<p>I know that HBCU's aren't "popular" on CC, but that's the direction D and her BFF are heading, so we went on a 1400 mile, four-state, seven-college tour in the last two weeks and are home now. There's so little about the individual HBCU's on CC that I thought I'd do a wrap up, with an offer to share more if anyone asks. We had to do it in the middle of summer due to D's crazy schedule, but we did see some that are in session. It was a great trip and we all learned a lot, and D has a favorite now-which was actually a throwaway stop originally. So here's the quick and dirty:</p>
<p>Spelman: campus so pretty it should be a movie set. It's walled off from the city, has security guard stations at both entrances and call boxes every few feet. I exudes safety, calm and perfection. Admissions people are generally knowledgeable, but one question D had stumped the lady we spoke to, even though we later found the answer on an inner page on the website. Tour guide was an honor student, knew everything about every building. Professes to love the food and her honors dorm-mentioned that there is no air conditioning for freshmen. And it's HOT there. I can't imagine. She loves the school, feels she has amazing opportunities. There's an air of "We're here to make your amazingness even more amazing. If you're not amazing, maybe you don't belong here." D loved it. I'm sure it IS amazing, but I felt out of place there.</p>
<p>Clark Atlanta: Larger campus, more typical student body. No presentation, but the honor student guide was full of information. Raved about the school, the food, the students. Turned down Spelman for being too cliquish. Took us in to meet the honors director, who gave students pointers on majors, honors, admissions. Students at Spelman, CA and Morehouse can all take classes at any of the three, plus I think a couple of others. No extra charge. It's a regular thing The students we saw seemed happy to be there, even in sweltering heat.</p>
<p>Fisk: Very small, intentionally so. They admit only 11% of applicants. They hold the students to high expectations, but offer plenty of support. Our guide, another honor student, is from the Pacific NW and is Hispanic. She feels right at home at Fisk, and like those at the other school, loves everything about her school. It's compact and everyone knows everyone, but is not gated. Not a great neighborhood, but strangers sure stand out there. It's got a bit of talented tenth feel to it, but in a more friendly way than Spelman. Belongs to a consortium with Vanderbilt. TSU and a couple of others. The former admissions director, now promoted, spoke to the kids for 30 minutes and gave D a blueprint for getting in on a full ride, in her major and where she could continue to take her Japanese classes.It's high on her list-she's decided she likes small schools.</p>
<p>Tennessee State: Too big, too much for D. The people we spoke to were very nice and helpful, though there were no tours. We were introduced to a grad student on her second career, who was from Seattle and graduated from the UW. She said as great as her education was there, TSU is where she feels most at home, that being a black person from Seattle it was great to finally be in the majority. She said she did not find the education to be lacking, even compared to UW.</p>
<p>North Carolina A &T: Huge, Div. 1 school with 11,000 students. Also is a state school, so it has solid financial backing. The grounds and buildings are well kept, though it's way to big to be fenced off. The city bus system has at least two stops going right through campus-it's that big. Maps everywhere. There's a new, state of the art gym, free classes in yoga, etc., plus a pool in another building and a second gym. The cafeteria is also quite new and looks like a food court at a high-end mall. Lots of options. The tour included some 50 people so we missed some of the info. But NCAT has a great rep-Fortune 500 companies recruit heavily here, especially for engineers and health fields. It produces a good percentage of the black engineers out there. Tour guide was, wait for it, an honor student. She's in education and said all of her profs were good, accessible and that the size of the college doesn't mean you're in huge classes. I would have gone here in a heartbeat-D thought it was too huge-there were whole sections she'd never even see. </p>
<p>Bennett: Like NCAT, students from Bennett helped start the lunch counter sit-in movement. At both, that history is preserved and valued. Bennett is a very small women's college not many people seem to know about. It belongs to a consortium with A & T and others in Greensboro. One of the admissions people spoke privately with D and her friend, as she believes kids and parents don't always have the same views and questions. She promised to research a question for us once the director returnsand gave her contact info to D to get her in touch with the college/career counselor at D's HS. This campus is small and another typical center green with buildings surrounding it, but the lawn isn't golf course perfect. Ladies do not walk on the grass though, as "there are no shortcuts to life". The president at Bennett is very involved with the student body-she hosts "Scandal" viewing parties and tweets to the girls regularly. The school offers a free van into town, the mall, etc., but it's also got a bus stop right next to campus.</p>
<p>Last was Benedict, a small, religious HBCU in Columbia, SC. At about 2100 students, it's still small enough that everyone seemed to know everyone. Our last-minute replacement tour guide is a grad student who sought out and introduced us to a recent grad in D's major, the head of her department, the head of the freshmen retention program in her department (there is one for every major, and frosh are required to meet regularly with these people), the head of recruitment and the president of the college. Every one of them dropped what they were doing to speak at length to us. While Benedict has a very low bar to get in, they work hard with students to keep them there, and because of the retention program, there are fewer parent surprises like we see here on CC about kids suddenly dropping out or admitting that they're failing late in the semester. The education department chair told D exactly what to do to get her dual enrollment, how to end up with lined up a graduation, and about all the changes she's making to the department to make it even more respected. It's a school an early entrant or a young student, or one who wants a more directed environment would feel at home-there is no visiting in dorm rooms of the opposite sex, the retention people to check on you, and there's a dress code. Religion, a big part of D's life, is supported here-she can even continue her praise dancing, or try for a spot in the gospel choir, with a small scholarship if she makes it. The school is in a nice neighborhood and like the others, near a bus stop, and is part of a consortium.</p>
<p>It's obvious which one D has at the top of her list, but we realize she's still young. But she never did waiver from liking the smaller schools and I will say that we felt most welcome there. I never even SAW the president of my college-some of them here sit and have popcorn with them in pajama party type gatherings. </p>
<p>Hope this helps someone!</p>