Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) serve students from a wide range of cultural, socioeconomic backgrounds and majors. They are located in the south east United States, and can be public, private, co-educational, or single-sex campuses. They offer a high-quality education in a supportive setting for students who might encounter difficulty in realizing their full academic potential, especially students of color.
Some noteworthy graduates of HBCUs include:
- Rev, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, graduate of Morehouse College
- Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, graduate of Lincoln University & Howard University
- Oprah Winfrey, graduate of Tennessee State University
- Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), graduate of Howard University
- Booker T. Washington, graduate of Hampton University
- Katherine Johnson (NASA), graduate of West Virginia State University
- Stacey Abrams, Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, graduate of Spelman College
- Langston Hughes, graduate of Lincoln University
They were established to serve the educational needs of African Americans at the end of the Civil War. Prior to the time of their establishment, and for many years afterwards, African American were generally denied admission to traditionally white institutions. Although these institutions were called universities from their founding, a major part of their mission in the early years was to provide elementary and secondary schooling for students who had no previous education. It was not until the early 20th century that HBCUs began to offer courses and programs at the post-secondary level. As a result, HBCUs became the principle means for providing post-secondary education for African Americans and other disenfranchised individuals in the US.
Get on the Plane: HBCU Annual Spring Tour
If you’re interested in attending an HBCU, you should try to join our annual Get on the Plane tour of HBCUs. Get in contact with Transfer Center for more information.
The tour includes a round-trip flight, lodging, meals, and ground transportation to visit:
The application window opens during Fall Semester. To learn more or apply to attend, check out this Transfer Events.
The HBCU Transfer Guarantee
The California Community College/HBCU Transfer Guarantee Agreement is a partnership with 37 HBCUs to guarantee admissions to students who complete specific academic courses, have a GPA of 2.5 or better, and have completed an associate degree or at least 30 transferable units.
Use the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
If you choose not to go that route, or your chosen school does not participate in the HBCU Transfer Guarantee Agreement, a good place to start would be the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) path. You should also visit the school’s website to figure out what you should be taking to prepare for your intended major.
However, it is imperative that you work with a CCC counselor, as admissions, GPA and other requirements vary greatly.
You can apply to many HBCUs using either the Common Black College Application, or the Common Application.