How To Create The Perfect HBCU Tour Itinerary For Your College-Bound Children
With the fall homecoming season in full effect at HBCUs, this is a great time to tour these amazing institutions with the college-bound students in your life. These tours help youth learn about campus life, academic programs, and unique communities.
Here’s a guide to help parents, educators, and advocates plan an informative HBCU tour:
Step 1: Research the HBCUs to visit based on your students’ interests and future plans.
With over 100 HBCUs in the United States, start by finding schools that match your student’s interests and goals. Consider:
Academic Programs: Does the HBCU have strong programs in your student’s field of interest?
Location: Think about whether your student wants to stay close to home or explore a new area.
Campus Size and Atmosphere: Smaller campuses offer a more personal experience, while larger ones have more diverse activities.
Use resources like the White House Initiative on HBCUs and college ranking websites for detailed information about each school.
Step 2: Plan your route, transportation, and arrival activities.
After choosing schools to visit, it’s time to plan smart in terms of where you will stop first and making the most of your trip. In some states, there are several HBCUs within a few miles of one-another, so it’s a good idea to plan to visit more than one.
Focus on a specific region to see more schools in less time.
Contact admissions offices to schedule tours and ask about National HBCU Week events.
Include time for your student to explore the campus on their own.
Step 3: Share important information and facts on the schools you’re visiting to discuss during the tour.
It’s good to be able to talk about interesting facts and have conversations around HBCUs with your children, and to find out what might intrigue them about becoming part of the HBCU legacy. It’s also just great to instill such knowledge in children and teens so that they can get a glimpse of the impact of these institutions.
Research each school’s history, alumni, programs, and traditions.
Prepare questions about class sizes, scholarships, housing, and student support.
Remind them to wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothes.
Step 5: Include fun experiences that give them a sense of campus life.
It’s also a good idea to coordinate with the student center or dean of students to find out what events or activities you might have access to and how to get approved visitor’s passes before arriving.
Check out the student center to see how students interact.
Try to attend a class in your student’s field of interest.
Encourage your student to talk with current students about their experiences.
Step 6: Explore the surrounding areas.
Look around the area near the campus. Understanding the local community helps students picture themselves living there. Some HBCUs are within city limits, where it’s busiers, lots of traffic, more of a mix of everyday professionals and other elements, and many things to do. Others might be in more rural or laid-back communities, or even communities all their own.
Step 7: Document the experience.
Keep a journal or take photos of each visit. Ask your students to write down their thoughts about each school while the experience is fresh. This helps in later evaluating what might be a good fit and what might not be in terms of choosing a school, and it’s also simply good for memories.
Step 8: Discuss finances and scholarship opportunities
HBCUs often have competitive tuition rates and scholarships. Meet with someone at the financial aid office to learn about options. Ask if there are special National HBCU Week scholarship events.
Step 9: Reflect after the tour.
After visiting all the schools, talk with your students about their impressions. Discuss the pros and cons of each campus and how they fit with your student’s goals.
