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Deep South College Road Trip: Xavier University of Louisiana

By U.S. News & World Report

Bright green roofs top many of the buildings at Xavier University of Louisiana, marking the rebuilding that’s been going on since Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans a decade ago. Founded in 1915 as a high school for Native Americans and African-Americans, XULA is today the country’s only Catholic historically black college, known for its record of producing graduates in the sciences.

The campus is surrounded by the city; popular New Orleans hotspots such as the French Quarter and Frenchman Street are an easy bus or Uber ride away. Even after seeing enrollment drop off after Katrina, Xavier — which now has about 2,250 students — still boasts the country’s highest number of black graduates in both the biological and physical sciences and the highest number who go on to complete medical school.

[Explore all the colleges and universities in Louisiana.]

One of Xavier’s unique programs allows for students to graduate with a doctorate in pharmacy in six years. Students complete two years of the Pharm.D. program as an undergraduate before transferring to the school’s College of Pharmacy. High school seniors can secure a spot in the program through the contingent admittance program; it’s also possible to apply to the Pharm.D. program during sophomore year of college.

Starting freshman year, the academic advising office makes sure students stay on track for success by laying out milestones for them to hit each year — when to meet with medical school recruiters and study for the MCAT, say, and when to apply to early acceptance programs.

“The pre-med office is so structured and organized,” says David Powell, a 2016 grad in chemistry from Bakersfield, California. He nabbed a spot at the University of Rochester’s medical school during his junior year through XULA’s early assurance program, which allows underclassmen to apply to Rochester without taking the MCAT.

[Get tips on choosing the right undergraduate major for medical school.]

“You’re going to get in if you do everything that they tell you to do.” Fellow 2016 grad Kandis Carter, who majored in chemistry and is from Gonzales, Louisiana, credits the advising department’s counsel on everything from when to start filling out applications to questions to expect in interviews with helping her get into seven dental schools.

While everyone is required to take six hours of theology, students say the campus is open and accepting to all; only about one-quarter identify as Catholic. African-Americans make up nearly 70 percent of the student body. More than half of students are from Louisiana, primarily the New Orleans area.

Still, students from elsewhere say the school does a good job of making them feel at home. “Being at an HBCU and being around a lot of warm hearts made it easier,” recalls senior political science major Sierra Blanchard-Hodge of her transition to college in the South after arriving from Denver. “It kind of just felt like home,” she says. “It’s easier to make friends and almost family connections down here.”

Xavier’s 70 or so student groups range from the concert choir and the Black Magic Volleyball Team to the poetry and chess clubs. The school also has varsity tennis, basketball and track and field. And the location makes it easy for students to play hard as well as study. From jazz in the streets to Mardi Gras, there are endless ways to sample the food, art, culture and history that make New Orleans so hypnotizing.

And some students seize the opportunity “to make something that’s not there,” says Chandler Schexnayder, a fourth-year student in the pharmacy program from Patterson, Louisiana. He helped to create Project E.A.T. — for Evaluate, Attack and Triumph — whose mission is to increase the retention of black male students and mentor them to succeed academically, socially and financially.

Deep South College Road Trip:

— Tulane University
— Millsaps College
— University of Mississippi

This story is excerpted from the U.S. News “Best Colleges 2017” guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.

More from U.S. News

Deep South College Road Trip: Millsaps College

Deep South College Road Trip: Tulane University

Deep South College Road Trip: University of Mississippi

Deep South College Road Trip: Xavier University of Louisiana originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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