In Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, failing grades include E, ABS (Absent), FL (Fail), UNS (Unsatisfactory), and EXL (Excluded), with an E being the common failing mark for unsatisfactory work unworthy of credit, while D+ to D- are passing but unsatisfactory grades. Other schools like Harvard Extension School use an 'E', and some professional schools have specific policies, but generally, anything below a C- (or B- in some grad programs) can be considered failing or unsatisfactory, with an E or UNS signifying outright failure.
A grade of E is a failing grade. The minimum standard for satisfactory work in the Graduate School is a “B” average in each academic year. A grade of “C” or “INC” is offset by a grade of “A” and a “D” by two “A's”; no account is taken of plus or minus.
Other universities follow a 5-point scale, wherein the highest grade is a 1.00 and the lowest is a 5.00 (failing mark). The lowest passing mark is actually a 3.00. Although usually not depicted, a grade of 4.00 is equivalent to a grade of incomplete.
Can I Get into Harvard with a Low GPA? While it's certainly possible to get into Harvard with a low GPA, as the numbers bear out, it's improbable. For the Class of 2028, a mere 1.28% of admitted students to Harvard had GPAs below 3.5.
GPA Requirements for Harvard
Harvard does not publish a strict minimum GPA requirement, but successful applicants typically have GPAs between 3.9 and 4.0 (unweighted) or 4.1 to 4.5 (weighted) on a 5.0 scale.
🧠 Mark Zuckerberg – Also achieved 1590/1600 (so close to perfect!) 🧠 Paul Allen (Microsoft co-founder) – Claimed to have scored a perfect 1600.
The easiest to predict, by far, is Barack Obama's score, mostly because we have some data. Based on admissions records, we can deduce — somewhat reliably — that Barry-O scored between the 94th and 98th percentile on his LSAT. Using today's grading system, that would place him somewhere around a 170.
Harvard does not publish an official GPA cutoff. However, data from admitted students and counselors suggests: Average Unweighted GPA: 3.9 – 4.0 (on a 4.0 scale) Average Weighted GPA: 4.15 – 4.25 (on a 5.0 scale, depending on high school)
What's the Lowest GPA You Can Get? The lowest GPA you can technically get is 0.0, but that's usually for unweighted GPAs. In most cases, a 1.0 is considered the lowest GPA, indicating a D average. It's worth noting that some colleges have GPA cutoffs for admissions, typically falling between 2.0 and 2.5.
Australia uses a 7-point GPA scale where 7 is the highest (High Distinction - 85%+), 6 is Distinction (75-84%), 5 is Credit (65-74%), 4 is Pass (50-64%), and 0 is Fail (<50%), with calculations averaging these points across all courses, including Fail grades, making it a comprehensive measure of academic performance, often used for honours, scholarships, or further study.
However, many high schools also use a weighted GPA scale—which can go up to 5.0 or even 6.0—to reward students for taking more challenging coursework like Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Credit, Honors, or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes.
There have been cases where students with very low GPAs still got into Harvard. Schools like Harvard want students who will contribute to the world and want to create future world leaders or helpers.
The College's graduation rate is normally 98 percent, among the highest at American colleges and universities. Everyone admitted to Harvard has the ability to complete all academic requirements successfully.
SAT Score Percentiles
You should also have a 4.2 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score. For a school as selective as Harvard, you'll also need to impress them with the rest of your application.
In this case, if a student takes all AP or IB courses and receives straight A's in every subject, they can achieve a 5.0 GPA. However, this is quite rare, as most schools don't offer an advanced level of every subject, especially in your first couple of years of high school.
Elle Woods achieved an impressive LSAT score of 179. This achievement is remarkable, especially since she initially scored 143 on a practice test, below the average LSAT score of 150. Her final score was a mere point away from the perfect mark in the LSAT score range, topping out at 180.
Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Born in Chicago and raised on the South Side of the city, Obama is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School. In her early legal career, she worked at the law firm Sidley Austin where she met her future husband.
His basketball skills and SAT score of 1080 would have ensured admission to any college Bryant chose, but he did not officially visit any campuses. In 2012, Bryant was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans for his high school play as well as his later accomplishments.
Mark Zuckerberg's "80 Percent Rule" involves scheduling only about 80% of his day, leaving 20% open for unexpected issues, high-priority tasks, or deep work, preventing burnout and increasing focus, a concept similar to Google's productivity advice. This strategy challenges the busy-ness culture, allowing flexibility and ensuring important, unplanned items get attention without derailing the entire day, helping leaders stay adaptable and effective.