Parents need to feel comfortable with the contact person on campus. Richmond speaks from her own experience. While attending a traditionally white university, she was able to create her own HBCU experience with the other African-American students on campus. They sought out opportunities for collective experiences such as meeting at a black student union, sororities and fraternities, and off-campus parties. Richmond says this provided them with an insulated and secure world that gave them the ability to deal with occasional racial incidents.
Students can make up extensive checklists.
Ask hundreds of questions. Research dozens of Web sites and talk on the phone to admissions people throughout the country. But if they don't set foot on the campuses they're considering, they're in for big trouble. Selecting a college is a big investment. You're looking at four years of life that will mold you.