The Value and Importance of The Common Black College Application (CBCA)
In recent years, there has been a new wave of public acclaim paid to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Due in large part to the current impact of the Black Lives Matter movement, media attention given to the growing number of applications to HBCUs, and such a distinguished HBCU alumni as Madam Vice President Kamala Harris (graduate of Howard University), Historically Black Colleges and Universities are getting a spotlight they so fully deserve.
To lend some background, Historically Black Colleges and Universities were institutions founded with the purpose of providing education to formerly enslaved black youths who were prevented from attending higher education institutions due to racial discrimination.
The Higher Education Act of 1965 details HBCUs as:
“…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.”
Fast forward to today: there are 107 US schools recognized as Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Not only have the number of HBCUs increased over the decades, but more importantly, the number of students seeking to attend HBCUs has grown as well.
The Incredible Value of The Common Black College Application (CBCA)
With the renewed attention focused on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, it is no wonder that more students are taking advantage of the Common Black College Application (CBCA).
Developed in 2000 by Robert Mason, the CBCA is an efficient, time-saving college application process exclusive to students applying to HBCUs. Currently, the CBCA has 65 member institutions that students can apply to using a single CBCA submission.
How It Works and What Students Can Expect
The CBCA enables students to apply to a multitude of HBCUs all at once rather than applying to each school individually. This saves both time and money.
The application can be completed in as few as 10 minutes. The cost of the CBCA is a meager one-time fee of $20 — that’s it. No hidden fees.
Students begin the CBCA application process by registering through an online portal. Rather than expecting students to submit this information over and over for each HBCU they apply to, this simplified application portal gives students a singular, convenient location to provide all of their relevant personal information one time.
Students can expect to be asked to provide standard personal information such as:
Demographic details
Family information
High School transcript
Extracurricular activities
General enrollment plans
College preferences (students can list their top 4 choices)
Disciplinary and criminal history
ACT® and SAT® scores (*optional)
Once the application process is completed, student information is available to all 65 CBCA member institutions. From there, member institutions can download, print, or view students’ applications, transcripts, and test scores. Students can log in to the portal at any time to track their application progress, and also see which member institutions have downloaded, printed, or viewed their application.
Despite all CBCA applications being visible to all participating schools, students have the option to identify up to 4 top-priority colleges as part of their application. Colleges can see which top 4 college preferences a student listed on their application, and take into account student interest as they evaluate submissions.
Since students are only able to list their top 4 preferred schools, the CBCA recommends that students take the time to contact all of the member institutions that they are interested in. It is also noted by CBCA that some member institutions will not reach out to a student unless they are listed as a top 4 choice. In that case, students are encouraged to wait 15 days after submitting their application before reaching out to those member institutions to convey their interest.
Some member institutions, however, will reach out to prospective students — regardless of being listed as a top 4 choice — to share information on their academic programs and financial aid opportunities.
Through the CBCA, students have a wealth of information and benefits at their fingertips: they can discover HBCUs that may never have been on their radar, find a multitude of scholarships they can apply for, and financial aid options they may not have considered had they not applied through the CBCA.
Test-Prep Professionals Need to Be Prepared to Advise Students on the Benefits of the CBCA
For tutors and test-prep professionals who have clients considering an HBCU, we highly recommend that students check out the Common Black College Application. The CBCA offers an undeniable value to students that is incredibly convenient, affordable, and potentially fruitful.
That said, always encourage students to start their college application process early; this way they can take their time filling it out and uploading their supporting documents without the pressure of a looming deadline.
Speaking of the application process, we would be remiss if we did not express the advantage for students who submit ACT® and SAT® scores with their applications. Having a solid standardized admissions test score to show schools can be what makes that student stand out in the application pool. Particularly in this “test-optional” age, schools need to be able to see what makes a student stand apart from the rest.
Once their application has been submitted, remind your clients that they can check their application status through the CBCA portal. Also, prompt them to reach out to any schools they are interested in and have not heard from after 15 days from submission. It doesn’t hurt to contact admissions and financial aid offices to demonstrate verve and interest in a prospective school.
For younger clients — 9th- and 10th-graders — who may be interested in attending an HBCU in the future, but are still in the early stages of preparation, there is a Practice Common Black College Application they can register for. For a one-time fee of $3.00, students can experience the CBCA application process and become better prepared for when the time comes to submit their applications.
Tutors and test-prep professionals need to understand both the rising interest in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the incredible value of the Common Black College Application. Support your clients by ensuring that they are aware of the benefits that the CBCA has to offer and how to best take advantage of the CBCA process.
