The Black Excel Newsletter

                                September, 2002

The Black Excel African American Student's College Guide is now on sale at Amazon.com for $13.96. "This book will have a rallying impact on our aspiring college students."  -Isaac Black,  Black Excel Founder and Author
 

TOPICS

1) More Black Males in Jail than in College? Why?
2) The HBCUs in Maryland (An Overview)
3) Where College Students Never Stop Studying?
4) Annual Historically Black College Tour by Alpha Phi   Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
5) Penn State and Historically Black Xavier U. Begin   Partnership
6) Seattle 2002 Black College Fair (Sunday, October 27, 2002)
7) Black Law Graduate Mentors Needed via Email
8) NACAC College Fairs For 2002 (Nationwide)
9) How To Actually Win A Scholarship? (note from Black Excel founder)
10) Study Skills: For Our New College Students (Help from Dartmouth)
 

More Black Males in Jail than in College? Why?

(Read this New York Times excerpt with your "thinking cap" on. Published Aug. 28, 2002 in an article written by Fox Butterfield.)

The number of black men in jail or prison has grown fivefold in the past 20 years, to the point where more black men are behind bars than are enrolled in colleges... The increase in the black male prison population coincides with the prison construction boom that began in 1980. At that time, three times more black men were enrolled in institutions of higher learning than behind bars, the study said. The study found that in 2000 there were 791,600 black men in jail or prison and 603,032 enrolled in colleges or universities. By contrast, the study said that in 1980 there were 143,000 black men in jail or prison but 463,700 enrolled in colleges or universities.  Todd Clear, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, said the study's findings..."tell us there has been a public policy far overemphasizing investment in criminal justice instead of in education for this population."

Black Excel comment: If emphasizing and building new colleges had been the rule in 1980, this entire equation and the numbers would be different. For the Times article, go to http://www.nytimes.com/ 2002/08/28/national/28PRIS.html
 

                    The HBCUs in Maryland
                          (An Overview)

Info from an article by Alec MacGillis that appeared
in the Baltimore Sun (Aug. 11, 2002)

The HBCUs in Maryland have had major impact. Coppin State, Bowie State, the University of Maryland at Eastern Shore, and Morgan State, make up a third of the state's twelve public four-year campuses. Last year the HBCUs produced two thirds of the 3,000 or so bachelor's degrees awarded to black students by the state's public four-year colleges. Interesting facts?

* Morgan State recently added an English Ph.D. program.
* UMES has made a proposal for a pharmacy school.
* Morgan boasts of being one of the top producers of black  engineers in the country
* UMES has "buildings galore, the latest addition a palatial student center that includes a bowling alley, 500-seat movie theater and 2,000 square-foot ballroom."
* Coppin, "with a campus in such poor repair that it makes the other HBCUs look like Ivy League schools by comparison."

The article was titled: "Black Colleges' Role Is Still in Transition" and addressed problems and issues with regard to diversity and Black/While enrollment in the Maryland public colleges.
 

Where College Students Never Stop Studying?

From the new Princeton Review's annual college guidebook, The Best 345 Colleges, 2003 edition.

Each year this annual guidebook causes a stir, creating a "best party," "worse food," "most beautiful campus," and other lists.  This is a sampling of schools that are seen as very intense re: study and academics. For more info, go to: http://www.review.com/college/rankings_3.html.

  • Massassutes Institute of Technology
  • United States Air Force Academy
  • Harvey Mudd College
  • Cornell University
  • Washington & Lee University
  • California Institute of Technology
  • Smith College
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Wellesley College
  • Rice University
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  • University of California at Berkeley
  • University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
  • Davidson College
  • Carnegie Mellon University


          Annual Historically Black College Tour
             By Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
                  (Eta Theta Lambra Chapter)

From Long Island, New York.

The Eta Theta Lambda Education Foundation of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is sponsoring its 21st annual Historically Black College Tour October 19-26, 2002. Colleges to be visited include: Florida A&M, Spelman, Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, Morris Brown, Johnson C. Smith, Winston Salem, North Carolina A&T, Bennett, North Carolina Central, Hampton, Norfolk State, Virginia State, Howard, and Morgan State. More info is available at: www.apacolltour.org or by calling 516-733-0442.
 

     Penn State and Historically Black Xavier U.
                        Begin Partnership

Xavier and Penn State University have entered into a partnership to enrich academic learning experiences at both institutions. The cooperative agreement provides for advanced-degree and summer -research opportunities for Xavier students, as well as a summer faculty exchange program.  Beginning this year, two students in XU’s Master of Education program will be accepted into Penn State’s doctoral program in curriculum and instruction. Participants will receive a student assistantship – including a full tuition scholarship and a stipend – renewable for up to three years. Students and faculty at each institution will also have the opportunity to conduct summer research on each other's campuses.  The initiative also provides for a faculty exchange program which will allow professors at each institution to propose and teach a six-week course beginning in the summer of 2003. For more info, go to http://www.xula.edu/Webpage(News).html#psu
 

         Seattle 2002 Black College Fair
            (Sunday, October 27, 2002)

At the Seattle College Fair you can meet and talk face-to-face with recruiters from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The fair includes exhibits and workshops on financial aid, test-taking strategies, leadership development, and more. The date is Sunday, October 27, 2002. This annual one-day event is free. The event provides up-to-date information on the merits of minority institutions, with an opportunity to interview with each school and discuss admission applications. Pre-registration is encouraged, so you should go to http://www.scn.org/collegefair/student.html for extra info or write to Seattle Black College Fair Committee/P.O. Box 3184/Bellevue, WA 98009 or email at collegefair@hotmail.com.
 

   Black Law Graduate Mentors Needed Via Email

For Future Black Law Students: Information and Support Network (www.forfutureblacklawstudents.com) has an e-mail mentorship program.  Lawyer or law graduate mentors are necessary to provide their insight on law school, the admissions process, the practice of law, and more via e-mail contact.  This is the extent of the obligation--to communicate through this forum and answer any questions that a  mentee might have.  At present, there are not enough mentors to meet the demand for help/guidance. If anyone is interested in signing up as an e-mail mentor, please write for more details and instructions to: mentor@forfutureblacklawstudents.com
 

            NACAC College Fairs For 2002
                           (Nationwide)

The National Association for College Admission Counseling presents college fairs that are held annually in more than 50 locations nationwide. More than 450,000 students and their families explore their options at these events. Generally, at least 300+ college representatives are available at each affair, making catalogs, applications, and providing helpful info.  Go to these links for dates and college fairs near you.

National College Fairs:
http://www.nacac.com/exhibit/fair.cfm

Performing and Visual Arts College Fairs
http://www.nacac.com/exhibit/fair2.cfm
 

          How To Actually Win A Scholarship
           (Note from Black Excel's Founder)

In the Black Excel African American Student's College Guide (John Wiley & Sons), I tell you what to do, step by step. This is the "real deal" overview you would get if you were sitting with me one-on-one.  Hundreds of Scholarships are also listed.  Scholarship related content?

*Get The Money Guide (p. 87 to p. 143 )
*Getting Started: Ten Things To Consider Before
   You Begin Your Scholarship Search (p. 101-103)
*Your Scholarship Get-The-Money Tutorial (p. 104-106)
   Scholarship FAQs (p. 109-110)
   Scholarship Sources (p. 113-143)
 

                                 To order from Amazon.com
                                     Click on book image.
 

      Study Skills: For Our New College Students
                      (Help from Dartmouth)

When Black Excel counsels students who are heading to college for the first time, our advice and pitch is strong--with lots of advice and cautions.  It's important for our students to start off with a plan, some seriousness, and not get distracted by the "attractions" (a new social life and parties, two examples).  Beyond that, it's very important to know what to do with regard to your studies and academic strategy. Honestly, we lay down some heavy "rules" and guidance. Our students must maximize their academic experience  and avoid pitfalls.  One college site we send our perspective students to is Dartmouth's "Study Skills" page, which includes the following help areas:

  • Academic Success Videos
  • Managing Your Time
  • Reading Your Textbooks
  • Taking Lecture and Class Notes
  • Where to Study/How to Study
  • Managing Your Stress & Anxiety
  • Important Academic Deadlines
To tap into this very helpful gateway of resources go to:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/admin/acskills/success/index.html
 

Newsletter  by Isaac Black, Founder, & Kristin S. Black, MD

Black Excel: The College Help Network
www.BlackExcel.org
ijblack@BlackExcel.org
OR: Ijblack1@aol.com
Kristin: AKAdr2@aol.com

SEND MAIL TO:

Black Excel: The College Help Network
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PMB H281
New York, NY 10001-7604

Black Excel has 501c (3) nonprofit status with the IRS.

Tip: To maximize your child's college options (getting in, aid, scholarships), check out the Black Excel African American Student's College Guide. It's only $13.95 at Amazon.com.
                    --Isaac Black, author and Black Excel Founder.

(Information provided by Isaac Black, Founder, Black Excel:
The College Help Network.
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The Black Excel African American Student's College Guide,
by Black Excel Founder Isaac Black,
is now on sale at Amazon.com for $13.96.
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