Making a college decision comes down to a lot of different things for mostly anyone. You must consider cost, location, credibility, academic programs and more. But, for some students, making a decision is based off of a bit more than just affordability and geography.
Historically black colleges and universities––more popularly known as HBCUs––are institutions that were established before the integration of most predominately white institutions. The mission of an HBCU is to serve the African-American community, but admission is allowed to students of other races.
If you are not really sure about whether or not you should attend an HCBU, here are some things to think about:
Culture
As racial tensions rise across America, many black students are finding it important to raise their own voices on college campuses to speak out against injustice and racism. With the recent protests and controversy taking place at the University of Missouri, the conversation comparing the experiences of students who attend HBCUs versus those who attend predominately white institutions (PWIs) quickly heated up.
It should be noted that the culture of HBCUs in comparison to PWIs is completely different. There are some who claim that the culture is a little more intimate and personal.
“There’s like a sense of unity,” says Noelle, a former student at Savannah State University. “Everyone is so friendly and we’re all able to kind of come together and share with each other the fact that we all know what it’s like to be black.”
To add, homecoming at any major HBCU in the country is more than a big deal. Just take a look:
At HBCUs, school spirit during homecoming week is on an entirely different level than that of PWIs. Consider the culture––stroll teams, the Divine Nine, homecoming events, marching bands that play trap music––there are so many reasons that a collegiette can fall in love with one.
Opportunity
A common misconception made about black students who choose to attend PWIs as opposed to HBCUs is that black students think that more opportunities are available at PWIs. Some students, like Amber at Columbia University, believe that attending a PWI would benefit them a little more in the long run.
“I just think that my current school has shaped me into a better person,” says Amber. “I think I would’ve had more fun and my life probably would be less stressful but I’m happy with the challenges that I’ve endured at my current school.”
Amber was also accepted to Spelman College in Atlanta, GA but she chose to attend Columbia instead. “I know that they’re both good schools, but I think that living here for these past few years has lead me to so many opportunities that I don’t think I would have had anywhere else.”
On another note, some students believe that their educations at HBCUs offered them more opportunities than they ever could have found at a PWI.
“By attending an HBCU, I was able to get an education that was so relevant to my life as an African-American student,” Noelle says. “Attending PWIs all my life, it always seemed like it was abnormal to learn about my own culture in class but my HBCU normalized this and made me feel like I got a more well-rounded education.”
Attending HBCUs makes some students feel a little more included. That’s definitely something to consider when making your college decision.
Reputation
We’ve all turned our nose at at least one school because it didn’t have quite the reputation that we wanted it to have. The problem with HBCUs is that, for whatever reason, some of them have earned the reputation of not being as organized and reputable as their predominately white counterparts, which is one thing that deters some students from attending them.
“I chose to go to school here because I considered the value of a degree from my current school versus the other schools that I was accepted to,” says Amber.
Some students have a tendency to assume that HBCUs aren’t worth it because their names don’t carry very much weight.
HBCUs offer just as many great opportunities as PWIs, so don’t let the fact that you’re not surrounded by diversity deter you from making a decision that will make or break your experience. Remember that this is your college experience and your opinion is the only one that matters in the end.