Introduction

Harvey Mudd College is one of the colleges in Claremont, California that shares its campus and resources with a few other Claremont colleges. Although the college has shared libraries, dining halls, residential halls, and more, the students and faculty are all independently managed and will only be a part of Harvey Mudd College. According to the ‘U.S. News and World Report’ on ‘America’s Best Colleges’, Harvey Mudd College is ranked 23rd for the best U.S. Liberal Arts college and is ranked 2nd among undergraduate engineering schools in the USA with the highest degree being masters. Some notable alumni include Donald D. Chamberlin, Joseph Costello, Stan Love, Eric B. Kim, and many others.

English Proficiency Test Requirements

International students wanting to apply to Harvey Mudd College must submit English proficiency test scores. There are currently 3 test scores that the college currently accepts and students have to submit only one of them. These are the tests:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• Duolingo English Test (DET)

ACT/SAT Requirements

ACT/SAT scores are considered an important part of the application you’ll submit while applying to Harvey Mudd College. Although the college considers holistic applications, these scores might just set you apart from the other applicants if there’s a similar application to yours. Having the below-mentioned scores won’t guarantee admission but will greatly improve your chances and is best to keep your scores in that range.

*Starting from the high school class of 2021, Harvey Mudd College won’t be requiring SAT Subject Test scores.

*For students applying to Harvey Mudd College in the Fall of 2021 and 2022, they won’t be required to submit ACT or SAT scores because of the current situation. Students who don’t submit these test scores will be given equal consideration and their application won’t be affected.

Tuition Fee and Cost of Living

The college is located in Claremont, California so the living expenses given below are an estimate of how much you’d be spending there annually. The tuition fee is also an estimate and it’s best if you check on the college’s official website before applying. Below are the annual tuition fee and living expenses:

The conversions from USD to INR have been made with $1 = ₹70. The cost may vary with the varying exchange rate.

Application Portal

International students applying to Harvey Mudd College can apply through either the Common Application or the Coalition Application. The Common Application can be accessed here and the Coalition Application here. The application fee is $70 and this fee can be waived off if students can prove that they are financially weak.

Essay Prompts

The student essays are what set you apart from the other applicants and give you a chance to tell them something additionally that’s not already on your application.

Harvey Mudd College requires students to write 2 essays out of which the topic for the first one is already given and the second one, you get to choose. Here are the essay prompts:

1st Essay Prompt

Word limit: 500 words

“What influenced you to apply to Harvey Mudd College? What about the HMC curriculum and community appeals to you?”

2nd Essay Prompt (Answer any one of the four prompts)

Word limit: 500 words

Option 1:

“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. Tell us about your dream HSA class. Your answer might (but doesn’t have to) include projects you could do, texts you might want to read, or topics you would want to explore.”

Option 2:

“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. How has your own background influenced the types of problems you want to solve?”

Option 3:

“Who in your life is depending on you? For what are they depending on you?”

Option 4:

“What is one thing we won’t know about you after reading your application?”

College Application Deadlines

When you’re applying through the Common Application or the Coalition Application, you’d most probably be applying to other colleges in the US as well. It’s best if you start early so that you have enough time to think about your answers and essays. This would ensure you submit your application ahead of the deadline.

Conclusion

With an acceptance rate of 12.9%, getting into Harvey Mudd College isn’t as hard as you think if you put in the right amount of effort on your application and student essays. You’d have to give them a reason to offer you admission which is where UniRely’s student mentors can be of help.

When you sign up at UniRely, you can connect with a student mentor studying at Harvey Mudd College and ask them what they did to make their application stand out. You can also get to know their college experience first-hand. Make your dreams of attending Harvey Mudd College a reality with UniRely.