Howard University Class of 2020!

@ReturningFavor @partyof5 how is the math program there? I am interested in doing math with a concentration in act sci (ie. If I get accepted) but I’ve haven’t heard good things about it? What is your $0.02?

@partyof5 and @ReturningFavor sooooo, how is the culture? or the environment? I want to visit the school before I make any decisions but am trying to get a feel for everything.

@Hopeful42020 I don’t know anything about the math curriculum in the college of arts and science. There is an actuarial science concentration in the business school under finance. I would put the business school up there with the best. The students have their picks of the best internships and they see to have phenomenal offers at graduation.

@BlackHuntress I can only speak for my kid , howard definitely made her step up her wardrobe. The kids there are very style conscious, not all of them but a lot. As far as the neighborhood, well, it is not in the best part of DC but not the worst. The neighborhood is going through a major change now with luxury apartments popping up. My kid was sheltered but she has no problems. I taught her to keep her head on a swivel and se has been fine. Of course there is a ton to do in DC, many activities are free. The subway is waking distance from the school which is great.

Note to anyone going to Howard, if you have a specific roommate request, you basically have to arrive with that person on move in day. I know it makes no sense, but trust me. They basically put folks together as they check in, there is no predetermined list.

@Hopeful42020 My D once mentioned, in passing, that she had a great calculus teacher and was lucky because that department isn’t always strong. I have no idea how accurate that is. She did tell me that the math majors she knows are all whip smart kids. I agree to with @partyof5 regarding the business school. Top notch, lots of connections, well respected on and off campus. If you can lean your major through there, I don’t think you can go wrong. Get ready though, I think she said business school kids have to dress in business attire 1-2 days per week. They don’t play.

@blackhuntress My D came from private schools, suburban neighborhood and pred. white environment. She was nervous about HU, honestly, but also found kids ‘like her’ when she did a scholars overnight visit. Then, even in the dorm when she stayed overnight (they split the scholars up and sent them with non scholars kids overnight) she clicked with some of the kids. She told us, at orientation that summer (all levels from all majors mixed together) that there were some rough around the edges kids, some super party type kids and some others she did not feel a kinship with. BUT she also found kids she did click wit. Most importantly, she eventually became friends with lots of different types of kids from all backgrounds with varied interests and personalities. It was eye opening to her and very good for her. Her friends from larger cities (lots of Chicago, NYC, etc.) helped her put in place what we had told her about keeping safe in DC.

What she loved best, and still loves, was the pride HU kids have in their university and the sense of family you get…they help one another. They push one another. They believe in one another. She is kind of an earthy kid and continued her ‘chill’ earthy wardrobe for the most part. She has much more well dressed friends that help her up her fashion game if needed for shadowing and internship type of things! You can be who you want to be at HU, will find all sorts of African american kids (rotc, artsy, nerdy, sporty, party types, etc.) as well as Indians, Asians and some white students. I love the fact that stores and such are in walking distance and the metro is right there and the airport just stops away…easy to get around DC and easy to get home!

@ReturningFavor your kid sounds like mine! You are correct there are a ton of kids there that come from predominately white schools, and yes I saw quite a few Asians (Indians) there as well. I agree with everything you just said.

Thank you so much guys! @ReturningFavor and @partyof5 I’m really glad for your input because that’s basically my background. I was concerned with how it would be since ive pretty much attended a predom white school my whole life. Thank you! How are dorms and professors? If you know or anyone else?

Also @ReturningFavor what was the scholars overnight visit?

@blackhuntress the freshman girls can either live in college hall north(new dorm built 2015) or the Quad which is really 5 buildings. The quad is old, and has the hallway communal bathrooms. However they say its a lot more fun, although two of the buildings don’t have air. College hall north is all doubles and you have a bathroom in your room so you are only sharing with one person. It is also male and female, and not by floor. You can have makes living right next door to you. Junior year most kids move off campus or to the Towers, and they are a dump. I will add the surrounding area is getting quite expensive as it is in the midst of gentrification

They had a scholars weekend when they were wooing us to howard. I don’t think they had them e last couple of years.

Thanks! @partyof5 @ReturningFavor I’ll think about transferring to the business school if I get in.

Dorms: What @partyof5 stated except that College Hall North is NOT coed, it is female only (College Hall South is coed and mainly sophomores). Quad is considered the ‘real HU’ freshman female dorm. Warts and all it is filled with history and traditions and linked with the male freshman traditional dorm of Drew Hall. College Hall North freshman girls are called the College Hall Queens because it is considered luxurious and new. D stayed in College Hall North and found a lot of scholarship kids were in there. It was quieter (though not quiet)and there were study rooms. Keeping the scholarship at 3.5 and even 3.3 requires focus, even for very good students. Frankly, the Quad might have been too much for her. She was already a bit in shock just from being at an HBCU! Towers are a bit of a dump but they are closing one next year to fully revamp. So, down the road hopefully they’ll be better.

Scholars Visit: Scholars overnight visit was in the spring linked with Accepted Students Day. Admissions brought in kids (always Presidential, Laureatte and Founders scholars as they are the ‘full rides’…Capstone and Legacy if space allowed) on Wednesday night for pizza and bowling on campus. Thursday morning when they were paired with students in their intended major who took them to a class in their major and they got to meet with professors and deans in the department. They also did a campus tour and met with other scholar kids already enrolled. They went to dinner and were taken on a tour of DC. Thursday night they stayed in the dorms with random hosts. Friday they went to accepted students day and gathered before then for a final meeting and reserved seating. They wooed them for sure (HU gifts, clothing, etc.) This visit was crucial. It was during these days that D saw that she truly could fit in at an HBCU, and loved HU especially. Another HUGE mistake by admissions if they failed to do so this year!

Thanks for clarifying that college hall north is not co-Ed. My child lived in the annex freshman year, but now that is a coed sophomore and up dorm. I too think the quad would’ve been a bit much for her freshman year though there seems to have been more comradarie in the quad as a lot girls would leave their doors open and socialize.

@ReturningFavor so has it been confirmed they are closing the tower in the fall? If so which Tower?

I forgot to mention to anyone considering Howard. The meal plan is required if you live any dorm except the Towers.

You also get prioritized for choosing your housing after freshman year by points comprised of your gpa, volunteering/club participation and distance from campus.

@partyof5 I think they are closing Towers West. D is in Towers East. One closes 2016-17 and the other 2017-18, or so they are hearing (not sure if it is officially confirmed yet). I must say, College Hall dorms are very nice. Compared to the other options, they are beautiful. Frankly (or sadly) they actually are equal to the standard dorms at many other college. Just that HU kids learn to tough it out. They take some pride in that, I think.

I thought the Annex was nice too. It was spacious and they had a ton of storage space. The nice thing about the annex is that the cafeteria is right there. My kid said it was nice having the cafeteria connected to the annex.

@ReturningFavor , thanks so much for all of your information. Parents/alum like you are the saving grace for HU! There’s no doubt greatness within the walls of The Mecca. Again, the issue is that because of the bungling by the administration, many kids that qualify to go and want to go will never make it to campus. I also worry that the message may be that kids should settle. I think if enrollment suffers because of this botched admissions cycle, it may be the only thing that will force change. Praying for the best. Son STILL hasn’t heard back. smh

@ReturningFavor Its official the West Towers are closing. Again, the displacement of 800 students at the final hour. My child has secured a lease in MD for the fall thank goodness, as we had already decided she was moving off campus next year.

@umsigmadom I too hope that the chaos this year (far worse than for us just 2 years ago) will change things for the better. I also think it will be interesting to see if they do in fact get a high yield of top scholars (Presidential and Founders) to offset the loss they will surely get of middle/upper middle class Capstone kids, or if that backfires. Does your son know yet where he will be attending? Things always work out. Take heart. My D can handle the chaos that is the HU admin. but my older son would have hated it (and picked an Ivy which to him is worth the loans to have the name and smooth sailing admin) and my second oldest son I know would not do well self advocating and dealing with the changes so unless it smooths out, I will try and steer him to other HBCUs and PWIs, though he really wants HU.
@partyof5 they seem to say that they (housing) are contracting with some places near but off campus for displaced students and also reminding folks that housing is not and never has been guaranteed after (I think) sophomore year. D’s scholarship includes housing so I am hoping that means Towers West (though a dump it is on campus and thus no commuting) as it traditionally has been for honors and grad students, but it could be elsewhere. We shall see. Worse case scenario would be a terrible placement and scrambling for an apartment or (last option) living with a relatives up there and me having to FIGHT the A building to release her scholarship housing dollars. What a mess. I am trying not to think about it, which of course is the worst plan of all! Glad your D is all set!