If ever there was a likelihood to return to the nation’s capital for Howard University’s Homecoming Dance, this could be it.

This yr’s festivities will likely be held not only to have fun the candidacy of considered one of the varsity’s distinguished graduates for the President of the United States, but in addition Forbes Magazine named the varsity one of the best amongst historically black colleges and universities.

Six HBCUs, including Howard, made the annual list of the five hundred, which is compiled from greater than 5,000 colleges and universities within the United States. The list recognizes the highest 500 schools that consistently “produce successful, high-earning, and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, with less student debt.”

Howard was ranked 273rd, ahead of Spelman and sister school Morehouse in Atlanta, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (also referred to as FAMU), North Carolina A&T and Hampton University in Virginia.

“Howard University’s high standing among HBCUs adds momentum to our march toward higher standing as a national research institution,” he said in (*1*)release responding to the rating. “Howard’s singular impact on the intersection of intellectual discovery and global culture cannot be overstated, and we will continue to push the frontiers of knowledge to help the world solve its most pressing challenges.”

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Interestingly, the variety of HBCUs doubled from three last yr. The list also comes as highschool seniors begin preparing college applications in the brand new reality of an admissions process without affirmative motion. As a result, a growing variety of predominantly white institutions, including Harvard, are reporting significant declines in black enrollment. At least this yr’s list was intended to focus on schools with less exclusive admissions rates.

“While we don’t factor in acceptance rates in our rankings, this year we decided to ease some high school admissions anxiety by highlighting excellent schools that don’t have admissions rates below 10 percent, like Princeton, Stanford, and MIT,” the list’s authors wrote. “Thirty-eight of our top 100 schools accept more than 30 percent of applicants, and 16 of those accept 50 percent or more—in other words, great schools with less admissions stress.”