Tulane is a top option for my daughter but with all the hurricanes that go through New Orleans in recent times, I am wondering if its the safest option. Are others concerned?
The weather is an issue at Tulane, especially during hurricane season. Something that should definitely be factored in when choosing a college.
Some North Carolina colleges have been evacuated multiple times over the last several years for hurricanes too.
Four hurricanes have made landfall in Louisiana this year. That’s the first time in history this has occurred. None of them hit New Orleans and Tulane did not need to evacuate for any of them. This is my daughter’s third year there and the first with any significant hurricane activity.
Houston has had more recent actual impacts from hurricanes than New Orleans, as have the Carolinas and Florida.
Based on our experience, I wouldn’t let this dissuade you or your daughter and more than it would for attending any college in a state on the US coastline. Tulane is experienced in dealing with weather and does a great job of preparation and communicating to students and parents alike.
One of my s’s went to Tulane and stayed in NOLA for work for 2 years after graduation. He had 2 “hurrications” in 6 years. Older s went to college in Houston and had similar experiences. There are weather, fire, earthquake, tornado, air quality etc issues to consider in many locations. Driving to/from campuses in ice and snow and/or digging one’s car out of snow drifts is also a PITA. Tulane is well prepared for weather issues. IMO, its not a reason to rule out a school.
I live in New Orleans and my son at college in Florida has evacuated and been impacted by hurricanes more times than I have over the last 3 years. The media like to play up the New Orleans angle because it’s dramatic.
My S is in his first year at Tulane. The first round of 2 hurricanes at once had me a little worried, but I soon decided to think about it as we would a winter severe blizzard in MN - something we locals do not worry unnecessarily about but something that scares folks unaccustomed to the preparations. The news loves to report a hurricane and the drama of it, and certainly two have hit Lake Charles with devastating effects this fall. The local people in New Orleans know what they are doing and Tulane has been incredible in sharing information about hurricanes as well as Covid. I give them 5 stars on communication.
We have friends whose kid attended during Hurricane Katrina. They were able to evacuate safely, but it was disruptive for the kid and they decided to transfer to a school closer to home. I imagine now having experienced a worldwide pandemic, schools and students are much more equipped to move online with less disruption if something like this were to occur again.
This was something that weighed on us last year, knowing that 2020 was predicted to be a more active than usual hurricane season. In the end, D chose to attend. I can say that as a freshman parent, I have complete confidence in Tulane to take care of D and evacuate should it be necessary.
So far its just been a “shelter in place” and then they give the kids food ahead of time to eat in the dorms during the shelter in place period.
If you’re worried about hurricanes, that would discount many of the southern schools. The most hurricane-prone state is Florida, followed by Texas, and then North Carolina.