How do I get into Haverford — General Information Information
Haverford College is a private college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. Founded in 1833, the total Haverford College enrollment is just over 1,300 students. U.S. News ranks Haverford #16 in National Liberal Arts Colleges.
What we’ll cover in this How to Get into Haverford College Guide:
- Average Haverford College GPA
- Haverford College SAT scores
- Details about Haverford College enrollment
- Haverford College admission requirements
- Haverford acceptance rate
- Writing the Haverford supplemental essays
- Acing your Haverford interview and more.
When thinking about how to get into Haverford College, consider how each part of your application adds to your application narrative. This includes maintaining a high GPA, finding your passions through extracurricular involvements, and, finally, writing thoughtful responses to the Haverford supplemental essays.
Figuring out how to get into Haverford College takes strategy. We can help. CollegeAdvisor.com’s network of 300+ Admissions Experts (and former admissions officers) includes Haverford graduates. Want to maximize your Haverford College admission odds? Create your account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.
What are my chances of getting into Haverford?
According to Forbes, Haverford College is a highly competitive school. The Haverford acceptance rate is 17.8%. Over 5,000 students applied for the Haverford Class of 2025, and the Haverford College admission total was just 952 students—that is, the school accepted 952 applicants. The Haverford College enrollment for the Class of 2025 was just 411 students.
There is no minimum Haverford College GPA required for Haverford College admission. However, we believe that the average Haverford College GPA sits around a 4.0. Additionally, the average Haverford College SAT scores range from 1430-1540, though test scores are currently optional for Haverford College admission.
If you want to know how to get into Haverford College, know that Haverford College admission is extremely selective. So, becoming a Haverford Black Squirrel will take much more than just meeting the Haverford College GPA or Haverford College SAT scores.
To maximize your chances of Haverford College admission, start preparing your application—including the Haverford supplemental essays and your Haverford College SAT scores—well before the deadline. We will discuss the different Haverford application deadlines later in this guide.
What is the GPA requirement for Haverford College?
There is no GPA that will guarantee you admission to Haverford College. However, you should try to match the average Haverford College GPA to increase your Haverford College admission odds.
The average Haverford College GPA for the Class of 2025 was around 4.0. Because of the high Haverford College GPA, it is crucial that you do well in your high school classes. Meeting the Haverford College GPA standard starts with choosing the right courses for you. So, take advantage of the resources available to you. Take challenging AP/IB classes—this will give you the best shot at meeting the average Haverford College GPA.
However, if you do not meet the average Haverford College GPA, don’t worry. There are other aspects of your application that you can strengthen, such as your Haverford interview or your Haverford supplemental essays. These will help improve your chances of Haverford College enrollment.
Want to know how to get into Haverford College if you can’t meet the average Haverford College GPA? Read our article here. You’ll find helpful tips to make your application stand out, even if you can’t match the average Haverford College GPA or Haverford College SAT scores. Plus, other areas of your application can boost your chances against the low Haverford acceptance rate.
What does the Haverford application require?
There are multiple parts to the Haverford College admission process, and each one is key to your “how to get into Haverford College” strategy. As a result, it is a smart idea to submit all Haverford supplemental essays, optional test scores, and complete a Haverford interview well before the application deadline.
The Haverford Early Decision I deadline is November 15th. The deadline for Early Decision II is January 5th, and the Regular Decision deadline is January 15th.
Applicants must submit:
- The Common Application or Coalition Application
- Haverford Supplemental Essays
- School Report
- High School Transcript
- School Profile
- Counselor Report
- Two Teacher Evaluations
- Mid-Year School Report
- Optional Haverford College SAT or ACT scores
Haverford College has adopted a test-optional admission policy, meaning you can choose whether to submit standardized test scores. So, if you feel that your test scores are similar to the average Haverford College SAT scores, it makes sense to submit them. However, there is no penalty for not submitting test scores. If you do wish to send your scores, you may self-report them on the application or send in an official score report to the Haverford College Admissions Office.
Applicants must submit the Haverford College supplemental essays to be considered for Haverford College admission. We will expand on how to write the Haverford College supplemental essays later in this guide.
Your Haverford College admission strategy should begin with a visit to their website.
Want some help acing the Common App? Check out our guide here.
What extracurriculars does Haverford College like?
Curious about how to get into Haverford College? Start by identifying your passions and interests.
In addition to your academics, extracurricular activities make up the rest of your candidate profile. Your candidate profile is a 1-2 sentence description of who you are, what you do, and why colleges should admit you. Crafting a strong candidate profile can set you apart from other applicants and should be a fundamental part of your “how to get into Haverford College” plan.
Haverford College admissions officers want to see that you pursue activities that highlight your interests. Most importantly, as you choose your extracurriculars, think about the quality of your involvements rather than the quantity.
Haverford seeks students who show interest in service and engage deeply with their community. So, be sure to showcase any extracurriculars that match these tenets. Also, you should discuss these values further in your Haverford interview and Haverford supplemental essays.
As you can see, Haverford admissions extends beyond the Haverford College GPA and Haverford College SAT scores. Specifically, Haverford College admission is granted to students who are intellectually curious and ready to enrich the campus community.
What is the acceptance rate at Haverford College?
The Haverford acceptance rate is 17.8%, making it a “most selective” school. Moreover, the Haverford acceptance rate is a key component to consider as you prepare your “how to get into Haverford College” approach.
For the Class of 2025, 5,332 applicants applied for Haverford College admission. Haverford admitted about 952 students, and the freshman Haverford College enrollment was just over 400 students. Also, the total Haverford College enrollment is roughly 1,300 students.
The Haverford acceptance rate can change each year, especially since recently, universities have indicated a higher number of applications across the board. A variety of factors influence the Haverford acceptance rate, including the available space in the freshman class and the total number of applicants. Moreover, the Haverford acceptance rate is also a big determinant of the Haverford College enrollment for freshman.
Students applying for Haverford College admission currently do not have to submit Haverford College SAT or ACT scores. However, we encourage you to take standardized tests if you can do so. The average Haverford College SAT score ranges from 1430-1540. Similarly, the average ACT score ranges from 33-35.
If you are considering Haverford College admission, you should take your first standardized test during your junior year. This will give you plenty of time to retake the test if necessary. Studying for the test well before the application deadline can help you match the average Haverford College SAT scores.
Wondering what other factors might influence Haverford College enrollment or the Haverford acceptance rate? Check out our article on the acceptance rates!
Does Haverford offer interviews?
As you research how to get into Haverford College, you might wonder about the Haverford interview process. We recommend that all those applying for Haverford College admission schedule a Haverford interview. However, Haverford College does not require an for admission.
The Haverford interview gives you the chance to show who you are beyond your Haverford College SAT scores or GPA. Additionally, you can ask questions in your Haverford interview to learn more about the college. Your Haverford interview can take place anytime between the spring of your junior year through early January of your senior year.
The Haverford interview takes place via Zoom and is available to first-year applicants only.
Here are some potential topics you can mention in your Haverford interview:
- Academic interests
- Extracurricular interests
- Personal values
- Community service
The Haverford interview assesses what you care about, what kind of person you are, and how you might enrich the campus community. Above all, try to share what you feel is most important or unique about you during your Haverford interview. This will help your case for Haverford College admission.
For more details about the Haverford interview process, visit their website.
How do I write the Haverford supplemental essay?
The Haverford supplemental essays are another factor to consider in your “how to get into Haverford College” strategy. There are two Haverford supplemental essays, and the Haverford College admissions team requires applicants complete both. One of the Haverford supplemental essays is limited to a maximum of 250 words, and the other is limited to 150 words.
The Haverford supplemental essays help the Haverford College admissions officers learn who you are and what you want in a college experience.
Haverford College is known for its student-run Honor Code – shared values that are “centered on the concepts of trust, concern, and respect.” Because the Honor Code is exclusive to Haverford, incorporating this unique feature in your responses to the Haverford supplemental essays will help you contend with the low Haverford College acceptance rate.
Here are some essential qualities that the Honor Code supports:
- Academic Freedom
- Student Agency
- Community
- Leadership and Engagement
As you write your responses to the Haverford supplemental essays, reflect on what the Honor Code means to you. If your scores are just below the average Haverford College GPA or Haverford College SAT scores, your responses to the Haverford supplemental essays can help your application stand out. As a result, we encourage you to prepare your Haverford supplemental essays well before the deadline.
Above all, be sure to write genuine, thoughtful responses to the Haverford supplemental essays. Include some insight into your personality, background, interests, and achievements as you write the Haverford supplemental essays. Additionally, make sure to add how you will enrich the campus community in your Haverford supplemental essays.
To learn more about the Honor Code and Haverford supplemental essays, visit the Haverford College admission website.
How does Haverford review applications?
When thinking about how to get into Haverford College, most students are only concerned about the average Haverford College GPA, Haverford College SAT scores, Haverford College enrollment, Haverford interview, and Haverford acceptance rate. However, there are other aspects to consider as you prepare your “how to get into Haverford College” strategy.
After the Haverford application deadline, Haverford begins its holistic, comprehensive review process. This means that each application is reviewed as a whole, with great attention to detail and context. In short, no single part of the application is given more weight in the Haverford College admission process. Rather, Haverford College admissions officers spend a considerable amount of time getting to know each applicant as a complete person.
Key qualities
Haverford College focuses on applicants who value honesty and collaboration and are dedicated to improving the world around them. As a result, be sure to highlight these qualities across your application, including in your Haverford supplemental essays and Haverford interview.
Want to improve your case for Haverford College admission? Start by strengthening your academic achievements and extracurricular involvement. Additionally, be sure to craft your candidate profile well in advance of the application deadline. This will help solidify your “how to get into Haverford College” strategy.
For more information about how to get into Haverford College and the application review process, visit their website.
Will Haverford College consider my social media accounts?
As you reflect on how to get into Haverford College, you might wonder if your social media presence could affect your application. Don’t worry—social media will not affect your Haverford College admissions odds. To sum up, Haverford does not look at social media during the review process.
However, this doesn’t mean that you should post offensive content on your social media pages. While these kinds of posts might not directly affect your admission odds, there are other instances where your social media presence can impact your life. For example, many potential employers will review your social media accounts when you apply for a job or internship.
So, we recommend using social media responsibly. Although it isn’t likely that Haverford College Admissions will check your Instagram or Tik Tok accounts, there is always a chance.
Is Haverford College a good school for me?
As you explore how to get into Haverford College, it is important to ask yourself whether Haverford is the right place for you. Yes, Haverford is ranked #16 in National Liberal Arts Colleges, and students who attend Haverford can certainly benefit from the 8:1 student-faculty ratio and small Haverford College enrollment. However, this doesn’t mean that Haverford is for everyone.
As evidenced by the average Haverford College GPA and Haverford College SAT scores, academics are an important part of life at Haverford. Haverford College prides itself on an academic program that focuses on intellectual exploration and individual growth. Additionally, most classes at Haverford are seminar-style, meaning that there is a strong emphasis on discussion and debate.
Another aspect to consider as you complete your “how to get into Haverford College” research: students at Haverford can take classes at Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, and the University of Pennsylvania. Therefore, when you are granted an offer for Haverford College admission, you have access to courses and professors across multiple schools.
The most popular majors at Haverford are:
- Political Science
- Economics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Computer Science
Additionally, 98% of students live on campus. With more than 145 clubs and organizations, there are plenty of opportunities to meet new people and get involved at Haverford.
As you think about how to get into Haverford College, ask yourself the following:
- Am I interested in attending a college that has a student-run Honor Code?
- Does Haverford offer the major I want to study?
- How can Haverford help me achieve my future goals?
So, if you decide that Haverford is the right place for you, be sure to submit all required materials, including the Haverford supplemental essays and Haverford interview scheduling request, well before the application deadline.
Additional tips to get into Haverford College
Build Your Candidate Profile
As you construct your “how to get into Haverford College” approach, keep in mind that Haverford looks for students who value intellectual curiosity, individual growth, and collaboration. Above all, pursue your interests and seek out experiences that will strengthen your candidate profile.
Schedule a Haverford Interview
The Haverford interview is the perfect opportunity for Haverford College admissions officers to learn more about who you are apart from your academic profile. Schedule your Haverford interview early and brush up on some interview techniques beforehand.
Write Compelling Responses to the Haverford Supplemental Essays
Be authentic and genuine as you craft your responses to the Haverford supplemental essays. Express who you are, what matters to you, and what you want Haverford College admissions officers to know about you. Because Haverford College enrollment is so small, it is crucial that you showcase your personality and interests in the Haverford supplemental essays.
Don’t let the average Haverford College GPA, Haverford College SAT scores, or low Haverford acceptance rate stop you from applying. Although there is no guarantee that you will be admitted to Haverford, following the tips and advice in our “How to Get into Haverford College” guide will help you prepare the most competitive application possible. Good luck!
This guide was written by Claire Babbs, UT Austin ’12. If you want to know how to get into Haverford College, we’ve got you covered. CollegeAdvisor.com’s network of 300+ Admissions Experts (and former admissions officers) includes Haverford graduates. Want to maximize your Haverford College admission odds? Create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.
