<p>I posted this earlier on the "African American Students" board where I received a number of well-meaning, but unhelpful responses from students.</p>
<p>D is an average student and b/c college admission is so competitive, I want to make sure that she has some definite safety choices other than large unis (and, with the economy tanking, competition for as seat at even our lesser state schools will be keen). Friends, only one of whom is a HBCU alum, have urged that she consider the HBCUs. I am unfamiliar with any of the shcools, other than the usual suspects (Howard, Hampton, Spelman and Bennett) - - though a quick check of PR indicates that they would all be safeties for D, and she'd be strong enough to get any merit money the schools offered. </p>
<p>D would like to be in or near a city, but she definitely wants a traditional residental campus. Her other preferences: not religious, and a liberal student body and administration - - a number of her older friends grumble that HBCUs tend to be strict regading alcohol/drugs and parietals.</p>
<p>Any recommendations? Caveats? (I have heard that Fisk and FAMU have had financial difficulties; is that generally true among the HBCUs?).</p>
<p>Please bear in mind that I am seeking info to distinguish among the HBCUs OTHER than Howard, Hampton and Spellman. </p>
<p>Thanks for the link; good to know which schools, besides the gang of four, are considered the strongest. Still, I was hoping for current (the list is 10 yrs old) and more detailed info.</p>
<p>Also, ffordability is not a real issue; the HBCUs have lowerCOA than even the state schools on D's list.</p>
<p>Johnson C. Smith University is a private HBCU in the heart of Charlotte,NC.
Also in NC...North Carolina Central University in Durham and NC A&T in Greensboro.</p>
<p>All located in cities with airports in the area.</p>
<p>I would love to know more about Pennsylvania's state-supported HCBUs, Cheyney and Lincoln. But the fact that I know so little may be telling. My kids had about 250 African American high school classmates between them, and as far as I remember no more than a couple went to either school. Howard, yes, the Atlanta schools, yes, and several other in-state publics, in droves, many of them not more urban than Cheyney or Lincoln. Cheyney and Lincoln were simply not popular among these academically-oriented, urban, ambitious, but not necessarily high-SAT kids.</p>
<p>"and a liberal student body and administration"</p>
<p>I had a job several years ago which required me to visit and maintain close contact with about 20 HBCUs. There are NO HBCUs with liberal administrations. While some students at HBCUs would welcome a more liberal atmosphere in terms of rules, most parents of HBCU students would not.</p>
<p>Students at HBCUs and many faculty also tend to be extremely religious -- conservative Christian. It's normal for events to start with Christian prayers even at public HBCUs.</p>
<p>If your D wants a liberal campus, she needs to find safeties that aren't HBCUs.</p>
<p>You might consider Claflin University. It's a hidden gem. Also Xavier University of Louisiana. FAMU is getting back on track. My cousin's son will graduate from Alabama State University this spring. Central State (Ohio) and Wilberforce arein the middle of cornfields (literally).</p>
<p>We went to an HBCU fair at a local church. I clearly wasn't aware of the number of HBCUs. Check to if any are being held in your area. Not only will you find out about more HBCUs than you thought existed, you will get a chance to meet alumni. That can be telling in it's own right.</p>
<p>One more caveat. My daughter discounted Spelman because it's not coed. However, at a majority of HBCUs, the female-male ratio will be considerable. Howard is running close to 70-30 female/male.</p>
<p>Thanks, I feared that the schools would be too conservative for D. . . . back to the drawing-board.</p>
<p>(Silvermoon, DD and DH believe that the presence of even a handful of males is a good thing, socially. I don't see it, but it's hardly worth arguing if Spelman would be to conservative or parochial.)</p>
<p>Sticking my nose where I know next to nothing, but I thought Spelman was a sister school, at least socially, to Morehouse, and then has better than the 70.30 ratio.</p>
<p>I'm certain that with all the colleges in ATL the ratio isn't a real problem - - but a conservative student body or admin would be a deal breaker.</p>
<p>There are 102 HBCU's, with little current or reliable information available about many other than the 'top four', so I feel your pain.
Here are a few more link that may help:</p>