I’m having an extremely hard time selecting a university to attend. I have a full ride at Indiana University because of the group scholars program. At Howard university I was offered $38,000 a year which is enough to cover majority of the cost of attendance. Indiana university has a lot more resources better facilities and probably better opportunities due to my Herbert Presidential scholarship. I am an African-American Student And also feel as though I will be more comfortable at Howard. However I do come from a predominantly black area. Indiana university would be a change but I don’t know if I would like it. There is only 4% of black students on campus. They do have big 10 sports though which would be nice to attend. I live in Indiana and actually want to go out of state and experience a new city and DC is a big city and I think I would like. However Howard University is notorious for all of its problems and I don’t know if the social life is worth it. Help me decide. Sorry if this is all over the place. And my major is a bit undecided but something in the sciences like psychology or human biology etc as I’m 75% sure I want to go to medical school.
How would you cover the rest of the cost of attendance at Howard?
What extra perks does the IU scholarship come with?
What is your potential major, and do both places have equivalent programs?
If you want to do study abroad, is it easier at one place or the other? Could you possibly study at IU and do a semester exchange to Howard?
Howard is a very special place indeed, but the current financial issues are a bit unnerving. I can certainly understand your concerns.
Howard definitely has Ivy League cachet among HBCUs. The missing aid money is sad. But I don’t think they will close. iU is great too especially with perks. But your comfort level is a personal decision.
You definitely have a tough decision. A full ride at IU is definitely a blessing that would be hard turn down and I am speaking as a parent of a rising freshman at Howard in the fall. It may be best to visit IU and Howard if you haven’t done so, and to get a feel for the campuses. Howard would be about 5K-7K per year out of pocket based off of your financial aid package and the cost of attendance. Does that work for your family? I am not as worried about Howard’s problems (my daughter’s scholarship and family near by helps), but I will be heavily involved in keeping my child’s business dealings with Howard in order until she is ready to handle it all in her own. Like @privatebanker said, your decision is an extremely personal one, and my only advice is to look at all of the deciding factors and trust what your gut is telling you.
If I was to stay at Bethune Annex the COA is a bit above $37K which is a little less than my scholarships and grants. However, Id be afraid of the rising rates of the COA for my upperclassmen years. Unfortunately due to financial constraints I’m not able to visit Howard and can only go off of videos, vlogs and forums. The presidential scholarship at IU comes with a $1200 laptop, $1000 towards studying abroad and opportunities to meet with campus leaders, VPs and special guests to the campus. My family would be able to pay maybe $100-$200 a month for Howard if need be but if I get the cheap dorm they may not have to.
OP, I have been up to Howard, and it is one of my favorite campuses, but your IU offer is almost too good to pass up. My daughter stayed on campus overnight (in the Quad) in March and could not stop talking about the students she met and the love she felt on campus, but that the dorm needed some work. You would still have to pay for books and have more transportation expenses getting to Howard versus your in-state trip to IU. I do believe that the Howard experience is unique and there are always different ways to find money if that is your choice. There is also something to be said for the resources that IU will provide you. You don’t have an easy choice ahead of you, but you are doing the right thing by thinking/talking out all of the variables before making your final decision.
@Lana200 IU is large enough for them to have a diversity officer or someone like that to reach out to. You have a big offer from them, so surely there is someone whom you contact through the scholarship office at IU to speak with about your concerns about being AA at a predominantly white institution.