Know More about Howard University
This is a comprehensive, federally chartered non-profit university in Washington DC. It’s a member of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. Since the beginning, Howard University has been nonsectarian and has been accepting students of both genders from all races and cultural backgrounds.
The University started out as a theological seminary for the education of African American clergymen due to the efforts of the First congregational Society of Washington in 1866. Provisions for establishing a university were laid out a few years later. In two years the university already housed the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Medicine. It was named Howard University after Civil War hero Oliver Otis Howard who would later serve as the president of the university from 1869 to 1874.
The university has played an important role in the civil rights movement in the sixties. Thurgood Marshall went to the university law school and there formed a lifelong friendship with mentor Charles Hamilton Houston, one of the leading civil rights lawyers of his time and at that time, the dean of the law school at Harvard.
The school is one of the 48 US private Doctoral research extensive universities, consisting of 12 schools and colleges that encompass over 120 areas of study. It is also a member of the Consortium of Universities of Washington Metropolitan Area.
Degrees offered
The degrees offered by the University include biology, finance, journalism, marketing, nursing, political science, psychology, radio and television. The university offers four-year Bachelor’s programs, masters, post masters certificates, doctorate degrees and professional degrees.
Alumni
Famous alumni include Rolland Burris, a US senator, Edward Brooke, the first African-American senator, Debbie Allen, an actress, and Ewart Brown, the premier of Bermuda. Other alumni who have gone on to achieve success in their fields include Toni Morrison, an acclaimed author and professor. Phylicia Rashad and Ananda Lewis are also graduates of the university.
Rankings and reviews
In 1995 the University was named one of the three best educational colleges with educational values by Money Magazine. It was also named in Black Enterprise as part of the Top 50 Colleges for African Americans, where it was ranked as 5th. Known as the Black Harvard, the university is one of the largest among historically black colleges.
Admission tips
Applicants must be able to submit all the admission requirements, among them SAT reasoning and ACT scores. A requirement is the writing section of the ACT. Very important admission factors include class rank, rigor of the secondary school record, and standardized test scores. Recommendation letters are also very important. Other considerations include alumni relation, application essay, extracurricular activities, talent and ability, volunteer work and work experience. Requirements vary from college to college, however.
Admission facts
Admissions Data (2008):
Percent of Applicants Admitted: 49%
Test Scores — 25th / 75th Percentile
SAT Critical Reading: 470 / 670
SAT Math: 460 / 680
SAT Writing: 430 / 680
ACT Composite: 19 / 29
ACT English: 18 / 30
ACT Math: 18 / 29
Contact info
Applicants can acquire more information about admissions by heading to the university website at www.howard.edu or mail their inquiries and admission requirements to Howard University, Office of University Communications, 2225 Georgia Ave. NW, 603, Washington, D.C. 20059.