The retention of rates for freshmen students in Historically Black Colleges and Universities had been comparably low leading to low graduation rate. In order to understand this phenomenon, there was a need to investigate the factors that affected retention rates of freshmen students in HBCU Institutions. The retention of students in higher education was an ongoing problem. It was estimated that half of all students entering higher education would drop out before earning a degree. The purpose of the research was to make recommendations on how HBCU Institutions could effectively implement programs and strategies to retain freshmen students in the Institution until their graduation. A qualitative phenomenological design was used to collect the lived experiences of 15 respondents selected from one HBCU Institution. The data collected was analyzed and findings presented in a narrative form. The results indicated that majority freshmen students in HBCUs are susceptible to many factors including environmental and social that can affect their retention in school. The results also revealed that HBCU Institutions are putting in place systems and programs to ensure retention of freshmen students remains high. The study recommends that future researchers should investigate the role that family and family ties play in the retention rates of freshmen in HBCUs. The following are appended: (1) Structured Open-Ended Questions for Interview; (2) Consent Form; and (3) Survey.