As someone who has attended a PWI (undergrad) and a HBCU (graduate) I don't think you can adequately compare the two. They literally are like apples and oranges. The climates are different. At PWI, there is a culture of entitlement, privilege and education intrinsic to the atmosphere of the school. The assumption is made that students at PWIs, particularly large PWIs with substantial endowments and grants, come from educated families, and are the best and the brightest. I've noticed that at HBCUs, the atmosphere seems to consider both students who come from a privileged background, but also students who may be the first in their family to attend college. That's the one thing that HBCUs have over PWIs. However, I think it's unlikely that given the choice, I'd ever attend another HBCU. My educational experience there was top notch, but the administrative aspects of the institution left a lot to be desired. In addition, HBCUs suffer from a lack of funding. Graduate students depend on assistantships and grants, and HBCUs just don't have the money to spare.
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