Attending
A Historically Black College or University
From
EducationPlanner.com
Choosing
which college to attend is usually a difficult decision for anyone
to make, but when an African-American student is considering attending
a historically black college or university (HBCU), a whole other
set of family and cultural issues are raised.
There
are many valid reasons that favor one or the other. Some are obvious
differences. Parents and their children have to be honest with
themselves and take a long, hard look at the needs of the student
and how the campus environment can fulfill them. To help you decide,
here are some questions to ask:
Do
I know what's really important to me?
Look
at the reasons why you want a degree and what you want to achieve
with it. Is the choice to attend an HBCU yours or you family’s?
Do you have a particular field of study you want to pursue? Sometimes
students can get so caught up in applying to a particular institution,
they don’t realize it doesn’t even offer their major.
How
will this campus fit my plans for the future?
There’s
no substitute for doing your homework about the campuses you’re
seriously considering. Know the reputation of those campuses in
the community and among employers and the general population.
Find out about graduation, student retention, and placement rates.
Does
this campus have the facilities and living conditions that suit
my comfort level?
Finding
a campus where you’re comfortable is a big factor in choosing
a college. What do you want in campus facilities and living conditions?
For instance, if you currently attend a small private high school
in a suburban setting, perhaps you wouldn’t like living
on a large urban campus with peers who don’t mirror your
kind of background.
What
level of support will I get on campus?
Students
considering institutions where few people are like them should
look at the available support systems and organizations that will
be available to them. Parents need to feel comfortable with the
contact person on campus.
When
all the factors that determine the choice of a college are laid
out, the bottom line is which institution best meets your needs.
For some African-American students, an HBCU is the best choice.
For others, it’s not. African-American students reflect
many backgrounds, and there is no single decision that will be
right for everyone.
Taken
From EducationPlanner.com
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