BA in Chemical and Physical Biology 

at Harvard University, Cambridge

Harvard University is highly ranked for its Engineering programs. Some of the notable rankings are as follows-

• In 2024, Harvard was ranked number one in the world for engineering by Times Higher Education.
• Harvard University (Paulson) is ranked No. 20 out of 199 in Best Engineering Schools. 
• In 2019, Harvard was ranked third in the world for engineering in the World University Engineering Rankings.
• Harvard ranked #8 in QS World University Rankings for Engineering and Technology, 2024.

Students need to complete the Common Application or Coalition Application by Scoir, along with the required supplements. The requirements are as follows:

• Subsets of questions
• An activities list
• Personal essay
• $85 application fee 
• SAT or ACT scores
• School Report (which includes a counselor letter) and high school transcript
• Midyear School Report (after first semester grades)
• Supplement short answer questions, each with a 150-word limit.
• Two letters of recommendation
• Resume

International students, including Indians, must showcase their excellent academic performance, leadership qualities, intellectual curiosity, and extracurricular activities to improve their selection probability. The undergraduate students must submit proof of high school completion, along with the mandatory requirements. On the other hand, graduate applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a recognised university or equivalent, with relevant work experience. Some mandatory documents include a letter of recommendation, essays, standardized test scores, English language requirements, statement of purpose, and more.

UVA and Harvard University are both great schools to study in the USA for international students. Harvard is generally considered more prestigious. Harvard requires a better “resume” to attend. Harvard will generally provide its students with a better network of contacts in most fields. We have compared them in the table below:

The difference between Harvard and Yale is marginal and both the universities are consistently ranked among the top universities worldwide. A comparison between these universities is given below:

Harvard University online courses are valid depending on the type of the course and the platform chosen. Students can choose platforms like Harvard Extension Schools, Harvard Business School Online, Harvard OpenCourseWare, Coursera, FutureLearn, and more. Platforms like Harvard Extension School are fully accredited and are valid in India. Also, Harvard Business School online is valid as a pre-MBA or upskilling program. On the other hand, courses from HarvardX, Harvard OCW, and Coursera are not valid but considered great for personal and professional development.

Getting into Harvard University is quite competitive but not impossible. Applicants can get into Harvard once they have outstanding academic grades. For the Class of 2028, 1,937 of the 54,008 applicants to class were granted admission, This is equivalent to 3.6%. Apart from the academic achievements, Harvard University also looks for these qualities in students:

• Growth & Potential
• Interests & Activities (Extracurricular)
• Personal Character
• Contribution to the Harvard Community

According to an unofficial ranking body, Harvard University acceptance rate is 3% for Indian students, and the early acceptance rate of 7.6%. This means that the students who apply early may have higher selection chances. The low acceptance percentage symbolizes that the university is too stringent not only for Indians but for each country. Along with fulfilling the basic eligibility criteria, students must provide relevant work experience or internships in some cases and submit the mandatory documents. The crucial list includes standardized test scores, essays, a resume, transcripts, English language requirements, a letter of recommendation, and more.

The University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University, both are the most reputed institutions in the USA. There is no comparison between them. However, students can decide where to go as both of them are extremely popular and can lead to a successful career. Students with extremely excellent performance can make a place in either of two as their acceptance rates are very low. The Harvard University acceptance rate is 3.41% which is the second the lowest in history and UPenn acceptance rate is 5.4%. Both universities provide a wide range of programs in over 100 specializations and their tuition costs are high. Students can check the below comparison table and decide where they must apply: