Since it opened in 1867, Howard University’s name has been synonymous with quality. The university got its start shortly after the end of the Civil War as a theological seminary specifically for African American students. Two years later, the seminary became a full-fledged university, its name deriving from Civil War hero General Oliver O. Howard. Howard, one of the founders of the university, also held the post of Commissioner of the Freedmen’s Bureau.
Throughout its history, Howard University has been host to elite guests from President Franklin Roosevelt to sitting President Barack Obama. The university also claims a long list of famous names as alumni, including dancer and actress Debbie Allen, NFL player Antoine Bethea, Maryland Delegate Aisha N. Braveboy, NASA astrophysicist Beth A. Brown, civil rights advocate Walter Percival Carter, and David Dinkins, New York City’s first African-American mayor. In fact, many of Howard University’s graduates have gone on to become the first African Americans in their respective fields.
In addition to its top rate academics, Howard University students are supported by the resources necessary to their academic success. Ninety-three percent of the campus offers wireless internet access; the mobile device center assists students and faculty with problems and configuration of cell phones and laptops; and a university-wide system of world class library facilities is available to all students.
When not on campus, students have Washington DC and all it has to offer at their doorstep: The Smithsonian Museums, The National Mall, The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, and The Lincoln Memorial are all nearby and are all free. Baltimore is a little under an hour away by car or train, and Virginia Beach and Ocean City, Maryland, are all a half a day’s drive away.
Howard University
Academics
Accredited by The Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges, Howard University attracts the best and brightest students in the United States and from around the world. With a student population hovering near 11,000, Howard University awarded 1,249 bachelor’s degrees, 365 master’s degrees, and 80 doctoral degrees in 2010.
Howard University awards both undergraduate and graduate degrees from the departments and colleges of arts and sciences, business, communications, dentistry, divinity, education, engineering, law, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health, and social work.
Students can major in traditional subjects like history, English, art, biology, math, and music or can opt for cutting-edge majors such as trauma, 3-D reality in the art department, administration of justice, or information systems & business decisions.
The School of Communication features world class undergraduate and graduate programs in such diverse topics as legal communications and communications sciences and disorders in addition to traditional majors like journalism, advertising, and public relations.
Students are encouraged to broaden their educational and personal horizons by participating in a study abroad program through Howard University. Programs are available in the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Germany, South Africa, Kenya, Jamaica, and at the Vatican.
Howard University, like many of its institutional peers, is also beginning to offer online and distance learning programs. Nursing students can opt for the bachelor’s of science in nursing degree while students can also earn a bachelor’s of science in clinical laboratory science.
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at Howard University.
Admission to Howard University is selective with approximately 54 percent of applicants gaining admission each year. Students can apply for admission to Howard University using the school’s online application or by downloading a PDF application then mailing the completed application directly to the university.
In addition to completing the application for admission, applicants must also submit a fee of $45 (as of May 2011); high school and, if applicable, college transcripts; SAT or ACT scores, and two recommendation letters, one from a high school teacher and one from a counselor. Applicants may submit a resume, although one is not required.
Howard University offers an early application deadline of early November with accepted applicants receiving notification by the end of December.
Applicants to a Howard University graduate program must also pay the $45 application fee (as of May 2011) and complete an online or paper application in addition to:
All college transcripts sent directly from the institution itself
GRE scores sent directly from the testing facility (only those test scores less than five years will be accepted)
Academic and research interest statement
Personal biography
Three recommendation letters
Applicants should contact the college or department to which they are applying to determine if there are additional application requirements.
Financial Aid
Attending a prestigious university like Howard University often comes with a high price tag. The financial aid office at the university, however, is dedicated to helping students find the necessary financing for their studies.
Grants and Scholarship
Grants and scholarships provide students, based on financial need or academic merit, with money to pay for college tuition and other expenses. While Howard University does not offer specific grants for students, the federal government does. Students who demonstrate financial need may be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant and/or the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.
Howard University does offer numerous academic scholarships, including the Freshmen Scholarships, Trustee Scholarships, ROTC Scholarships, and Transfer Scholarships. The Mordecai Wyatt Johnson Scholars Program is open to full-time students with U.S. citizenship who maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5. Applicants for the scholarship, which are awarded by the Dean of Students, must submit an essay describing their career goals.
Loans and
Students may also need to supplement any grants and scholarships with loans. Both the federal government and private entities provide loans for undergraduate and graduate students. The Federal Perkins Loan and the Parent PLUS Loan are two of the most popular federally-funded loan programs.
Medical students and students in health-related programs may be eligible for the Health Professions Student Loan, the Primary Care Loan, or the Nursing Student Loan.
Howard University also offers Emergency Student Loans, which feature low interest rates, for students who need cash quickly. Recipients of the short-term emergency student loan must repay the loan by the end of the semester in which it was received, and the long-term emergency student loan can be repaid after the student has graduated. Both loans require the student to complete an entrance interview and an exit interview.
The Federal Work Study program is another popular way to supplement loans and other funding.
Payment Plans
Howard University also accepts several payment plans. The Deferred Payment Plan allows students to pay their tuition in two equal payments while students make interest-free payments for the academic year with the Ten Payment Plan option.
With the nation’s capitol as its backdrop, Howard University offers the ideal educational setting. Students who choose to live off-campus will find housing readily available in the city itself and in the surrounding suburbs of Northern Virginia and Maryland. Metro DC’s metro and bus system make commuting throughout the area much easier, making it feasible to live off-campus without a car.
Students who opt to live on campus will live in one of the university’s 10 residential halls, all of which feature such amenities as cable outlets, internet access, phone outlets, laundry facilities, a mailroom, and common areas. The Howard Plaza Towers East and West both offer what is described as luxurious co-ed apartment living, complete with an alarm system, underground parking, and computer labs in the buildings themselves. The Mary M. Bethune Annex provides apartment living for female students while the George W. Carver Hall caters to male students. Both feature such amenities as air conditioning, cable TV access, high speed internet access, and common areas.
Activities
Students have plenty of options for recreational activities at Howard University. The university’s recreational center features video games, table tennis, chess, dominos, bowling, and checkers. Students can play for fun against friends or join in the scheduled games. Events calendars are posted online on Howard University’s official website.
Art enthusiasts can visit the Blackburn Art Gallery on campus where students can view and show their own artwork.
Howard University also features plenty of student organizations that welcome new members. Future pharmacists can join the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists or the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists; those interested in Japanese culture can join the club of the same name; and politically-minded students might opt for NAACP, Howard University Students for Progressive Action, or the Political Science Society.
The university also places an emphasis on community service, which gained one student national attention when she began collecting backpacks for underprivileged students. Her project has become so popular students on other campuses in America are initiating similar efforts. (New York Daily News)
In addition to the Hilltop Newspaper, the campus newspaper, students can join The Bison Yearbook or The Student H-Book.
Student Enrollment Demographics
How many students are enrolled at Howard University?
Members of the NCAA’s Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference, The Bison represent Howard University wearing the university’s official colors of blue and white. The Bison football team’s members have won accolades in 2011 with several players earning the honor of being named All-American candidates. The men’s basketball team struggled for wins in 2010 and is rebuilding their program, under new head coach Kevin Nickelberry, who joined the team in early 2010.
The Bison’s women’s bowling team enjoyed a successful 2010 season, enjoying five wins during the Lady Bulldog Classic while Larry Strickland, who heads the men and women’s tennis teams, earned the honor of Coach of the Year in the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference.
Despite its lack of national titles, the Bison have graduated numerous athletes who have gone on to the pros, including St. Louis Rams running back Ronald Bartell, NFL defensive end Marques Douglas, pro soccer player Nigel Henry, baseball star Milt Thompson, and NFL linebacker Tracy White.
Men
Basketball
Cross country
Football
Soccer
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Women
Basketball
Bowling
Cross country
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Students not involved in intercollegiate sports may opt to play for one of the competitive intramurals teams, including flag football, basketball, baseball, badminton, and golf. The most popular fall intramural sports are generally volleyball, soccer, and flag football while basketball, baseball, and indoor soccer typically come out on top in the spring. Intramurals baseball is particularly popular since the university no longer fields a competitive intercollegiate baseball team.
Bibliography
Funez, Ramiro. “Howard University Senior’s Initiative Gives Bookbags to Kids.” New York Daily News 4 May 2011. Print.
Howard University. Web. 06 May 2011. <http://www.howard.edu/>.
United Press. “Text of Roosevelt Talk at Howard University.” The Pittsburgh Press 27 Oct. 1936: 15. Print.
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over 1 year agoGWNROTC GWNROTC ((at)) GWU dot EDU
For Naval ROTC, Howard Students are affiliated with the NROTC unit at George Washington University. Other Cross-town NROTC universities for GWU NROTC are Georgetown, University of Maryland - College Park, and Catholic University(nursing majors only).
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GWNROTC ((at)) GWU dot EDU
For Naval ROTC, Howard Students are affiliated with the NROTC unit at George Washington University. Other Cross-town NROTC universities for GWU NROTC are Georgetown, University of Maryland - College Park, and Catholic University(nursing majors only).