Using the principles of good practice in undergraduate education defined by Chickering and Gamson (1987, 1991), this study examined the role of institutional type in African-American students' experiences. Controlling for confounding influences, students attending historically Black colleges reported significantly greater levels of good practices…

Compared African-American students attending historically black and historically white colleges to determine whether institution type and related influences accounted for differences in levels of students' orientations toward learning for self- understanding. Survey data indicated that students attending historically black colleges were more apt…

Findings of this three-year longitudinal study, based on 172 African American students, suggest that attendance at an historically Black college significantly enhances the intellectual growth of African American students. The findings held for both standardized, objective measures of reading comprehension, and for self-reported measures of gains…

The influence of attendance at predominantly Black and predominantly White colleges on Black students' early status attainment was assessed with a national sample of Black men and women. College race had trivial effects on Black male attainment and modest positive impacts on Black female educational attainment and occupational status. (Author/MLW)

Ten popular myths about higher education's effect on students are questioned. Issues include: test scores in assessment of college impact; college effect on student development; institutional resources/prestige and quality; two-year college attendance; educational quality at historically black colleges; teaching methods; faculty research; teaching…