Washington, DC
Overall Vibe
Howard carries enormous cultural prestige and alumni pride — students describe feeling a sense of belonging and purpose on The Yard that they couldn't find elsewhere. But the gap between Howard's legendary reputation and its day-to-day operational reality is vast, and students either fall in love with the culture and push through or transfer out frustrated.
Sourced from Reddit · student communities & r/ApplyingToCollege, r/college
Howard's housing process is notoriously chaotic and stressful. Students report being assigned to inactive dorms, having deposits cashed but records lost, and having to call relentlessly just to get a room assignment. Housing is not guaranteed for juniors and seniors, even for Presidential Scholars.
“My sister was assigned to a dorm that's been inactive for 3 years. No email or formal communication btw. Had to find out by the grace of her would-be roommate.”
“We have been calling since Monday all day everyday... My daughter got her dorm assignment on the phone.”
“Junior and senior year will have to find housing because the school doesn't guarantee it and just found out for the second time that I'm not good enough for Howard's COAS honors program even though I have a current 4.0 avg.”
Howard's social scene is vibrant and culturally rich, with homecoming described as legendary and the yard buzzing with energy. However, the campus can feel cliquey and class-conscious, with Greek life dominating social spaces and students from wealthy, legacy backgrounds setting an exclusive tone. Introverts and students without social connections can feel isolated.
“Everybody is Jack and Jill, entire family D9, 4th generation student of the university and honestly it makes me not want to be here.”
“Howard is clicky af... Fck bougie Howard.”
“I'm a sophomore here and have no friends lol. I'm finding it difficult to connect with people so I'm mostly just sticking to myself.”
There is almost no substantive discussion of dining quality in the posts, which itself may be telling. One post mentions free food events on campus as a notable resource, suggesting students actively seek out supplemental food sources.
“Hey y'all, there's an event on the second floor of Blackburn. They have salmon, chicken, and mashed potatoes for anyone who wants it. They also don't have any boxes or containers so please bring your own.”
“Please bring ziplock bags to share.”
“Its cheaper to not go through Howard for housing [implying off-campus options are preferable].”
Multiple students describe serious mental health crises directly tied to Howard's administrative failures, including financial holds, housing uncertainty, and lack of institutional support. At least one student reported suicide attempts linked to their Howard experience, and financial stress compounds academic pressure severely.
“Did freshman year there and it fucked up my grades, put me in financial debt, made me attempt suicide twice, self-harm every night or other night.”
“All these issues combined have made it so difficult for me to be in an academic mindset... I will be leaving my sick parent behind which I really don't want to do.”
“I have been struggling financially and I still need to get 15,000 down. I've tried to think of any other possible solution but there isn't many left.”
Financial aid at Howard is a major pain point — packages are often insufficient, communication from the financial aid office is poor or nonexistent, and students regularly face unexpected balances that threaten enrollment. Even Presidential Scholarship recipients face gaps, and the cost after aid averages around $40K/year for many students.
“Howard offered me 20k out of their 58k cost of attendance.”
“I was awarded $15,000 in merit aid and $10,000 in federal aid... I'm still facing a remaining balance of about $40,000 per year, which is more than my family can realistically cover.”
“Don't come here unless you're on a full ride or you have A LOT of money. Howard is honestly not worth it like at ALL.”
Howard's academic reputation is strong and its name carries real weight, particularly for pre-law, political science, and STEM fields. However, students report difficulty getting into their intended majors, classes filling up instantly, and advisors giving inconsistent guidance. The Karsh STEM Scholars program and honors tracks receive positive mentions.
“I applied with Psychology, but I wasn't let in to my major. I went in Undecided. My advisor kept telling me that I would be able to get into Psych after a while, but it's spring semester and I'm still not in.”
“I definitely didn't know that classes would fill up this quickly, especially because school doesn't start for about a month.”
“Six Howard Graduates are now Fulbright Scholars.”
Things to know before you commit
Howard's administration is consistently described as the school's biggest weakness — slow email responses, lost applications, delayed transfer decisions weeks before move-in, and financial aid errors that derail enrollment. The university president stepped down days into the academic year with no explanation, and the highest-paid university president salary in DC is noted despite the school's resource constraints.
“Howard administration is historically bad and will continue to be so throughout your time there. The key is to send a polite email, go to the relevant office with the copy of the email pulled up on your phone.”
“I never ended up getting a decision from Howard University... I applied back in December and have been waiting ever since.”
“After Harvard, the Howard board has the highest paid salary of any University board of directors in the US.”
Insider tips from current students
Howard's DC location is an underrated asset — proximity to Congress, think tanks, federal agencies, and international organizations gives motivated students access to internships and networks that few universities can match. The Presidential Scholarship (full ride) is competitive but real, and MacKenzie Scott's $80M donation signals growing external investment in the institution.
“I got a full ride to Howard University for their Karsh STEM Scholars program.”
“MacKenzie Scott gifts $80 million to Howard University, marking one of the largest donations in the HBCU's 158-year history.”
“Being in DC means proximity to Congress, think tanks, and federal agencies — for political science and international affairs students it's unmatched.”