SMART Colleges

The Smart College Choices campaign identifies colleges according to their graduation rates. Colleges with higher graduation rates are thought to be more supportive in helping their students to attain their college degree.

Smart colleges are institutions in which a student has a higher likelihood of being successful and graduating from based on their academic profile and the college's graduation rate. The theory is that student enrollment in Smart College choices will lead to increased college completion rates.

SMART College MATRIX

College Graduation Rates

Graduation Rate - College Name - Acceptance Rate


HBCU Common App Colleges

  • 24% Alabama State University 87.4%

  • 27.7% Alabama A&M 45.9%

  • 33.7% Albany State - Georgia 49.7%

  • 32.4% Alcorn State - Mississippi 78.4%

  • 24% Allen University - South Carolina 100%

  • 2% Arkansas Baptist College 100%

  • 26.5% Benedict College - South Carolina 100%

  • 36.7% Bennet College - North Carolina 95.8%

  • 19.9% Bluefield State - West Virginia 83.3%

  • 20.3% Central State - Ohio 42%

  • 39.8% Clark Atlanta - Georgia 71.8%

  • 24.5% Coppin State - Maryland 39.6%

  • 39.9% Dillard University - Louisiana 39.4%

  • 31.9% Edward Waters College - Florida 57.7%

  • 38% Elizabeth City State - North Carolina 57.2%

  • 37.6% Florida Memorial 25%

  • 25.9% Fort Valley State - Georgia 26.5%

  • 35.1% Grambling State - Louisiana 45.1%

  • 7% Harris-Stowe State - Missouri 100%

  • 22.7% Houston-Tillotson - Texas 36.5%

  • 34.1% Jackson State - Mississippi 63.3%

  • 43.5% Johnson C. Smith - North Carolina - 45.3%

  • 21.4% Kentucky State 49%

  • 21% Lane College - Tennessee 50.3%

  • 14.3% Lincoln University - Missouri 100%

  • 46.2% Lincoln University - Pennsylvania 87.1%

  • 26.3% Livingstone College - North Carolina47.8%

  • 30% Mississippi Valley State 84.5%

  • 21.3% Miles College - Alabama 100%

  • 20.6% Morris College - South Carolina 100%

  • 37.5% Morgan State - Maryland 60.3%

  • 39.2% Norfolk State - Virginia 85.5%

  • 19.2% Paul Quinn College - Texas 31.9%

  • 15.8% Paine College - Georgia 24.6%

  • 30.3% Philander Smith College - Arkansas 100%

  • 39% Rust College - Mississippi 46.9%

  • 30.5% Saint Augustine University - North Carolina 72.7%

  • 18% Shaw University - North Carolina 48.9%

  • 36% South Carolina State - South Carolina 86.2%

  • 29% Southern University and A&M College - Louisiana 98.8%

  • 20.6% Southern University at New Orleans - Louisiana 11.5%

  • 28.2% Stillman College - Alabama 41.9%

  • 49% Talladega College - Alabama 100%

  • 28.8% Tennessee State 100%

  • 50% Tougaloo College - Mississippi 51.8%

  • 28.5% University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 41.9%

  • 38.2% University of Maryland Eastern Shore 38.4%

  • 23.7% University of the Virgin Islands 92%

  • 42.5% Virginia State University 94.5%

  • 26.6% Virginia Union University 41%

  • 29.2% Voorhees College - South Carolina 79%

  • 26.3% West Virginia State University 96.3%

  • 25.7% Wilberforce University - Ohio 38.4%

  • 20.9% Wiley College - Texas 100%