Montgomery County HBCU College Fair Exposes New Era of Potential Students

Here’s a story detailing an HBCU college fair in Montgomery County, MD., one of the most affluent counties in the United States. If you want perspective on what today’s students, with more choices in college enrollment and career planning are seeking from HBCUs, this is the place to start.

While Sandler and her mother waited to speak with the admissions counselor from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Ga., she discussed her decision to apply to historically black colleges.

“I like the diverse background of historically black colleges and universities. It fits me,” she said. “My mom went to Howard [University in Washington, D.C.,] so I have a legacy…”

Students — most “dressed for success,” as the evening’s guidelines recommended — asked college counselors questions about grades, tuition and scholarships, as well as questions about the presence of sororities and fraternities and the quality of the food…

Ebrima Jobe, 17, and Ike Obi, 17, both seniors at Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, came prepared for their appointments with Howard counselors. Each held a packet containing completed application forms, transcripts, SAT scores and letters of recommendation. Obi also applied to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, another historically black college.

“I just think they offer a lot of great opportunities for people of my race,” Obi said…

Comfort, diversity, closeness to home. These are some of the reasons why middle-class, selective high school students still seek out HBCUs for their educational fulfillment. But, HBCUs can’t rest with this segment of the potential student population, because other non-HBCUs aren’t resting there. HBCUs must pursue a definitive blend of high-achieving students, middle-class students with good grades and test scores, and low-achieving students who only need a helping hand to realize their academic potential.

Often, HBCUs can get wrapped up in chasing one group of students or the other, and the results can create low enrollment, disciplinary problems and low retention, or poor word-of-mouth advertising from current students. It’s a ebbing and flowing battle for a new generation of HBCU students, and the neighborhoods and civic centers of Montgomery County are just some of the new battlegrounds.

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