H
Private 4 Year

HMC Admission Requirements

Claremont, California

 1 Reviews

Your chances of getting into Harvey Mudd College

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted 

13.4%
Admission Difficulty for Harvey Mudd College
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Elite 
Applicant Competition Very High 

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at HMC is 13.4%.  Its admission rate is the 9th lowest in California and the 47th lowest the nation.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into HMC and can you get accepted?

HMC is a very highly competitive school to get into. You have a low chance of acceptance even if you meet the admission criteria. It's important that you meet their GPA requirements to get through the first round of consideration. Last year, only 593 out of the 4,440 who applied were admitted.

Harvey Mudd College typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.96. 40% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into HMC?

13% are accepted, can you get in? Use the admission calculator to see if you have the grades and test scores needed to get in. See your admission chances based on your extracurriculars, intended major, background, and more.

Calculate your admission chances
Calculate your admission chances

Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to Harvey Mudd College you should:

  • Have a high school GPA of 3.96 or better
  • Earn A- grades in high school
  • Score 1520 on the SAT
  • Score 35 on the ACT

HMC GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 

3.96*

Typical High School Grades 

A-

What GPA do you need to get into Harvey Mudd College?

GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for getting into HMC are to have around a 3.96 high school GPA. You are required to have exceptionally good grades and you should be graduating near the top of your class.

Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough for you to gain admission as HMC is a very selective school.

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at HMC is 3.96 on the 4.0 scale. To achieve the average GPA for admission, you need to earn A- letter grades and regularly score around 90-92 percent on tests and assignments in high school.  The school ranks #5 in California for highest average GPA.

Importance of GPA

Since HMC is a test optional college, extra focus will be placed on your GPA when the school considers your application. As a result, it is very important that you meet the GPA requirements.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 4.0 GPA range.

*This school has not published high school GPA data for its incoming freshman class. In these cases, CollegeSimply uses an algorithm to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of college GPA data. 3.96 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

Calculate My Chances 

HMC SAT Scores

Testing Requirements

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Harvey Mudd College. If you optionally submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 43% of students submitted SAT scores and 17% submitted ACT scores for admission for the most recent academic year..

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 

1480-1560

Applicants Submitting SAT 

43%
SAT Scores for Harvey Mudd College
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile 720
Math 25th Percentile 760
Composite 25th Percentile 1480
SAT Scores for Harvey Mudd College
SAT Test 75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile 770
Math 75th Percentile 790
Composite 75th Percentile 1560
Average SAT Score 1520

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for you to be admitted to Harvey Mudd College?

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at HMC is 1520 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1480-1560. Students who get into Harvey Mudd College score in the top 1 percent of all SAT test takers..  HMC ranks #3 in the state of California and #21 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1520 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. HMC regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 1480 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 1480, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 1440, but scores this low are outside the normal range.

Score Submission Requirements

Harvey Mudd College is a test optional school meaning do not have to submit SAT scores with your application. The position on SAT scores from the college is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

View other colleges which accept students in the 1520 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1520, you have around a 13% chance of being admitted. A 1560 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 22% chance of getting in.

Harvey Mudd College admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1560 and Above Good >22%
1520 to 1560 Avg + 13%-22%
1480 to 1520 Avg - 7%-13%
1440 to 1480 Reach 4%-7%
Less than 1440 Low <4%
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HMC ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 

34-36 

Applicants Submitting ACT 

17%
ACT Scores for Harvey Mudd College
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile 35
Math 25th Percentile 34
Composite 25th Percentile 34
ACT Scores for Harvey Mudd College
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile 36
Math 75th Percentile 36
Composite 75th Percentile 36
Average ACT Score 35

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for students to get into HMC?

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to HMC is 35, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 34 and 36.  The school ranks #2 in California and #2 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

For the best chance of admission, you should have an ACT of 35. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 34 and score in the score in the top 1 percent nationally.

17 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Harvey Mudd College.

Score Submission Requirements

You do not have to to submit ACT scores with your application as Harvey Mudd College is test optional. The policy from the school on ACT scores is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Here are your predicted chances of getting into HMC for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 35 score has around 13% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 22% with a 36 ACT score.

Harvey Mudd College admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
36 Good >22%
35 to 36 Avg + 13%-22%
34 to 35 Avg - 7%-13%
33 to 34 Reach 4%-7%
Less than 33 Low <4%
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Applying

Admission Statistics

Admission and enrollment rates by gender are detailed the the table below.

Harvey Mudd College admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 1,509 2,931 4,440
Accepted 322 271 593
Acceptance Rate 21% 9% 13%
Enrolled 121 116 237
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 38% 43% 40%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Fall 2024 Application Deadline

Applications Due

Jan 5, 2025

Days left to Apply

33

Applicants have 33 days left until the Fall 2024 term applications are due on Jan 5, 2025.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Harvey Mudd College is $70.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Harvey Mudd College and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Harvey Mudd College Application Requirements
Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
High School GPA Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
High School Class Rank Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required to be considered for admission
Recommendations Required to be considered for admission
Demonstration of Competencies Not considered for admission, even if submitted

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Harvey Mudd College
AP Credit No
Dual Credit No
Credit for Life Experiences No

Admission Requirements Summary

Because HMC is very highly competitive, you have a low likelihood of acceptance. It is important that you earn at least a 3.96 GPA to have a good shot at getting in. Additionally, you need to score a 1520 on the SAT and optimally 1560 to place yourself in a strong position. For ACT scores, you need a 35 to have a competitive chance of getting in.

Other Colleges to Apply To 

Students applying to Harvey Mudd College often consider these colleges

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=115409 IPEDS survey data for Harvey Mudd College.

Last updated February 24, 2024