Across the United States, the number of blacks entering and graduating from college is at its highest level. Seemingly, progress is being made, however, probing individual students about their experiences may reveal that appearance of diversity in higher education does not translate into acceptance from the majority group. This article discusses the educational journey of the author. Through his experiences, the impact of the obstacles placed in the way of blacks who wish to successfully advance in school is exposed at multiple levels (e.g. postsecondary, graduate, etc.). Additionally, effective methods for overcoming barriers and moving forward in academia are discussed.