Haverford College
Haverford College is a small private liberal arts college on a 200-acre arboretum campus just outside Philadelphia, founded by Quakers in 1833 and still shaped by that heritage — most visibly in its student-run Honor Code, which governs everything from take-home exams to community life. With about 1,430 students and a 9-to-1 student-faculty ratio, Haverford emphasizes close faculty mentorship and a required senior thesis, and it shares courses, libraries, and social life with neighboring Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore through the Tri-College Consortium. Admission is highly selective: Haverford admitted about 12.4% of more than 7,300 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years who submitted scores posted middle-50% SATs of 1470–1540 and 33–35 on the ACT. The college is unusually strong in the natural sciences — physical and biological sciences together account for roughly a third of degrees — is test-optional, and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.
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Haverford admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early Decision
Haverford offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~2.8× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized Tests
Haverford is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where Haverford's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 22% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Haverford does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How Haverford weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Haverford's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
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Frequently asked questions about Haverford admissions
Is it hard to get into Haverford College?＋
Yes — Haverford is highly selective, admitting about 12.4% of applicants in the most recent cycle (roughly 908 of more than 7,300). Admitted students sit near the top of their high school classes: among enrolled first-years who reported a class rank, about 94% were in the top tenth. Rigor of course load, academic GPA, the application essay, recommendations, extracurriculars, and personal character are all weighed as very important factors in Haverford's holistic review.
What is Haverford's acceptance rate, and is Early Decision easier?＋
Haverford admitted about 12.4% of applicants overall, offering admission to roughly 908 of more than 7,300 and enrolling about 387 first-years. Its binding Early Decision plans (ED I and ED II) admitted 219 of 745 applicants — an early-round admit rate near 29%, well above the overall figure — so applying ED is a meaningful signal of interest for committed applicants.
Does Haverford require the SAT or ACT?＋
No. Haverford is test-optional, so you may apply without submitting scores, and standardized test scores are only 'considered' rather than required. Among enrolled students who did submit, the middle 50% scored between 1470 and 1540 on the SAT and 33–35 on the ACT — nearly all SAT submitters (about 93%) scored 1400 or higher.
Is a 1500 SAT good enough for Haverford?＋
A 1500 is right in range — it's the median (50th percentile) SAT for enrolled first-years who submitted scores, with the middle 50% falling between 1470 and 1540 (33–35 on the ACT). Because Haverford is test-optional, a 1500 strengthens an application but isn't required; the rigor of your coursework and GPA carry more weight as very important factors.
What GPA and class rank do you need for Haverford?＋
Haverford does not publish an average admitted GPA, but its class clusters at the very top of the high school cohort: among the 22% of enrolled first-years who reported a class rank, about 94% were in the top tenth and nearly 99% in the top quarter. There's no hard cutoff, but academic GPA and the rigor of your course load are both weighed as very important factors.
How much does Haverford cost, and does it meet full financial need?＋
Tuition and required fees run about $73,871 per year, with on-campus housing and food adding roughly $20,032 before books and personal expenses. Haverford meets 100% of demonstrated financial need: about 41% of first-years receive need-based scholarship or grant aid, with an average need-based package near $70,506.
What are the most popular majors at Haverford?＋
The social sciences are the single most popular area at about 23% of degrees, followed by the physical sciences (18%) and biological sciences (16%) — together the natural sciences account for roughly a third of degrees conferred. Psychology, mathematics and statistics, and computer science round out the most-conferred fields at this small liberal arts college.
Does the application essay matter at Haverford?＋
Yes. Haverford rates the application essay as a very important factor in its holistic review — on the same tier as GPA, course rigor, recommendations, extracurriculars, and personal character, and above standardized test scores, which are only 'considered.' With an admit rate near 12%, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest places a strong applicant can stand out.
Source: Haverford College Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-08. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Haverford. Banner photo by anonypanor, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).