With College Decision Day creeping up on us excited seniors, I’ve had to explain my school decision more than any other point in my life.

I tried to choose a school that would look cute on a resume, but I knew I wasn’t going to be happy or grow at a school if I was always competing for a spot or trying to fit in.

The ethnic diversity of H-F has been a true blessing, and it’s been beneficial for my personal growth over the past four years.

However, I want to continue to broaden my understanding of the differences within cultures and communities.

After being accepted to Alcorn, Eastern and Olivet, I decided on Olivet Nazarene University.

I’ll merge from a public, suburban melting pot to a religion-affiliated PWI this fall to continue my education.

One could say I wanted to completely move away from the diaspora of H-F, and that’s not completely wrong.

I knew coming into my senior year it’d come down to the benefits and experiences offered by HBCUs and PWIs.

As stated in an editorial article from The Odyssey, “I also felt that going to a PWI would force me to challenge myself.”

Those were my exact sentiments when it came down to deciding where to apply and what my main expectations were for a place of study.

An HBCU is a historically black college or university. Think schools like Howard, Morehouse and Spelman.

One benefit of schools like this is the rich history behind it that one would have trouble finding elsewhere.

I knew I wanted a tight-knit community, similar to that of the unity found at these universities.

However, transitioning from HBCUs after graduation would be difficult, since most of the society doesn’t align with the black culture.

A PWI is a predominantly white institution. Schools with names like Harvard and Yale fall on this side of the spectrum.

Obviously, these schools would be great for getting into corporate America or most jobs for that matter simply because of the school’s name and history.

“Another key benefit of attending a PWI is that they receive more funding than HBCUs…going to a PWI provides black college students with confidence and prepares them to work in the real world,” comes from Alcorn student written article “Why You Should Choose a PWI Instead of an HBCU”.

HBCUs do receive a decent amount of funding, but the funding of PWIs would offer me more resources for obtaining my academic goals.

I hope to grow spiritually, as well as career wise, and I believe my school choice will allow me to do just that.