Understanding college choice: an examination of the college choice of black students at a predominantly white institution who considered attending a historically black college or university

Utilizing a qualitative approach, this study sought to examine the factors that influenced Black students decisions to attend a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) as opposed to a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Eleven first-year, Black undergraduate students attending the same PWI in the Southeast participated in this study by completing in-depth, semi-structured interviews. After careful narrative analysis of the data, six themes emerged: Influences on the initial attraction to the HBCU experience, Yearning for a change in environment, The perceived lack of prestige at HBCUs, Financial considerations that impact college choice, The role of admission website design in the college search process and The impact of admissions marketing and communication on prospective students. Although some of the findings from this study were consistent with the existing literature on college choice, questions for consideration were raised regarding the way HBCUs develop promotional and marketing strategies to increase enrollments. These findings presented four implications for professional practice: Utilization of alumni in recruitment efforts, improvement in technology, a more personalized recruitment approach, and timely distribution of admission marketing materials.