🏠 Howard University — Parent Guide

Helping parents understand dorm options, safety, accessibility, and what to expect at Howard University.

💡 Tips for parents reviewing dorm options:

🏠 How housing selection works at Howard University

First-year residency requirement.Howard requires entering first-year students to live in university housing for at least their first year, with limited commuter exemptions for students whose families live in the DC metro area.

First-year placement.First-years are placed in (historically men), Bethune Annex, or the Harriet Tubman Quadrangle (Wheatley, Crandall, Truth, Baldwin — historically women). roommate assignments are confirmed via summer matching.

Sophomore + upperclass options.Returning students enter a class-priority lottery for halls including (co-ed suites), (apartment-style on 16th Street NW), (apartment-style off the main campus), and the Towers (East and West Towers apartment-style).

Greek life.Howard is the spiritual home of the "Divine Nine" — the National Pan-Hellenic Council historically Black fraternities and sororities, including AKA, Delta Sigma Theta, Omega Psi Phi, and others. Chapters maintain organizational status with reserved meeting and event space, but Greek-letter organizations do not have on-campus .

As of May 8, 2026

📍 Location

Washington, DC

🏛️ College Type

Private historically Black research university

👥 Enrollment

12,000 total students

🏠 Housing

15 dorm buildings reviewed on DormScouter

📊 Dorm Comparison by Safety & Cleanliness

DormOverall ★Safety ★Cleanliness ★ReviewsFeatures
Drew Hall 0
Bethune Annex 0
Wheatley Hall (Tubman Quad) 0
Crandall Hall (Tubman Quad) 0
Truth Hall (Tubman Quad) 0
Baldwin Hall (Tubman Quad) 0
Cook Hall 0
Meridian Hill Hall 0
Slowe Hall 0
The Towers — East 0
The Towers — West 0
Carver Hall 0
Baldwin Hall 0
Harriet Tubman Quadrangle 0
Truth Hall 0

🔗 More Resources

🔗 Howard Residence Life

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🔗 Howard Main Site

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🔗 Howard Admissions

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🔗 Howard Athletics

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🎓 Class-Year Housing Guides

Year-specific advice for Howard University dorms — what changes from freshman to senior year:

🎓 Freshman Guide📚 Sophomore Guide📖 Junior Guide🎉 Senior Guide

🔍 Filter by Amenity

Looking for something specific? Browse Howard University dorms filtered by amenity:

❄️ with Air Conditioning🍳 with Shared Kitchen🛗 with Elevator♿ ADA-Accessible🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Friendly🚿 with Private Bathrooms🛁 with Semi-Private Bathrooms🧼 with Communal Bathrooms♀ All-Female