Trend of high-performing Black students choosing to attend HBCUs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Angelina Jolie’s DD attends Spelman

We don't know her academic strength but we do know she doesn't have to worry about jobs and income.

Yeah, the calculus on college choice is completely different from anyone else when you are someone like Angelina's kids, or the Obama girls, or LeBron James' son...you never have to worry about income and jobs, though you probably do have to think about which schools can meet the family's campus security and privacy needs.

Common's daughter graduated from Howard's law school last year. She's currently working for a law firm in DC and preparing to take the bar. Oprah studied communications at Tennessee State University. I'm pretty sure she was worried about a job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Angelina Jolie’s DD attends Spelman

What's your point? I can name many celebrities whose kids attend HBCUs.

+1 that was a weird point

+1 Also, there are tons of celebrities who are HBCU alum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would Black students not want to attend schools where they are <10%? A strong student with the right mindset will want to attend the best possible school they can get into and can afford, assuming there are not a lot of social negatives at the school, of course.

You aren’t Black, are you? Who are you to tell Black students what “the right mindset” is? Maybe going to a school where kids don’t have to code switch, don’t have to always worry about racism and bias, will give many Black students a better educational experience. My kid is white, many of his friends are Black, and yes, most are at least considering HBCUs. Many are fine schools where a kid can be immersed in a community of supportive, like minded people, something they may not have experienced in high school. So yes, it’s a good choice for some high performing Black kids.

I'm not 'Black' in the African American sense, but I'm Black in the African sense. I'd never send my kids to an HBCU if the choice was between an Ivy and HBCU. Do what y'all want.. Less competition for my kids who'll certainly check that Black box on the college application. As another poster said, no International student ever thought "OMG, I don't want to code switch (whatever the f that means), so let me not go to this strange university in the US that I'll be seeing for the first time when I land". They all come out the other side unharmed, made better by their experiences and, dare I say, thrive.

It sounds like your life experience has been vastly different than that of African Americans, so who are you to judge or make presumptions about them?

The best way to not get an answer you don't like is to not ask questions/opinions. This is a forum where you WILL get opinions you don't like when you ask an open-ended question. FYI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would Black students not want to attend schools where they are <10%? A strong student with the right mindset will want to attend the best possible school they can get into and can afford, assuming there are not a lot of social negatives at the school, of course.

You aren’t Black, are you? Who are you to tell Black students what “the right mindset” is? Maybe going to a school where kids don’t have to code switch, don’t have to always worry about racism and bias, will give many Black students a better educational experience. My kid is white, many of his friends are Black, and yes, most are at least considering HBCUs. Many are fine schools where a kid can be immersed in a community of supportive, like minded people, something they may not have experienced in high school. So yes, it’s a good choice for some high performing Black kids.

I'm not 'Black' in the African American sense, but I'm Black in the African sense. I'd never send my kids to an HBCU if the choice was between an Ivy and HBCU. Do what y'all want.. Less competition for my kids who'll certainly check that Black box on the college application. As another poster said, no International student ever thought "OMG, I don't want to code switch (whatever the f that means), so let me not go to this strange university in the US that I'll be seeing for the first time when I land". They all come out the other side unharmed, made better by their experiences and, dare I say, thrive.

Tell that to the Nepali students at Howard. It has the largest number of students from Nepal of any college in the nation. And when is that time you've actually looked at the degree on your doctor/dentist's office in DC. White, black, Middle Eastern, Asian. Quite a number went to Howard, where themed school has been 50% non-black for decades. The "H" in historically means just that. It does not mean only.

Howard is 68% Black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Angelina Jolie’s DD attends Spelman

We don't know her academic strength but we do know she doesn't have to worry about jobs and income.

Yeah, the calculus on college choice is completely different from anyone else when you are someone like Angelina's kids, or the Obama girls, or LeBron James' son...you never have to worry about income and jobs, though you probably do have to think about which schools can meet the family's campus security and privacy needs.

Common's daughter graduated from Howard's law school last year. She's currently working for a law firm in DC and preparing to take the bar. Oprah studied communications at Tennessee State University. I'm pretty sure she was worried about a job.

Oprah actually already was on her way to success when she started college, and she didn't even finish her degree until she was super successful. She attended tennessee state because she had a scholarship but also because it allowed her to work at the same time in Nashville as a reporter.

Oprah started as a regular radio news host in Nashville when she was in high school--only 17--and before she was 20, she was hired as a regular TV news anchor for one of the big stations in Nashville. She then moved to anchor jobs in other cities and put her degree on hold. She didn't finish college until her 30s after she was super famous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would Black students not want to attend schools where they are <10%? A strong student with the right mindset will want to attend the best possible school they can get into and can afford, assuming there are not a lot of social negatives at the school, of course.

You aren’t Black, are you? Who are you to tell Black students what “the right mindset” is? Maybe going to a school where kids don’t have to code switch, don’t have to always worry about racism and bias, will give many Black students a better educational experience. My kid is white, many of his friends are Black, and yes, most are at least considering HBCUs. Many are fine schools where a kid can be immersed in a community of supportive, like minded people, something they may not have experienced in high school. So yes, it’s a good choice for some high performing Black kids.

I'm not 'Black' in the African American sense, but I'm Black in the African sense. I'd never send my kids to an HBCU if the choice was between an Ivy and HBCU. Do what y'all want.. Less competition for my kids who'll certainly check that Black box on the college application. As another poster said, no International student ever thought "OMG, I don't want to code switch (whatever the f that means), so let me not go to this strange university in the US that I'll be seeing for the first time when I land". They all come out the other side unharmed, made better by their experiences and, dare I say, thrive.

Tell that to the Nepali students at Howard. It has the largest number of students from Nepal of any college in the nation. And when is that time you've actually looked at the degree on your doctor/dentist's office in DC. White, black, Middle Eastern, Asian. Quite a number went to Howard, where themed school has been 50% non-black for decades. The "H" in historically means just that. It does not mean only.

Howard is 68% Black.

The point was not ALL black as people seem to assume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Angelina Jolie’s DD attends Spelman

We don't know her academic strength but we do know she doesn't have to worry about jobs and income.

Yeah, the calculus on college choice is completely different from anyone else when you are someone like Angelina's kids, or the Obama girls, or LeBron James' son...you never have to worry about income and jobs, though you probably do have to think about which schools can meet the family's campus security and privacy needs.

Common's daughter graduated from Howard's law school last year. She's currently working for a law firm in DC and preparing to take the bar. Oprah studied communications at Tennessee State University. I'm pretty sure she was worried about a job.

Nope, Oprah was a news anchor for a major network before she was even partially done with college.

[Anonymous]

You'll see more of it as competitive universities seek a work-around any SC ruling adverse to race preferences. One option they'll use is to focus on schools in specific zip codes and the losers in that shift will be wealthier black families who live in better school districts or who send their kids to privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You'll see more of it as competitive universities seek a work-around any SC ruling adverse to race preferences. One option they'll use is to focus on schools in specific zip codes and the losers in that shift will be wealthier black families who live in better school districts or who send their kids to privates.

How do you even make the leap from "I'm applying to Harvard because I'm passionate about evolutionary biology." to "I'm applying to Bluefield State because it is an HBCU."

Everyone goes to Niche and/or College Raptor and works their way through the lists trying to get into the best program they can.

If and when the HBCU has the program they want they apply.

[Anonymous]

Where's the evidence of such a "trend?"

A few IG posts does not a trend make.

Any citations? Articles?


The term " high-performing" is also relative. Based on what? Private school vs public? GPA ( grade inflation)? With test optional, a high standardized test score probably isn't the metric used: based on common app stats, a high percentage of TO applicants are black.

Unless there is a study that cross-references the number of black students accepted to top 25 schools who chose a HBCU instead, this is yet another DCUM thread with wishful thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'll see more of it as competitive universities seek a work-around any SC ruling adverse to race preferences. One option they'll use is to focus on schools in specific zip codes and the losers in that shift will be wealthier black families who live in better school districts or who send their kids to privates.

How do you even make the leap from "I'm applying to Harvard because I'm passionate about evolutionary biology." to "I'm applying to Bluefield State because it is an HBCU."

Everyone goes to Niche and/or College Raptor and works their way through the lists trying to get into the best program they can.

If and when the HBCU has the program they want they apply.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would Black students not want to attend schools where they are <10%? A strong student with the right mindset will want to attend the best possible school they can get into and can afford, assuming there are not a lot of social negatives at the school, of course.

You aren’t Black, are you? Who are you to tell Black students what “the right mindset” is? Maybe going to a school where kids don’t have to code switch, don’t have to always worry about racism and bias, will give many Black students a better educational experience. My kid is white, many of his friends are Black, and yes, most are at least considering HBCUs. Many are fine schools where a kid can be immersed in a community of supportive, like minded people, something they may not have experienced in high school. So yes, it’s a good choice for some high performing Black kids.

I'm not 'Black' in the African American sense, but I'm Black in the African sense. I'd never send my kids to an HBCU if the choice was between an Ivy and HBCU. Do what y'all want.. Less competition for my kids who'll certainly check that Black box on the college application. As another poster said, no International student ever thought "OMG, I don't want to code switch (whatever the f that means), so let me not go to this strange university in the US that I'll be seeing for the first time when I land". They all come out the other side unharmed, made better by their experiences and, dare I say, thrive.

Tell that to the Nepali students at Howard. It has the largest number of students from Nepal of any college in the nation. And when is that time you've actually looked at the degree on your doctor/dentist's office in DC. White, black, Middle Eastern, Asian. Quite a number went to Howard, where themed school has been 50% non-black for decades. The "H" in historically means just that. It does not mean only.

Howard is 68% Black.

More like 80%

[Anonymous]

The original discussion about percentages at Howard was about the Med school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would Black students not want to attend schools where they are <10%? A strong student with the right mindset will want to attend the best possible school they can get into and can afford, assuming there are not a lot of social negatives at the school, of course.

You aren’t Black, are you? Who are you to tell Black students what “the right mindset” is? Maybe going to a school where kids don’t have to code switch, don’t have to always worry about racism and bias, will give many Black students a better educational experience. My kid is white, many of his friends are Black, and yes, most are at least considering HBCUs. Many are fine schools where a kid can be immersed in a community of supportive, like minded people, something they may not have experienced in high school. So yes, it’s a good choice for some high performing Black kids.

I'm not 'Black' in the African American sense, but I'm Black in the African sense. I'd never send my kids to an HBCU if the choice was between an Ivy and HBCU. Do what y'all want.. Less competition for my kids who'll certainly check that Black box on the college application. As another poster said, no International student ever thought "OMG, I don't want to code switch (whatever the f that means), so let me not go to this strange university in the US that I'll be seeing for the first time when I land". They all come out the other side unharmed, made better by their experiences and, dare I say, thrive.

“Made better” - possibly, but “unharmed” and “thriving” are questionable. There are far too many “Black@XYZuniveristy accounts” detailing the racism and emotional damage Black students are still facing for that to be true.

I hope any kid isn’t making college decisions based on any of these useless social media accounts created by these shameless self-promoters.

[Anonymous]

I was in a discussion with some black physicians about college choice and there was an overwhelming recommendation for black kids to attend HBCU. They say they felt at home, celebrated, supported and witnessed black excellence. They had great pre-med advising as well. Most want their kids to have similar experiences.