Howard University’s dedication to excellence is still a force to be reckoned with, according to the 2009 edition of the U.S. News’ America’s Best Colleges.
The annual ranking is considered by many to be an honor that brings visibility, prestige and enhanced recruiting and fundraising capacity to the institutions that place highly.
For 2009, Howard ranked just behind Spelman College, the all-women liberal arts college in Atlanta, and ahead of the third place institution, the all-male Morehouse College, also in Atlanta.
Howard students welcomed the news about their institution’s ranking.
“[Howard] continues to produce the highest number of doctorate degrees among black Americans and boasts over 10 colleges/schools with over 100 individualized degree programs,” Reginald Golden, a freshman jazz studies major, said. “Unlike the other top HBCUs, Howard does it under $15,000. Every Howard student really is getting a Tier 1 education at a very reasonable price.”
According to Spelman women, being ranked No. 1 HBCU in the country is to be expected.
“Spelman is the No. 1 HBCU because of the exclusivity of the college,” said Ivory Clark, a sophomore Economics major at Spelman College. “Because of the highly selective admissions process, [Spelman] educates some of the brightest women in the country.”
Other students, while pleased that Howard placed highly, were nonetheless dismayed that their school was ranked behind Spelman.
“Well, after comparing the two, Spelman on paper seems to be more competitive; however, with the many smart and talented students here at Howard, I do find it surprising that they are ahead of us,” said Brittany White, a sophomore broadcast journalism major.
Howard University’s rival institution, Hampton University, located in Hampton, Va., received a fourth place rating, and students have had an indifferent response to the recently released rankings.
“The points of allocation have to provide a certain level of bias which will never allow for an accurate surveying of methodized aspects of university life,” Steven Coble, a junior architecture student from Hampton University, said. “There will always be a percentage of error, but I am not shocked that [we] are ranked fourth.”
Coble notes the low retention rate of Hamptonians as a possible cause for Hampton’s fourth place ranking.
Some students blame the downturn in the economy, combined with a long, painful history of under funding as a major role in the low retention rate at Morehouse College.
“I feel that Morehouse is behind Howard and Spelman not because of a lack of knowledge, but because of the lack of funds made available to Morehouse men,” said Andrew Cox, a freshman music and English double major at Morehouse College.
Although the number of African-American students attending college has been steadily rising, doubling in the past 30 years to almost 2 million, students from the top HBCUs hope to see continuous improvements to their respective universities.
“I would love to see more scholarships offered,” Clark said. “With the current state of the economy, I have watched so many good students pack their bags and go home because they can’t afford to pay tuition.”
With student government campaign season in full swing, Howard students note better relations with school administration as an improvement they would like to see on campus.
“There are so many complaints from the students about housing, food, administration…if there is actual communication from the students to the administration... Howard will only become better,” White said. “It is now the beginning of Howard’s campaign season, and I really want to see who is going to make a difference and make a change.”
15 comments
in 2011 when i graduate highschool!-im so excited.
in 2011 when i graduate highschool!-im so excited.
Thanks for the feedback.Kyla Grant
Sophomore Broadcast Journalism
Howard University
Congrats though on the HBCU position but the overall ranking amongst U.S. universities needs improvement.