College Education Concerns in the 21st Century
(c) M. Ryder

The downturn that has forced cutbacks at some of the nation's richest colleges is endangering survival of some of the poorest, including some historically black colleges and universities. But alumni, professors, and outside analysts say that the better-funded HBCUs' experience weathering hard times and helping students whom other schools have shut out may boost their appeal.

"HBCUs have survived worse things than this, like the Civil War," notes Ketema N. Paul, assistant professor of anatomy and neurobiology at the Morehouse School of Medicine and a graduate of Howard University. The top HBCUs are attempting to prove they offer an education that rivals that of better-known universities, often at a lower price.

Their pitch could prove attractive to students of all races. HBCUs' traditional students, African-Americans, are flocking to colleges in record numbers; today, 2 million plus are in college, more than double the number of 30 years ago. And a growing number of white students are enrolling in HBCUs. At several HBCUs, the majority of the student body is white.

No shortage of applicants. Some HBCUs, including Harris-Stowe State in St. Louis and Prairie View A&M in Texas, have seen applications skyrocket in 2009, in part because they are low-cost publics.

Others, like Louisiana's Xavier University, are recruiting based on their track records: Xavier boasts that it sends more African-Americans to medical school than any other college in the nation. It manages to do this while charging about $25,000 for everything. While that may sound high, many big public universities have similar sticker prices for in-state students.

HBCU grads often rave about a family feeling on campus, supportive professors, and lifelong friendships. More than two decades after he got his bachelor's from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Ala., Milton L. Brown, endowed chair of experimental therapeutics and professor of oncology at Georgetown University, is still in regular contact with 40 or 50 college pals. "There was a network of people who really cared about me," he says.

Four questions to ask. But students and grads warn anyone considering an HBCU to temper idealism with hard facts and tough questions:

Will you graduate?

Many HBCUs have comparatively low graduation rates. Since dropping out of college is one of the most costly mistakes a student can make, it pays to check out the graduation rate for students who match your characteristics at the Education Trust (www.collegeresults.org).

There are dramatic variations among HBCUs. Fewer than 20 percent of students at Coppin State in Maryland graduate within six years, but nearby Morgan State graduates almost 40 percent. Some larger majority-white schools, such as Temple University in Philadelphia, graduate a higher percentage of their minority students (56 percent of African-Americans and 49 percent of Hispanics) than do many HBCUs. Brown suggests asking what support systems--financial, mentoring, and educational--exist to help students.

Are you in the right program?

Many HBCUs have long had less money to spend per student than have comparable majority-white schools. Less money typically means larger classes and lower-paid faculty, and it sometimes means unsatisfactory educations. Howard University nursing students, for example, picketed the campus last fall to draw attention to concerns about the quality of instruction. HBCU students recommend aiming at schools that specialize in your focus area. Howard's business program, for instance, is well respected. Hampton, Norfolk State, and Xavier have all invested in science labs.

What's the net cost?

Dozens of elite schools such as Harvard are eagerly recruiting ace students of color. Meanwhile, most HBCUs simply can't afford to provide as many scholarships as richer majority-white schools. But Corey Briscoe, a junior who is a student government officer at Howard, says he doesn't regret turning down opportunities at George Washington University and the Citadel. "Sometimes, you've got to look beyond the price and look at what you are going to get. I met Barack Obama my freshman year," he says--an experience he doubts he would have gotten anywhere else.

Is the school accredited?

A struggling college can be a risky choice. Clark-Atlanta University laid off dozens of teachers during the semester this past spring, creating havoc with schedules and course loads. Several HBCUs, such as Morris Brown in Atlanta and Knoxville College in Tennessee, have lost their accreditation altogether, which means the federal government won't give students financial aid and other colleges won't accept transfer credits. Alabama A&M, Texas Southern, and Dillard have been put on probation or warned by their accrediting agencies. The Department of Education tracks school accreditation, and two accrediting agencies--the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education--post notices on their websites.

Changing times.

There are surprising racial and cultural variations among HBCUs. The H, after all, stands for historically black--not necessarily currently black. Today, for example, 86 percent of the students at Bluefield State in West Virginia are white and live in the state. At Howard, by contrast, about two thirds of the students are African-American, most from distant states or countries.

Many HBCUs are recruiting Hispanic students, international students, and, in many cases, white Americans. Joshua Packwood, who in 2008 was the first white valedictorian of Morehouse, says HBCUs aren't right for all white students nor for all black students. But Packwood says Morehouse was a great fit for him. "I was elected president of my freshman dorm," he says. "People were extremely supportive."

Packwood started studying economics when times were good; he's graduating in a recession. But four years at an often overlooked institution was a perfect preparation for Packwood's first job. He's been hired to help an investment bank find opportunities that have been overlooked.

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(c) 2009 U.S. News & World Report