A Better Choice

To gain success in a very competitive American society, a strong educational background can be very beneficial. Upon graduating from high school, a student is faced with a very important decision that can affect their future: going to college or venturing into something else. If deciding on college, a student, particularly African American, must decide which institution to attend. The two common choices are attending a diversified university or a HBCU (Historically Black College and University). In order to make an effective and reasonable decision, a student must accurately weigh the differences between these two to ensure the right choice.

The most obvious difference between the two is the ethnicity of the student body. In diverse universities, there is a variety of ethnic representation. In a HBCU, there is a vast majority of African American students. In most cases, some feel this is a major disadvantage to students who attend HBCU’S because a student is only interacting with those of the same racial background. In diverse universities, there is vast cultural knowledge to gain and the ability to network yourself with those of other racial backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, etc.

Another significant difference is accreditation value. Commonly, many major companies will review an application from someone who attends a diverse university such as Georgetown before an application from someone that attends Jackson State . It has nothing to do with the student’s intelligence, but the decision is made based on the overall view of diverse universities versus HBCU’S, particularly those located in the southern region of the United States . The degrees are equivalent, but the name and the common view of inferiority gives HBCU’S a major disadvantage in regards to competing for good jobs.

Tuition is also a noticeable difference among these institutions. When a student sits down and reviews information of the two, the one thing that sticks out is the cost. Tuition is much higher in diverse universities than in HBCU’S. There are many factors that can cause such a cost difference (location, professor’s credentials and education, the universities credibility, or the overall institution’s value). Since an HBCU is not culturally mixed, some feel that education should be more difficult in diversified universities. Although this can be true, some students feel you are just paying for a name on your degree.

In many HBCU’S, location is insufficient. Most of these universities are located directly across substandard neighborhoods. This could make it very difficult for a student to succeed. On the other hand, diverse universities are rarely seen near bad neighborhoods and surroundings. This could be a factor in determining which