If your child is a budding engineer who enjoys sunny days, you’re likely wondering if they have a shot at getting into Harvey Mudd College. We don’t blame you: Harvey Mudd is both a small liberal arts college and an engineering giant. It’s ranked number ten in national liberal arts colleges by US News & World Report, and its alumni abound in Silicon Valley. We’re going to answer all your admissions questions and more. But first, let’s look at why this small school outside of Los Angeles has become such a powerhouse. 

About Harvey Mudd College 

Harvey Mudd is located in Claremont, California, and is part of the Seven College Consortium.  The 7 Cs consist of five undergraduate schools (Pitzer College, Pomona College, Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, Scripps College) and two graduate schools (Claremont Graduate University and the Keck Graduate Institute). Students at Harvey Mudd get to cross-register with all these other schools, which means, amidst engineering courses, they can take a political science class at Pomona or learn a bit about feminist theory at the all-women’s Scripps. 

Harvey Mudd College stands out from other engineering programs because it’s entirely undergraduate-focused, meaning that Harvey Mudd students don’t need to compete with PhD students for faculty attention. And there are only 900 students at Harvey Mudd, meaning that the school offers a close-knit, collaborative community.  

According to The Wall Street Journal, Harvey Mudd is the fourth-best school for improvement to graduates’ salary outcomes, beaten only by Princeton, Stanford, and MIT. The acceptance rate for Harvey Mudd’s Class of 2029 was a mere 13%. That means getting in will require strategic planning (and the help of Ivy Coach’s college admissions experts certainly wouldn’t hurt!). 

Harvey Mudd Admissions Requirements

Obviously, GPA, standardized testing scores, and extracurricular achievements are the key components of a successful application to Harvey Mudd College and to any school. That being said, what do these components actually look like for Harvey Mudd College admits? Without further ado, let’s dive in!

What Kind of GPA Is Necessary To Get Into Harvey Mudd?

Harvey Mudd historically has not released the high school GPA data of its students, leaving hopeful Mudders muddled about what they may need to do in order to get admitted to this STEM-focused college.

However, if we look at the class rank information for Harvey Mudd’s enrolled students, it’s possible to glean a general sense of where students should be within their own curriculum to see if they should bother filling out an application to Harvey Mudd.

GPA Percentage of Harvey Mudd College Class of 2028 Students

From the Harvey Mudd 2024-2025 Common Data Set:

Assessment	Percent
Percent in top tenth of high school graduating class	92%
Percent in top quarter of high school graduating class	100%
Percent in top half of high school graduating class	100%

What Kind of SAT or ACT Scores Are Needed To Get Into Harvey Mudd College?

The average SAT score for the Harvey Mudd College Class of 2028 was a 1530 and the average ACT score was a 35. These are some very high scores! Though Harvey Mudd is test-optional, 68% of applicants submitted their scores; we at Ivy Coach believe that test-optional admissions is nothing but a happy-sounding fable, and we’d strongly advise any serious prospective Mudder to ace those tests and submit those scores. 

What Classes Do Students Need to Take to Get Into Harvey Mudd?

Harvey Mudd lists the following as requirements for admissions consideration: 

• One year of high school calculus
• One year of high school chemistry
• One year of high school physics

They also list the following courses as strongly recommended: 

• Four years of English
• Two years of social sciences including history
• Two years of a foreign language

Of course, we would never recommend merely one or two years of preparation in any subject. We at Ivy Coach know that highly selective colleges like Harvey Mudd want to see students excelling in each core subject (English, history, math, science, and foreign language) all four years of high school. In fact, they expect to see five years for foreign language since most students begin their first level of foreign language in eighth grade.

What Kinds of Extracurriculars Does Harvey Mudd Like To See?

We’re going to clear up a common misunderstanding: highly selective colleges are not looking for well-rounded students. They’re looking for a well-rounded student body comprised of students who are each singularly talented. 

In terms of extracurriculars, that means Harvey Mudd College is looking for depth over breadth. If you’re a member of the debate team, the robotics team, the field hockey team, and the drama department…well, then, you’re merely a member of those groups. You don’t stand out in any of these pursuits. Harvey Mudd College would much rather accept a nationally ranked debate champ than a kid who spent an hour or two on debate a week because he spent the rest forgetting Shakespeare lines and fumbling the ball in football practice. 

Harvey Mudd College Application Requirements

Harvey Mudd accepts the Common App. They ask for a guidance counselor recommendation, one recommendation from a STEM teacher, and another recommendation from a humanities teacher. Finally, they ask the two following supplemental questions: 

1. Harvey Mudd College seeks to educate engineers, scientists, and mathematicians well versed in all of these areas and in the humanities, social sciences and the arts so that they may assume leadership in their fields with a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society. – HMC Mission Statement. “Scientific research is a human endeavor. The choices of topics that we research are based on our biases, our beliefs, and what we bring: our cultures and our families. The kinds of problems that people put their talents to solving depends on their values.” – Dr. Clifton Poodry. HMC’s collaborative community is guided by our mission statement. Through an intentional interdisciplinary curriculum, our students seek to build a skillset adaptable to society’s needs. How has your own background influenced the types of problems you want to solve, the people you want to work with, and the impact you hope your work can have? (500 words or less)
2. Many students choose HMC because they don’t want to give up their interests in the Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts – or HSA as we call it at HMC. Briefly describe what you’d like to learn about in your dream HSA class. Your class can either be one chosen from existing classes at HMC, or you are welcome to create your own.”  (100 words or less)

Who Should Students Ask For Letters of Recommendation For Harvey Mudd College? 

Harvey Mudd applicants should ask two junior year teachers in core subjects. Obviously, the applicant should have a good relationship with the teacher or at least have performed well in their class. In addition, at least one of the recommenders’ subject area should be related to the student’s hook: if a student’s singular hook is studying fruit fly DNA, it wouldn’t make sense if their recommenders were their History and English teachers. 

Does Harvey Mudd Require An Interview? 

Harvey Mudd offers an optional interview. We at Ivy Coach would highly encourage serious applicants to take them up on this offer! 

What Are Harvey Mudd College’s Application Deadlines? 

Early Decision I applications to Harvey Mudd are due Nov. 15. Early Decision II  and Regular Decision applications are due Jan. 5. 

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Get Into Harvey Mudd

If you’re interested in discerning if your child has a shot of getting into Harvey Mudd College, we recommend setting up Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session. Not only will you find out if your child has a chance of getting into Harvey Mudd College, but you’ll receive a game plan of how your child can optimize their admission to the best school possible.