Admissions Factors
What Howard Looks For
Howard rates 3 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA and standardized test scores.
How Howard rates each factor
Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.
Important
Considered
The numbers behind the class
Overall admit rate
42.2%
15,724 of 37,270 applicants
Early decision admit rate
84.4%
Early decision admits equal 15% of the class
Admitted from the waitlist
Not reported
Enrolled first-years had an average high school GPA of 3.68.
Frequently asked questions
What does Howard look for in applicants?
Howard rates 3 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA and standardized test scores.
Does Howard consider legacy status?
Howard rates alumni relation as "considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
Does Howard track demonstrated interest?
Howard rates the level of an applicant's interest as "considered".
What is Howard's early decision acceptance rate?
Early decision: 363 of 430 applicants were admitted (84.4%), against 42.2% overall. Early pools include recruited athletes and other students with a strong tie to the college, so the gap overstates the boost for an ordinary applicant.
Source: Howard’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section C. Last checked 2026-10-08. The ratings are the college’s own description of its process. Counts are for one entering class.
