Harvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd College was founded in 1955. It is a highly selective private liberal arts college located in Claremont, California. Harvey Mudd College has established itself as one of the premier institutions of higher education in the country. The college is known for its rigorous academic programs in the fields of science, engineering, and mathematics, and is consistently ranked among the top undergraduate engineering colleges in the United States. Harvey Mudd College provides a small, tight-knit community that fosters intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, and a passion for innovation. The college’s mission is to prepare its students to become leaders in their respective fields and to make meaningful contributions to society.
Location
Harvey Mudd College is located in Claremont, California. Claremont is a suburban city situated in the eastern part of Los Angeles County. The Harvey Mudd College campus spans over 33 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Claremont is a vibrant college town with plenty of shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions. The town is located approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
Student Cohort Size
Harvey Mudd College has 906 undergraduate students. The admitted students represent 32 states and 17 countries. 49% of students are men and 51% are women.
Four-Year Completion Rate
The graduation rate is among the most important factors when selecting a college. Harvey Mudd College’s first-year retention rate is 97 %. This means that 97% of first-year students continue their education for their sophomore year and beyond. The 4-year graduation rate is 88% and the 6-year graduation rate is 92%. This implies that 88% of students were able to graduate in 4 years and 92% of students were able to graduate after 6 years. The extra semesters or years you take to graduate increases the cost of your degree.
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty ratio at Harvey Mudd is 8:1. The faculty members encourage students to collaborate and present at professional conferences. They also get the opportunity to present in peer-reviewed journals. The faculty members have the highest degree in their field and they have been honored with distinguished national awards.
Admission
Acceptance Rate
Harvey Mudd College is a highly selective college with a 10% acceptance rate. There are 4,440 aspiring applications and only 592 students were admitted.
Acceptance GPA
Harvey Mudd College is a highly selective college and most of the accepted students have a high school GPA higher than 3.97.
Types of Admission
The students can apply through the Early Decision and Regular Decision cycle. Early Decision is an opportunity for students to show that Harvey Mudd College is their number one choice. Early Decision is a binding process and it implies that the students should attend Harvey Mudd College if accepted. About 40% of their incoming class was admitted through the Early Decision cycle.
The students also have the option to apply through the Regular Decision process. Regular Decision may be right for you if you need more time to get your application ready. Many more students apply for Regular Decision than Early Decision.
Application Components
Complete the Common Application.
High School Transcript: The high school transcript should include the mid-term grades from the senior year.
Standardized Test Scores: Harvey Mudd College is test optional. However, the accepted students had an SAT score of more than 1480 and an ACT score of more than 34.
School Report should be submitted by your counselor
Counselor Recommendation
Two Teacher Recommendation Letters: One letter should be from a math or science teacher and the other one should be from a humanities, social sciences, or arts teacher.
Essays: An additional essay and short answer response is required.
“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)
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)
Interview: Even though the interview is optional we highly recommend the students should give the interview. The students should consider the interview as an opportunity to share something about themselves with the admission committee.
Academics
Harvey Mudd is a liberal arts college where students have the opportunity to major in a STEM field while taking nearly a third of their classes in humanities, social sciences, and the arts (HSA). The HSA requirement encourages students to pursue their interests in philosophy, psychology, political science, sociology, literature, music, photography, media studies, and many other fields.
All students start their educational experience with the Common Core, a set of coordinated courses from every department—biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, math, physics and humanities, social sciences, and the arts. The Core gives the students a broad scientific background and a solid interdisciplinary foundation.
Harvey Mudd’s Majors
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Biology
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Chemistry
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Computer Science
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Engineering
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Mathematics
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Physics
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Chemistry and Biology
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Mathematical and Computational Biology
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Computer Science and Mathematics
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Mathematics and Physics
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Off-Campus Major (OCM)
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Individual Program of Studies (IPS).
Special Academic Programs
Individual Program Studies: A student can devise an individual program of study if the majors offered at Harvey Mudd do not meet their educational goals.
Off-Campus Major: Students have the option to complete an off-campus major at one of the other Claremont Colleges in order to satisfy the “major” component of the curriculum.
Emphasis in Environmental Analysis: Environmental Analysis combines technical rigor and engagement with pressing social issues. An Emphasis in Environmental Analysis consists of five courses beyond the Core with significant environmental analysis content taken on- or off-campus, including at least two courses in recognized humanities, social sciences, and the arts disciplines and two courses in science, engineering, and mathematics.
Joint Major in Computer Science and Physics: The new major will apply to students interested in the intersection of physics and computer science. This program would focus on new discoveries in complex physical systems enabled by high-performance computing and/or machine learning and quantum computing and quantum information science.
3-2 program in Engineering with Scripps College: Harvey Mudd has a 3-2 program in Engineering with Scripps College. The 3-2 Program with Scripps College includes an emphasis on mathematics and science.
3-2 Program in Economics and Engineering: Harvey Mudd offers a 3-2 Program in Economics and Engineering in cooperation with Claremont McKenna College. The program is designed for students who want a liberal arts background, with an emphasis on economics and management, and an engineering major.
4+1 B.S. + M.B.A. Program: Harvey Mudd College students can earn an MBA within 15 months of graduation from the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management at the Claremont Graduate University.
4+1 B.S. + M.S.I.S. Program: Harvey Mudd College students can earn an M.S.I.S. in the year after they graduate from the School of Information Science at Claremont Graduate University.
Students have the option to minor in the following subject areas:
• Biology Minor
• Chemistry Minor
• Computer Science Minor
• Engineering Minor
• Mathematics Minor
• Physics Minor
Activities
Harvey Mudd College’s students have access to various kinds of clubs that are sponsored by the Associated Students of Harvey Mudd College (ASHMC). Many clubs like NerfSHMC and GameSHMC have an SHMC (pronounced “shmick”) on the end. The students get the opportunity to sign up for clubs at Mudd Club Fair. It is held on the first Friday of the first semester. Harvey Mudd students can also sign up for 5C Clubs that are open to the entire Claremont Colleges community.
Students at Harvey Mudd participate in some of these activities:
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Campus Ministries
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Choral Groups
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Concert Band
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Dance
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Drama/Theater
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International Student Organization
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Jazz Band
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Literary Magazine
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Music Ensembles
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Radio Station
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Student Government
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Student Newspaper
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Symphony Orchestra
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Yearbook
Some of the ASHMC clubs are:
Boba Club
Cheese Club
DUCK
EPAIC
Harvey Mudd Investment Club
Some of the 5C Clubs are:
5C Pasifika Student Association
5C Animation Club
5C Badminton Club
5C Bahai Club
5C Billiards Club
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS): Claremont-Mudd-Scripps is an NCAA Division III athletic program comprised of student-athletes from three of the Claremont Colleges: Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, and Scripps Colleges. CMS sponsors 10 men’s (Stags) and 11 women’s (Athenas) sports.
Fun Fact
In 1986, a group of Harvey Mudd students pulled off the impossible, posing as a construction crew and stealing CalTech’s famous cannon, transporting it back to Harvey Mudd College. Since then Harvey Mudd College is infamous for its pranking prowess on a grand scale.
Cost of Attendance
Tuition $62,518
Student Body Fee $310
Room $10, 963
Board $8,916
Personal Expenses $1,400
Books & Supplies $800
Average COA $84, 896
In conclusion, Harvey Mudd College is a prestigious institution that offers an exceptional academic experience for students who are passionate about science, engineering, and mathematics. Its emphasis on sports and recreational activities provides students with opportunities to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Harvey Mudd College is a unique and exceptional institution that offers students an unparalleled educational experience, preparing them to succeed in their future careers and make meaningful contributions to society.
