The
college decision is an important decision that should be
made with much consideration. I struggled
with this
decision for many months to choose between an HBCU – Howard
University and a TWI – Agnes Scott, and I had to do what
was right for me. The biggest factor for me was where I would be
able to have the larget impact on Black America and on the world.
While making this decision I considered the academia, which had
the best departments specific to my major. Which medical school
acceptance rates are the best, how many Blacks attended the school,
what was the environment like, could I thrive here? I made a lacquered
scale of these and when I did Agnes Scott came out on top consistently.
I still was not satisfied, because I thought that I would be selling
out if I decided to go to a white school. I thought that I would
be a hypocrite and denying my Blackness if I did not attend an
HBCU.
What
I realized that while Howard is a good school, it is not that
best school for me and could not provide me with all of the tools
necessary to succeed in my future. I want to stress to my listeners
how important this decision is for you and your future. It is
not one to rush through and do not buy into the mainstream talk
that tells us that all under-grad is created equal. It is not
true. Talk to your parents, talk to you school counselors, but
most importantly talk to yourself. Make sure you know what you
need to be successful. Determine what size you are comfortable
with, what town setting. Consider whether you want to be close
to home or not, does the school have things I’m interested
in Can I afford it and can I receive enough scholarships to aid
in the payment. I encourage you to stay away from student loans,
they are a quick fix, but it is easy to find yourself in debt
several years in the future.
I urge you to visit all colleges that you are considering. This is the perfect
opportunity to see what life is really like at that school. This is what made
the decision to attend Agnes Scott an easy one.
Parents your children need you at this time just like they need you any other
time. You must provide them with support, guidance, but at the same time allow
them to make their own decision.
It’s never too early to begin considering where you want to go to school
and what you want to do after your completion of your education. I visited my
first school in my sophomore year and many visit earlier. Do not let four years
of your life dictate the rest of your future. There’s nothing more sad
than a student coming to school saying they wish they would have kept their grades
up as opposed to having fun and now paying the price. Maybe an HBCU is right
for you, maybe not but make sure your decision is educated and well thought out.
