Harvard University Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with about 6,700 undergraduate students and about 15,250 post graduate students. Established in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, clergyman John Harvard, Harvard is the United States' oldest institution of higher learning, and its history, influence, and wealth have made it one of the world's most prestigious universities. The Harvard Corporation is its first chartered corporation. Although never formally affiliated with any denomination, the early College primarily trained Congregational and Unitarian clergy. Its curriculum and student body were gradually secularized during the 18th century, and
Harvard University in 2011. Regarding rankings of specific indicators, Harvard topped both "University Ranking by Academic Performance 20152016" and (2011), which measured universities' numbers of alumni holding CEO positions in Fortune Global 500 companies. According to the 2016 poll done by "The Princeton Review", Harvard is the second most commonly named "dream college" in the United States, both for students and parents. "College ROI Report: Best Value Colleges" by PayScale puts Harvard 22nd nationwide in the most recent 2016 edition. In the last six years, Harvard's student population ranged from 19,000 to 21,000, across all programs. Harvard enrolled 6,655 students in undergraduate