Is Georgia Tech or Harvard harder to get into for STEM majors?

Harvard is harder to get into for a STEM applicant, including someone aiming for computer science or engineering. Harvard does not admit students directly to a major, so there is no separate published CS or engineering admission rate; every applicant faces the same extremely selective college-level process.

Harvard evaluates applicants across a broad liberal-arts college context and expects exceptional academic achievement plus unusually strong distinction, impact, or intellectual engagement beyond grades and test scores. Being interested in STEM does not create a separate, easier lane there, and strong math and science credentials are common among applicants.

At Georgia Tech, a serious record in advanced math, science, coding, engineering projects, research, or technical problem-solving is especially relevant because the institution is STEM-focused. Applicants indicate an intended major, but first-year admission is not simply a published major-by-major contest in the way it is at some universities. Computer science and engineering draw exceptionally deep pools, so a student should not treat Georgia Tech as a safety, especially from outside Georgia.

Harvard does not have that state-residency distinction. For either school, the most persuasive STEM application shows sustained depth: rigorous preparation, concrete work or curiosity in the field, and evidence of contribution beyond checking off advanced courses.