<p>HBCU’s are one of many college categories- such as public, private, religious, women’s, small liberal arts. While colleges in each category may share common characteristics and experiences, every college is different.
The best way to see if any college is a good fit is to visit, spend time with students and faculty, and see how it feels to be a student there. If you can’t visit a college because of distance, then visiting the different types of colleges near you will at least give you a sense of what they are each like.
Some students may thrive at an HBCU, women’s college, religious college and so on, and other students want a larger diversity. It’s really your choice to make, and it’s nice that so many choices are available to consider. Sometimes, if a college becomes the best financial fit, then that will play a part in the final decision.
But you don’t have to decide until May, and if you are considering an HBCU then go ahead and apply to them along with any other colleges you are considering. Then you can spend time getting more information that may help you decide. When a college accepts you, it also sends your financial information, so a this time, you can also consider the cost of each college. Many colleges have open houses for visiting and accepted student days. Some colleges even have these events for minority students so they can get an idea of what the school is like. Even if it is a PWI, the number of minorities can vary. Most colleges have clubs, and personel associated with diversity. Contacting them would be a good way to get more information. The students attending the school can give you an idea of how they like being there.</p>