Predominantly White Institutions vs Historically Black Colleges
Predominately White Institutions and the Reasons they are Worth the Time and Money
It was only a year ago when I was faced with making a very important decision that would affect me for the rest of my life. It was time for me to choose an institution of higher learning to continue my studies that would eventually lead me to my career. My decision wasn’t simply which university or college to choose, but as a young black student, whether to choose a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) or a Predominately White Institution (PWI). This would take me on an insightful journey and I would make my decision after discussing the pros and cons of both institutions and through interactions with students, faculty and staff. Before too long it was clear to me that “white campuses provide superior environments for black educational development” and provide the best eventual opportunities and benefits for the student (Allen, W.R.). The transition from high school to college can be very stressful. Deciding which school to go to only adds to this stress. So many factors must be considered in trying to reach a decision, like the reputation of the school, the resources it has to offer and the location. For many college bound students the topic of this paper is not an issue. But Black students sometimes feel like they owe it to their race to attend an HBCU even if attending a PWI would better further their chances for success. For minority students, this is a part of the process, because we now have more options. We can choose between PWIs which educate mainstream America, or HBCUs which only educate individuals with the same experience, history and background. Being able to choose from different types of schools can be bittersweet. The most important goal however is to receive a good education from a good school, which is a very important decision to make and the main topic of this paper. Choosing the PWI will provide the best outcome because it offers the education that
It was only a year ago when I was faced with making a very important decision that would affect me for the rest of my life. It was time for me to choose an institution of higher learning to continue my studies that would eventually lead me to my career. My decision wasn’t simply which university or college to choose, but as a young black student, whether to choose a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) or a Predominately White Institution (PWI). This would take me on an insightful journey and I would make my decision after discussing the pros and cons of both institutions and through interactions with students, faculty and staff. Before too long it was clear to me that “white campuses provide superior environments for black educational development” and provide the best eventual opportunities and benefits for the student (Allen, W.R.). The transition from high school to college can be very stressful. Deciding which school to go to only adds to this stress. So many factors must be considered in trying to reach a decision, like the reputation of the school, the resources it has to offer and the location. For many college bound students the topic of this paper is not an issue. But Black students sometimes feel like they owe it to their race to attend an HBCU even if attending a PWI would better further their chances for success. For minority students, this is a part of the process, because we now have more options. We can choose between PWIs which educate mainstream America, or HBCUs which only educate individuals with the same experience, history and background. Being able to choose from different types of schools can be bittersweet. The most important goal however is to receive a good education from a good school, which is a very important decision to make and the main topic of this paper. Choosing the PWI will provide the best outcome because it offers the education that
Bibliography: Allen, W. (1987). Black colleges vs. White Colleges: The fork in the road for Black Students Davis, Henry Vance. “Into the Academy: The Black Intellectual and White Influence.” Black Scholar 32.2 (Summer2002 2002): 28 Evans, Stephanie Y. “The Early Black History Movement, Carter G. Woodson, and Lorenzo Johnston Greene.” Journal of American History 95.1 (June 2008): 234-235 Jost, Kenneth. “Black Colleges.” CQ Researcher 13.43 (2003): 1045-1068 CQ Researcher Online BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ON THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS.” Research in Higher Education 47.4 (June 2006): 399-427. Academic Search Premier Kim, Mikyoung Minsum Attending Historically Black versus White Colleges Matter? Essay. Washington DC, 2005. Minor, James T. “A Contemporary Perspective on the Role of Public HBCUs: Perspicacity from Mississippi.” Journal of Negro Education 77.4 (Fall 2008 2008): 323-335 Stewart, Gregory., Wright, Dianne., Perry, Tawan, and Rankin, Charlisha. “Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Caretakers of Precious.” Journal of College Admission (2008): 24-29 Townes, Glenn. “HBCUs can become technology hubs, says president of Morehouse.” New York Amsterdam News 97.20 (11 May 2006): 36-36