How to Apply to Chemistry at Harvey Mudd College: Three Semesters of Common Core First, a Major Declared by the End of Sophomore Year, Plus Joint Majors with Biology and Climate and ACS Certification, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Harvey Mudd College (HMC) is a science- and engineering-focused liberal arts college, and its undergraduate chemistry programme is run by the Department of Chemistry. Students apply to the College as a whole, not to the department. This guide is based on the College’s and the department’s websites, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Biology, mathematics, physics, computer science and other majors are not covered here beyond a mention of the joint majors.

1. Majors and options

• The chemistry major: the majors overview says the chemistry curriculum, approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS), gives a broad background in the five traditional sub-disciplines (analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic and physical) and an in-depth study building on them; chemistry is an experimental science, so substantial laboratory work and research experience are part of the curriculum. A degree label (such as BS) and the full course list for the major are not stated on the pages read (the major requirements page loads dynamically and showed only “Loading…”); please check the department pages or the College catalog.
• Joint majors: the department’s curriculum page lists two joint majors besides the chemistry major. The joint major in chemistry and biology is run by the chemistry and biology departments for students interested in biochemistry, molecular biology, biological chemistry and chemical biology. The joint major in chemistry and climate is run by the chemistry department and the Hixon Center for Climate and the Environment; beyond foundational chemistry, students choose from a menu of climate courses on science, impacts, interventions and contexts, and the College says the programme is distinct from an environmental chemistry or earth science programme. The course requirements of the joint majors loaded dynamically and were not read.
• “Eight degree options”: the department’s distinctive-features page says the flexibility of the major offers eight degree options; the pages read do not list all eight, so please check with the department.
• ACS certified degree: the department’s ACS page says completing the chemistry major, the joint chemistry-biology major or the joint chemistry-climate major gives you the opportunity to earn a degree that is also ACS certified. The chemistry major’s requirements already satisfy certification, but electives must include at least 9 units designated “in-depth” and cross-listed courses must be registered under their chemistry number. For the joint chemistry-biology major, “in as few as three additional classes”: take both Chem 103 and Chem 104 (rather than one of them) and at least 6 more credits of in-depth chemistry. For the joint chemistry-climate major: take both Chem 104 and Chem 182, at least 3 more credits of in-depth chemistry, and at least 2 additional laboratory courses. Graduating seniors apply through a web form on the department site and receive the certificate on graduation. Note that the curriculum page elsewhere says “all chemistry graduates are certified by the American Chemical Society”, while the ACS page speaks of an “opportunity” to earn the certified degree and requires an application form; the two statements differ, so please confirm with the department.
• Capstone: the curriculum page says students may fulfil the senior capstone through a research investigation, a team-based Clinic project, a national laboratory collaboration or an industrial internship, and that courses in all major branches of chemistry can be completed by the end of junior year.
• Research: the department says students have opportunities to do collaborative research with faculty from the first year, sustained multi-year projects are common, and students can present at national conferences. The department also has a Beckman Scholars Program page, which was not read.
• Study abroad: the sample-schedules page says the department lists four example paths, one of which includes a study abroad semester in the spring of junior year; the linked spreadsheet itself was not read.

2. How admission works: apply to the College, declare later

• At application: the application FAQ says you do not need a major selected before arrival. Applicants are asked which majors they lean toward; the College says this matters “to some extent” as it is building a class eager to study across the curriculum, but students may change their minds. Chemistry is a department within the College; there is no separate school to apply to, and no separate admission line or capacity for chemistry was found.
• Declaring the major: all students complete the Core across departments in their first three semesters; students may not declare a major before the end of the first year and must declare before the end of sophomore year. A grade requirement or cap on places for the chemistry major is not stated on the pages read.
• Switching in: no separate conditions found; every student first takes the Core across departments.

3. Prerequisites, the Core and credit

• Enrollment requirements: one year each of high school calculus, chemistry and physics. If you cannot complete them before graduating, the College may offer conditional admission, and you must complete a one-semester college course with a B or better to enrol. The FAQ adds that students are not penalised for not taking honors, AP or IB courses their school does not offer, and need not take every advanced course available.
• AP / IB credit: the College is explicit that it does not grant credit for AP/IB scores or for college courses taken during high school (including toward the humanities, social sciences and arts requirement); scores may be submitted so the rigor of the programme can be considered. How AP/IB results affect placement after enrolment, or map to specific courses, is not stated on the pages read; please check with the College.
• Common Core: all students take the Common Core in their first three semesters: one course each in computer science and engineering; one biology course and a lab; two semesters of mathematics; one and a half semesters of physics and a lab; one semester of chemistry and a lab; a half-semester of college writing; a critical inquiry course from the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts (HSA); and a course on the impact of our work on society.
• Placement and first-year chemistry: the distinctive-features page says the laboratory curriculum, including a first-year course, gives hands-on experience with modern instrumentation and computation through inquiry-driven, open-ended experiments. Whether there is a chemistry placement exam before arrival, and the course numbers and timing of first-year chemistry, are not stated on the pages read; please check with the College.
• Chemistry courses in the sample pathway: the ACS page gives one sample pathway for the joint chemistry-climate major, in which chemistry courses appear as Chem 42 and 24 (second semester), Chem 51 and 53 (third), Chem 103 and 109 (fourth), Chem 56 and 58 (fifth), Chem 104 and 110 (sixth), Chem 80 and 151 (seventh), and Chem 170, 182 and 152 (eighth), plus Chem 199; this is one example, not a required list for everyone.
• Labs and capstone: the Core includes one semester of chemistry with a laboratory; the credit requirements for chemistry laboratories and the capstone are not stated on the pages read.
• Competitions: the admissions pages read do not say how competitions such as the chemistry olympiad are viewed.

4. Deadlines and application materials (per the College’s dates table)

• Deadlines: Early Decision I (binding) Nov. 15, decision Dec. 15; Early Decision II Jan. 5, decision Feb. 15; Regular Decision Jan. 5, decision Apr. 1; reply dates Jan. 8, Feb. 26 and May 1. Merit scholarship deadline: Feb. 1 in all three rounds. The table prints no year; please check that the dates apply to fall 2027 entry.
• How to apply and fee: the Common App; application fee $70, with fee waivers available, including those from ACT, College Board and NACAC.
• Recommendations: a school report (counselor), one recommendation from a STEM teacher and one from a humanities, social sciences or arts teacher; the page does not say the STEM teacher must teach chemistry. A personal essay, plus two additional writing pieces: Q1 how an experience or community has shaped the problems you want to solve (500 words or less); Q2 a time when asking for help made a difference (250 words or less).
• Interview: optional, with deadlines Nov. 15 (ED I) and Dec. 15 (ED II and RD); the FAQ says students are not penalised for not having one.
• Testing: test optional for fall 2027, with standardized testing required for everyone again from the fall 2028 cycle. Applicants choose in the Common App whether to have ACT/SAT scores considered; scores may be self-reported; the SAT essay and ACT writing are not considered; only depositing students who asked that scores be considered must send official reports.
• Admission figures (as printed, Class of 2030): 4,971 applications, 654 admitted, 232 enrolled; middle 50% SAT Math 770–800, SAT ERW 740–770, ACT composite 35–36.

5. US domestic applicants

• Costs (2026–27): the cost of attendance page lists one price, with no in-state or out-of-state distinction: tuition $76,879, student body fee $401; on-campus housing $13,293, food $11,489 (19-meal plan), personal expenses $1,400, books and supplies $800, new student orientation fee $250, for an on-campus total of $104,512; $90,912 off campus and $83,793 off campus with family (transportation extra). Figures for fall 2027 entry are not published; check when released.
• Aid: the application FAQ says admission is need-blind for domestic students and need-aware for international students. Need-based scholarships are available only to US citizens and permanent residents (the Harvey Mudd College Scholarship, federal grants and state grants). Aid dates: CSS Profile Nov. 15 (ED I), Jan. 5 (ED II), Feb. 1 (RD); FAFSA the same.
• Merit scholarships: first-year applicants may be considered, primarily on academic achievement, with financial need and test scores not used; transfer students are not eligible. The awards are the President’s Scholars Program, Harvey S. Mudd Merit Award, National Merit Scholarship, FIRST Robotics Scholarship, RIF Scholarship, Esterbrook Merit Award and VEX Scholarship; recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress and full-time enrollment (at least 12 credits) to renew.
• Preference or guaranteed admission for state residents: not stated on the pages read.

6. International applicants

• Who counts: anyone who is not a US citizen or permanent resident applies as an international student; the procedures are the same as for domestic first-year and transfer applicants.
• English proficiency: Duolingo English Test (160-point version) minimum 130, TOEFL iBT (Home or Paper Edition) 100, IELTS Academic 7.5, or Cambridge C1 Advanced 190 / C2 Proficiency 200. Scores may be self-reported or sent officially; only enrolling students must send official reports. If the school uses English as the primary language of instruction, the requirement is waived, and a waiver can be processed only after the application is submitted.
• Materials: English translations of any credentials not in English; a school profile (course system, grading scale, rigor) is recommended.
• Aid: in the College’s own words, international students are not eligible for federal or state aid (except under the California Dream Act); the College provides need-based International Student Scholarships for a limited number of students; funding is limited, need may affect admission, and it can meet 100% of demonstrated need for only a handful of international students. International students can also apply for some merit awards, including the So Scholarship, which is exclusively for them. A student who does not apply for or receive aid in the first year will not be considered in later years. Scholarships exceeding tuition, fees, books and supplies are subject to US federal income tax withholding, and international students must join the Claremont Colleges’ Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the website does not say whether or how the gaokao is used; it is not published. Contact admission@hmc.edu.
• Transcripts and school-leaving exam materials: no China-specific requirements are published; see Section 6 for the general requirements (translations, school profile, English proficiency).
• International curricula: AP and IB scores can be self-reported for the application but earn no credit after enrolment (Section 3).
• Chemistry department: the department pages read contain no China-specific guidance.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see Section 5.
• Department scholarships and programmes: the department has pages on fellowships and scholarships and on research funding, which were not read; a chemistry-specific scholarship for entering students is not described on the pages read.
• Outcomes (as printed): the department has a page listing where chemistry and joint chemistry-biology graduates went in the Classes of 2025 and 2024: for 2025, PhD programs at the Colorado School of Mines, Northwestern University, UC Irvine, Michigan State University, UCLA and UC Santa Barbara, plus a research technician at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; for 2024, chemistry PhD programs at Colorado State University (2), the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Michigan, UC Irvine and UC Riverside, a master’s programme at the University of Cambridge, and workforce destinations among others; the page gives no totals. At the whole-College level, the alumni outcomes page says about 60 percent of seniors enter the workforce with a median starting salary of $112,500, and close to 30 percent pursue postgraduate degrees; these are not chemistry-only figures.

9. Transfer students

• Conditions: at least one year of full-time academic work in good standing by the term applied for; at least two years as a full-time student at HMC (a requirement); no one who already holds a bachelor’s degree; no mid-year transfers (all new students start in the fall); international transfer students may apply only if they are not seeking financial aid.
• Deadlines and materials: application March 15, decision May 5, reply June 1; CSS Profile and FAFSA March 2. The table prints no year; please check. Fee $70; Common App, mid-term report, college/transfer report, two college instructor recommendations (one math or science, one humanities or social sciences), all college and high school transcripts and the additional writing (as in Section 4); no transfer interviews.
• Credit and the major: applicants should try to take courses that correspond to the HMC Core; course compatibility with the Core is “almost always more important than the intended major”; the College assesses preparation for the intended major and seeks feedback from the department; most majors can be completed in four semesters at HMC, a few with sequenced courses may need a fifth. The registrar gives a credit estimate a few days after admission, faculty make official placement decisions at orientation, and transfer students may take placement exams; credit is not evaluated in advance. Only college courses completed after high school graduation are considered; AP/IB and college courses taken in high school earn no credit. The FAQ adds that need-based aid is available to transfer students (“we meet 100% of every student’s demonstrated financial need”) and that merit aid is not. Transfer GPA or prerequisite requirements specific to chemistry are not stated on the pages read.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• ED I Nov. 15; ED II and Regular Jan. 5; $70 fee; one STEM and one humanities/social science/arts teacher recommendation; test optional (fall 2027)
• CSS Profile and FAFSA (dates in Section 5); merit scholarship deadline Feb. 1

International applicants (including those from China):

• TOEFL 100, IELTS 7.5, Duolingo 130 or Cambridge C1/C2 (or a waiver if eligible); translations of non-English documents
• If you need aid, say so in the application; places are very limited

After admission:

• Complete the Core in three semesters (including a semester of chemistry with a lab); no declaring before the end of the first year, and declare by the end of sophomore year, then choose the chemistry major or a joint major; if you want the ACS certified degree, plan electives early with your chemistry advisor

Transfer students:

• March 15; at least a year of full-time college work; at least two years at HMC; take courses that match the Core

Sources: Harvey Mudd College, Department of Chemistry; Chemistry curriculum; ACS certified degree; Sample schedules; Where chemistry students go; Distinctive features; Majors overview; Common Core Curriculum; Apply and deadlines; First-year applicants; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Application FAQ; Cost of attendance; International student financial aid; Merit-based scholarships; Need-based scholarships; Alumni outcomes. The dates table on the apply page prints no year, but its testing policy is stated for fall 2027 entry; please check that the dates also apply to fall 2027 and see the College’s website for the latest.