* GPA: Your high school grade point average is a crucial factor.
* Course Rigor: The difficulty of your high school courses (AP, IB, Honors) is heavily weighted.
* Essays and Recommendations: Your application essays and letters of recommendation provide insight into your personality, accomplishments, and potential.
* Extracurricular Activities: Demonstrated leadership, commitment, and passion in extracurricular activities are essential.
* Background and Context: Harvard considers your background and life circumstances.
While a high SAT score is undeniably important and increases your chances, successful applicants consistently score in the 1500-1600 range (out of 1600). However, even a score within that range is not a guarantee. Many applicants with perfect or near-perfect scores are not accepted.
Focus on achieving the highest score you can, but remember that it's only one piece of a much larger application puzzle. A strong application in all areas is far more important than any single score.