They’re consistently known for being at the top national university rankings and for their top academics, distinguished faculty, and vibrant communities. If you want to decide between Harvard and MIT, it will definitely be a difficult choice. In this article, we’ll go over the similarities and differences (Harvard vs MIT) between these schools to help you determine which one is best for you. This comprehensive guide looks at the quantitative and qualitative differences between Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This comparison is especially helpful in understanding the cultural nuances between universities, as it uses student videos to capture these campuses. These videos are exclusively available on World Scholarship Forum Channel. Before we get to the nitty-gritty, let’s take a general look at what these two schools stand for, their differences, and the factors to consider to help you determine which school is best for you.
What is Harvard?
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Since its establishment in 1636, Harvard is recognized as the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. Harvard welcomes students and scholars—wherever they might come from—and empower members of their community to pursue their academic interests wherever those interests may lead. Currently, Harvard has 31,566 students including 9,950 undergraduate and 21,616 graduate students at Harvard University for the academic year 2018-2019. By attending status, there are 21,006 full-time and 10,560 part-time students with a gender distribution of 15,841 male and 15,725 female students.
What is MIT?
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, often known as MIT, is a private land-grant research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The institute has an urban campus that extends more than a mile alongside the Charles River. Founded in 1861, MIT focuses primarily on science, engineering, and technology, with a mission to advance research, discovery, and innovation. The university is quite small, with an undergraduate enrollment of only 4,361 students and a total enrollment of 11,254 students. MIT currently employs about 13,000 staff and teachers.
How to Decide Between Harvard vs. MIT: Similarities & Differences
In order to give a proper comparison, we first stated their similarities and differences before making our complete comparison.
Harvard and MIT have so many similarities.
First, they’re both extremely selective with a 5% (Harvard) and 7% (MIT) acceptance rate, respectively.
In terms of location, they’re both next-door neighbors since they’re located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The only difference here is their Foci.
Both Harvard and MIT have programs in a wide variety of disciplines. But the major draw for most students to MIT is their STEM programs, which are exclusive to students in technology and engineering.
Meanwhile, students still attend Harvard over MIT to study subjects across STEM because of their high standard of learning.
Harvard is also a bit bigger than MIT, with over 2,000 additional undergraduate students.
Also, Harvard University is an Ivy League school, hence places the university one step ahead of MIT.
While MIT is not an Ivy League school, it is clearly a prestigious school with high national rankings and low selectivity rates comparable to those of Ivy League schools.
Hence, we can say, MIT is not an Ivy League school simply because it is not a member of the Ivy League.
However, if athletics are a draw for you, Harvard is probably the better choice. The Crimson play in the Ivy League and NCAA Division I, while the Engineers at MIT participate in Division III.
If you’re deciding between Harvard and MIT, which to choose with the above stated, you might never make a pick.
Because both schools are top-notch in their own field.
Yet, if you must make a choice, check our complete comparison of Harvard vs. MIT below.
Remember that whichever school you attend, you can take some courses like the other.
Harvard vs. MIT: Complete Comparison
The Harvard University campus is located in Cambridge, MA, and is characterized as a city with a population of at least 100,000 but less than 250,000. While the MIT campus is also located in Cambridge, MA, and is characterized as a medium-sized city with a population of at least 80,000 but less than 200,000. Also, MIT has a student body of just 4,600, while Harvard has almost 7,000. Comparing both, we can say that the percentage of classes with fewer than 20 students is not comparable with the ones that have 25 students: 71% in MIT and 72% at Harvard. Now let’s see a major comparison between the Harvard campus and the MIT campus.
What is the difference between the Harvard University Campus and the MIT Campus?
Location and Weather
Harvard and MIT are both located in Cambridge, just northwest of Boston. They’re both considered part of the major source of the population for the Boston metropolitan area. Currently, Cambridge has a total population of about 100,000+ people, including several thousand students at Harvard and MIT. Comparing the weather in both schools, you must know that Cambridge is by the water. So prepare for cold, snowy, windy winters. However, summer is quite pleasant, and you can enjoy boat rides, waterfront dining, and jogging by the Charles River. Meanwhile, MIT is slightly closer to downtown Boston, and also has a better view of the city skyline. Its campus feels more urban and integrated with the city, while Havard’s campus feels more suburban and self-contained.
University Type
Although MIT and Harvard are private universities, meaning that neither of them is publicly funded, Harvard is one of the eight members of the Ivy League, while MIT is not. That doesn’t necessarily mean anything in terms of prestige – there are many non-Ivies schools who are as prestigious, if not more, than Ivies. For example, MIT is certainly a highly reputable school, even without that ivy label! Here’s the full list of Ivy League schools for reference
Rankings and Grades
As earlier mentioned, Harvard is a member of the Ivy League, unlike MIT. Although Harvard is a member of the Ivy League and MIT is not, the two schools are side by side when it comes to college rankings. These days, Harvard just barely beats MIT on most lists. Obviously, the rankings fluctuate slightly from year to year, so expect Harvard to beat MIT some years and MIT in the other years. Here are Harvard’s current rankings versus MIT based on major publications and websites: As you can see here, the rankings between Harvard University and MIT are actually incredibly close. Hence, you cannot say that a school is “better” based solely on the rankings. In addition to national rankings, we looked at niche ratings, which are grades (A + to F) given by actual students who attended colleges. Unsurprisingly, Harvard and MIT achieved A + ratings thanks to their high-quality academics, excellent professors, and active social activities.
How does Harvard University academics compare to MIT?
As we look at the academics between Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, we will both understand what current students study and where they end up after graduation. After all, college should prepare you for a career, right? Analyzing the results of each school is helpful in understanding the value of the degree programs. Let’s start with their major programs.
Academic Programs
Both Harvard and MIT are known for their excellent academic programs. However, MIT has a more scientific and technological focus and Harvard has a more liberal arts focus. Both schools offer more than 50 majors in a variety of fields and you can also create your own study program that meets a specific and challenging academic goal. Meanwhile, the most popular majors at MIT are Science, Engineering, and Technology, including Computer Science, Biology, and Mathematics. At Harvard, the most popular majors cover a slightly wider range of fields, such as history, economics, and social science. All MIT students apply to the school without declaring. The institution is divided into five schools: While Harvard University consists of 13 schools as well as one specialized institute, namely Harvard: For clarity’s sake, Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, so when people talk about applying to Harvard as a freshman, what they’re really talking about is applying for college, located on the Cambridge Campus. In addition, the institution is famous for its STEM programs, but there are many other important disciplines such as theater arts, music, political science, women, and gender studies and writing. Also, in both schools, all students must meet certain conditions, including basic science courses; subjects of humanities, arts, and social sciences; intensive communication courses; and physical education. Finally, both Harvard and MIT allow cross-registration with each other, as do several other Boston-area colleges and universities.
Admissions
The Harvard and MIT acceptance rates are incredibly low – 5% and 7%, respectively. Two of the hardest universities to get into are MIT and Harvard, so you will need a great application to increase your chances of being accepted. But what exactly makes a good MIT or Harvard application? To understand this, you will need to look at the academic profile of the admitted applicants. While MIT students have a 4.17 GPA in high school, Harvard students have a 4.18 GPA; this shows that you will need to have very high grades (most or all As) to enter MIT or Harvard. In terms of standardized test scores, MIT students have slightly higher averages, with an SAT score of 1535 and an ACT score of 35, compared to Harvard’s averages of 1520 and 34. In general, these slight differences are nominal, which means that the two schools are extremely difficult to access.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The student-teacher ratio indicates the number of students per teacher. Lower ratios are the best, as it means that you will receive more personalized attention from your teachers. Both MIT and Harvard have an excellent student-to-faculty ratio, but the ratio at MIT is even better at 3:1, and Harvard’s is 6:1. This shows that there is one faculty member for every three students at MIT.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees are similar to Harvard and MIT. Harvard’s tuition and fees are $52,962 per year, while MIT’s are slightly more expensive at $53,790 per year. However, both colleges offer incredible financial aid, so you probably won’t have to pay much to attend. Harvard University provides $48,524 while MIT provides an average of $41,198. At Harvard, students don’t have to pay tuition or fees if their family earns less than $65,000 a year. Meanwhile, at MIT, you don’t have to pay anything if your family makes less than $90,000.
Which School gives more Financial Aid?
At first glance, MIT and Harvard are expensive, with tuition fees of more than $70,000 a year. But keep in mind that most students receive some form of financial aid at each school. While none of the schools offer scholarships (scholarships are based on need only), MIT and Harvard meet 100% of the demonstrated need and are need-blind. One difference is that Harvard has no loans, while MIT has no loans for families with incomes below $90,000 per year. Harvard also claims that families earning between $65,000 and $150,000 can expect to pay only 0-10% of their income. Overall, you can expect Harvard financial aid to be more generous. Harvard University provides $48,524 whereas MIT provides an average of $41,198.
How does the social life of Harvard University compare to MIT?
At Niche, both schools received an A + for student life and an A for the party scene, so you are sure to have an active social life regardless of which of these colleges you attend. It’s hard to understand the nuances of social life with data alone. That is why we have featured videos of real students to show how the social life of Harvard University is different from MIT.
Sports and Extracurricular Activities:
When it comes to sports, MIT is part of Division III of the NCAA, while Harvard is part of Division I of the NCAA. All 43 Harvard Crimson teams play in the Ivy League and NCAA Division I, while the 33 MIT Engineers teams play in the NCAA Division III. Also, MIT has 31 Greek organizations. Meanwhile, Harvard does not officially recognize Greek life, but some fraternities and sororities exist “unofficially” off-campus. Additionally, MIT and Harvard offer a wide variety of more than 450 student clubs that you can join. MIT is home to groups like the Solar Electric Vehicle Team, the Art Students Association, the Field Trip Club, and more. Harvard’s activities span gender and sexuality, from music to politics. Many Harvard students choose to study abroad in countries around the world. At MIT, students can also participate in exchange programs with international students.
Culture and Diversity
The table below helps demonstrate the student body differences between Harvard and MIT: The composition of MIT undergraduate students for the 2019-2020 academic year was 51% of US minority groups. Ten percent of undergraduate students are from countries or territories outside of the United States. Both schools provide resources and programs for their LGBTQ + students. For example, the BLGTQ Office of Student Life at Harvard has student tutors and supervisors who offer advice on issues of identity and LGBTQ +. MIT also offers LBGTQ + services with support, scheduling, and more. Both institutions have houses integrated by gender.
How do Harvard University dorms compare to housing options at MIT?
Both colleges offer campus living options. Harvard University charges for life on campus, while MIT charges for on-campus living. Most importantly, watch the video below to see a sample of dorm tours at each school.
Housing
More than 97% of Harvard University students live on campus. As freshmen, students are placed in shared suites near Harvard Yards. When they become sophomores, they reside in one of 12 houses that serve as communities and dormitories, allowing students to form friendships. Meanwhile, about 73% of MIT college students live on campus, while others live in MIT-approved fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups. Faculty families live and serve as house leaders in each residence, serving as support systems and facilitators. Meanwhile, resident student governments are responsible for organizing social, sporting, and intellectual programs.
Median Starting Salary of Alumni
The median starting salary for MIT students is much higher than for Harvard students. While MIT alumni can expect to earn $82,300 right after graduation, a particularly high starting salary, Harvard alumni can expect to earn around $69,000, or $13,000 less. This is still a solid salary but not as high as MIT).
MIT vs Harvard: Best Comparison
Below is a side-by-side comparison of Harvard University vs MIT so you can get a better sense as to how these two very prestigious universities differ.
MIT vs Harvard: Which school is easier to get into?
We’ve compared location and weather, admissions, sports, and extracurricular activities, and more to provide the most comprehensive comparison between Harvard University and MIT.
Because, if you just look at the acceptance rate, then Harvard University is harder to get into.
However, each college seeks to fill its incoming class with a variety of students with strengths, backgrounds, etc.
But you are smart enough to know that the numbers paint a terrible picture to really understand what each university and community is like. And the real answer to knowing which school is the best is the right school for you.
Therefore, the acceptance rate alone is not a good indicator that Harvard University is a better school or that it is more difficult for you to enter in particular.
On the other hand, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is easier to access based solely on the acceptance rate.
So, it doesn’t matter who you ask, if they know what they’re talking about, the answer is the same: the “best” school is the one you choose.
That is why it is extremely important to view all the videos on World Scholarship Forum for each school.
Conclusion: Making Your Harvard vs MIT Decision
Ultimately, in determining whether Harvard or MIT is better for you, you will need to consider several factors, such as student body size, costs and financial aid, available college programs, and types of students generally admitted. When you start applying for college, whether it’s Harvard, MIT, or both, just make sure you have enough time to prepare your best possible application. The U.S. News and World Report consistently puts Harvard University at the top of its annual ranking of national universities, but students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology may be smarter than their counterparts up the river. MIT took the top ranking, followed by Harvard. Based on acceptance rates that is the ratio of applicants to admitted students, Harvard is harder to get into. Harvard get twice as many applicants than MIT. MIT also has a strong international reputation for social sciences and business-related courses. These strengths are reflected in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020, which is based upon academic reputation, employer reputation and research citations. Most graduates from Harvard have very successful careers in the sciences, business, or politics. This success is in part the result of an extensive network of high profile contacts developed during the student days at this university. This is why Harvard has gained a reputation as the university of the elite class.
