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Summary
Howard University is a private institution that was founded in 1867. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,164, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 258 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Howard University's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 120. Its tuition and fees are $22,683 (2012-13).
At Howard University, a historically black college in the heart of Washington, D.C., all students complete a university-wide core curriculum. Required courses include English composition and an Afro-American studies course, at the least. Students then have more than 80 majors to choose from, including Afro-American Studies, Greek, and Music Therapy. Outside of class, Howard students may choose to get involved in one of the school’s many fraternities and sororities, academic and professional organizations, or social clubs, among other student groups. The university has its own stop on the city’s public transportation system, the Metro, and students are also permitted to bring cars to school. (Freshmen, however, are not eligible for campus parking.) The school offers a range of male, female, and coed housing, both on and off campus, though no student is required to apply for university housing.
Howard University has many graduate programs as well, including a School of Business, a School of Law, a College of Medicine, and a College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Sciences. Notable alumni of Howard University include former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, and Emmy Award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad.
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Howard University's mission is unique. It is a culturally diverse, comprehensive, research intensive and historically Black private university providing an educational experience of exceptional quality at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels to students of high academic standing and potential, with particular emphasis upon educational opportunities for Black students. Moreover, the University is dedicated to attracting and sustaining a cadre of faculty who are, through their teaching, research and service, committed to the development of distinguished, historically aware, and compassionate graduates and to the discovery of solutions to human problems in the United States and throughout the world. With an abiding interest in both domestic and international affairs, the University is committed to continuing to produce leaders for America and the global community. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1867 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | urban |
| 2011 Endowment | N/A |
Applying
When applying to Howard University, it's important to note the application deadline is February 15, and the early action deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due May 31. The application fee at Howard University is $45. It is selective, with an acceptance rate of 53.9 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 53.9% |
| Application deadline | February 15 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | May 31 |
Academic Life
Howard University has 59.4 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Howard University include: Journalism; Biology, General; Psychology, General; Radio, Television, and Digital Communication; and Political Science and Government, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 83.0 percent.
Student Life
Howard University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,164, with a gender distribution of 33.2 percent male students and 66.8 percent female students. At this school, 57.5 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 42.5 percent of students live off campus. Howard University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Howard University.
| Total enrollment | 10,583 |
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| Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity | N/A |
| Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority | N/A |
| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Howard University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, health service, and health insurance. Howard University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Howard University, 15 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is not permitted for students of legal age at Howard University.
| Students who have cars on campus | 15% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Howard University, 89.2 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $2,929.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $22,683 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $10,424 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
