Full ride scholarship in his hometown

Many top high school students look out of state in their search for the right college. For Brethren Christian High School valedictorian Andrew Howat, though, the decision to stay home was easy.

“I just figured why pay extra if there are good schools in California,” he said.

Instead of shelling out hundreds of thousands to attend a private school out of state, the 17-year old won’t pay a cent during his four years at Cal State Long Beach: Howat received a full-ride scholarship after being named a President’s Scholar by the university.

Howat applied to five schools, all of which were public and in California.

As a President’s Scholar, he’ll receive plenty of benefits, such as priority registration for classes and personal academic counseling.

Though Howat will be only one of a few hundred President’s Scholars on campus, the distinction should not detract from his down-to-earth nature.

“He’s always been a humble person,” said friend and fellow Brethren student Daniel Martin. “I really didn’t know how good his grades were until halfway through high school. He doesn’t brag about that stuff.”

A resident of Long Beach his whole life, Howat will be only 15 minutes away from home when he’s at college.

“He likes the area,” said his mother, Lauren Howat. “I know that when I went to college, I went to an area I wanted to live in for four years. He wanted a school that was excellent, and Long Beach is the best Cal State campus; he’ll be really happy at Long Beach State.”

“As far as location, I don’t really have any reservations [about being so close to home],” Andrew Howat said. “It’s kind of nice to know the town I’m going to college in and not having to get used to a whole new city. It’s a positive thing in my eyes.”

Howat plans to major in either English literature or philosophy.

He will also complete his pre-med requirements on the side; he currently has his sights set on becoming a doctor.

Captain of his school’s improv team, a four-year member of the tennis team and an editor for the yearbook, Howat had diverse experiences that helped him grow as a person.

He cited his personal faith as a crucial element for his development in the last four years.

“That’s probably been the biggest thing that’s shaped my life: Christianity,” he said.

“Starting my freshmen year it became really important to me, and it just grew and grew every year.

“Throughout high school I learned how to praise [God] and thank him in all aspects of my life,” Howat said.

“That’s how it became the biggest priority for me. I try to live it out in everything I do.”

Howat will look to carry out these principles through a future career in medicine.

“Being a doctor sounds good to me just because I’ve always wanted a job where I can work directly with people, really interact with them,” he explained.

“He’s got a good foundation and he really does want to help other people,” his mother said. “It’s not just a cliché.”

And his mother is right. With a bright future and a path of his own cut out for himself, cliché is the one thing Howat doesn’t appear to be.

ANDREW HOWAT

 Received full scholarship to Cal State Long Beach.

 Plans to major in English literature or philosophy while completing pre-med requirements.

 Often mistaken for “Napoleon Dynamite” before he cut his hair.

 Known by friends for his quirky sense of humor.