Can A black student have fun and fit in at a Top Ranked School?

Question

I plan to attend the university of Tulsa after I finish my two years at a community college my parents say that I should attend a HBCU, I wouldn't mind but it made me question are black students missing out on the "fun" they would have at a HBCU?

Answer 1

Oh, Lord. It's funny you ask, because I work for the State of CT and we're working on the Sheff v. O'Neill case, in which plaintiffs are suing the State to ensure integrated education for inner-city youths. One of the key points they raise is that, by attending a segregated education institute, you fail to learn how to live and work with people of other races, and as a result you will have additional challenges trying to find or hold a job.

Segregation is never a good thing. A top-ranked school will have people of all races. If you go to an all-black school, this just reinforces whatever behaviors may be considered uniquely-black, which may not be appreciated by white employers or co-workers.

Don't set yourself off from the rest of the world. Learn to have fun with all different types of people, and you will be more prepared for the realities of the diverse workworld. College isn't all about "fun" anyways... if your main interest is to live out a 4-year block party, then you're doing it for the wrong reasons. Go for the quality of education, and have fun wherever you go!

Answer 2

I got my MBA at Duke and became friendly with a number of the black MBA students while there. About half of them had attended HBCUs and half had attended schools that were not HBCUs. Many were more elite schools -- such as the Military Academies, Auburn, Ivy League schools or one of the better public universities. I found that the latter group were generally better prepared for the MBA program, more social (e.g., mixed equally well with white, black and foreign students) and have been more successful since leaving the program.

HBCUs do provide a unique opportunity for some students where they can flourish -- but only a few of them (e.g., Howard, Spellman, Morehouse) have decent academic reputations. The thing you have to keep in mind is that when you graduate, you will have to interact with all kinds of people. Going to a more integrated university will help you do that. I'm sure that you can have fun wherever you go.

If the low percentages of blacks at Tulsa concerns you -- you could think about a public university elsewhere.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Definitely not - instead I'd say you'd have more fun. While a HBCU is all well and good, you don't have the same type of diversity you'd have at a large public school. You'd be denying yourself the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world, basically. When I was in undergrad at the University of South Carolina, it seemed like there was always something going on - some campus group having a function (not necessarily a party, but cultural festivals or speakers or something similar) and usually the groups holding those functions were various ethnic interest groups. To me, college is about enriching yourself and becoming a complete person - those types of events, that type of interaction, helps you become that. You'd still have a "support group" of other black students to fall back on, but you'd also have the ability to explore the larger world outside of the black community. If I were you, I'd take that chance in a heartbeat. Good luck to you though, whichever you end up choosing.

Answer 4

I don't know where U of Tulsa is but the best deal is to try to be in a city with an HBCU so that you can go to the parties and make friends. It can be lonely on a predominately white campus. I didn't feel like I fit in when I attended Emory U, but I made up for it by making lots of friends at the HBCUs in downtown Atlanta (Morehouse, Spelman and Clark).

Answer 5

A person of color had have a harder time acclommating themselves to an environment that is overwhelming European American. It may come as a culture shock. Most students of color feel uncomfortable and easy due to the behaviors displayed by those who have questionable characters dealilng with people of color. Most universities that are highly ranked in the North and better to attend due to their track record on race relations. The south is not so stellar.

But with that said and done, a student can go a top ranked university and graduate, since graduating is the goal and not to have fun. A person can have fun anywhere they go, if they are looking for fun. If a person is looking for the opposite they can find it as well.

Answer 6

What do you mean black students remember we are all human and its not the outside that judges things in fact it's going to be your personality.
trust me what ever you want to do or happen to you is in your hands, you can always change things for the better if you want to just be friendly and cheerful, helpful and the way you treat people is the way they should treat you

good luck bro

Answer 7

I am all for education weather you're black, white, brown, purple or green! It's good to have fun but ALWAYS go for the gold! Never let anything or any ignorance come between you and your education!

Answer 8

It's all what you make of it...black, white, brown, yellow, etc.., it's up to you if you have fun or not.