Traditionally colleges and universities accept applications during your senior year of high school, in preparation of the fall semester started in August or September. Many institutions that typically have many applicants use rolling admission as a way to be inclusive. They accept applications at any time of the year, until the freshman class is filled. That means students can apply as soon as they have completed the university's admission requirements, such as taking the SAT. Some even apply at the end of their junior year. Students find out within a few weeks if they are accepted. If they aren't admitted, there is still plenty of time to apply to other universities. Time is of utmost importance because earlier applicants get first acceptance. Financial aid may also be doled out, which is another reason to get the application in early.
Each college has its own application process. There are minimum GPA and SAT guidelines, as well as specific application requirements. In addition, students can apply to 36 historically black colleges through one application called the Black Common Application. Many colleges and universities including Fisk University use this application as their sole application form. For a one-time fee of $35, prospective students choose 36 colleges of interest. As of 2011, more than 100,000 students have taken advantage of this application process.
Several smaller colleges have rolling admissions. Texas College is a small historically black college, with 757 students. Founded in 1894, Texas offers bachelor's degrees in humanities and education, business and social sciences and natural and computational sciences. The college also offers an associate's degrees in early childhood education and general studies. Tuition is $7,700 per year.
Tougaloo College is one of the oldest historically black colleges in the country. It was founded in 1869 in Mississippi and its origins can be traced to the Amistad. The famous court case that freed Africans accused of killing crew members from a slave ship led to the American Missionary Association, which produced Tougaloo College and five sister institutions. With a total undergraduate enrollment of 939, two-thirds of the students are female. The selective college accepts only 25 percent of applicants. In addition to rolling admissions, Tougaloo College has early action, with a November 1 deadline.
Founded as a seminary for former slaves from the Mississippi River Basin, Philander Smith College is located in Little Rock, Arkansas. Now, the programs focus on public service and community involvement. The student population is 949, and tuition is about $6,300 per semester.
The University of Texas at El Paso is a large historically black college with 18,918 students. Founded in 1914 as Texas' first mining school, UTEP has a long history of hosting a Mexican-American student body. However, UTEP has played an important role in the African-American community as well. In the 1950s, the university became the first college in the South to integrate its athletic program. In the 1960s, it stood out once again with an all-black basketball lineup. Tuition is $3,294 per semester.
Texas Southern University is housed in downtown Houston. There are seven distinct schools including the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Most of the state's minority pharmacists graduate from this program. The university's art programs also produce many influential musicians and artists. The college enrolls nearly 12,000 students, and tuition is $3,732 per semester.