The Annual Alpha Phi Alpha HBCU College Tour

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ATTENTION:

1. The 2025 HBCU College Tour is at Capacity.
2. We are allowing students to sign up to be placed on our waiting list.
3. Students will be moved from the waiting list to the active tour list as spots become available on a first come first served basis.
4. In order to place your student on the waiting list, you will need to complete the online registration AND pay the $75 deposit.
5. We will notify you via email if your student is moved from the waiting list to the active tour list.
6. If placed on the active tour list, the remaining forms will need to be completed and funds paid by the deadlines for each.

2025 BLEI College Tour Dates: 

Sunday March 16, 2025 – Saturday March 22, 2025

Tour Destinations:

Lane College, Jackson, TN
Rust College, Holly Springs, MS
Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, MS Jackson State University, Jackson, MS
Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS
Grambling State University, Grambling, LA Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 

Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 

Dillard University, New Orleans, LA 

Harris-Stowe State University, St. Louis, MO

Tour Cost:

$650/student

Cost Includes:

Lodging

Transportation
Breakfast & Lunch 

Campus Guided Tours 

Cultural Events/Activities

Eligibility:

In order to participate in the 2025 College tour, students must be enrolled in grades 10-12. Students in grades 10-11 must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA and students in grade 12 must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 GPA and a minimum of 18 on the ACT. Students who do not meet the minimum criteria WILL NOT be allowed to attend the tour (no exceptions).

Registration Requirements:

In order to register for the tour, students must complete the online registration AND pay a non-refundable deposit of $75. The deposit can be paid online or by mailing a check/money order payable to BLEI to Attn: Donald Maxwell, 4700 Belleview Ave., Suite 404, Kansas City, MO 64112. Once the registration AND deposit have been received, your student will be registered to attend the tour.

Following the initial registration, all students must complete each of the following in order to attend the tour:

- Complete and return the Video Release Form

- Complete and return the Teacher/Counselor Form

- Pay the balance of the Registration Fee

***Any student who has not completed all the required registration steps by February 21, 2025 will be placed on the waiting list. Students are removed from the waiting list and placed back on the college tour on a first come, first served basis.

REGISTRATION OPENS OCTOBER 5, 2024

Partnerships:

BLEI is pleased to announce that Kansas City Public Schools will be providing scholarships for KCPS District Students to attend the 2025 College Tour. KCPS will sponsor up to 20 eligible students in amount of $475 toward the cost of the tour. All KCPS students will automatically be eligible to receive a scholarship so no additional information is needed upon registration. KCPS students and parents who are awarded the scholarship will be notified of the award on or before December 1, 2024. KCPS students who do not receive the scholarship, will also be notified on or before December 1, 2024.

BLEI is also pleased to announce a partnership with Kansas City KS Public Schools. KCKPS will sponsor up to 10 eligible students in the amount of $650 toward the cost of the tour. All KCKPS students will automatically be eligible to receive a scholarship so no additional information is needed upon registration. KCKPS students and parents who are awarded the scholarship will be notified of the award on or before December 1, 2024. KCKPS students who do not receive the scholarship, will also be notified on or before December 1, 2024.

ACT Prep Classes:

While some colleges have become ACT Score optional with respect their admissions requirements, a majority of colleges and universities still require ACT/SAT scores in order to

determine admission eligibility. Additionally, a vast majority of scholarship applications require students to submit ACT/SAT scores to determine scholarship eligibility. Therefore, BLEI is sponsoring ACT Prep Classes for area high school students. Students who enroll in this program will receive six (6) ACT Prep classes, ACT Test Prep Book and training materials. Classes will be held on each of the following Saturdays at 87th Street, Raytown, MO from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm:

October 26, 2024

November 2, 2024

November 9, 2024

November 16, 2024

November 23, 2024

December 7, 2024

Students participating in the program must sign up to take the December 14, 2024 ACT test. See your guidance counselor for ACT Test fee waiver eligibility. The cost for this year’s program is $150/student. In past years, this initial payment has served as a refundable deposit for students’ participation. Unfortunately, this year, this $150 payment is non-refundable; however it will cover the cost of the instructors and the course materials. In order to participate in the ACT Prep Courses, students and parents must review and sign the attached ACT Prep MOU and pay the $150 registration fee. Students will be enrolled to participate upon our receipt of both the signed ACT Prep MOU AND the registration fee. Space is extremely limited for this program and students are accepted for participation on a first come, first served basis so please register your student right away.

Final Payment:

Final payment is due by February 21, 2025. Any student who has not paid the balance of the cost to attend the tour by this date will be placed on a waiting list until the balance is paid in full.

Students are removed from the waiting list and placed back onto the college tour on a first come, first served basis.

**If paying digitally be sure to include child’s name in the memo area when you make your payment.

MANDATORY PARENT AND STUDENT MEETING: 

The mandatory parent/student meeting will be held on Sunday, February 23, 2025 at Lincoln College Prep Academy HS, 2111 Woodland Ave., Kansas City, MO 64108 from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm.  All students attending the tour and one parent/guardian must attend the meeting in order for the student to attend the tour.  If a student and one of their parents/guardians fails to attend the meeting, they will no longer be allowed to attend the tour.  Information regarding the final itinerary, chaperones, what to bring and rules and expectations will be provided at this meeting.  Students who are on the waiting list are welcome to attend the meeting as well.  In past years, waiting list students have been added to the active tour list when one or more parents or students neglect to attend this meeting. 

Upcoming Seminars:

The Scholarship and FASFA Workshop to be held on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at Manual Tech, 1215 E. Truman Road, Kansas City, MO 64106 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.  At this seminar, high school counselors will provide information about how to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) which must be completed before any financial award can be made to attend college.  Information will also be provided regarding how to search for scholarships and resources available to assist students in their scholarship search and procurement. 

The Essay Writing Seminar to be held on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at Manual Tech, 1215 E. Truman Road, Kansas City, MO 64106 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.  At this seminar, high school counselors will work with students to help them learn how to compose both admissions essays and scholarship essays including brainstorming exercises, tips on what admissions officers look for in essays and preparing writing samples.