that satisfactory progress is being made toward the degree are required of all candidates for graduate degrees offered by FAS. All students in Harvard Griffin GSAS must be making satisfactory progress in order to be eligible for any type of financial aid and teaching. The following five provisions are the general definition of satisfactory progress during registration in Harvard Griffin GSAS:

• During the first two years of graduate study any student who has completed expected requirements is considered to be making satisfactory progress.
• In each of the first two years, a student must have achieved the minimum grade-point average required by the faculty, a B average. (see Harvard Griffin GSAS Policies: Grade and Examination Requirements ).
• By the end of the third year, a student must have passed general examinations or the departmental equivalent.
• By the end of the fourth year, a student must have obtained approval of a dissertation prospectus or its departmental equivalent.
• By the end of the fifth year and each subsequent year during which a student is allowed to register, they must have produced at least one acceptable chapter of the dissertation.

For more information about satisfactory progress, please see Harvard Griffin GSAS Policies .

Other Requirements

Ordinarily, programs will have a language requirement and an expectation of teaching. Students should consult with their Harvard Griffin GSAS departments for more information about these requirements.

There are a number of possible academic schedules for students pursuing both degrees. Three sequences are outlined below, but students may propose alternative sequences. In considering their courses of study, students should be aware that their financial aid packages might be affected at the school in which they defer enrollment.

Year 1: HLS Year 2: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 3: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 4: HLS Year 5: 1st term, HLS Year 5: 2nd term, Harvard Griffin GSAS (earning the equivalent of 10 HLS credits in dissertation work) Following year(s): Harvard Griffin GSAS until completion of dissertation

Year 1: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 2: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 3: HLS Year 4: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 5: HLS Year 6: 1st term, HLS Year 6: 2nd term, Harvard Griffin GSAS (earning the equivalent of 10 HLS credits in dissertation work) Following year(s): Harvard Griffin GSAS until completion of dissertation

Year 1: HLS Year 2: HLS Year 3: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 4: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 5: 1st term, HLS Year 5: 2nd term, Harvard Griffin GSAS (earning the equivalent of 10 HLS credits in dissertation work) Following year(s): Harvard Griffin GSAS until completion of dissertation

Updated Plans of Study

By October 1 each year, current JD/PhD students should submit an updated Plan of Study to April Pettit, in the HLS Office of Academic Affairs.

Other Academic Information

Faculty advising.

Students in the program will have primary faculty advisors at both HLS and at Harvard Griffin GSAS. If possible, HLS faculty advisors should be selected before the completion of the 2L year. The HLS faculty advisor must sign off on any dissertation writing a student expects to use for JD credit. In some Harvard Griffin GSAS departments, the director of graduate studies serves as the faculty advisor during the first two years of study. Faculty advisors will supervise students’ academic work, advise students on their courses of study and on specific classes appropriate for their PhD work, and approve the courses of study for their students on an annual basis. If appropriate, the HLS advisor will be the third reader on the student’s dissertation committee, with at least two readers required to be members of FAS.

Leaving the JD/PhD Program

If a student fails to make adequate progress toward the PhD, the student’s faculty advisors will be permitted to withdraw the student from the program. In such cases, in order to receive the JD degree, a student will still need to meet the graduation and credit requirements for the JD degree.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Harvard law school.

Students must pay five semesters of full tuition. Students will be eligible for HLS financial aid for all semesters during which they pay tuition to HLS. For more information on Financial Aid, visit the Student Financial Services Financial Aid webpage .

Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

The minimum financial requirement for the PhD is at least four terms of full tuition followed by two years of reduced tuition and a facilities fee unless the degree is completed in less than four years. The financial aid awarded upon admission to the PhD program is available during those terms in which the student is enrolled in Harvard Griffin GSAS. Students should refer to their notice of financial support provided by their department upon admission to Harvard Griffin GSAS. Students should consult with their GSAS departments for more information.

Administrative Information

The HLS Registrar’s Office, the FAS Registrar’s Office, the GSAS Assistant Dean of Student Success, the HLS Associate Director of Academic Affairs, and the appropriate financial aid officers, will coordinate on students’ registration status and updated plans of study.

Housing and Student Life

GSAS and HLS will work together to ensure that the student services offered by both Schools are available to JD/PhD students during all their years in the Coordinated Program, including career and counseling offices, financial aid offices, student centers, and alumni offices. Students in the coordinated program will have email accounts at both schools throughout the program. Disability services and visa requirements will be coordinated on a case-by-case basis by the HLS Dean of Students and Registrar and by the Harvard Griffin GSAS Assistant Dean for Student Success. Students may apply for housing through either School for the years in which they are enrolled for at least one semester/term at both Schools. In all other years, students must apply for housing to the School in which they are enrolled.

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Extracurriculars.

How to Get into Harvard in 2024: Admissions Stats + Tips

What’s covered:, how hard is it to get into harvard, average academic profile of accepted harvard students, what is harvard looking for, how to improve your chances of getting into harvard , how to calculate your chances of acceptance at harvard.

Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest university in the U.S. as well as one of the most prestigious. But with an acceptance rate under 4%, precious few applicants get to pull up into the Yard on move-in day.

FAQs About Applying to Harvard

What is harvard’s acceptance rate.

Harvard’s acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 was 3.5%. The early action acceptance rate was 7.6%.

What GPA and SAT/ACT score do you need for Harvard?

As of the 2024-2025 applications cycle, Harvard will once again be requiring all applicants to submit either an SAT or ACT score. 

Harvard has been test-optional for several years, so the most recent testing data available may not perfectly translate to the coming application cycle, but recently the middle 50% of accepted students had an SAT score between 1490-1580, or an ACT score between 34-36.

What kind of students does Harvard look for? 

The college isn’t looking for one specific “type” of student. They simply want students who have proven to be successful in what they do, as they’re likely to be successful in the future, and their achievements will reflect well on the school. 

Harvard also emphasizes a dedication to improving society, as they state in their mission : “we hope that students will begin to fashion their lives by gaining a sense of what they want to do with their gifts and talents, assessing their values and interests, and learning how they can best serve the world.”

What extracurriculars do you need for Harvard?

Students accepted to Harvard have a wide range of interests. You don’t need to be good at everything; in fact, it’s easier to stand out if you have one or two highly-developed interests with impressive achievements, as that will show admissions officers what you have to offer that no other applicant does

If you want to get into a super selective school like Harvard, we recommend finding your passion and aiming for achievements at the state or national level. In other words, shoot for Tier 2 or even Tier 1 extracurriculars to maximize your chances.

Harvard is traditionally among the nation’s most challenging colleges to gain admission to, and it’s only getting more difficult. In 2023, Harvard welcomed just 1,965 students out of the 56,937 who applied, for an acceptance rate of just 3.5% . 

Of the almost 60,000 applicants for Harvard’s Class of 2027, 9,544 of them applied early action; of those, 721 were accepted for a 7.6% early action acceptance rate .

While Harvard’s acceptance rate is incredibly low, your personal chances of acceptance depend on your profile strength. CollegeVine can help figure out how you personally stack up—our free admissions calculator uses your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars to estimate your odds of acceptance and give you tips to improve your profile!

This data is from Harvard’s 2023-2024 Common Data Set , which is the most recent available, and it refers to the admitted Class of 2027.

The average high school GPA of Harvard’s Class of 2027 was between a 3.9 and a 4.0 —74.02% of this class graduated high school with a 4.0.

As noted above, the middle 50% SAT and ACT scores of Harvard’s Class of 2027 were 1490-1580 and 34-36 . 

Harvard doesn’t typically publish the average high school rank of accepted students, but competitive applicants almost always graduate at, or near, the top of their class—94.4% of the Class of 2027 graduated in the top 10 of their high school class, and 99.38% were in the top quarter. 

At top-tier schools like Harvard, almost every applicant has an outstanding academic record, so great grades and superb standardized test scores are not enough to wow admissions officers. What can help you stand out from other applicants is aligning with their institutional values beyond simply intelligence.

For example, Harvard values students who are engaged in their community and have demonstrated leadership. They prioritize students who have made an impact in their school, team, neighborhood, etc. through volunteer or charity work, or who have taken on leadership roles within those communities.

Students can demonstrate these qualities in their activities list, and can go into more detail about them in their personal statement and/or Harvard-specific supplemental essays .

Additionally, Harvard wants to see genuine intellectualism–a true passion for one’s academic interests and a love of learning. Successful applicants will have taken initiative to pursue unusual coursework, research, fieldwork, interdisciplinary studies, and so on, not just earned exceptional grades and test scores.

How Harvard Evaluates Applications

According to their 2023-2024 Common Data Set, the following factors are “considered” at Harvard:

• Rigor of secondary school record
• Standardized test scores
• Application essay
• Recommendations
• Extracurricular activities 
• Talent/ability 
• Character/personal qualities 
• First generation 
• Alumni/ae relation
• Geographical residence
• Volunteer work 
• Work experience 

And these are “not considered” :

• Religious affiliation
• State residency 
• Level of applicant’s interest 

Since affirmative action was overturned in June 2023 , Harvard can no longer directly consider a student’s racial or ethnic status when making their admissions decisions.

1. Earn a 4.0, while taking the most challenging classes available

Almost three-quarters of students accepted to Harvard during the most recent admissions cycle had a 4.0. The best way to improve your chances of acceptance is to have extremely strong academic credentials—while completing the most challenging coursework available. At top-tier schools like Harvard, you want to show you’re ready to thrive in a rigorous academic environment, and standard-level courses alone won’t demonstrate that.

Selective schools like Harvard use the Academic Index (AI) to weed out unqualified applicants. This is a single score that represents the strength of your GPA, test scores, and class rank (if your school ranks). If your AI isn’t up to par, Harvard admissions officers may not even read the rest of your application. 

If your GPA is lower, and you’re earlier on in your high school career, check out our tips for increasing your GPA . If you’re a junior or senior, it will be harder to increase your GPA, so the easiest way to increase your Academic Index is to get an excellent SAT or ACT score.

2. Aim for a 1580 SAT and 36 ACT (the 75th percentile)

The middle 50% of Harvard’s Class of 2027 earned SAT scores of 1490-1580 and ACT scores of 34-36 . Any score in the middle 50% is good, but of course, the higher in the range you score, the better your odds of admission are.

Harvard does not officially superscore standardized test scores, but does evaluate the highest test scores in each section across test dates. So, they see and consider all test results, including your highest, but pay attention to the low scores as well. 

If you took the SAT or ACT more than once, you may choose to send all of your scores, but be aware that they will see any relatively lower section scores, not just the higher ones.

These scores are incredibly high and are near-perfect, if not perfect (the 75th percentile ACT score at Harvard is a perfect 36). It’s really hard to get these scores! To improve your SAT/ACT score, check out these free CollegeVine resources:

• How to Get a Perfect 1600 Score on the SAT
• How to Get a Perfect 36 Score on the ACT
• More SAT Info and Tips
• More ACT Info and Tips

3. Cultivate at least one or two Tier 1-2 extracurriculars (find your “spike”)

For selective institutions like Harvard, extracurricular activities can play a large role in admission decisions . Up to 25% of an admissions decision can be determined by a student’s activities outside of the classroom, as admissions officers want to see that you’ll contribute to their institution in a range of ways. While it’s true that there is no such thing as a bad extracurricular activity, some extracurricular activities are more impressive than others.  

Admissions officers evaluate extracurriculars using four tiers , with one being the most exceptional and four being the most common. For example:

• Tier 4 activities include general membership in student clubs and sports teams, as well as other casual hobbies.

Aspiring Harvard students should aim for at least a couple of Tier 1-2 activities. It doesn’t matter the area of interest; Harvard just wants to see you succeed in something you’re passionate about, as that indicates you’re likely to continue being successful in this area in the future. Rather than doing a bunch of unrelated activities at a mediocre level, try to hone one or two interests and develop a “ spike .”

4. Write engaging essays

Harvard has plenty of applicants with stellar profiles. Use your personal statement to demonstrate a unique voice and character. If the admissions officer can’t get you out of their mind, they are much more likely to advocate for you when it comes time to make difficult decisions between equally qualified candidates. 

You’ll also want to set yourself apart by demonstrating your fit for Harvard specifically in the school-specific supplemental essays . In these essays, you’ll want to highlight your personality traits and accomplishments that aren’t already evident in other areas of your application, and that align especially well with Harvard’s high standards for applicants.

5. Ace Your Interview 

While interviews generally play a minor role in the college admissions process, at a school like Harvard where the margins between applicants are razor thin, you want to have as many gold stars on your application as possible. To ensure you crush your Harvard interview, familiarize yourself with the interview process and prepare for the types of questions commonly asked of an applicant . 

If you aren’t offered an interview at Harvard, don’t worry! Who gets an interview is determined by the number of Harvard alumni in your area, so there simply wasn’t someone available to interview you. 

Not getting an interview doesn’t say anything negative about your application. The interview is optional for a reason, as admissions officers get all the information they need from your main application.

6. Recommendation Letters 

Letters of recommendation help paint a picture of who you are. Like any good painter, you want to be in control of the whole work. However, there are compliments and aspects of your personality that only your recommenders can share.

Harvard requires you to send recommendations from two teachers you know well from different academic subjects. Make sure you talk to your recommenders about your broader goals for college, your reasons for applying to Harvard specifically, and the qualities you hope to highlight to admissions officers.

Your school counselor will also include a recommendation letter, which will provide context for your academic and extracurricular achievements within your high school. For example, they can help Harvard understand how your course rigor stacks up, given the offerings. 

7. Apply Early Action

The Harvard Class of 2027’s 7.6% early action acceptance rate is substantially higher than its overall acceptance rate of 3.5% , so this application pathway offers some applicants an excellent opportunity to improve their odds of admission.

Harvard offers restrictive early action (REA), a non-binding program that places no obligation on you to enroll if admitted. Applying REA to Harvard does restrict you from applying early decision, and from applying early action at any private college, but you can apply early action to any public college or university.   

Do note that 7.6% is still an incredibly low rate, so applying early is no guarantee of anything, and under the REA policy, you’re unable to apply to most other institutions early. However, if Harvard is your top choice, you likely should take advantage of the early boost–just make sure you’ve evaluated the decision from all angles first.

How to Apply to Harvard

Application Requirements

Harvard accepts both the Common Application and the Coalition Application , and requires the personal statement regardless of which platform you use. Other requirements include:

• Harvard’s supplemental essays
• Any AP, IB, or other scores from standardized exams you have taken (optional)
• Two letters of recommendation from teachers
• A school report and letter of recommendation from your counselor
• High school transcript
• A midyear report

Because no one factor will guarantee you acceptance to a school as selective as Harvard on its own, your head may be spinning as you try to figure out how all the different pieces of your application will be weighed. 

Don’t worry, though—CollegeVine’s free chancing engine is here to help! This tool evaluates a variety of factors like grades, course rigor, standardized test scores, and extracurriculars to estimate your odds of being accepted at over 1,600 schools across the country, including Harvard.

The chancing engine will also give you suggestions for how to improve your chances of acceptance at Harvard, for example by taking a more challenging slate of courses or earning a leadership position in one of your extracurriculars. And remember that there are plenty of aspects of your application that aren’t quantifiable, like your essays and rec letters, which could also boost your chances. Best of luck!

Interested in learning more about Harvard? Check out these other informative articles: 

• The Ultimate Guide to Applying to Harvard
• What is Harvard Known For?
• Harvard Diversity Statistics: An In-Depth Look

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This subreddit is for anyone who is going through the process of getting into graduate school, and for those who've been there and have advice to give.

Do I Have a Chance to Get Into Harvard Graduate School of Education? Opinions/Critiques Welcome!

Hi y'all,

I am a fourth-year undergraduate student, and I am interested in applying to the Harvard Graduate School of Education for the Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship program! To keep this short, the program is exactly what I am looking for in every respect, but I am not sure if I have the academic/personal stats to get accepted. I attached my resume with my experiences and academic stats for reference (I redacted my name, location, email, etc.). Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated!

TLDR; Here are some of my stats:

Fourth-Year Undergraduate, Male (21), B.S. in Secondary Education (Social Studies)

GPA: 3.510 (Magna Cum Laude)

Major GPA: 4.0

Deans List: 5 Times from Spring 2018-2020

Heavy Leadership Experience/Involvement/Community Service (refer to resume)

I went to Harvard Business School and the admissions process was intense. Here are 6 things I did that helped me get in.

• Shaifali Aggarwal is a Harvard Business School graduate and CEO of an MBA admissions consulting company.
• She recommends starting on your applications 9 months in advance.
• Aggarwal also says mock interviews and practicing aloud with family members is key to nailing the interview.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shaifali Aggarwal, a Harvard Business School graduate, and founder and CEO of the boutique MBA admissions consulting company Ivy Groupe.

I took an economics class in high school and loved it. It led me to majoring in economics in college. Going to a top business school was a dream of mine, which was solidified while working in investment banking after college.

I was both anxious and excited as I was going through the MBA application process — but I also knew that if I didn't get in, I could always reapply the following year, so that definitely helped ease the anxiety.  With that thought in mind, I actually started to enjoy the process.

Drawing on my personal experience and strategies to get into Harvard Business School, I work with candidates to help them maximize their chances of gaining admission to the top and most prestigious MBA programs. 

I've also helped clients get into all of the other top MBA programs, including the other M7 schools — Stanford, Wharton, MIT, Columbia, Kellogg, and Booth — as well as the top European programs, including London Business School and INSEAD.

Here are six things I would tell anyone who wants to get into HBS or another top MBA program:

1. Craft an authentic narrative and ask yourself "why" 

The most important factor with respect to being accepted to HBS, which is true for other top MBA programs as well, is being authentic. HBS and other top business schools want to assemble a diverse class of students who can deeply reflect on and share their experiences. Admissions committees want to understand the living person beyond the two-dimensional application.

To differentiate yourself, think about your experiences across multiple facets — personal, extracurricular, academic, and professional — and gain an understanding of what has shaped you, as well as your unique strengths and attributes. Then highlight those qualities through specific examples in your application. 

It helps to provide color and "connect the dots" in your story so that the admissions committee can understand the "why." For example, in my own story when applying to HBS, I had a solid foundation in finance from having majored in economics in college and having worked in investment banking. So I drew upon that foundation to talk about my desire to make the move from the sell-side (investment banking) to the buy-side (investment management) post-MBA, first as an equity analyst and then ultimately as a portfolio manager.

When I applied to HBS, there was an essay question that asked about my post-MBA goals. That's where I provided context on how my love of an economics class in high school had brought me to where I am today, and how it would get me to where I wanted to go in the future.

2. Have clear post-MBA goals 

Post-MBA goals that are vague or too broad can hurt your chances of admission. An example of a post-MBA goal that's both too vague and too broad is: "I would like to start my own company after business school."

In your application, you should be able to clearly state your short-term post-MBA goals, or what you see yourself doing for a few years after graduating from business school. You should also be able to explain your long-term post-MBA goals, or what you see yourself ultimately doing in your career.

These post-MBA goals should be specific and achievable. They should also be credible and build upon what you have done in the past.

For example, my post-MBA goal was to transition to the investment management industry from investment banking. I was part of the financial institutions group (FIG) in investment banking and supported coverage of investment managers, working on M&A transactions with a specific focus on investment management companies.

So my goal of transitioning to the investment management space post-MBA was specific, achievable, and credible. Not only did I have exposure to finance, but I also understood the investment management space well. 

Another example could be transitioning from being a software engineer at a technology company — the technical side — to working in a strategy role at a technology company post-MBA and eventually becoming chief strategy officer at that company — the business side. 

3. Make sure your recommenders have supervised you

I've seen an applicant in an oversubscribed demographic with weaker stats get accepted to HBS because of the extremely strong impact he'd demonstrated in the workplace, which he captured in not only his essays, but also his recommendation letters.

When considering who to ask for recommendations, it's extremely important that your recommenders have supervised you in some capacity, have worked directly with you, and can comment on your work and qualities through the interaction they've had with you. In other words, they should know you well. 

Related stories

The biggest mistake I see is candidates asking someone who is very senior, like the CEO of their company, to write a recommendation letter on their behalf even if that CEO hasn't worked with them directly in any capacity. I've seen this strategy actually backfire. 

I also advise my clients to choose recommenders who'll complement one another, so when viewed together, they provide a holistic picture of their qualities. 

4. Start the MBA application process early 

The MBA application process is a marathon and not a sprint. As a result, it's very difficult to put together quality applications in a very short timeframe. 

HBS attracts so many highly qualified candidates each year that you really can't take the application process lightly. As soon as I knew I wanted to apply to HBS, I took the initiative both in the workplace and in my extracurriculars to go the extra mile. I also took the GMAT as early as possible so that I could 100% focus on my application materials.  

I started working on my HBS application nine months before it was due so I'd have ample time to think through my narrative and how I wanted to present it through the essays. This gave me the opportunity to go through more than one draft of my materials so that when I hit the submit button, I knew I'd put my best foot forward — no regrets. 

Since there's a lot of introspection required to craft your story, I've found that nine months is a great time frame without feeling stressed or rushed. I have clients who started working with me in January for the September deadlines. 

With respect to the application process, you should have a clear idea of what you've done and where you want to go. Think about your past experiences and your post-MBA goals — this will make the application process so much easier. Only after doing this would I then suggest actually delving into each of the application elements: working on your resume, essays, and the short answers for each application as well as guiding your recommenders.

5. During the interview phase, practice and practice and practice 

Don't assume you can "wing it" during your interview. Every single day leading up to my interview, I practiced out loud either by myself or with a family member/friend to make sure that I was comfortable relaying my thoughts.

Go through your resume and application to determine where your interviewer may likely dig further. You should be speaking to students and alums to frame your response as to why an MBA from HBS is imperative for you.

Some areas where an interviewer could dig further include professional gaps in your employment history, understanding short employment stints if you've worked at a company for only a few months, how you've stepped up in your professional roles especially if you are a younger candidate, why you may have worked in different industries, learning more about an extracurricular activity if they're not familiar with it, asking more about the company you're working at if it isn't as well-known such as a start-up, and your thoughts about major industry news or headlines.

HBS interviews are 30 minutes and are conducted by a member of the HBS admissions board. They're typically 1:1 although sometimes there's an observer in addition to the interviewer. Whether there's an observer depends on capacity and logistics, so candidates shouldn't read into the presence of an observer at their interview.

Keep in mind that the HBS interview is not "blind" — in other words, the admissions committee member interviewing you will have read your entire application and will have very pointed questions prepared to ask you.

Recently, my clients have been asked around 15 to 20 questions during their HBS interview. These questions can be about  anything  in your application. They can be behavioral questions, questions related to your industry and post-MBA goals, and even random questions to test your ability to think on your feet — to make sure that you'll be comfortable with the case method at HBS, since one element of that teaching style is being cold called! I've had clients get asked questions like "Walk me through how you would explain a discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis to someone who doesn't have a finance background" or "What about HBS gives you pause?"

Don't try to control the interview agenda — that won't come across well. Don't come across as being perfectly rehearsed, as having self-awareness and being thoughtful can go a long way in the interview.

This interview is truly different from every other MBA interview because of the level of preparation that goes into each one on the part of the interviewer. They will thoroughly know your application. Most other MBA interviews are only based on a candidate's resume and are often conducted by alums. 

6. Nail the post-interview reflection

HBS now also has a post-interview reflection due within 24 hours of the interview where candidates are given the opportunity to do just that — reflect upon the interview. So being able to impactfully convey your thoughts throughout the HBS interview process is critical.

After the interview, it's helpful to write down the questions that you were asked during your interview as you prepare to answer the HBS post-interview prompt.

Last year, the question was "What was the highlight of your interview and why did this resonate with you? Is there anything else you would like to share now that you've had time to reflect on your interview?" Word guidance for the post-interview prompt is 300 to 450 words. 

Through this exercise, HBS is giving you the opportunity to end strong, so you shouldn't take this step lightly. Think of it as a memo after a business meeting. You shouldn't prepare your response prior to the interview, and your response shouldn't be over-polished. 

Some questions to think about to nail your response are "What did you enjoy most about the interview and why?" "Could you have clarified any answers?" and "Are there any aspects of your candidacy that you'd like to share that weren't discussed?" 

As you wrap up, be enthusiastic and leave HBS with a positive feeling about you.

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How to Solve Your Company’s Toughest Problems

A conversation with Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei on how to solve any problem in five clear steps.

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You’ve likely heard the phrase, “Move fast and break things.” But Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei says speed and experimentation are not enough on their own. Instead, she argues that you should move fast and fix things. (That’s also the topic and title of the book she coauthored with Anne Morriss .)

In this episode, Frei explains how you can solve any problem in five clear steps. First, she says, start by identifying the real problem holding you back. Then move on to building trust and relationships, followed by a narrative for your solution — before you begin implementing it.

Key episode topics include: leadership, strategy execution, managing people, collaboration and teams, trustworthiness, organizational culture.

HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week.

• Learn more about HBR’s “ Future of Business” virtual conference (November 2023)
• Find more Harvard Business Review live events
• Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

HANNAH BATES: Welcome to HBR on Leadership , case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, hand-selected to help you unlock the best in those around you.

Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, “move fast and break things.” It refers to a certain approach for rapid innovation that was popularized in Silicon Valley and invoked by many tech firms. But Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei says that speed and experimentation are not enough on their own. Instead, Frei argues that you should “move fast and fix things.” That’s the topic and title of the book she co-authored with Anne Morriss.

In this episode, Harvard Business Review’s editorial audience director Nicole Smith sits down with Frei to discuss how you can solve any problem in five quick steps. You’ll learn how to start by uncovering your true problem. Then, move on to build trust, relationships, and a narrative for your solution before you dive in on the actual work of implementing your fix.

This conversation was originally part of HBR’s “Future of Business” virtual conference in November 2023. Here it is.

FRANCES FREI: So, I would love to talk to you about how to move fast and fix things. And I’ll tell you the reason that Anne and I wrote this book – and it’s really a quest we’ve been on – is that Mark Zuckerberg, in his IPO for Facebook, famously said, “we’re going to move fast and break things.” And the problem with that is that it gave the world a false trade-off. It convinced so many of us that you could either move fast and break things or you could take care of people, one or the other. And we have found that there is a third, much better way. And that is, we can move even faster if we fix things along the way. And so, that’s what I’d love to talk to you about right now. And the way that we think about this is that if you want to move fast and fix things, we have to do it on a foundation of trust. And so, the first thing to do is to experience high trust. And we’re going to talk about how to build trust. But the way we see the world can be described in this grid. And in the presence of trust, we can move really fast. That’s how we move fast and fix things. We call it accelerating excellence. It’s only when we’re in the presence of low trust that we move fast and break things, or what we call being reckless disruption. And as I said, so many organizations are afraid of reckless disruption that they actually end up in this state of responsible stewardship, which is really just going slowly. And so, we wrote the book to get those that are in responsible stewardship to realize that we could go across the way to accelerating excellence. And we didn’t have to go down to reckless disruption. So, the way that we think about this, and it’s the way we wrote the book, is that there’s a five-step plan to do it. We organized the book for days of the week. We think that the metabolic rate of organizations can be improved significantly and that many, many hard problems can be solved in just one week. So, we wrote the book in the structure of a week. Step one is we have to find our real problem, that if we’re… for far too many of us, we’re addressing the symptom and not the cause. At any problem, there’s going to be trust broken at the bottom of it. And we’re going to solve for trust. We’re then going to learn how to get more perspectives to make our plans even better. Learn how to tell a narrative that works. And then, and only then, on Friday, do we get to go as fast as we can. And what typically happens in the move fast and break things is that we move Friday too forward in the week. So, our goal is to put ourselves in a position to move fast. And you have to wait till Friday to do that. So, what do I mean by finding the real problem? Most of us, a problem gets presented as a symptom. So, I’ll give you a recent example that got presented to me and Anne. We got called by a company. And they said, we’re having a gender problem. Will you come in and help us? And we’ve been able to help many organizations solve gender problems. So, we go in there. And we just wanted to make sure that they really did have a gender problem. The symptoms were super clear. There were no women at the top of the organization. Not very many women were coming into the organization. And great women were leaving the organization. So, they had… it looked like a gender problem. But it took, I don’t know, an hour. It took 60 minutes, certainly not even all of Monday, to uncover that their actual problem was not a gender problem. Their actual problem was a communication problem. And if we did all of the things that we know exist in our gender tool kit on how to fix gender, that would have all been wasted effort. But instead, what we found out is that the founders of this organization, and they were two cofounders, and they were very similar to each other, and they’d worked together and known each other for decades. They had a really uncomfortably and aggressively direct communication style. That communication style repelled all women and most men. So yes, the symptoms were gender. But oh, my goodness, the cause was that the two founders were succumbing to a problem many of us succumb to, which is, we were treating others as we like to be treated. They loved to be treated with aggressively direct communication. But nobody else loved it. And when we simply confronted them with that and taught them that instead of treating others as you want to be treated, now it’s a puzzle. Find out how they want to be treated, and treat them that way. Gets fixed. And all of a sudden, women and lots of other men are flowing to the organization. So, Monday… and we take a whole day for this. Let’s make sure we’re solving the real problem. And symptoms are rarely the cause. So, we just want to do some due diligence, some due diligence there. Once we know we’re solving for the real problem, there’s going to be trust broken down somewhere in the… amidst the problem. Well, very fortunately, we now understand trust super well. If I’m going to earn your trust, you will have an involuntary reaction of trusting me if you experience my authenticity, logic, and empathy all at the same time. When these three things are present, you will trust me. But if any one of these three is missing, you will not trust me. And here’s the catch. If trust is broken, and we know it’s only ever broken for one of these three reasons, we need to know which of the three, because the prescriptions to solve a broken authenticity pillar versus logic pillar versus empathy pillar, they’re entirely different from one another. So, you can think about rebuilding trust. It’s just a matching game. Know which one is at stake. And then bring in the curated prescription for that. There is a myth about trust that it takes a lifetime to build and a moment to destroy. And then you can never rebuild it. None of those things are true, that we can actually build trust very quickly when we understand the architecture of it. We can rebuild it quickly and just as strong as it was before. So, this notion that trust is a Faberge egg, it’s catchy and not true. Trust is being rebuilt all the time. But we want to do it with a deep understanding of the stable architecture. So, Tuesday takes all day. We solve for trust. On Wednesday, we call Wednesday making new friends. And what we mean by that is whichever collection of people you bring to the table who are the people that maybe are on your senior team or the people that you bring to the table to solve problems. And here, I’ve represented a table. And there’s eight check marks for eight seats. I encourage you to bring four extra chairs to that table. If you have eight seats, bring four extra chairs. Point to the extra chairs and ask yourself, who’s not here? Who has a stake in our problem who’s not represented at the table? I was recently in a conversation with our senior colleagues at the Harvard Business School. And we were talking about how to do junior faculty development. And we came up with what we thought were great ideas. And then we looked around and we were like, Oh, my goodness, there’s no junior faculty here. How on Earth do we know if these are good ideas? So, we got the empty seats. We invited people in. And sure enough, the junior faculty helped improve our plans dramatically. The equivalent of that always happens. So, on Wednesday, we want to make new friends. So, one is inviting them into the room. But then the second part is, how do you make sure that their voices are heard? And what we need to do is that when someone comes to the room, they’re going to be awfully tempted to say things that they think we want to hear. They’re going to be awfully tempted to conform to what we’re already saying. So, what we need to do is learn how to be inclusive of their unique voices. And the way we do that is by going through this four-step progressive process, which is, first, we have to make sure they feel safe and that they feel… they’re going to feel physically and emotionally safe, I’m sure, but that they feel psychologically safe. And that’s a shout-out to Amy Edmondson and all of her beautiful work there. But we have to make sure that we feel safe. Once we feel safe, then it’s our job to make sure that the new voices feel welcome. You can think of that as table stakes. Then when we’re doing is we’re really trying to move people up the inclusion dial. And here, this is when it really starts to make a big difference. And now what we want to do is make sure that they feel celebrated for their unique contribution. And so, what we’re doing is moving them up the inclusion dial. Now, here’s why that’s kind of hard. Most of us tend to celebrate sameness. And here, I’m asking you to celebrate uniqueness. And what I mean by celebrating sameness is that for the most part, like, when I watch my students in class, if one student says something, and then another student was going to say that, after class, they go and seek out the first person. And they’re like, you’re awesome. You said what I was going to say. They didn’t realize this. They’re celebrating sameness. They’re encouraging sameness. So, what I do is I advise my students to not share that verbal treat, that what we playfully refer to as a Scooby snack. Don’t share that Scooby snack for when somebody says something you were going to say. Share it for when somebody says something you could never have said on your own, and that it comes from their lived experience and learned experience, and how they metabolize successes and failures, and their ambition, if they’re lucky enough to have neurodiversity, their worldview, all of that. It’s a beautiful cocktail. Wait till they say something that comes uniquely from all of that. Celebrate that. When we celebrate uniqueness, that’s when we get the blossoming of the perspectives. And what we want to do to make somebody really feel included is we celebrate them when they are in our presence. But if you really want somebody to feel included, and we bring folks into the room for this, make sure that you champion them when they’re in the absence. So, let’s not just ask the junior faculty to come along. Or if it’s a senior team, and it’s mostly men, and the board of directors is coming in, and we’re like, oh, goodness. Let’s make sure we can show some women too. So, we bring some women along. We celebrate them in our presence. Let’s make sure that we champion them in our absence as well, which is celebrate their uniqueness in our presence and champion them in rooms that they’re not yet allowed into in their absence. So that’s Wednesday. Let’s make new friends. Let’s include their voices. Let’s champion those new voices in their absence. Thursday, we tell a good story. And stories have three parts to it: past, present, and future. It is really important – if you’re going to change something, if you’re going to fix something, it is critical to honor the past. People that were here before us, if they don’t feel like we see the past, we see them, we’re honoring the past, I promise you, they’re going to hold us back. And they’re going to be like The Godfather movie and keep pulling us back. So, we have to honor the past with clear eyes, both the good part of the past and the bad part of the past. Then we have to answer the question, why should we change now? Like, why shouldn’t we change maybe next week, maybe the week after, maybe the month after, maybe next year? So, it’s really important that we give a clear and compelling change mandate that answers the question, why now? Why not in a little while? I find that if you’re a retailer, and you have the metaphor of Walmart just opened up next door, clear, compelling. We have to… that should be our metaphor. How can we be, with as crisp of a language, clear and compelling about why now? And then we’ve honored the past. We have a clear and compelling change mandate. You want people to follow us in the improved future, we have to have a super rigorous and a super optimistic way forward. We have seen so many people be optimistic without rigor. Nobody’s going to follow. And similarly, rigor without optimism, also, nobody’s going to follow. So, it’s our job to keep refining and refining and refining until we can be both rigorous and optimistic. Now, how do we know when our plan is working? Well, here are the four parts of storytelling that we know. Our job is to understand this plan so deeply that we can describe it simply. When we describe it, we want to make sure if I describe it to you, and you describe it to the next person, that the next person understands it as if I described it to them. So, our job is to understand so deeply that we can describe simply that it’s understood in our absence. And the ultimate test is it’s understood when they go home and share it with their family. They have the same understanding we want. We find this to be the four-stage litmus test to make sure we have been effective in our communication. And when people understand it this well, then they can act on it in our absence. And that’s when we’re now in the position to go as fast as we can. And when all of that infrastructure is in place, well, then we can go super fast. And there are all kinds of clever ways that we can do that. So, I look forward to opening this up and having a conversation with you.

NICOLE SMITH: That was excellent. Professor, we got several questions. I want to just dive right into it. Tessa asked, what tools, practices, and skills do you use to uncover the underlying superficial problems? It sounded like you talked a lot about questions and asking questions.

FRANCES FREI: Yeah, it’s right. So, the Toyota production system would famously refer to the five whys. And they had… and that was root cause analysis, which we all know. But essentially, what they found is that it’s about five… why does this exist? Well, why does that exist? Well, why does that exist? Like, if you ask why five times, they found that that’s how you got to the root cause. We find, in practice, the answer is closer to three. It’s rarely one. So, it would be, the symptom and the cause are usually a few layers. And you want to keep asking why. So, that’s the first thing I would say, is that we want to have… make sure that you’re doing root cause analysis. But the second thing on a specific tool, the tool that we like the most, we call the indignities list. And what you do is that… and the way we found out the symptom is we went to women in this company, because that’s what… they said they were having a gender problem. And we asked the women, is there anything that’s going on at work that just… it feels like it’s just nicking your dignity? And it occurs for… is it happening to you, or you observe it happening to other women? So, you go in search of the indignities list. Every time we do this, you’ll get a list of issues. Often, they will sound trivial. When you start to get convergence on those indignities, we then ask you to convert those indignities to the dignity list. And in this case, it was the communication style. And you know what the awesome thing about that was? It was free.

NICOLE SMITH: Wow.

FRANCES FREI: You can’t beat free.

NICOLE SMITH: Monique asks, can you speak more about how to amplify others’ ideas and perspectives, especially when they’re from underrepresented stakeholders?

FRANCES FREI: Oh, I love that question. Thank you very much. And so, I’m going to go to… here is my favorite visual on the amplification part, which is the team I’ve drawn in the middle, it’s a three-person team. And each circle represents a person on the team. And I’m showing that there’s three circles in the middle, that those folks are very similar to one another. And then on either side, we have a team where there’s difference among us. And this is where the underrepresented might come in. If we’re not careful, when we have underrepresented voices, we’re only going to be seeking from them the parts that overlap with us. So, this is when we’ve invited them to the table, but we’re not inclusive of their voices. What we want to do is make sure that everybody feels comfortable bringing all of their richness to the table, not just the part that overlaps. And so, what we find we need to do is be very solicitous about… and same with questions. From your perspective, how does this sound to you? What else are we missing? What I’m trying to do is get you off the scent of saying what you think I want to say or even asking you to say what I want to say because it makes me feel better. But I want to be inclusive of all of the gorgeous uniqueness. And this, of course, ties to diversity, equity, and inclusion, which I know has gotten a rocky go of things in the press. But what I’ll tell you is, if I got to rewrite diversity, equity, and inclusion, I would have written it as inclusion, equity, and diversity, because I have seen teams bring… I have seen organizations bring in diverse and underrepresented talent and not get the benefit from it.

NICOLE SMITH: Yeah.

FRANCES FREI: So, diversity may or may not beget inclusion. But I have never, ever seen an organization that was inclusive that didn’t beget gorgeous diversity.

NICOLE SMITH: Right.

FRANCES FREI: So, be inclusive first.

NICOLE SMITH: I appreciate you saying that, not just sitting at the table, but actually including and giving lift to people’s voices. I also want to talk about this friends thing you keep talking about, making new friends. First of all, how do I identify who’s a friend?

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. So, in this case, I want the friend to be someone who is as different from you as possible. So, the new friends. Like, who’s worthy of friendship? Not someone who you’re already attracted to, not somebody who you’re already hanging out with. So, here’s the thing about humans. We really like people who are really like us. It doesn’t make us bad people. But it just makes us human. And so, what I want you to do is seek difference. Find people from different perspectives. And that will be demographic difference, different lived experience, different learned experience. And so, if we’re senior faculty, let’s invite in junior faculty. If we’re all women, let’s invite in a man. If we’re all engineers, let’s make sure we’re bringing in the perspective of marketing. So, what I would say is my guiding principle is seek difference. Those are your potential new friends.

NICOLE SMITH: OK, so Steve wants to hone in on Friday, right? And Steve asks, can you paint a quick sketch of what’s going fast after this being slower – a slower, more thoughtful process?

FRANCES FREI: I sure can. Thank you, Steve. And so, here’s how I would think about Friday. We need ruthless prioritization. And what I mean by that is that for the most part, organizations have… that we work equally on everything. We think everything is equally important. But what we know is that organizations that win, they have ruthless prioritization. And they know, this is what I’m designed to be great at. And this is what I’m designed to be bad at. Not bad for sport, bad in the service of great. And if an organization can’t discern between these two, they’re going to end up with exhausted mediocrity. And so, what we have to do for our employees and the rest of the organization is, here’s what we’re going to optimize on. That’s half the story. And here’s what we’re not. So, I’ll give you an example of this. And the example is from Steve Jobs. And if those of you that are a bit techie, and you remember 20 years ago, when Steve Jobs walked out on that Worldwide Developer Conference stage with a manila envelope, and it had a MacBook Air in it. And he slid out that MacBook Air. And the crowd and the world went crazy, because it was the lightest-weight laptop in the world. Well, he very, very openly said, we are best in class at weight because we are worst in class at physical features. We could have been best in class at physical features. But then we would have been worst in class at weight. Or we could have chosen to be average at both. But then we would have had to rename our company. And then he made fun of another company that I won’t say here. So, we will end up… if we aren’t deliberate, we’re going to end up with exhausted mediocrity, constantly getting better at the things we’re bad at, which, without realizing it, means we’re getting worse at the things we’re good at. So, the most important thing we can do on Friday is to articulate, this is what we want to be disproportionately good at. And thus, this is what we want to be disproportionately bad at. And there’s a whole other series of things. But that’s the most important one.

NICOLE SMITH: Mm-hmm. Speaking of Steve Jobs, we have a question where they ask, do you think that the culture in Silicon Valley is changing from break things to fix things, particularly as it pertains to not only their own companies, but broader societal problems?

FRANCES FREI: Yeah, so I – not in all of Silicon Valley. So, I think we can famously see, it’s not clear to me that Twitter is moving fast and fixing things. But what I will say is that, look at Uber today. And I had the pleasure of going and working with Uber back in 2017, when they were going to move fast and break things. They are moving fast and fixing things now, and going at a catapulting speed. Or ServiceNow didn’t ever even go through move fast and break things. It’s just moving fast and fixing things. Stripe is doing the same thing. Airbnb is now moving fast and fixing things. So, what I would say is that Silicon Valley can now choose to move fast and fix things, whereas, in the past, I think they only thought they had the choice of going slow or moving fast and breaking things. Today, we have the choice. And more and more companies are making that choice.

NICOLE SMITH: Mm-hmm. And so, Bill asked, which one of these steps do you find the most commonly in need of… that companies need the most help with? So, you laid out Monday through Friday. Is there something that sticks out often?

FRANCES FREI: Well, I’ll tell you that if companies are really pressed for time, they skip Thursday. And that’s to their peril, because if we skip Thursday, that means we have to be present. And we’re a bottleneck for everything. That means people need us to translate why this is important. So, I would say that Thursday is the one that’s most often skipped. And I encourage you not to. And then I would say that Tuesday is the one that’s most often misunderstood because of all of the myths I mentioned that we have about trust. And we just think, oh, if trust is broken, we have to work around it, as opposed to going right through it and rebuilding trust.

NICOLE SMITH: So, Thursday, that’s the storytelling, honoring the past, describing it simply, right? So why do we struggle to describe things simply?

FRANCES FREI: Oh, I don’t know what your inbox looks like on your email. But you tell me how many long emails you have.

NICOLE SMITH: I refuse to deal with my inbox. I’ll deal with it later.

FRANCES FREI: So, Mark Twain was right. I apologize for sending you a long letter. I didn’t have the time to send you a short letter. It’s the metaphor for all of this, that when we understand something in a complicated way, we want to benefit people from the entirety of our knowledge. And we just throw up all of it on people, as opposed to realizing the beautiful curation and skill that’s required to go from understanding it deeply to understanding it elegantly in its simplicity. So, I think it takes time. It’s also… it takes skill. Like, this is… there are professional communicators for a reason. They’re really good at it. But if you’re on your second draft of something, you have no chance of describing it simply. So, I would say, unless you’re on your 10th draft, you’re probably describing it in too complicated of a way.

NICOLE SMITH: Yeah. So, can I ask you a little bit more of a personal question, Professor?

FRANCES FREI: Yeah, anything.

NICOLE SMITH: So, Abby asks, how do you apply the essential steps to moving fast and fixing things in your own consulting role? So, Uber and all the places that you go.

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. Yeah, so I’ll tell you, when we’ve been successful, it’s when organizations come to us, and they say, here’s our problem. Will you help us? When we’ve been unsuccessful is when we go to the organizations, and we’re like, we think you’re having a problem. So, pull works. Push doesn’t. So, the only thing we can’t provide is the desire to change. And so, I would say personally, make sure there’s an opening. And then you can be super helpful in fixing a problem. And I also would say that all of this applies to yourself. I mean, that ruthless prioritization – so many of us are trying to be good at as many things as possible – at work, at home, daughter, sister, cousin, parent, friend – as opposed to, I’m going to kill it at work, kill it at home. And I am not going to be good… not now. I’m not going to be as good at all of these other things. So, you can either choose exhausted mediocrity, or you can have the nobility of excellence. These things are choices. So, I think all of this applies to ourselves.

NICOLE SMITH: So, let’s go back to Tuesday, where you drew that triangle with logic, and empathy, and authenticity. So, Hung asks, between logic and empathy, which one would you say an individual should develop first? And Hung really describes just having a left foot and right foot and not knowing which one to go forward.

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. So, here’s what I would say, Hung, is, ask yourself… I bet you’re trusted most of the time, which means people are experiencing your authenticity, logic, and empathy most of the time. But ask yourself, the last time, or the most recent times you had a skeptic, you had someone who was doubting you, who they were wobbling on your trust, ask yourself, what is it that they doubted about you? And if it’s that they doubted your logic, double click there. If they doubted your empathy, double click there. And that is, each of us has what we call a wobble. Each one of us has a pattern where the distribution of these is higher for one or the other. That’s the sequence I would go in. There’s not some generic sequence that is better. All three of these pillars are equally important. But I bet, for each one of us, one tends to be more shaky than the other. And that’s what I would go after. Now, I will just tell you the distribution in the world. The vast majority of us have empathy wobbles, then logic wobbles, then authenticity wobbles. But that doesn’t help any of us specifically. It just tells us we have lots of company.

NICOLE SMITH: OK. So, we got a lot more questions and a little time. I want to get as many as I can in, but…

FRANCES FREI: OK, I’ll go super quick. Yeah.

NICOLE SMITH: No, take your time. But I just want to let you know, you’re pretty popular in this conversation. Rock star, as Allison said. Tara asks, how can company leadership make sure that their messaging is actually heard and understood? I feel like you touched on this a bit with simplicity.

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. Yeah, and I think that the way to do it is, talk to people about your message that didn’t hear it directly from you. And see how well they understood. That tells you whether or not it’s reaching. So, don’t ask the people that were in the room. Ask the people that were spoken to by other people in the room. That will tell you how well it’s there. And if it took you a long time to describe it, I promise you, it’s not going to be heard.

NICOLE SMITH: Mm. Oh, wow. Yeah, thinking about it, probably need to shorten my own stories a little bit here. So, Karen asks you, how do you handle employees who are not willing to accept others’ points of view and be open minded? I mean, you described this uniqueness and diversity. But there are people who are holdouts that don’t see the advantage of that.

FRANCES FREI: So, I often find those folks are an education away, because if I can let you know that if I get to benefit from everyone’s point of view, and you only get to benefit from some people’s point of view, I will competitively thump you. So, let’s say you don’t have the moral imperative wanting to do it. Well, the performance imperative… we have found that organizations that are inclusive get a 200% to 500% boost on employee engagement and team performance with no new people, no new technology, simply the act of being inclusive. So, the person who doesn’t want to be inclusive, I’m going to ask them, can they afford… can their career afford performing so suboptimally?

NICOLE SMITH: Mm. And so, we have a question. The person didn’t leave their name, so I don’t have a name. But how much time do you spend on each stage? Some folks like to spend more time on stages than others. Does the team not move forward until everyone’s satisfied with the current step? What do you do when you hit a roadblock on each stage, and not everyone is in agreement?

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. Well, I don’t like consensus, so I’ll just… I’ll say there. And so, what I try to do is work on momentum, which is that I want to make sure that everybody’s voices have been heard. But then you have to leave the decision to someone else. So, we want to do is make sure everybody’s voices are heard, and they had a chance to do it. But we don’t hold out until the very last person. We move forward. And then we can retrace and see if the momentum can bring people forward. So, not consensus. I would consider it not consensus, and we have to make sure that everybody gets to air out what their problems are.

NICOLE SMITH: OK. Well, Christopher asks our last question. How does transparency fit into this model, specifically this trust, authenticity, logic model? Does it have a place?

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. It sure does. And I find that the most important part for transparency is on the logic side. So, if you’re going to say… if you’re going to inspect whether or not I have good rigor, and I have a good plan, I could say, oh, just have faith. I did all of this hard work. Or I could give you a glimpse inside so that you can see the inner workings. Now, I often call it a window of transparency, because there’s actually a cost of full transparency that I’m not always willing to take. But a window of transparency, I think we always need. So, to me, the transparency part is, let’s be transparent about our logic so people can see it for themselves, and they don’t have to do it in too much of a faith-based way.

NICOLE SMITH: Professor, that was all dynamic. And thank you for the illustrations. You made it simple with the illustrations.

FRANCES FREI: Yeah, all right. Awesome. Thanks so much.

NICOLE SMITH: Thank you for your time.

FRANCES FREI: OK.

HANNAH BATES: That was Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei in conversation with HBR’s editorial audience director Nicole Smith at the “Future of Business” virtual conference in November 2023.

We’ll be back next Wednesday with another hand-picked conversation about leadership from Harvard Business Review. If you found this episode helpful, share it with your friends and colleagues, and follow our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re there, be sure to leave us a review.

When you’re ready for more podcasts, articles, case studies, books, and videos with the world’s top business and management experts, you’ll find it all at HBR.org.

This episode was produced by Anne Saini, and me, Hannah Bates. Ian Fox is our editor. Music by Coma Media. Special thanks to Dave Di Iulio, Terry Cole, and Maureen Hoch, Erica Truxler, Ramsey Khabbaz, Nicole Smith, Anne Bartholomew, and you – our listener. See you next week.

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U.S. home prices have far outpaced paychecks. See what it looks like where you live

Jennifer Ludden

Daniel Wood

Millions of Americans are already shut out of buying a home, and the cost of buying one continues to rise.

In past decades, it was common to find a house that cost roughly three times a buyer's annual income. But that ratio has skewed sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic, with home prices up a whopping 47% since early 2020. Median home sales prices last year were about five times the median household income, according to tabulations in a newly released report by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, and there are signs it could get worse.

The double whammy of high prices and high mortgage rates has "left homeownership out of reach to all but the most advantaged households," says Daniel McCue, a senior research associate at the center.

The report finds that in nearly half of metro areas, buyers must make more than $100,000 to afford a median-priced home; in 2021, that was the case in only 11% of markets.

For those looking to buy — as well as for current homeowners — rising property taxes and insurance rates are also adding to financial strain. According to Harvard's estimates, "The all-in monthly costs of the median-priced home in the U.S. [when adjusted for inflation] are the highest since these data were first collected more than 30 years ago."

Rents are high and housing vouchers are hard to get. So Philly is giving renters cash

This has made it even harder to close racial gaps in homeownership. In the first quarter of 2024, the report finds that just 8% of Black renters and 13% of Hispanic renters had enough income to afford the monthly payments on a median-priced home.

Meanwhile, with many homeowners reluctant to sell and give up their lower mortgage rates, home sales have plummeted. Last year saw the lowest level of existing-home sales in nearly three decades, even lower than after the 2008 housing crash. The U.S. homeownership rate nudged up just 0.1 percentage points last year, the smallest increase since 2016.

The housing crunch has also helped push up rental prices

The spike in home costs has left millions of people stuck renting, driving up competition and prices in that market too. For a record half of U.S. renters, their housing is now unaffordable, Harvard finds. Since 2001, inflation-adjusted rents have gone up 10 times faster than renters' income.

Housing experts say the underlying problem for both buyers and renters is a massive housing shortage that has built up over decades and will take years to remedy. Single-family construction has been picking up, and some developers are building slightly smaller, lower-cost homes. A boom in multifamily construction has also helped ease rents, especially in places such as Austin, Texas, which saw some of the biggest hikes in recent years.

We, The Voters

Housing experts say there just aren't enough homes in the u.s..

But the Harvard report's authors say this reprieve isn't likely to last.

For one thing, high interest rates and other rising costs — land, labor, insurance — have again slowed down apartment construction. And because all those things are so expensive, most of what's being built is at the higher end of the market. Over the past decade, the U.S. has lost more than 6 million units with rents under $1,000. For extremely low-income renters, the National Low Income Housing Coalition calculates that for every 100 households, there are only 34 places they can afford.

Tough housing market is luring buyers without kids and higher incomes

At the same time, rental demand remains strong, especially as more members of Generation Z move out on their own. Last year, the number of renter households grew by more than half a million, the biggest bump since 2016.

If demand continues to tick up while the slowdown in construction persists, the Harvard report warns that this will "risk sparking another period of rapid rent increases similar to the recent run-up that has contributed to the worst renter affordability conditions on record."

International Relations

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