<p>Think of it like a car you hate. If it gets you where you need to go then who cares. BTW a lot of people would love to be in your position, especially international students. Buck up!</p>
<p>Go to the Financial Aid Forum, and read through the threads on Guaranteed Merit Based Aid. If you can find anything that would work out to be less expensive than Howard, and that you think you could like better than Howard, then pick up the phone and call the admissions office(s) and ask if they are still accepting applications and awarding those merit scholarships. Some might be. If you find that you’ve missed all of the application and priority dates, start planning now for a gap year and apply to the institutions that will give you the aid that you need for admission in fall 2014.</p>
<p>DC is an absolutely amazing location for anyone interested in public policy. There will be internships galore and lots of opportunities you can segue into jobs.</p>
<p>[Howard</a> University Overview - CollegeData College Profile](<a href=“http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg01_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1024]Howard”>http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg01_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1024) indicates the following at Howard:</p>
<p>Average HS GPA = 3.2
25th - 75th percentile SAT CR = 470 - 670
25th - 75th percentile SAT M = 460 - 680
25th - 75th percentile SAT W = 430 - 670
25th - 75th percentile ACT = 19 - 29</p>
<p>Those ranges appear to be quite wide. For comparison, [Morehouse</a> College Overview - CollegeData College Profile](<a href=“http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg01_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1517]Morehouse”>http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg01_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1517) indicates that Morehouse’s ranges are lower and narrower:</p>
<p>Average HS GPA = 3.24
25th - 75th percentile SAT CR = 460 - 590
25th - 75th percentile SAT M = 470 - 580
25th - 75th percentile SAT W = 450 - 570
25th - 75th percentile ACT = 19 - 25</p>
<p>Looks like you got the Capstone scholarship at Howard:
[Grants</a>, Scholarships & Fellowships - Howard University](<a href=“http://www.howard.edu/financialaid/grants_scholarships.htm#Freshman]Grants”>http://www.howard.edu/financialaid/grants_scholarships.htm#Freshman)
Note the 3.30 college GPA to keep it.</p>
<p>Note that a full ride for your stats is available at Prairie View A&M:
[University</a> Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.pvamu.edu/pages/2154.asp]University”>http://www.pvamu.edu/pages/2154.asp)
Note the 3.2 college GPA to keep it.</p>
<p>More here: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-12.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-12.html</a></p>
<p>On the other hand, Howard’s location in DC is likely a big advantage for public policy and the like.</p>
<p>Prairie View is good school but it is in a rural area.</p>
<p>I agree that the student will still need parent info for FAFSA. </p>
<p>OP…you’re submitted FAFSA for this year, is that correct? Or will submit it soon? If you end up going to the school you like, do you think your mom will still be angry next year when it comes time to fill out FAFSA again? Or will she have accepted things by then?</p>
<p>I suppose my problem isn’t with the school, or the academics at all; I love DC, and classes taught by PhDs are essentially the same wherever you go. At this point, my question has expanded to: am I overestimating the amount of intellectual curiosity college students have? If I could have gone anywhere, I feel that I would fit best among the student body at UChicago, but I don’t have the stats to be admitted and once you leave the top tier, the number of schools with socially/intellectually similar student bodies diminishes rapidly.</p>
<p>Ultimately, my problem isn’t with the school itself, or the academics, but rather the student body. I take issue with the idea of student-reported metrics like those on CollegeData because I feel like there’s an inherent overrepresentation of those performing at the higher end of the scale (e.g., College Confidential). With that said, even CD reports that at least 25% of those reporting data scored a collected 1360 or lower.</p>
<p>TL;DR: Is intellectualism actually a thing within the undergraduate experience?</p>
<p>^^^ It is – among SOME students. So instead of focusing on the school as a whole, explore the vibe/opportunities among HONORS students. They’re often a very different group of people than the general population at any given school. </p>
<p>I tend to feel that “fit” is important, and I’d be concerned if my kiddo felt she would be deeply unhappy at school. But I’m not sure if you’ve opened yourself up to other options. Have you considered/applied to large public universities where you’d at least have larger numbers/more diversity and more opportunities to meet people like you?</p>
<p>I’m not sure how accurate my sentiment is, but I feel that a “flagship” school for a particular subset of people will have plenty of very intellectual students. Howard, from what I can ascertain, is that sort of subgroup flagship. The honors program probably attracts some incredibly well accomplished students that wanted an HBCU environment, much like BYU Provo attracts some of the smartest Mormons in the world, even though the average stats may not be extremely impressive. Additionally, just because a student doesn’t have the highest stats doesn’t mean s/he won’t be an intellectually stimulating person. Maybe instead of doing homework, they decided to delve incredibly deep into a subject. Some of the highest stats people I’ve conversed with can be incredibly dull.</p>
<p>For more reliable numbers, use the College Navigator (Federal government) that pulls data from IPEDS which gets them directly from the universities -
[College</a> Navigator - Compare Institutions](<a href=“College Navigator - Compare Institutions”>College Navigator - Compare Institutions)
I’m not seeing a huge difference between them.</p>
<p>I’m experiencing the same dilemma. I received a pretty good scholarship from Howard that will cover everything. I have family in the area, and the school has a college of pharmacy, which is my selected occupation. I would basically be paying the same amount as you to attend Howard. I received scholarships from 3 out of 4 of the schools I applied to, and was accepted to them all. My only thing is that, instead of the lack of intellect (although that is a possibility) I have spent most of my life around white people, etc. that I am unsure how I will adjust to being primarily around blacks. That may sound crazy, but it’s how I feel. It’s not that I am uncomfortable around them, just that I have not been around them often. I would not let the fact that you believe that you will not be able to have an intellectual conversation with ANYONE just because their scores may be low. As one poster already mentioned, people with high scores are sometimes the dullest people, and vice versa with people who have low scores. Some people just do not test well, although, of course, that is not the case with everyone. I would not let that stop me from going to school. Also, there are an abundance of schools very close to Howard, GWU, GMU, Georgetown, etc. and, of course, it is located in DC. Any school can be a party school if you know where to look. There are always going to be people who do not like to party, and if you are one of those people, you’ll be fine. You can always find someone to click with. I’m still trying to decide where I will attend, but I wish you luck.</p>
<p>You could just go for freshman year and get really good grades then transfer out. If you do really well, I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to get good scholarships from other schools and independent scholarships.</p>
<p>OP- Did it ever occur to you that you may go to Howard and actually enjoy it? Why would you apply to a school where you obviously will hate? I am not understanding this at all. It makes no sense that you would apply to a school that is 96% black, get accepted and then come to CC(where there are very few blacks) complain and bemoan the fact that you don’t want to go to a school where you will be the" smartest",“most intellectual” etc. I know many people who have gone to HBCU’s and felt that they were the “smartest/brightest” and then when they arrived, they were knocked down a peg or two. I know of a young woman who is a frosh at Spelman, her mom is a doctor, she grew up in a very affluent suburb. She isn’t having the best time there… why? b/c she went to ATL thinking that she was better than the rest. Well, most of these young woman have arrived with pedigrees/stats/brains comparable to hers. They are all jack & jill/boules/links etc… so rethink your position before you go. Have an open mind and you may just end up having the time of your life.</p>
<p>You knew going in what Howard was and could have had many other choices elsewhere! Especially as a black male with those stats! Something just doesn’t pass the smell test here. </p>
<p>My dd is a junior and has HBCU’s at the bottom of her list or may not even make it to the list for that matter. Its not like you don’t know what these schools have to offer before you apply…</p>
<p>THis is tantamount to making application to Harvard U and then when you get in, you complain about it being to white/too rich. SMH</p>
<p>It is perplexing that you bemoan the lack of racial diversity at the traditionally black schools to which you applied and yet you are seemingly searching for more “intellectual” homogeneity. You are effectively making the case that while you would rather that everyone not look like you, you do want, in the end, that everyone be like you. Please consider opening yourself to the richness of the full range of people’s diversity. Intellectual elitism is not an attractive quality. Even more so when you consider that your posted grades (3.6 UW), while certainly above average, are not necessarily that great in the context of more highly ranked and competitive schools.</p>
<p>'I don’t have the stats to be admitted"</p>
<p>I don’t think you could have known that without applying. I think it’s a shame you didn’t give it a shot.</p>
<p>Given that you have only one affordable option for next year, I would grab it. Howard is a big school with a wide range of student preparation. You will have the option of surrounding yourself with folks who want to challenge themselves. I suggest that you put courses like Russian and physics on your freshman schedule, and you will not have a problem with unmotivated or party-focused students. If they start out in those programs, they will not be there long (or they won’t be party-focused for long).</p>
<p>"You are effectively making the case that while you would rather that everyone not look like you, you do want, in the end, that everyone be like you. Please consider opening yourself to the richness of the full range of people’s diversity. "</p>
<p>Really, really well said, USNChief</p>
<p>
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<p>This is flat out WRONG, jhkjk! Good scholarships for transfer students range from rare to nonexistent. The best deal the OP will get is with a comprehensive award as an incoming freshman.</p>
<p>*Quote:
Originally Posted by jhjk3295
You could just go for freshman year and get really good grades then transfer out. If you do really well, I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to get good scholarships from other schools and independent scholarships.
*</p>
<p>Why do people write that they’re “pretty sure” about something that they really know nothing about. It is very dangerous. Someone reading that may trust that you know what you’re talking about and make a seriously bad decision. </p>
<p>Dodgersmom is correct.</p>
<p>I know very little about Howard. If you were my kid, I’d advise you to look at the things you don’t like about Howard and how to circumvent them. Check this out:</p>
<p>[Consortia</a> and Domestic Exchange Program - Howard University](<a href=“http://www.howard.edu/enrollment/exchange/]Consortia”>http://www.howard.edu/enrollment/exchange/)</p>
<p>In a city like DC, travel to some of the consortium schools is very easy. Would taking some classes in your 2nd and 3rd year at American or GW ease your fear of not having challenging academics?</p>
<p>Review the Domestic Exchange program as well. I know my alma mater, a Philly suburb school, participates. You would need to be sure your scholarship follows you.</p>
<p>I think your reasons to not want to attend Howard are valid. My DS is very aware of our financial restraints. He is also very interested in finding diversity in college and has been turned off by lack of cultural diversity at some of the schools he has applied. I sympathize with you, but please realize Howard is offering a fantastic opportunity. 4 years of college seems like a monumental decision, but in reality, you will be in the work force for 40-50 years. College is only a stepping stone. Consider how to capitalize on what Howard can offer in terms of internships and professional contacts. As I said, I know very little about Howard, but the graduate I know has always praised how the graduate network takes care of its own. </p>
<p>Reach out to the Alumni Network for feedback on the school. They have a Facebook page.</p>