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A report from the United Negro College Fund finds black women are enrolling in college in record numbers. For the first time since the U.S. Census Bureau began gathering college enrollment data, the number of African-American women in college surpasses all other races and genders, including black men. The 2011 Census reports 1 in 10 black American women are enrolled in colleges and universities.

Black American women’s college enrollment is 24 percent higher than African-American men and completion statistics also show a vast disparity. Black women earn more than twice the number of bachelor’s and master’s degrees than black men. In the last 20 years, the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to black women has increased 55 percent.

These numbers speak to educational-trends within communities of color.

“The economic benefits of going to college are very strong, and most young people know that if they go to college their future income will increase,” said Howard University Provost Antoine Garibaldi. “That message has gotten out there.”

UNCF – a non-profit organization that awards millions in collegiate scholarships – partnered with Pew Charitable Trusts to collect educational data from the U.S. Census. The information was used to examine postsecondary-educational trends within the African-American community.

Despite the strides black women have made in higher education, several obstacles still prevent the collective black community from reaching the college-enrollment numbers seen in white, Asian and Hispanic communities.

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This is seen in the report’s other startling discoveries.

  • Thirty percent of all African-American college freshmen receive remedial training, compared with 14 percent of whites.
  • African-Americans only receive 6 percent of all bachelor’s degrees.
  • Blacks were less represented than whites at all degree levels in technical disciplines like engineering.
  • Blacks were twice as likely as whites to be unemployed one year after graduation.
  • Only 5 percent of all college faculty are African-Americans.

We’ve come far, but there are still molehills to climb in achieving parity in higher education.

Below are some nuggets of advice doled out by President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey to college grads.

President Barack Obama speaking to graduates at Barnard College: “Don’t just get involved: fight for your seat at the table. Better yet, fight for your seat at the head of the table.”

First Lady Michelle Obama speaking to graduates at UC Merced: “You will face tough times. You will certainly have doubts, and let me tell you because I know I did when I was your age,” said the First Lady. “Remember that you are blessed. Remember that in exchange for those blessings, you must give something back. You must reach back and pull someone up.”

Oprah Winfrey speakingto graduates at Spelman College: “You must have some vision for your life. Even if you don’t know the plan, you have to have a direction in which you choose to go.”