harvey mudd college supplemental essay

• Faculty and Staff
• Discover Harvey Mudd
• Connect with Harvey Mudd
• Apply to Harvey Mudd
• Afford to Attend Harvey Mudd
• Departments
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Mathematics
• Majors at Harvey Mudd
• Faculty of Harvey Mudd
• Common Core Curriculum
• English Language Learning
• Dean of the Faculty
• Institutional Research
• Learning Programs
• Study Abroad
• Upward Bound
• Summer Session
• The Makerspace
• Entrepreneurship
• Hixon Center
• Sponsors and Projects
• Prospective Sponsors
• Impact on Society
• Clinic Events
• History of the Clinic Program
• Clinic Program Contacts
• Research Focus Areas and Labs
• Research Videos
• Faculty Research Resources
• Student Research Opportunities
• Campus Life
• Career Services
• Civic and Community Engagement
• Health and Wellness
• Housing and Residential Life
• Institutional Diversity
• Academic Resources and Student Success
• About Division of Student Affairs
• Meet the DSA Staff
• Commencement
• Orientation
• Accessible Education
• International Students and Scholars
• Mudders Care for Mudders
• Emergency Resources
• Student Handbook
• Title IX and Sexual Assault
• Annual Fire Safety and Security
• Visit Campus
• Harvey Mudd News
• Upcoming Events
• President's Office
• Mission and Strategic Vision
• Make Your Gift Now
• Annual Fund
• Endowed Giving at Harvey Mudd
• Planned Giving
• Current and Special Giving Initiatives
• Ways to Give
• Contact College Advancement

Top Resources

Most searched, application faq.

Below is a list of commonly asked questions about the application process. You may also find the following links helpful:

• Test Optional and Self-reported Test Scores
• Applicant Hub FAQs

If you do not find the answers to your questions, please feel free to contact the Office of Admission at [email protected] .

Application deadlines and fee waivers

Do all  required application materials  need to be received by the application deadline.

No. While we ask for your Common Application to be submitted by 11:59 p.m. of your local timezone, we don’t expect all application materials to be received by the application deadline. So please don’t panic if your application is missing materials to be submitted by your school(s). We know that they are processing many requests and understand that delays can occur.

Keep in mind that we are also processing a high volume of application materials. We may have your material in our queue, we just haven’t gotten to it yet. Once we have processed the majority of the materials, we will send a series of emails about incomplete applications and missing materials. We promise to let you know if we’re missing anything.

Are waivers available for the application fee?

Absolutely. We don’t want a student’s financial situation to get in the way of them applying to Harvey Mudd. The Common Application includes an option where students can identify their need for a fee waiver.

In addition to the Common Application fee waiver question, you will also find a separate Harvey Mudd College fee waiver question with the following options:

• DACA or undocumented or veteran status
• Experiencing financial hardship due to a natural disaster or pandemic
• Experiencing financial hardship not covered by the Common App fee waiver options
• FAST or WISTEM program attendee

What do you look for in essays?

We love reading your essays. It is a moment during the application reading process where we get to move away from the numbers and grades and hear directly from you. Therefore, the most important thing we are looking for in your essay is authenticity. We want to hear about something you really care about – not just something you think we want you to care about. The topic doesn’t matter; what matters is that you feel like you have something to say about it. While we’re not approaching your essay with a red pen ready to edit mistakes, we do suggest that you edit it. When we sit down to read an essay, we want to be focused on your message and not being tripped up by missing words or typos. After you’ve written it, ask yourself if it sounds like you. If not, what is missing- your humor, your care for others, your curiosity?

Avoid using your essay to list your activities and achievements. Instead, show how those interests and activities affect your goals. Or you might elaborate on experiences or insights you’ve gained that influence your outlook toward others and your work. We want to know about you to determine how well you might fit into our community. In most cases, the more specific you can be, the better.

Recommendation letters

Why does hmc require a letter from both a math or science teacher and a humanities, arts or social sciences teacher.

This requirement goes directly back to  our mission . We hope all of our requirements do! HMC is committed to educating students who love their work in the STEM fields but can’t imagine having to give up studying the humanities, arts or social sciences. Therefore, we want to hear from your teachers how you approach work in all of these areas to get a better sense of whether HMC would be the right fit for you.

How should my counselor/teacher submit a letter of recommendation if they do not submit it through the Common App?

Your counselor/teacher may email the letter to [email protected]. Please ask your counselor/teacher to include at least your (the student’s) name and date of birth so that we may match it to your application.

Note:  The email/letter must be sent directly by your counselor/teacher. We cannot accept letters of recommendation from students.

Can I submit additional letters of recommendation?

HMC requires three letters of recommendation– one from a counselor when available and two academic recommendations (one from a math or science teacher and one from a humanities, arts or social science teacher.)

We will accept only one additional letter of recommendation , but we advise applicants to only submit an additional recommendations if they believe these will add something significantly different to the rest of their application file. The additional letter of recommendation should ideally come from someone who knows you in a different context than your counselor or teachers, such as a supervisor, mentor or employer. Trust us—just by submitting the required pieces of our application, you’ve given us plenty to think about!

Interviews and other application materials

How important is the interview in the application process.

Interviews are not required in our admission process, and students will not be penalized for not having one. We believe that interviews can be helpful for both the college and the applicant in allowing for the opportunity to learn more about each other. Students interview with admission staff members, senior interns, or alumni, and each allows students to gain a different perspective of the college. These interviews are really just conversations where we ask students to share more about themselves with us and can also provide students with the opportunity to further explain anything they wish. This year, all of our interviews are online which we hope will allow a broader range of students to take part if they wish.

Can I submit supplemental material with my application? What about music or arts supplements?

In the Common Application, there is an option to upload additional information. Given the large number of applications we are reading, we ask that students do not upload entire research papers but instead include an abstract (summary) of their research if they choose. Some students have used this same to upload a brief profile of projects they have done, usually photos and/or brief descriptions. Again, we ask students to be thoughtful about what they might include, and all applicants should know that they will not be at any disadvantage if they choose not to do this.

Harvey Mudd does not accept separate submissions of music or artwork as part of the application process. Since the majority of arts faculty are located at the other Claremont Colleges, we do not have the faculty to review this work. The large number of musicians and artists who apply to the college would make it impossible for us to review these submissions as we would hope to. We hope that students who want their performing or visual art involvement considered would include their activities in the Extracurricular Activities section.

Why does my HMC Applicant Hub show that I’m missing a college/university transcript?

If you indicate in your application that you have taken college courses, our system automatically adds the college/university transcript to your checklist. We need this transcript for the review of your application, though it is easily waived if the colleges courses appear on your high school transcript. Please email us to waive this requirement.

If the college courses don’t appear on your high school transcript, but you are not able to submit the college/university transcript, please email us and we’ll figure it out together.

Note:  For the review of your application, the required college/university transcript can be official or unofficial. You may email unofficial transcripts to [email protected]. Admitted and depositing students will be required to submit official transcripts for enrollment to HMC.

Standardized testing

Important:  We are  ACT/SAT optional through 2024  and  no longer considering SAT subject test scores .

When is the latest I can send SAT or ACT results and still have them considered for admission?

Typically the dates below are the latest test dates that allow us to guarantee test scores will be considered for admission. Given the challenges surrounding testing this year, we would still recommend these dates, but we will work with students if their testing is delayed to add them to their applications.

• Early Decision I – November test date
• Early Decision II – December test date
• Regular Decision – December test date

How do I submit my test scores if I want them considered? Can I self-report my scores?

There are several ways to report your scores:

• Students can self-report on the Common Application. See  Self-reported Test Scores FAQs .
• Students can use the form found in the HMC Applicant Hub.
• Students can send HMC an official score report. Our College Board code is 4341, and our ACT code is 0282.

Why do you only allow students to switch from “Do not consider ACT/SAT scores” to “Consider ACT/SAT scores”?

We know that some students may continue to test for the ACT/SAT after they submit their application and may earn a score that they would then like to have included in our consideration. Therefore, we will allow students to change their preferred testing plan to “I would like my SAT and/or ACT score to be included in my HMC application” for up to 5 days after their application deadline.

Since we read a number of completed applications before our application deadline and applications may have already been evaluated with test scores, students are not allowed to change their preference from “Consider ACT/SAT scores” to “Do not consider ACT/SAT scores.”

I’m ready to submit my Common Application for HMC and have previewed my application. Why can’t I see my test scores on the Common Application preview?

The PDF preview of the Common Application will not show any testing that was entered in the ACT/SAT tests section and AP/IB/SAT Subject tests section. These tests are not required in our process. Hence, the PDF setup defaults so that our reviewers do not see scores for these tests. If a student chooses the preferred testing plan option “I would like my SAT and/or ACT score to be included in my HMC application,” then their test scores will be viewable by the application reviewer within our system. In the Applicant Hub students will be able to review the preferred testing plan option they have chosen as well as the test scores (self-reported and official) we have in our system. Lastly, English proficiency tests are required for international students. DET, TOEFL and IELTS scores entered in the Common Application will display in the Common Application preview.

Demonstrated interest

Does hmc consider demonstrated interest as part of the admission process.

No. We assume that you’ve applied to Harvey Mudd because you are interested in the college, and we know that not all applicants have access to the same resources available to learn more about us. The increase in virtual ways to connect to HMC has certainly helped that, but we still know that there are inequities in what students can access. Answering our short essay question, “What about Harvey Mudd appeals to you?” in a thoughtful way is a great way of showing you’ve done your research and why you’d be a good fit for our community.

Gap years, early admission and spring enrollment

If i’m admitted, can i defer my enrollment for a year to travel or work.

The answer is usually yes. You may request deferred enrollment when submitting your Admission Response Form in the HMC Applicant Hub. During your deferment year, you may not enroll as a matriculated student at another college or apply to other colleges. Students usually may not defer for more than a year, but we have made exceptions to this policy in the case of required military service or religious missions.

Can students apply for Early Admission to Harvey Mudd College?

Yes. Early Admission (as opposed to Early Decision or Early Action or Early Notification) allows students to leave high school before senior year to attend college. It’s designed for students who have exhausted their high school curriculum and are prepared to move on to college.

If you’re considering Early Admission, consult with your school counselor to ensure that you explore all of the options available to you through your high school. A diploma is not required for consideration for Early Admission, but we strongly encourage any enrolling student to provide a high school diploma or equivalent.

In considering your application, we will hold you to the same standard of academic preparation, extracurricular accomplishment and social maturity as your fellow candidates who will have had more time to prepare.

Does Harvey Mudd enroll new students in the spring?

No. We enroll new students only in the fall semester. This is because the college has a three semester core curriculum which starts in the fall and culminates in the fall of your sophomore year.

What we look for

What kind of student are you seeking.

We want students who have succeeded in challenging courses, who express excitement for math and science, who appreciate the humanities and social sciences, and who want to be an active member of our supportive and collaborative community. Learn more about  our students .

What courses should I take to prepare for Harvey Mudd?

We suggest taking a rigorous course load that allows you to experience success both academically and in your personal interests. The student needs to have coursework that includes Calculus, Chemistry and Physics, but we know that the resources available to students vary by school and by community. See  Preparing for Harvey Mudd  for additional information.

AP, IB, college classes and credit

How do you consider advanced placement (ap) or international baccalaureate (ib) classes and exam scores in the application process.

One of the many things we consider in determining admission to Harvey Mudd is the rigor of students’ high school programs based on what was available. We will not penalize students for not taking honors, AP or IB courses if they are not available at your school. We also do not need for all of our applicants to have taken every advanced course available to them. We are aware of the rigor of AP courses and the IB curriculum, although we also know that rigor can be found in non-AP and non-IB curricula as well. Students are welcome to submit any AP or IB scores they would like to have considered, and we will review all final IB results once we receive them. Harvey Mudd does not grant credit for AP or IB exam scores.

Is it better to take an advanced class and risk getting a lower grade, or simply keep a high grade average?

It depends. In general, a more demanding course should offer better preparation for Harvey Mudd College so you’ll benefit from taking more advanced classes.

However, we also recognize that high school students applying to very selective colleges face a lot of pressure. The best option is to take as many advanced, AP, IB or enriched courses as you can reasonably manage while still pursuing outside activities and maintaining high grades. That balance point will be different for each person.

Can I get credit for AP/IB exam scores and/or college courses? What about for concurrent enrollment (courses that earn both high school and college credit)?

Credit is not granted for AP/IB results or for college courses you have taken (unless you are applying for transfer admission). This includes AP/IB results or college courses in the humanities, social sciences and arts (HSA); they will not count towards your HSA requirements at HMC.

Individual departments administer their own placement examinations prior to and during Orientation so that we may find the right courses for each student.

Can I get credit for foreign language AP/IB exam scores and/or college courses?

No (see above), but your AP/IB results and/or completed courses can be used for placement should you decide to continue your foreign language studies at The Claremont Colleges.

Major interest

Do i need to have a major selected before coming to harvey mudd.

Mudders are not required to select a major until the end of their sophomore year. An advantage of the Harvey Mudd Core Curriculum is that students get to experience each academic department before being faced with that major decision, allowing them to make a more informed choice.

Does it matter which major I say I want to pursue on my application?

To some extent, yes. We ask students to identify which HMC majors they are leaning toward because we want to create an incoming class that will be eager to study across our curriculum. That said, we know that students will change their mind, and all students will have the chance to do so. HMC students will study in every department we offer as part of the core curriculum and are not allowed to declare their major before the end of their first year. That’s how serious we are about wanting students to keep an open mind. All students must declare their major before the end of their sophomore year. So, be honest about what you want to study, but know that we won’t hold you to it.

Class rank, public/private school and applying against classmates

How important is class rank what if my school doesn’t rank.

We like to evaluate your performance in the context of your school’s environment. If your high school does not provide a rank, we’ll still consider your application carefully. Many secondary schools do not report rank, but will often send us a school profile to aid in our evaluation. A school profile usually provides context about the school community and the rigor of the courses. We’ve found grade distribution charts to be especially helpful. Ask your counselor about your school’s profile.

Is it easier to get in if I’m from a public or a private school?

It doesn’t matter. We analyze each student’s activities, choices and performance within the context of the high school he or she attended. We never rate high schools or give preference to one school over another. We recognize that each applicant comes from different opportunities and experiences.

Some friends from my school also plan to apply to Harvey Mudd. Will this hurt my chances of getting in?

Definitely not. We’re not concerned with limiting the number of students from your school. Instead, we pay attention to the opportunities you’ve had. We evaluate your record, activities and accomplishments within that context. We also assess each student as an individual in comparison to the entire applicant pool, not just in a local context.

International versus Domestic applicants

I’m a u.s. citizen (or permanent resident), but attend secondary school overseas. am i considered an international applicant.

While we will read you as part of the school community to which you belong, we’d consider you as a domestic student for the purposes of financial aid. This means that you would be read as part of our need-blind admission process. We understand that you may have had a different set of academic and personal experiences than our domestic applicants and will take that into consideration as well.

I attend high school in the U.S., but I’m not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Do I apply as a domestic student or an international applicant?

For the most part, there is no difference between how an international student or a domestic student applies for admission to Harvey Mudd. The process is the same for both.

The difference is in terms of financial aid. Regardless of where you live, if you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, you will need to apply for  financial aid as an international student . We are need-blind in the admission process for our domestic students but are need-aware for international students. If you have only been attending high school in the US for a year or so, we may ask for the results of an English language proficiency test.

I am an asylee living in the United States. Am I considered a domestic student or an international applicant?

Governmentally recognized asylees are considered eligible noncitizens and are eligible for federal financial aid. As such, eligible asylees will be considered under the same need-blind policy as domestic students. You are an eligible asylee if you are a holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: 1. Refugee; 2. Asylum Granted; 3. Parolee (I-94 confirms student was paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired), T-Visa holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc.) or the holder of a valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of “Victim of human trafficking.”

Will my chance for admission be affected if I apply for financial aid as an international student?

Yes, we are need-aware for international students. We are able to support only a few international students seeking financial aid. An international student’s chance for admission improves if they do not apply for financial aid.

There’s no college counselor at my school and we use a different educational system than U.S. high schools. How will you understand my academic background?

A recommendation from an advisor, housemaster, head or assistant head of school can be sent in lieu of the school report/counselor recommendation. This will help provide context for understanding your past performance. It’s helpful to know what kind of opportunities you’ve had in your school, such as the structure and rigor of your academic program (how many courses required, length of the courses, etc.), grading patterns and scale, the quality of the students and the school’s reputation. We’re also interested in your non-academic activities and accomplishments and the impact you’ve had on others both in and out of class. Without this information, we’re forced to rely more heavily on academic records and this goes against our desire to assess our applicants as people, not as statistics. The fact that you have been educated in a different school system may suggest that you offer intellectual diversity to the College.

DET, TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge English

What are the minimum scores for the toefl and ielts exams.

• Duolingo English Test (DET)– 120 on the new 160-point scale
• TOEFL– 100 on the iBT
• IELTS Academic– 7.5
• Cambridge English C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency– minimum score is 190 for C1 Advanced or 200 for C2 Proficiency

Note:  A score that is slightly lower than the minimum does not automatically disqualify an applicant.

I’m an international applicant and want to request that my requirement for the Duolingo English Test (DET), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) be waived. How do I do that?

Send us an email. Please note that we can waive this requirement only after we’ve received your Common Application.

International transfer applicants

May international students apply as transfer students.

As long as the student is not seeking financial aid, yes. We do not have funding sources to support international transfer students seeking financial aid so we do not allow them to apply.

Do you require English language proficiency tests of transfer students?

We do require an English proficiency requirement of all international applicants. The Proficiency tests we will accept include TOEFL, Duolingo English Test (DET) or IELTS. Transfer students may be able to use test results completed in prior years if they are still valid.

If the student has been attending courses for 2 years or more in which the language of instruction is English (with exception of courses like modern languages), we can waive the English proficiency requirement, when asked to do so. If English is the student’s first language, we will waive the proficiency requirement.

Considering transfer admission

Am i a transfer or a first-year applicant.

In general, if you have begun your college/university experience in a program that will earn a degree for you, we consider you to be a transfer candidate. It is a different matter for students who take part in dual credit programs– as long as the student has not graduated high school or completed a GED or equivalent leaving exam. Students in these dual-credit situations apply as first-year students. In general, we define freshman candidates as first-time, first-year college students.

There will be atypical cases: students who began as full-time university students but withdrew before completing a semester; students who took a gap year during which they attended some college courses without moving toward degree requirements; students who took an assortment of online and traditional courses; and other situations. If you have an atypical case and have questions about this, please email  [email protected] .

What should I know about transfer admission to Mudd that is unusual?

In several ways, transfer admission to Mudd is different from many institutions.

• For the past several years, we have not found space to enroll many transfer candidates. We might enroll only 3-6 transfers per year. This is from an applicant pool group of between 80-110 candidates.
• We only enroll transfers for the fall term.
• We do not allow international students who seek financial aid to apply to Mudd as transfers.
• We have no visiting student program – all transfers who enroll will matriculate as full-time Mudd students who plan to graduate from HMC.
• We will not entertain applications from people who have already earned a Bachelor’s degree and want a second degree.
• Academic preparation and making progress in courses similar to our Core Curriculum is key to our selection process. Please reference the FAQ on how to prepare for Mudd.
• Need-based financial aid is available to transfers but not merit aid.

Does Harvey Mudd have articulation agreements with other colleges?

No. Within The Claremont Colleges consortium, we are bound to accept courses taken at neighbor colleges for credit, but this is outside the scope of the main point of the question.

Transfer admission and financial aid

Is financial aid available to transfers.

Absolutely! We meet 100% of every student’s demonstrated financial need.

Is merit aid available to transfers?

No. Our merit programs target first-year students. We have limited merit aid available and it is offered at the time of first-year admission.

Preparing for transfer and choosing a major

How should i prepare for mudd academically.

HMC’s curriculum is tied to our mission statement. One of our most prominent values is for all graduates to have a rounded education across all major areas of STEM. Accordingly, all Mudd students complete a  Common Core Curriculum  in their first 3 semesters. Transfer applicants should try to emulate this Core Curriculum so that they will not have to take many required Core courses at the same time that they focus on their major. We understand that few colleges have this type of Core Curriculum so it may take extra effort and planning for the applicant to fit all these courses into their current college experience.

Grades are another key consideration. Most transfer applicants have strong academic records and we have come to expect to see that kind of GPA quality in the candidates.

What are HMC’s general education requirements?

Rather than a general education program, Mudd requires all students to complete our Common Core Curriculum. Another set of (about 11) courses must be completed in areas outside of STEM: humanities; social sciences; and the arts (HSA). Thus, Mudd’s curriculum may not align with the student’s current school’s vision for a balanced curriculum or general education requirements.

How important is my choice of major?

We will assess the student’s preparation for the intended major, and will seek feedback from the faculty in the respective department to assess the courses the student has completed toward the major. Most majors can be completed within 4 semesters at Mudd, but a few have sequential courses that might require a 5th term at Mudd. Of course, an important consideration is how well the student’s previous work aligns with our Core. The question of the student’s course compatibility with our Core is almost always more important than the intended major.

Transfer credit

I’m beginning my college experience but want to transfer. can my ap/ib credits be applied to my credits if i transfer to harvey mudd what about college courses i took in high school.

Mudd does not award credit for AP/IB or for college courses completed prior to high school graduation. If the student is still registered as a high school student and takes a college course (perhaps online or in summer), HMC will not award credit for those courses. Only college courses that were completed after the student graduated high school will be considered for credit by HMC.

Can I get a credit evaluation in advance of applying?

Unfortunately not. Our admission officers can make estimates about courses that might earn credit from Mudd, but we do not have the authority or perspective to guarantee credits in advance. Credit assessment at Mudd is made by faculty members from each department that consult with the Registrar to determine the courses that Mudd will accept for transfer credit.

COVID-19 related questions

During the pandemic, my school switched to a “pass/no pass” or “credit/no credit” grading system. will this affect my application to hmc.

No, this grading system will not impact our review of your application. We remain committed to reviewing your academic profile within the context of your high school and what it offers. This means we won’t penalize you for a switch in grading systems that was out of your control and meant to counteract some of the negative effects of COVID-19.

Does HMC have a COVID-19 vaccination requirement?

Yes. All students (and staff and faculty) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have received an approved exemption. See the most up-to-date  COVID-19 information for HMC .

Apply Resources

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

Apply to our $10,000 No Essay Scholarship! →

• Search All Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for High School Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Graduate Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid

Top Easy Scholarships Due Soon

Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

Deadline: June 30, 2024

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

Deadline: September 27, 2023

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship (open to HS Juniors and above!)

Deadline: September 30, 2023

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

How to Respond to the Harvey Mudd Supplemental Essay Prompts

Harvey Mudd College is a small college located in Claremont, California. While they are a premier engineering, science, and mathematics college, they actually consider themselves a liberal arts school. They believe that science, math, and engineering should not be separate endeavors from arts and humanities. The school is highly competitive, so any applicants should be sure to submit the best Harvey Mudd supplemental essays they can. Let’s break down how you can turn each prompt into a stellar essay!

Before you apply

It’s always a good idea to do some research about a school before you apply. Before you start on the Harvey Mudd supplemental essays, try reading about their history and values. Harvey Mudd’s mission is to raise up future leaders in science, engineering, and mathematics who truly understand the impact of their work. It is their emphasis on studying the humanities alongside science that sets HMC apart from other top STEM colleges.

Harvey Mudd is looking for students who take initiative with more than just their studies. They want to see that students are exploring the world around them through non-scientific avenues, in order to create well-rounded, full views of humanity. If you’re unfamiliar with the history of Harvey Mudd College , take some time before answering their application prompts to familiarize yourself with their mission and vision.  

“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, the people you want to work with, and the impact you hope your work can have? (500 words or less)

Perhaps this question does not excite you at first, as there’s a quote and three questions all in one. However, while there are multiple parts to respond to, they are not so complicated. So, let’s take it part by part and break it down!

First, let’s look at the quote that is shared. To understand why this quote is being used, you should first understand what Harvey Mudd stands for as a college. If you want more context about the quote, take a few minutes to research the speaker. Time to answer some questions! Let’s rewrite their question to make it a little clearer. 

Think about the following questions

• How has your background influenced the types of problems you want to solve?
• How has your background influenced the people you want to work with?
• How has your background influenced the impact you hope your work can have?

The main thing you should be thinking about is what your influences and background have been. This is the base for every question they ask. This essay really wants to know about you and your past! So, don’t skip over this part by just talking about your future as there are a plethora of things outside of academics that influence who you are. 

Consider your background

• What type of area did you grow up in?
• What does your family demographic look like?
• Where did you attend elementary, middle, and high school?
• Have you worked or participated in any internships?
• Have you traveled around the US or the world?

These are not all questions you need to answer, but one or two of these areas may have had a substantial impact on who you are. You can also think about some of the areas highlighted below. Are there any that you have given a significant amount of time to or that you’re particularly passionate about? 

Look for inspiration in:

• Sports, music, technology, writing, literature
• Jobs, internships
• People who inspire you (whether you know them personally or not)
• Other personal interest

This prompt gives you 500 words to answer in, which is a decent amount for a college application. Take your time to talk about topics that are meaningful to you. You don’t have to use all 500 words you’re allotted. However, if a college is giving you space to share who you are, you should always try to take full advantage of that opportunity! 

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. (100 words or less)

If you still don’t know by now, Harvey Mudd is all about exploring the intersection of science and humanities. A humanities course can be about religion, history, philosophy, literature, performing arts, and more. This question is not asking you to pick a class from their catalog. They’re asking you what topic you would like to study. This could be anything! You get to be creative here!

This prompt gives you a hundred words or less to answer. So, your response needs to be concise and have a clear answer. Write out a short list of your interests and try to see where those interests intersect with each other. 

If you’re struggling to come up with class ideas, try not to research examples. Try asking friends and family what they might want to study. This question isn’t meant to be difficult, so don’t over- complicate it. Have fun, and know that HMC wants to learn more about you. And who knows, maybe one day your idea will become a real course that they offer!

Additional resources

Once you’ve finished your Harvey Mudd supplemental essays, give yourself a pat on the back. But remember, supplemental essays are just one part of the college application process. Although there is still more to do, we are here to help you through it.

If you are wondering whether or not to send your SAT/ACT scores , we can help you decide. Don’t forget to check out our other resources that might help with the college application process, such as how many colleges to apply to and how to find safety, reach, and match schools . 

Start your scholarship search

• Vetted scholarships custom-matched to your profile
• Access exclusive scholarships only available to Scholarships360 members

Other colleges to consider

• Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA)
• University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
• University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
• Pomona College (Claremont, CA)

Scholarships360 Recommended

10 Tips for Successful College Applications

Coalition vs. Common App: What is the difference?

College Application Deadlines 2023-2024: What You Need to Know

Trending Now

PSAT to SAT Score Conversion: Predict Your Score

How to Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale

What Are Public Ivy League Schools?

Apply to the $10,000 "no essay" scholarship.

This easy scholarship is open to all US-based high school, college, and graduate students!

More From Forbes

Supplementing your college application: essay advice from college admission leaders.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

The college essay is the bane of many high school seniors’ existence. Students belabor the essay prompts, writing draft after draft in pursuit of elusive perfection. Their essays are reviewed by friends, teachers, family, and others, often to the point that the original drafts (and voice) are unrecognizable.

Just when they are bringing their main college essay in for a landing, a bevy of supplemental essays may rear their nuanced heads. Unfortunately, these opportunities to shine are rarely given the attention and effort that they warrant. Frustrated young people eager to finish their applications perceive supplemental essays as an instruments of torture–more hoops to jump through in the gauntlet of college admission. Colleges, however, use their responses to gauge interest and match.

Supplemental essays have drawn increasing attention in the wake of the Supreme Court decision that effectively struck down race-conscious admission. Colleges are searching for ways to learn more about students’ backgrounds and experiences and the ruling allowed room for schools to use essay responses to do so. I asked college admission leaders to provide context for the intent of supplemental essays and advice for how applicants might approach them. Here is what they shared:

Jay Jacobs, Vice Provost For Enrollment Management, University Of Vermont

“Supplemental essays give colleges one more opportunity to hear from the applicant directly. If you think about it, a lot of the college application is either impersonal and/or indirect feedback. Transcripts are simply marks received in courses over time, testing is performance on one (or more) Saturday mornings, extracurriculars are just a list of things students do, and letters of recommendation are third-party references. The essays are the only time a student has full control over their voice on their application.”

Apple iPhone 15 Release Date: New Event Page Goes Live With Cool Animation

Time to cancel playstation plus as sony quietly raises prices through the roof, free iphone 14 pro apple taking applications now but there s a catch.

UVM added optional (yes, they are truly optional!) supplemental essays in 2018. Each year a committee reevaluates the prompts from the prior year and recommends new and/or additional prompts for the following cycle. Prompts that are considered “finalists” get shown to a number of campus constituencies (tour guides, admissions staff, faculty, etc.) to be vetted. We try to choose prompts that both showcase to applicants the University’s values and allow applicants to show us who they are.”

“I always advise students to be sure that they are sharing something that makes them who they are and provides that context in their own voice to the admissions committee. As applicants start to put personal statements and supplements together, they will see that they can really write about anything. The essays that stand out to me over the course of my career are essays that showcase a student’s individuality (i.e. what are their strengths, interests, passions, etc.) and how those align with the institution to which they are applying. This allows admissions officers to understand how a student will fit at our institution, will contribute to the community, and (bonus points for this last one!) how a student will grow (i.e. work on new talents, knowledge, etc.) at a specific school. This is why copying and pasting supplemental essays can almost always be detected – the “why” can’t be the same for any two institutions.”

Liz Kinsley, Associate Dean & Director of Undergraduate Admission, Northwestern University

“Our writing supplements are designed to support students by helping them focus their responses on areas we consider most important to our holistic review: how their personal experiences have shaped various ways they see themselves engaging at Northwestern, and how their vision for college aligns with Northwestern’s institutional values, academic culture, and campus community.”

“As you work on supplements for us and other colleges, keep in mind that the college process is not merely an exercise in proving your achievements in high school—it can be so much more exciting (and you will be a more exciting applicant!) if you embrace its imaginative side, picturing who you may become in college and helping admissions committees see your potential for growth and contribution in that setting.”

Mike Drish, Executive Director Of Undergraduate Admissions At Vanderbilt University

“​​I am glad these are framed in the Common App now, usually, as ‘Questions’ as opposed to a 'supplement.’ The term supplement implies the question is supplemental in the application review process when the questions individual universities ask are most often one of the most important parts of the application in the review process. The questions a university chooses to ask are also a terrific opportunity for an applicant to gain perspective on what matters to that university, and what it values. A lot of time and effort goes into developing the specific wording of university-specific questions on the member section of the Common App.

At Vanderbilt, we ask applicants to choose from one of two short prompts. One prompt is focused on allowing the student to elaborate on a work experience or activity that has influenced them. We ask about this to better understand the balance an applicant has between their academic and social experiences. Another prompt gives the student an opportunity to reflect on how a conversation with someone with a different viewpoint had an impact on the applicant. We ask about this because at Vanderbilt we strive to foster an atmosphere on campus where students can explore and freely discuss the most complex and challenging issues. The answers to this supplemental question provide some insight into an applicant’s experience with contrasting viewpoints.”

“When responding to a university-specific prompt, answer the question. Too often applicants will have something they want to say and will not fully – or at all – answer the question. That is a missed opportunity on a very important part of the application. There is a lot of time and attention placed on the Common App essay, and that is important, but students should spend an equal amount of time and focus on their answers to the university-specific prompts.”

Eric Maguire, Vice President For Enrollment, Wake Forest University

“In our application review, we are looking for students who are intellectually curious and academically accomplished. We seek students who are as engaged in their communities as they are in the classroom. We want to enroll students who align with our Pro Humanitate motto and university mission. We review transcripts, resumes of activities, and other information commonly contained in the application. However, supplemental questions can fill in the blanks and reveal aspects of an applicant's candidacy that are important to our community and might not have otherwise come to light in the student's application. For quite some time, Wake Forest has invited students to create a top-10 list as one of our optional supplemental questions. The responses to this question show quite a bit of creativity and thoughtfulness.”

“Sometimes the top-10 list reiterates an important theme that is present in other parts of a student's application. However, many students view that question as an opportunity to share something new about their passions, personality, or perspective. The question has no right answer; it represents a blank slate for students to express themselves and gives us the opportunity to know them better. Our newest supplemental question, a slight reinterpretation of a question we've used in the past, asks students to connect an aspect of their lived experience to a quote of their choosing by former Wake Forest University professor, Dr. Maya Angelou. I look forward to seeing what quotes students choose to highlight and draw inspiration from. I also anticipate the question will solicit some powerful stories of determination, perseverance, and grace.”

Thyra L Briggs, Vice President For Admission & Financial Aid, Harvey Mudd College

“There’s been a great deal of pressure for colleges to reduce the amount of additional questions they ask students, given how much work it is to apply to college. Indeed, it’s been proven that removing essay questions can increase a college’s application numbers in one fell swoop. That said, there are also demands on colleges to do more to differentiate themselves from one another and be more intentional in ensuring that students are getting a true sense of what a college cares about in their reading process. Our member questions help us signal to students two crucial aspects of Harvey Mudd - the value of how a student’s community shapes them and their research interests, as well as the central value of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts in our curriculum.”

“Hearing a student’s thoughts on both of these questions helps us to make better decisions in shaping our community. We don’t ask any question on our member page that we don’t read and consider carefully, and every year we review whether these questions are accomplishing what we hope. Last year we removed the “What about Harvey Mudd appeals to you” question, the answer to which had often become a laundry list of traits of which we were already well aware.”

James Nondorf, Vice President And Dean Of Admissions And Financial Aid, The University Of Chicago

“Supplemental Essays are an important piece of college applications. While personal statements are about the student (the person applying to college), a college’s supplemental essays are about the college (their values and strengths) and how a particular applicant may fit at that college. In the case of UChicago, we ask open-ended and creative questions because we find that students who really thrive in a Liberal Arts curriculum like the Core are creative thinkers. They enjoy engaging with questions that don’t actually have answers. Our supplemental essay prompts are unique and reflective of our campus culture and curriculum. UChicago is a place for people who love to play with ideas—students who enjoy discussing, debating, and creating new ideas and ways of thinking.”

“Our prompts give students a space to engage with an idea and to have fun with it, too. With no definitive answer, students can write an essay that reflects their personality, their curiosity, and their intellect. New prompts are chosen each year and applicants can make their own prompt or respond to a previous year’s prompt, so every student has the chance to let their own voice and ideas shine through their application. Whether it’s our supplemental essays or someone else’s, the most important thing you can do is be yourself and write thoughtfully and passionately. When you’ve seen tens of thousands of responses over the years, the applicants who are genuinely having fun writing their essay and are putting a lot of care and effort into it stand out.”

Keep Perspective

It is important to acknowledge that essay anxiety is only relevant for students applying to a subset of the many colleges and universities in the country–the selective institutions where the stakes are perceived to be high. According to the Common App , an organization of over 1,000 colleges and universities, 58% of their member institutions do not require an essay at all. CEO, Jenny Rickard says, “28% of our members don’t require anything like SAT scores, an essay, a teacher recommendation, etc.” She adds that for the schools that do require them, “essays are only one factor of many that colleges consider when making admissions decisions.” Meanwhile, a recent report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) found that 56% of colleges attribute moderate to considerable importance to essays and writing samples in their application review, and 17% attribute no importance. If you are applying only to a school in that minority, you are off the hook. If not, heed the wisdom of these admission leaders above and get writing!

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Harvey Mudd Supplemental Essays | Alexa Flash Briefing

Written by college coach guest author on november 8th, 2019.

Bright Horizons College Coach occasionally features blog posts written by guest authors. You’ll find more information about each guest author in the About the Author section on the blog post.

amet, adipisicing elit sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt?

Follow these pre-application steps to help your student stay on track for admissions success., related resources.

Read | Posted on June 17th, 2021

Paying for College in the US | Alexa Flash Briefing

Read | Posted on June 16th, 2021

What are Satellite Campuses? | Alexa Flash Briefing

Read | Posted on June 15th, 2021

Value of a Summer Job | Alexa Flash Briefing

Browse categories.

• Applying For Financial Aid
• Choosing The Right College
• College Admissions Consulting
• College Applications
• College Coach Mentionables: News & Events
• College Entrance Exams
• College Essays
• College Loan Advice
• College Visits
• Finding Scholarships
• How To Pay For College
• Meet a College Finance Expert
• Meet An Admissions Counselor
• Uncategorized

Interested?

Call 877-402-6224   or complete the form for information on getting your student started with one of our experts.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the Harvey Mudd Application Essays 2016-2017

Harvey Mudd College (HMC) is a small STEM-focused school in Claremont, California. HMC is one of the Claremont colleges, which means that students can supplement Harvey Mudd’s curriculum with classes at any of the other Claremont schools. Unlike most top STEM schools, HMC has no graduate programs, which allows its undergraduates to receive more personalized attention from faculty.

Harvey Mudd has a 14% acceptance rate — unsurprising, considering its excellent reputation amongst engineering-focused students. HMC’s supplement is writing-intensive, requiring two 500-word essays on top of the Common App’s 650-word essay.

Harvey Mudd College Application Essay Prompts

What influenced you to apply to Harvey Mudd College? What about the HMC curriculum and community appeals to you? Please limit your response to 500 words.

The first step to writing this essay is to look through Harvey Mudd’s website to see what stands out for you. Are you interested in the extremely focused curriculum and small student population? Does the school’s clinic program (intensive real-world engineering experience) appeal to you? If you already know the field you plan to major in, read up on HMC’s active areas of research and refer to one or two specific projects in your essay. If you haven’t chosen a specialty yet, discuss two or three departments whose research captures your curiosity.

You should also try to weave your own experiences and accomplishments into your response. If you’ve already done research at a local college or enjoyed substantial science fair success, mention that as a reason you’re looking forward to engaging in research at HMC. Instead of simply stating that you’re interested in engineering, talk about your exhilarating FIRST Robotics build season. This essay isn’t just about why you’re interested in Harvey Mudd; it’s about why Harvey Mudd should be interested in you.

You have a lot of space for this response, so you should include both academic and social reasons for your interest in the school. If you know a HMC alum or current student, you can briefly mention their influence on your decision, but the focus of your essay should be on your own plans and passions.

Choose Any One of the Essay Topics Below (500 Word Limit)

‘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?

This is a great option for students who already have an intended major. Think of how your experiences informed your decision to study, say, math, and then think about what you hope to accomplish with math once you finish college. Once you’ve found a connection between your plans and background, you can start writing.

The connection can be direct (maybe you want to study biomedical engineering because you’ve experienced firsthand just how crude modern medicine can be) or abstract (perhaps your parents’ love of art galleries inspired you to write mathematical proofs for beauty rather than application).

If you aren’t yet sure what you want to study, you can write about the general class of problems you prefer to tackle. Would you rather build a physical device or stick to a more theoretical approach? Do you prefer to invent a completely new method, or improve and refine an existing solution? Don’t forget to explain why.

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

Do you have a particularly unusual hobby or accomplishment? Does this information highlight a positive quality, such as perseverance or creativity? Remember that your application encompasses the entire Common Application, not just HMC’s supplement; don’t repeat something from your extracurriculars or additional information section.

Another approach to this prompt is to describe the intensity of your interest in a particular field of STEM. For example, if you’ve been building Rube Goldberg machines since you were 5, or obsessively devour every physics textbook you can get your hands on, you can discuss that here. Remember that the prompt asks for just one thing — you can choose a somewhat broad topic, but you shouldn’t drift between subjects over the course of this essay.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Harvey Mudd

• A+ Academics
• - Athletics
• A+ Diversity
• B+ Party Scene

Harvey Mudd Overview

Harvey Mudd College is a private, 4-year college located in Claremont, California. Founded in 1955, Harvey Mudd College is best known for integrating a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education with an emphasis on liberal arts. The college is named after Harvey Seeley Mudd , a mining engineer who planned the undergraduate College of Science and Engineering and served as chairman of the Board of Fellows of Claremont College for 25 years.

In the 2022 edition of Best Colleges, U.S. News ranked Harvey Mudd College as #28 in National Liberal Arts Colleges. Forbes ranks Harvey Mudd College #89 in America’s Top Colleges. Additionally, The Princeton Review featured Harvey Mudd on the following “Great Lists”: “Great Professor Accessibility,” “Great Professors,” “Students Study the Most,” and “LBGTQ-Friendly.”

Check out CollegeAdvisor.com resources on Harvey Mudd here .

Harvey Mudd Admissions

According to Niche.com , Harvey Mudd College has an acceptance rate of 14%, making it an “extremely competitive” school. In the most recent application cycle, the Harvey Mudd Admissions team reviewed 4,737 applications and admitted 473 students. The small Harvey Mudd class size is a large factor in the low acceptance rate. 

Roughly half of the students admitted to Harvey Mudd College had an SAT score between 1490-1570 or an ACT score of 34-35. In 2020, Harvey Mudd Admissions announced additional changes to their standardized testing policies . Harvey Mudd College no longer considers SAT subject test scores in the admissions process. Additionally, Harvey Mudd Admissions will be SAT/ACT test-optional for all applicants in 2021, 2022, and 2023 graduating classes.

Prospective students can submit their application to Harvey Mudd Admissions either through the Common App or the Coalition App . In addition to the longer personal essay prompt found in the 2021-2022 Common App and Coalition App , there are two Harvey Mudd College supplemental essays –a “Why Harvey Mudd” essay and another that focuses on humanities social sciences, and the arts (HSA). Both the “Why Harvey Mudd” essay and the HSA essay are required. For more information on writing great Harvey Mudd supplemental essays, read on for a link to our “Why Harvey Mudd” essay guide. 

The Harvey Mudd Admissions team also requires a $70 application fee or fee waiver, a school report and counselor recommendation, two teacher recommendations, and an official high school transcript.

Additionally, students can arrange an optional admission interview . Although not required for admission, interviews are highly encouraged. The optional admission interview is a chance for students to share more information about themselves with the Harvey Mudd admissions committee that may not be highlighted elsewhere in their application. It is also an opportunity for students to learn more about the Harvey Mudd class size, Harvey Mudd majors, Harvey Mudd online courses, and more.

Harvey Mudd College’s Early Decision I application deadline is November 15. Early Decision II and Regular Decision share a January 5 application deadline. Curious to learn more about which application option is best for you? Check out our guide on when to apply!

For a detailed list of application requirements, please visit the Harvey Mudd Admissions website.

Harvey Mudd Cost

For the 2021-2022 academic year , Harvey Mudd tuition was $60,402. Comparatively, the national average cost of tuition was $38,185 . In addition to the Harvey Mudd tuition, the total cost of attendance (including room and board, student body fee(s), personal expenses, and books and supplies) averages $82,236.

Although Harvey Mudd tuition is more expensive than the national average, don’t let the sticker price stop you from applying. Students and families can use tools like a Net Price Calculator to estimate how much financial aid a student may be eligible to receive to cover the Harvey Mudd tuition. A student’s “net price” is the difference between the estimated financial aid and the total cost of attendance. The average net price for a student in the 2018-2019 school year at Harvey Mudd College was $32,727 .

So how exactly does Harvey Mudd College calculate your family’s ability to cover the Harvey Mudd tuition and other related costs? To determine a student’s financial aid package, Harvey Mudd College obtains information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) , the College Board’s CSS Profile , and any additional documentation needed, such as federal tax returns. A student’s financial need is the amount that a student can be expected to pay in order to afford an education from Harvey Mudd. An individual’s financial needs might differ from year to year. Additionally, you can expect that Harvey Mudd tuition, like most other colleges and universities, will increase each year.

Harvey Mudd College states on their Harvey Mudd Admissions pages that they are dedicated to providing 100 percent of every student’s demonstrated financial need through federal and state grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. In the 2019-2020 academic year, about 70 percent of Harvey Mudd students received some form of financial aid, including grants, scholarships, loans, and/or work-study. Additionally, about 48 percent of students received need-based aid. The average financial aid award was $43,764 , with about $35,259 coming from grants and scholarship aid. 

To learn more about the various types of financial aid resources available to cover the cost of Harvey Mudd College’s tuition, check out our college financial aid guide .

Want personalized guidance from an advisor who's helped our clients get into Harvey Mudd?

Harvey Mudd Academics

At Harvey Mudd College, the student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1 . About 63% of classes at Harvey Mudd average fewer than 20 students.  The small Harvey Mudd class size ensures that you will have the opportunity to know your professors and classmates more personally. Additionally, the Harvey Mudd class size will allow you to receive individualized attention as compared to a larger college/university.

In addition to the average Harvey Mudd class size, potential Harvey Mudd students should know that curriculum at Harvey Mudd has three components. The first is the Common Core , designed to give students a broad scientific understanding of all the STEM disciplines. In addition to the Core, Harvey Mudd College students are required to take one quarter of coursework in the Humanities, Social Science, and the Arts. The third component of a Harvey Mudd education is choosing a  major, in order to “build depth and technical competence in a chosen field.”

Finally, when thinking about the Harvey Mudd class size,

Harvey Mudd Majors

Harvey Mudd College offers a Bachelor of Science degree for all graduating students. The following majors are available at Harvey Mudd: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, and Mathematical and Computational Biology . Harvey Mudd also offers joint major programs in Chemistry and Biology, Computer Science and Mathematics, and Mathematics and Physics.

Two non-traditional major options are the Individual Program of Studies (IPS) and the off-campus major . The IPS is a great opportunity for students to explore a more specialized field during their time at Harvey Mudd. The off-campus major allows students to major in fields offered at any of the other Claremont Colleges .

According to the U.S. News Best Colleges of 2022 report, Harvey Mudd ranks #2 for the Best Undergraduate Engineering Program. Engineering was the most popular major for the graduating class of 2020. Furthermore, Harvey Mudd College is ranked #23 for the Best Computer Science Program, which is the highest ranking of an undergraduate-only institution.

Each major at Harvey Mudd College is designed to emphasize an interdisciplinary approach so that students learn problem-solving skills and can adapt to any challenges they may face inside or outside of the classroom. Harvey Mudd College utilizes a project-based experiential model for each of its majors. Students can expect to learn through hands-on techniques while engaging in real-world research and design projects. 

Want to learn more about choosing a major? Read our guide here .

• Engineering
• Computer Science
• Computational and Applied Mathematics
• Bioinformatics
• Mathematics
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Liberal Arts and Humanities
• French Language and Literature

Harvey Mudd Online

Harvey Mudd College does not currently offer any online degree programs or distance learning programs. Like most colleges and universities, Harvey Mudd College transitioned to online remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is no present indication that Harvey Mudd plans to add online courses to its curriculum in the future. 

There are, however, Harvey Mudd online courses available on edX , an educational website that offers free massive open online courses, or MOOCs, to the general public. These courses are available for anyone to enroll in and offer a variety of educational topics through online learning. Some examples of these Harvey Mudd online courses include Digital Design and Computer Architecture .

Our clients got into Harvey Mudd last admissions cycle. Are you next?

Harvey Mudd Students

For the 2021-2022 academic school year, Harvey Mudd College had a total undergraduate enrollment of 905 students. The Harvey Mudd enrollment figures include 902 full-time undergraduate students and 3 part-time students. Overall, Harvey Mudd’s enrollment numbers have steadily increased each year since the college’s inception. The gender ratio of students at Harvey Mudd College is split evenly at 50 percent female and 50 percent male.

While there are no national fraternities or sororities at Harvey Mudd, the college offers a variety of student activities on campus including student government, clubs and organizations, athletics, and community service. 

Additionally, Harvey Mudd College is a member of NCAA Division III athletics and the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC). Students who are not involved in intercollegiate athletics are able to participate in intramural sports teams and club sports at Harvey Mudd.

As a residential campus, 99% of students live in one of nine residence halls during their four years at Harvey Mudd College. Consequently, the community is considered to be close-knit, as students build long, supportive relationships. 

Student life at Harvey Mudd College is centered on four ideals : experiential learning, inclusive communities, leadership development, and wellbeing and holistic development. Ultimately, Harvey Mudd College wants to prepare each student to become a global citizen and scholar. Their hope is that lessons learned at Harvey Mudd College would push them to positively impact their respective communities in significant ways.

Harvey Mudd Related Essay Guides

In addition to the main essay prompt found in the 2021-2022 Common App or Coalition App , Harvey Mudd College requires two supplemental essay, including a “Why Harvey Mudd Essay.” The “Why Harvey Mudd Essay” has a maximum of 500 words, while the second supplemental essay is much shorter at just 100 words or less. 

The “Why Harvey Mudd Essay” asks students to describe why they want to attend Harvey Mudd College. Be sure to include specific details in your response to the “Why Harvey Mudd Essay.” Start by familiarizing yourself with the Harvey Mudd College website and social media accounts. Then, research what aspects of the college excite you the most. 

Make a list of any majors, programs, activities, or faculty members that stand out to you. Choose a few of these details to discuss in your “Why Harvey Mudd Essay.” 

Make sure you focus on what makes Harvey Mudd College unique and avoid using clichés that could apply to any university. Additionally, describe how you will take advantage of these resources or opportunities while at Harvey Mudd College. 

The second essay prompt asks you to describe what you would learn in your ideal Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts (HAS) class at Harvey Mudd College. This prompt is much more creative than the first supplemental prompt. It aims to assess your academic interests and intellectual curiosity. Much like the “Why Harvey Mudd Essay,” this supplemental essay should include specific details about your interests and passions. 

You only have 100 words for this second essay, so make sure you get straight to the point. Explain the topics your ideal class would include, then connect these topics to your own academic interests. 

For more tips on how to write the Harvey Mudd College supplemental essays, read our Harvey Mudd essay guide .

Not sure how to approach the “Why Harvey Mudd” essay and other Harvey Mudd essay prompts? With advice from a trained Admissions Expert, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Harvey Mudd supplement […]

Harvey Mudd Related How to Get Into Guides

Wondering how to get into Harvey Mudd? In short, every potential student vying for acceptance to Harvey Mudd College needs a personalized strategy. Begin your Harvey Mudd admissions journey with CollegeAdvisor’s How to Get Into Harvey Mudd Guide. Here, you’ll find in-depth information on Harvey Mudd enrollment, potential Harvey Mudd majors, the Why Harvey Mudd essay, and more.

How to get into Harvey Mudd—General Information Harvey Mudd College is a private college in Claremont, California, and is part of the Claremont Colleges, a group of prestigious colleges that […]

Harvey Mudd Related Blog Posts

Best Colleges in California: Introduction With one of the most robust public university systems in the nation—as well as many top-ranked private colleges—California has a lot to offer college students. […]

Looking to avoid applying to the most expensive universities? Our expert guide to Most Expensive Colleges in the US and World can help you!

Harvey Mudd Related Schools

Harvey Mudd is a member of The Claremont Colleges , a consortium made up of five undergraduate and two graduate schools. The Claremont Colleges include Pomona College , Claremont Graduate University , Scripps College , Claremont McKenna College , Pitzer College , and Keck Graduate Institute . This partnership allows students to take classes at any of these colleges and provides access to many of the resources available at each school. 

Prospective students who are interested in attending Harvey Mudd have also indicated interest in the following related colleges and universities: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) , Stanford University , University of California-Berkeley , and the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.  

Harvey Mudd Campus Videos

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

Mudd supplement essay

<p>Anyone want to give me feedback on my "why Mudd" essay ? Thanks a lot!</p>

<p>yeah sure...just PM me</p>

<p>sure. (10 char)</p>

POPULAR STATES

Search sat scores, search act scores, search gpa’s, subscribe to our newsletter.

Stay informed with the latest from the CC community, delivered to you, for free.

CONNECT WITH US

© 2023 College Confidential, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Harvey Mudd College 2020-21 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

Harvey Mudd College 2020-21 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 500 words, 1 short essay of 100 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Oddball

What influenced you to apply to Harvey Mudd College? What about the HMC curriculum and community appeals to you? Please limit your response to 500 words.

In a marvelous feat of engineering, Harvey Mudd has managed to craft a Why essay prompt without ever actually using the word “why.” The two halves of this question offer you two potential points of entry: (1) The external factors that influenced your decision to apply, like your passion for trigonometry, the Mudder alums in your life, or your craving for vitamin D; and (2) The intrinsic aspects of a Harvey Mudd education that appeal to you, like the faculty in your department, the research opportunities, or access to Claremont consortium. Whether you take approach #1 or approach #2, you’ll want to set aside an hour or so to do your research. Dig through the college website to figure out how it will meet your needs or trawl for cool facts and exciting programs. The more specific and personal the details you include, the more unique and memorable your essay will be.

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 (in 100 words or less) describe what you’d like to learn about in your dream HSA class.

If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to geek out, then look no further! What are your favorite things and how would you want to learn about them? What’s the most interesting class you can dream up? This is your shot to not only wax poetic on your many passions, but also to show admissions how well-rounded you are. Maybe you’re passionate about environmentalism and looking #fabulous and would jump at the opportunity to take a class called Sustainability in a Fast Fashion World. How do you unite your many interests? And how would you go about drawing those connections for others? Perhaps you love to paint watercolors of the local flora and fauna and would love to take a class in which the final project was a herbology-focused picture book. Once you decide on your topic, commit to the planning process. Craft a comprehensive syllabus and try to come up with a memorable course title. In other words, take this opportunity to build your brand!

About Kat Stubing

View all posts by Kat Stubing »

Check out our brainstorming tips!

Contact us for information on rates and more!

• I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
• Name * First Last
• Phone Type Mobile Landline
• Street Address
• Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
• Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
• How did you find CEA? Internet Search New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Other
• Common App and Coalition Essays
• Supplemental Essays
• University of California Essays
• University of Texas Essays
• Resume Review
• Post-Grad Essays
• Specialized Services
• Waitlist Letters
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
• Agnes Scott College
• Alvernia University
• American University
• Amherst College
• Bard College
• Barnard College
• Baylor University
• Bennington College
• Bentley University
• Berry College
• Bethany College
• Bishop’s University
• Boston College
• Boston University
• Bowdoin College
• Brandeis University
• Brown University
• Bryn Mawr College
• Butler University
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• California Lutheran University
• Capitol Technology University
• Carleton College
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Catawba College
• Centre College
• Chapman University
• Claremont McKenna College
• Clark University
• College of Mount Saint Vincent
• College of William and Mary
• College of Wooster
• Colorado College
• Colorado School of Mines
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Culver-Stockton College
• Dartmouth College
• Davidson College
• Drexel University
• Duke University
• Earlham College
• Elon University
• Emerson College
• Emory University
• Flagler College
• Fordham University
• George Mason University
• Georgetown University
• Georgia State University
• Georgia Tech
• Gonzaga University
• Harvard University
• Harvey Mudd College
• Haverford College
• Hillsdale College
• Hofstra University
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Indiana University Bloomington
• Ithaca College
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kalamazoo College
• Lafayette College
• Lehigh University
• Lewis and Clark College
• Linfield University
• Loyola Marymount University
• Lynn University
• Macalester College
• Malone University
• Manchester University
• Marist College
• Mary Baldwin University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Meredith College
• Monmouth College
• Moravian University
• Morehouse College
• Mount Holyoke College
• New York University (NYU)
• North Park University
• Northwestern University
• Occidental College
• Oklahoma City University
• Pepperdine University
• Pitzer College
• Pomona College
• Princeton University
• Providence College
• Purdue University
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Rice University
• Rutgers University
• Saint Elizabeth University
• Santa Clara University
• Sarah Lawrence College
• Scripps College
• Seattle Pacific University
• Soka University of America
• Southern Methodist University
• Stanford University
• Stonehill College
• SUNY Stony Brook University
• Swarthmore College
• Syracuse University
• Texas A&M University
• Texas Christian University
• The College of Idaho
• The George Washington University
• The New School
• Trinity College
• Tufts University
• Tulane University
• University of California
• University of Chicago
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Florida
• University of Georgia
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• University of Maryland
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Miami
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Oregon
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Richmond
• University of San Diego
• University of San Francisco
• University of Southern California (USC)
• University of Tampa
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Tulsa
• University of Vermont
• University of Virginia (UVA)
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Vanderbilt University
• Vassar College
• Villanova University
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest University
• Washington and Lee University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Wellesley College
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
• Yale University

Want free stuff?

We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!

One-On-One Advising

Common App Essay Prompt Guide

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

• YouTube Tutorials
• Our Approach & Team
• Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Academy and Worksheets
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guide
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Statistics
• Deadline Databases
• Notification Trackers