Howard University is a private institution and federally chartered R1 research university which is the highest classification for research activity. Founded in 1867, it is one of the most notable Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States. It is named after General Oliver Otis Howard, a Civil War hero and the first commissioner of the Freedmen’s Bureau, who served as the university’s first president from 1869 to 1874. Howard University is nestled in an urban setting of Washington D.C. with a campus size of 257 acres. The total undergraduate enrollment is 11,519 as of fall 2024. The University is comprised of 14 schools and colleges offering more than 120 programs of study.
U.S. News and World Report recognized Howard University as the #1 national university for social mobility in Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia, often referred to as “the DMV.” Howard University is ranked #2 in the top 10 Overall HBCU Rankings by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2026 edition of Best Colleges, Howard University is ranked No. #88 in National Universities. It’s also ranked No. #17 in Best Undergraduate Teaching.
Interesting Facts
Howard University’s notable graduates include Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Ophthalmologist and inventor Patricia Bath, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, New York Attorney General (NYAG) Letitia James, Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison, actress Phylicia Rashad, actor Chadwick Boseman, and civil rights leader Stokely Carmichael, just to name a few. The campus is also home to a National Historic Landmark known as the Founders Library and Howard University Hospital.
The urban setting of Howard University gives it a very warm and familiar feeling of a regular small city neighborhood. There is a lively feeling of community and normal everyday people walking and riding scooters around the campus to class. Howard offers a great combination of campus setting and people who looked a lot like me who are all striving for a good education and self improvement.
The academic motto is Veritas et Utilitas (“Truth and Service”)
The University sits in the middle of an easy commute to downtown Washington DC, Baltimore MD and Richmond VA (the DMV) with convenient to access to buses, public transportation and airports. The close proximity to three metropolitan cities makes it ideal for work study and internship opportunities and experiencing cultural diversity.
Cathy Hughes College of Communications
I am pursing a career in Journalism so it is important that the college I select have a strong communications department. I was happy to learn that Howard University hosts it’s on television station (WHUT-TV) broadcasting to more than two millions households. It publishes the Howard Magazine and wait, there’s more. Howard also has it’s very own urban adult contemporary commercial radio station WHUR (96.3 FM). Howard has certainly checked all boxes academically for me. As I continued researching, I was impressed when I read about the Reasons Howard is “One of One”.
It is hard not appreciate the rich history Howard University has to offer on learning that five of the Devine 9 Greek letter (Fraternity and Sorority) organizations were founded at Howard, including Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta.
Having attended nearly 20 college tours up and down the East Coast during my Junior and Senior years of high school, I noticed that colleges offered complimentary parking for those visiting on a college tour. Howard University did not offer to cover the cost of parking in the parking lot. There were also a number of areas around campus in need of repair that showed signs of wear and deferred maintenance. Besides these observations, the overall experience was very positive. My college search continues but Howard University scored very highly and checked all boxes academically for me.