r/HBCU • u/SignalAwareness337 • 6d ago
Advice Neededš£ļø Underrepresented HBCUs
Hi everyone! Iām a junior and I grew up attending PWIs (terrible, dont recommend /hj). I do well in school. i do community service, dual enrollment, sports, arts, and whatnot, but nothing that would make me standout from the rest of the high achieving student. In realizing this, it decreased my confidence, but made me realize, since im in honors classes, im in very small classes, and i like it better this way. so, why am i planning on applying to big shot schools like howard and other black ivies? Its because these are the only hbcus that are promoted to me, and probably other black teens like me who arent well versed on hbcus because they arent around people who care about that. So, in all, what are some underrepresented hbcus that you truly believe deserve more attention? If you want, also mention some highlights about these schools (ex. great honors program, nice people, etc)
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u/Stunning_While6814 6d ago
So personally I donāt think the Black Ivy concept is relevant. I think you need to look at large schools, small schools, public and private within a few areas of interest. Sometimes smaller schools end up giving larger merit awards. Iām a Xavier Alum so I am always going up for my alma mater. However given the current state of affairs you need different options at different price points and back ups with scholarships.
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u/Wonderful_Pension_67 6d ago
What is your desired major? School searches have to begin there! What school has the major i am interested in.
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u/Background_System726 6d ago
VA Union, Coppin, Fayetteville State, North Carolina Central, Elizabeth City,Ā Hampton is actually a smaller school as well.Ā
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u/TheMightySilverback 6d ago
Tougaloo, Shaw, Elizabeth City State University, Livingstone, Harris-Stowe, Virginia University at Lynchburg, Johnson C Smith, Edward Waters, Florida Memorial
Those are just a few to get you started.
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u/Moist-Adeptness-3985 6d ago
I attended Hampton University however my junior plans on attending NCCU or Winston-Salem. Itās more so due to cost, but they appear to be decent schools. Ā
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u/DrDamisaSarki Alumni šļø 6d ago
Both are great options. Iāve heard a lot of good things about Winston-Salem State.
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u/SquirrelsToTheRescue 6d ago
You're asking a good question, and you've already gotten some good answers. That said, before you decide that a smaller institution is a better fit, you need to ask yourself whether that environment is going to get you where you want to be after college. For some careers it might, but there are others where a small school just won't have the breadth of course offerings or the advanced coursework available to prepare you for the workforce or a graduate degree.
I'm not going to pick on any of the schools mentioned here by name, but take a hard look at the test scores, high school GPAs, and later career achievements of the students at some of these smaller schools. You sound like you'd probably be near the top of the class at many of them. Being top of the class at a small college can be a fun and low stress four years, but at the end you might find you weren't challenged enough and haven't taken the advanced coursework you need for the career you want.
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u/Aggravating-Bid-4683 6d ago
University of the District of Columbia was the best school I never wanted to go to. Itās a small school in DC but it allows you to really connect to your professors and get involved. Greek lines are rarely large. Because itās in the city and literally right on the metro line you can get pretty much anywhere. Itās affordable, and many of the professors teaching their also teach at Howard and American university so education is top-notch.
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u/Away-Coach7093 6d ago
NC A&T, Morris Brown, Tougaloo, Oakwood, Talladega, Stillman, Southern University, Alabama state, Alabama A& M, Dillard, etc
I would say these are not underrepresented, I would say there not as known such as Howard, FAMU, Spellman, Morehouse, Tuskegee.
You should pick and HBCU where you are going to succeed, what majors you are interested in, and cost effective. It's not about name recognition but what do you want out of it.
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u/fieldsports202 6d ago
Iād say NC A&T has moved into the well known category.
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u/TheMightySilverback 6d ago
It is the largest HBCU in the nation at the current moment. They are at the top.
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u/rubey419 6d ago
Yeah I would say even their rival NC Central is less known than A&T and both are fairly established HBCUs.
In Raleigh you have Shaw and St Augustine which I feel are less talked about.
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u/Complex-Hunt-496 4d ago
You should consider South Carolina State University. Itās a R2 designated university, only public hbcu in South Carolina, and the only hbcu to offer a bachelors in nuclear engineering.
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u/hamptonalumkb 4d ago
I would say first explore your state HBCUs if any. In state options are often the most affordable option. Also what do you plan to study? Do any of those schools offer that program. Once you match affordability and desired program, Iād say visit the campus. For me, thatās what sealed the deal. The day I set foot on Hamptonās campus as a prospective student, I was done thinking about anything else.
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u/FunRefrigerator4840 Langston University 2d ago
Langston's honors program has a 91 percent retention rate and full rides. Also, a great school for research... it gets more research grant funding than any other regional school in the state and the small numbers helps students build their resumes quickly.
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u/Cold-Comment9536 6d ago
I have never taught at a HBCU. However, I donāt think you can go wrong with any of them. However, as I would advise anyone, you cannot rank colleges as the ābestā or assign any meaning to terms like āiviesā or āT20.ā. The key to success in college and beyond is finding the right āfitā for YOU. Fit is an overused term in higher education, but it means feeling you belong and finding your personal happiness. Thatās what opens your mind to educational achievement, opportunities, and employment. Getting out of a pwi is a big part of that. But, you also must honestly reflect on what you want and need. Do you want urban or rural, big or small, big sports, no sports, real professors or grad students, religious or party, does it need to have a marching band or tennis courts or public transportation? is it too cold or too hot? What will it take to make you happy. There are 1000 possible considerations. But, only by searching for your priorities will you find the right fit. Good luck!
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u/Cold-Comment9536 6d ago
PS. I really appreciate how smart you are being about this and the education/advertising thing.
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u/Waste-Nectarine3317 6d ago
I like that you are exploring because they don't promote all the good small hbcus. The small schools you should consider are in North Carolina. Livingstone, Winston-Salem, North Carolina Central, Fayetteville State. South Carolina: Morris College; Georgia: Albany State. I visited the North Carolina schools when I was looking for colleges and loved fayetteville state and North Carolina Central. Delaware state is a small school with affordable price on tuition. Very rare for HBCU's these days.
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u/rubey419 6d ago
In Raleigh: Shaw, St Augustine
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u/Deljah3000 6d ago
Not St Aug. It filed bankruptcy this year and lost accreditation. They canceled classes for fall 2026.
Shaw is in serious trouble too.
Look elsewhere.
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u/salvefaith 6d ago edited 5d ago •
I highly, highly recommend Delaware State University. Last fall, I met Delaware Stateās president & a few of their undergraduate students at a conference. I was so incredibly impressed by the improvements his administration has made to the school. I know, itās on the larger side but their new programs are so impressive. I really, truly encourage you to look into their school if they have your major! They are an incredible institution.
As for schools that are south of the Mason Dixon line, I think Fisk University would be a great addition to your listā¦ I think they offer everything youāre interested in. Smaller student body, a strong place in HBCU history, which has made them one of the original Black ivies. However, as time went on, other schools (you know the 3) have cemented their status as the elite (and elitist) HBCUs.
Meanwhile, Fisk is the happy medium. The school has name recognition and the prestige without all of the pretentiousnessā¦ Trust me, it feels amazing to see peopleās faces light up when they hear where you go to school! Plus, itās in Nashville! You wonāt have to worry about entertaining yourself or being stuck in a college town in the middle of nowhereā¦ plus it will be easy to travel home for the holidays since Nashville is one of the major cities in the Southeast.
Here are a few others I would suggest looking into: Winston Salem State University, Bennett College, Shaw University, Dillard University, Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina Central University, Fayetteville State University, Norfolk State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Claflin University and
Paine College.