Given the steady decline in undergraduate admissions over the past decade, universities in the United States have a unique imperative to use positive, targeted, and niche marketing techniques that focus on building brand equity among members of underrepresented groups, including Black students. Despite significant efforts by university leaders and policymakers to promote equal opportunities in the United States, multiple barriers to education continue to impede Black students. Traditional boundaries are well known and researched; however, an additional hurdle lies in the lack of transparency about specific benefits higher education can deliver to Black students. Without access to a deeper understanding, Black prospective students tend to find it difficult to make an informed decision about whether to pursue higher education. Highlighting the benefits of a product or service is a common sales tactic used by university recruiters because the relative salience of benefits and risks is critical to buyers' purchasing decisions. If employed correctly, a targeted marketing strategy can positively influence Black students' decisions about whether to pursue higher education, with downstream outcomes in support of their financial wellness and career paths that benefit society as a whole. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]