<p>Long Post…really went on a tangent
^@CrazeeB I don’t know if I’m really interested in any HBCUs, but that was extremely well said. I don’t really get the whole “HBCUs are not diverse” argument either. It’s basically 90% black vs. 90% white or asian when you compare HBCUs and PWI. Truthfully its a matter of what type of people certain students feel comfortable around… racial diversity is lacking in each w/ the slight exception of schools like Columbia, Williams or Duke…</p>
<p>I don’t think there is anything wrong with citing funding, environment, or even perceived educational differences as reasons why an HBCU would not be a good fit, but don’t pretend that PWIs will provide you with this unprecedented diversity. More often than not we are just mere numbers to these schools who add demographic percentages to their school profiles and boast “intellectual and cultural diversity”. The numbers keep alumni dollars flowing, JBHE from complaining, and white teenagers with a temporary liberal streak feeling like they are expanding their horizons. It kind of sucks but black and latino students are pretty much the “tools” of diversity in these types of schools…and are treated as such upon arrival–as evidenced by handling of on-campus racial incidents, job placement and graduation rate disparities.</p>
<p>Observations…
If you want a diverse group of friends (whether you are in a predom. white college or highschool), you really have to work for it, which is why many minority students at PWIs “self-segregate” and have only a couple of non-minority friends. Whether you want to admit it or not, there is an assumption that you, as a black person, will have to seriously conform to non-minorities. When I say conform, I do not mean act as they do, I mean that you are expected to act in ways that don’t challenge their perceived economic, intellectual, moral and physical superiority over you. More often than not, it means accepting being the “the sidekick”, “the joker”, “the comforter” or “the constant entertainer”. Like many of you guys + CrazeeB, I have been in a position where I have experienced ignorance from minorities and whites. Though I’ve noticed that a great amount of non-minorities (NOT ALL) can never accept that someone of color may have a greater or equal intellectual capacity or even a dynamic life beyond them. And they rarely want that notion challenged by a black “friend”. You guys who go to predom white high schools, you know who that “friend” is.</p>
<p>For those that don’t, imagine this:
You go for your first day of school–> see the only black person of this year’s AP classes (in my case all of my classes)–> look over to acknowledge them–>nod head–>mentally say,“Yay! I won’t be the black spokesperson this year. No awkward February for me”–>then the other black person raps and crip walks for class–>then you SYH(Shake your head)–>solemnly mutter codename: cornbread–><em>side note</em>teacher “mistakenly” calls you Shaniqua instead of Sharon.</p>
<p>Although not everyone within the black community is accepting of an intellectually oriented person, most know that we are not a monolith. Most understand that we each have diverse interests and backgrounds. Most black students will not be as quick to group you with others, because they have have often had that experience. Honestly, although I’m not applying to many HBCUs, I’m pretty certain that students there will be able to appreciate your true diversity even more.</p>
<p>Sure there are many arguments against HBCUs (funding and educational opportunities is a big drawback for me), but the diversity argument is really a misguided and flawed one. The funny thing is, most of the kids who avoid HBCUs “because of the lack of diversity” have spent their lives attending all white or asian schools. For many kids in this particular forum, going to an HBCU would expose them to NEW people and ideas.</p>