Harvard University

Harvard University's Computer Science programme is ranked among the best in the world. For 2024, the ranking is 17th according to U.S. News & World Report, and 6th in the United States by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Niche also ranked Harvard 7th for the best colleges in America with regard to computer science. The reputation and credibility attached to this programme can be told from the rankings. Harvard offers a comprehensive curriculum that also brings along highly theoretical foundations combined with practical application-meaning students are prepared for careers in technology, research, and innovation fields in a wide range of sectors.

Harvard University's Computer Science program, especially the introductory course CS50, can be pretty grueling for students without coding experience. Although CS50 is designed as an introduction for beginners—about two-thirds of students have never taken a computer Science course before—the course has a steep learning curve.
It would likely take students about 10 to 20 hours of coursework per week, and more often than not, problem sets require a lot of effort to understand and solve. Though it is quite engaging and simple to understand, some find the assignments too challenging in that regard, so to speak, and therefore result in some students dropping early or doing less of the work. This said, it is possible to perform well as a first time student.

The medical degree required for admission to the Master of Medical Sciences (MMSc) in Medical Education at Harvard can be an MD, DO, MBBS, or equivalent. A healthcare background as a registered nurse or physician assistant would also be appropriate. The applicant must have professional experience in clinical practice or medical education. The application components are: completed online form, Statement of Purpose, three letters of recommendation, CV, and official transcripts. GRE scores are not required, but TOEFL/IELTS scores are required if the English language is not a native language. The programme is very interested in applicants who have an interest in improving medical education through teaching, research, or curriculum development. Interviews are part of the selection process. The deadline for the application is usually December 1st.

There isn't a fixed "ideal" GRE score for the MS in Computer Science from Harvard. However, competitive applicants would score 165+ in the Quantitative section and 160+ in the Verbal section. A high score in the Quantitative is highly necessary because the programme has technical nature. Analytical Writing should be ideally 4.0 or above but is less stressed. Harvard's programme is holistic, so while very good GRE scores are great, other factors such as undergraduate GPA, relevant coursework, research experience, and even strong letters of recommendation make an equal difference. Let's not forget that a good GRE score is now no longer required, yet a good score can do wonders for your application.