Cultural Differences in the College Experience

"Where do I belong?" aimlessly day dreaming about my future I disregarded my U.S history teacher as she began taking attendance.

Should I attend Morgan State University, Tuskegee University, Howard University, Bowie University, or Jackson State University? These historically black colleges or universities (HBCU) all received applications for admissions from me early in my senior year of high school.

Should I attend the University of Illinois in Urbana Campaign, Marquette University, or Northern Illinois University? These predominantly white institutions also received an application for admissions from me in my senior year of high school. Like many African American students I was faced with the issue of whether to attend a HBCU or a predominantly white institution. It is my personal belief that a student can be successful at either. It's up to the student to answer their own question of where they belong. Should they be stuck looking at an ocean of people with similar faces? Or stuck looking like a grain of pepper in a bowl of rice? Should they be in an atmosphere that promotes unity? Or at a place that represents the "real world" in its diversity? A HBCU is a university that was founded before 1964 with the objective of serving the African American community. There are more than 100 HBCUs in the United States and they vary in size and type. A historically black college or university can be public or private, two year or four year, and can be very small or extremely large. None of the HBCUs have only African American students. This detail poses the question that I faced while deciding on which college to attend. What are the advantages or disadvantages of attending a HBCU versus a predominantly Caucasian institution?

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...d I attended Northern Illinois University in Illinois, a predominantly white institution. She attended Central because she believed like many black students, that attending a HBCU would promote unity, self confidence, and that her educational experience would be geared towards her as an African American. Although the school like many HBCUs lack funding to give her any grants or scholarships she determined to finance her education acquired loans. I however, chose differently. While I sometimes feel that I am missing out on the cultural experience of a lifetime, I received an enormous financial aid package from Northern Illinois University. In August of 2003 my friend transferred to Northern because she could not afford Central for a second year. Although a student's environment is very important in the end a student's success is dependent solely upon that student.