Is Destination Tulane worth it?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Tulane University
1

<p>Hello!</p>

<p>I'm hoping to attend destination tulane in early April this year. I've never visited Tulane before or been to New Orleans because it was never convenient but I really would like go to DT to get a feel of the school before I commit to it. However, it is going to be a strain financially for my parents, they are willing to pay it if it really will be a big deciding factor but I feel terrible making them pay for it. Will it be worth it to go? I plan to attend the June orientation too but I really want to see the school I'll be going to before I graduate and before I make a decision. What do you think? Why is visiting a college before you commit crucial to making a decision? What are some ways to minimize the expenses?</p>

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

2

<p>Let’s start towards the end.

It isn’t crucial, but it can be helpful. It depends mostly on what choices you are trying to make. Lots of students attend schools they have never visited. I know it was forever ago, but I never visited any college before showing up at Tulane for the fall semester. Like you, we couldn’t afford it. And back then there was no Internet to do a virtual campus tour. Therefore I would say if finances are that tight, do as much as you can on the Internet to make your decisions. It’s not ideal, but lots of choices and actions in life are constrained by financial reality. However, if you do still decide to go in April…

Make your air reservations as far in advance as possible, and of course look at the discount airlines like Southwest and Jet Blue. Where are you flying from? Then once you get to NOLA, there is a shuttle that is cheaper than a taxi unless you can share a taxi with at least 2 others. [Airport</a> Shuttle New Orleans | Official Ground Transportation for the New Orleans International Airport](<a href=“http://www.airportshuttleneworleans.com/]Airport”>http://www.airportshuttleneworleans.com/)</p>

<p>As far as overnight, is there anyone already at Tulane that you know? You might be able to stay with them. I mean it would probably be a sleeping bag on the floor, but that would, of course, save a ton of money and it would only be one or two nights.</p>

<p>Then for food, you should talk to admissions and let them know that this trip is a stretch for you financially, since if you do decide on Tulane you plan on coming back in June and then of course again in August, so it all adds up. They might be able to give you some kind of pass to eat in Bruff instead of having to buy your meals. Now I don’t know if they can or will do that, I am speculating. But it is worth asking since meals definitely can add up. Besides, it would give you a good way to mix with current students.</p>

<p>I would also point out that not everyone attends June Orientations. I am not trying to discourage you from doing so at all, it is great if you can. But if it just makes things too hard, you can register for classes online shortly after the last Orientation session. You can set up a time to talk with an advisor by phone, or email with them to decide on a schedule. Just so you know.</p>

<p>

So IMO, it depends mostly on which other schools are in your decision pool. I can only assume at this point that JHU didn’t happen. Nothing to be ashamed of, getting into Hopkins is really hard. Gives you motivation to do really well at Tulane (or wherever) and shoot for Hopkins Med. Anyway, here is why I say it depends on the pool. If you are trying to decide between Tulane and your state school but you are pretty sure the private school experience is what you want, then it seems unlikely that attending DT will influence your decision. I won’t say that everyone that visits Tulane has a 100% positive reaction, but the vast, vast majority do. Based on years of experience with students like yourself and witnessing hundreds, if not even perhaps a thousand or so reactions to Tulane visits, I feel comfortable saying the odds are very high you would like what you see, and the vibe you get from current students would be very good. Tulane has always ranked very high in both those facets.</p>

<p>Now if instead you are trying to decide between Tulane and a few other similar schools, or even an LAC or two, then a visit might be worthwhile. But only if you have also visited at least some of those other schools and have some basis for comparison. I get the feeling you are heavily leaning towards Tulane, and if that is right I guess the question is: What could you see (or not see) on a visit that would make you think you should attend somewhere else? If the answer is that the odds are low you would change your mind, then save the money and come in June. Again, that only makes sense if my premise that you are leaning heavily towards Tulane is correct.</p>

<p>So I guess the two things that would be good to know are 1) Which airport would you be flying from; and 2) What other schools are you still considering besides Tulane. Then we might be able to help even more. Any other info, like what you think you would like to see or know more about in order to feel better about your decision, would also be useful.</p>

3

<p>Thank you so much FC, I really appreciate your in depth answer. </p>

<p>I would be flying from Sea-Tac airport in Seattle. I haven’t heard back from my other schools yet but some of the schools I applied to are University of Rochester, Claremont Mckenna, University of Washington, USC, Duke and a couple of others. Realistically, I think it’s going to end up being between UW, U of R and Tulane. </p>

<p>I think why I really want to go to DT is so I can finally see where I might be potentially going to college. I have the acceptance letter, and I have all these pictures and blog posts about Tulane that I’m always scrolling through but I feel like it won’t feel real until I actually step foot onto the campus. I really want to make sure that it is a good fit for me. I would really like to talk to some of the professors, and get a sense of the overall student atmosphere. I’ve never been to New Orleans before so when I think about Tulane all I can see is the St. Louis Cathedral and Gibson from what I’ve seen online, but I want to be able to get the whole picture. Also, I am just very uncomfortable committing to a place for four years that I’ve never even visited before. </p>

<p>However, my dad feels very strongly about not going to visit because he doesn’t think that spending 1000-2000 dollars is worth just one day of visiting a university that I’m probably going to go to anyways. He thinks that I won’t truly be able to know if I will like the university because I will only see what Tulane wants me to see and some of the stuff that won’t be so great, I won’t know until I actually attend. He doesn’t understand why I’d be able to base my decision on a college in one day. He just doesn’t know how different a visit will be from researching online. He knows it will be beneficial but he doesn’t think it is beneficial enough to justify the cost. I haven’t even told him about June Orientation yet. So while it will be a bit of a burden financially, if it really was worth it we would still be able to go. For example, he’s trying to persuade me to not go by saying he’ll use that money instead to buy me a Macbook early. </p>

<p>I’ve told him about being able to get a sense of the atmosphere and talking to current students and making sure I’m making the right decision so I don’t transfer out a year later. I don’t know how much I should push it. I feel really bad doing so, but at the same time everyone I have talked to about this say that it’s really important for me to visit before I commit. </p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

4

<p>Unsatisfying as this is to say, you are both right. You are right that visiting would certainly make you feel more confident in your decision, although it does sound like Tulane is pretty much your decision. It is interesting that Tulane’s popularity up and down the West Coast has been steadily increasing. He is right that you won’t really see enough in a day or two to know what it will really be like on a day to day basis. So in that sense I disagree with those that say it is really important that you visit before you commit. It is very nice, but in the end it really is slightly more of a luxury than a necessity.</p>

<p>However, maybe one thing you can do is see how cheaply you can do the trip. I looked at Southwest Airlines and you can fly each way for as little as around $170 (let’s call it $350 total) plus the transportation to and from the airport, another $40. Rounding up, we are at $400. I used dates in early April. So IF you can stay with someone on campus and IF you can get the meals taken care of, it could be less costly than he thought. In fact, if you do your reservations well ahead for June, it won’t cost you any more than that plus the Orientation fee, around $125 I think it was. Tulane takes care of your room and meals then for sure. Maybe you would need a room for one extra night then, but you can get rooms for well under $100 in the summer especially. So in essence, with good planning and frugality once you are there, you can do both trips for about $1000. Just something to ponder. But you really do need to make sure he knows that if you do go to DT and decide on Tulane, you want to attend Orientation in June. On the other hand, you might decide that once you have seen Tulane in the spring, you don’t need to go in June.</p>

5

<p>I definitely agree with you, I guess I will just have to talk to him more about it and work something out. For both DT and Orientation, is it necessary to have a parent come with you? I don’t know anyone at Tulane so I wouldn’t be able to stay in a dorm, and to add to the cost my mom will be coming with me if I decide to go. If I don’t go to DT, will I be missing out on any type of class bonding or chances to become familiar with some faculty members? In the end, what do students who go to DT come out with that they didn’t know before?</p>

6

<p>It is not necessary to have a parent come with you to either DT or Orientation, although I would say for DT about 3/4 do have parents with them and for Orientation it is probably between half and 2/3. But let’s back up a little and review the purpose of each event, which will answer your last question.</p>

<p>DT is specifically designed for students that were accepted to Tulane as ell as other schools, and are trying to make a decision on where to attend. Many, probably even most have not visited the campus beforehand. So they are a lot like you, except only some will be leaning towards Tulane as much as you seem to be. But since these are uncommitted students and it is strictly a one day event with no overnight stay, you are definitely not missing out on any class bonding. There also wouldn’t really be time to meet any professors, other than sitting in on a class or two. You also get to ask current students questions, and hear about life at Tulane and of course tour the campus. But in the end, easily half the students attending DT that day could end up at other schools.</p>

<p>FYI, the dates for DT this spring have been posted: [Tulane</a> Admission: Where to Stay & Eat](<a href=“http://admission.tulane.edu/visit/specialprograms.php]Tulane”>http://admission.tulane.edu/visit/specialprograms.php)</p>

<p>Orientation, on the other hand, is of course strictly for students who are enrolled at Tulane. This has the added benefit that someone you meet and get along with is a potential roommate. You cannot do that as easily at DT because as I said they might not be there in the fall, and you have far less time together since there is no overnight stay on campus. Orientation does involve an overnight stay and much more in-depth talks about life at Tulane. Things you need to know about services offered, how to handle the party scene, clubs and athletic offerings, etc. The tone is different than at DT because you are definitely going to be there in the fall, so there is more detail as opposed to an overview. There are also meetings with advisors and you sign up for your fall classes.</p>

<p>So with DT you come out knowing the campus and the area better than you can from looking online, you do get to interact with current students and can sense the vibe (which is one big advantage of DT compared to Orientation since in the summer the feel of the campus isn’t anything like during a regular semester), and for some students sitting in on a class can be useful for getting a sense of what that is like at a university. But it is all crammed into one day, so it can be a bit overwhelming.</p>

7

<p>Ooh okay I see. So would you say that if in the end I was pretty much set on Tulane, going to DT would be nice just like any other vacation but not really necessary because it’s just to give you an overview of what the school is about? Could I get just as good of an experience if I just go to orientation even if it is in the summer? </p>

<p>Also for orientation, is there a transport arrangement for students who go there alone to pick them up from the airport and take them to Tulane? I’m worried I’m going to get lost in NOLA since I’ve never been there before and have a poor sense of direction haha :slight_smile: If parents don’t go and miss the events there specifically for parents will they miss out on important information?</p>

<p>How much longer should I wait to decide on DT before I really need to RSVP and book flights so that they don’t get filled up if I was going?</p>

8

<p>

In the end, yes i would say that. It’s a tradeoff for sure, but if that is the financial reality then I would say save your money to go to Orientation in June. I think you would get much more out of that. The odds of you not liking Tulane, given what you have written in your other posts, are pretty small. Just remember that nearly all the months you are in school are not as hot and humid as June. I know coming from the Seattle area, New Orleans type of heat can be pretty jarring. But you will love the sunny days in the 60’s and 70’s when your part of the country is usually gray, wet and in the 40’s.</p>

<p>

Tulane doesn’t arrange specific pickups for students coming in, but you can use that shuttle service I mentioned before and it will take you to exactly where you need to be. You cannot get lost, no worries. The other option would be to see if there are other students from your area coming in for the same Orientation session using this forum and Facebook, and arrange to take the same flights and share a taxi.</p>

<p>With regard to parents, no worries there either. All important information is sent via mail, and also the sessions that are geared towards parents during Orientation are repeated during move-in weekend in August. I would assume that one or both will come with you then.</p>

<p>

The important thing here is the cheap airfares, and when those might disappear is unpredictable. All I can tell you there is the sooner the better. At least with Southwest, if you change your mind they will credit you the fare so that you could use it for your June or August flights, without any change fees. Southwest also doesn’t charge for checked bags, up to 2. IMO Southwest is by far the best deal. Anyway, bottom line is that it makes sense to book the flights ASAP to lock in the lowest fare, and if you don’t go you won’t lose the money. You can confirm all that by talking to a Southwest agent, but I think to get the lowest fares you have to do it online.</p>

9

<p>It is definitely worth seeing the campus where you’d be spending the next 4 years of your life. And no matter how expensive it gets, make that trip, because you don’t wanna feel depressed for the next 4 years because you wanted to save $$$.
There are many ways to make the trip down South cheaper. If you work, work extra hours and finance your own trip. Hitch hike to Louisiana, it may not be safe or legal for that matter though. Use public transport like bus or train and buy your ticket months ahead. Buying ticket on spot will always be expensive.
This one sounds absurd but send an email to Tulane, telling them you wanna visit but don’t have money and ask for suggestions. You never know.</p>

10

<p>For God’s sake, don’t recommend hitch-hiking to anyone. And do you know how long it would take for a bus or train from Seattle to New Orleans? Greyhound says it takes nearly 3 days(!!) one way. Amtrak takes 4 days(!!!) one way and the cheapest ticket actually costs more (almost double) than than the Southwest airfares I referenced earlier. So while whether visiting a campus is as important as you make it out is a matter of opinion, getting from Seattle to New Orleans for a short visit any other way than flying is not.</p>

<p>I would also point out that in the highly unlikely event that Tulane turned out to be so different than expected that they just couldn’t stay, one is only talking about one year, not four. Transferring to U Washington, which he already stated was one of his other primary options, would not be difficult. Not to mention that visiting a campus doesn’t mean that won’t happen anyway. But since 91-92% of Tulane students return for their sophomore year (and not all that don’t is because they made a bad school decision, but could be financial reasons, family reasons, etc.), the odds are quite high he would find Tulane to be what he hopes for and expects. I would still maintain that if he has to choose between Orientation and DT, Orientation is the more useful trip.</p>

11

<p>Check out the class of 2018 Facebook page too. See of there is anyone from your area who will be attending Tulane. The kids from the area up here are planning a get together this spring in NYC. No it’s not the same as visiting the campus, but if you decide to wait for orientation maybe meeting other students will help with some of your anxiety.</p>

12

<p>I just want to chime in because my D, who is currently a happy freshman, wasn’t able to attend DT or orientation last year because she was out of the country. She stepped foot on campus for the first time the night before move-in. I did go to DT for her to try to get a better feel for it but the things I ended up telling her probably could have been found online. Since she also couldn’t go to orientation, she emailed with her advisor and signed up for classes online. Unfortunately, the ones that don’t go have to sign up last so some classes were filled or only had a few sections open. Tulane also mailed us the materials that were handed out during orientation. </p>

<p>If money is tight and you can only do one, I think orientation would be the better choice. However, if you really are unsure if you would like Tulane and NOLA, then DT would probably help with the decision process. </p>

<p>If you go to YouTube and search destination Tulane, you can find a video of Pres. Cowen at DT that might be helpful.</p>

13

<p>My son was accepted at Tulane in November and desperately wants to go as his #1 choice - brother is an alum and currently in law school there, and family ancestor was one of the founders - but there is a gap in funding of about $10K a year, according to the school’s NPC. I don’t want him to accrue extra loans, so he agreed to 1) apply to a couple other schools that offer no-loans after EFC or less loans and 2) apply for every scholarship we could find. I went on collegegreenlight dot com and spent an afternoon picking through the scholarships to find good ones. The best are scholarships that offer recurring money every year. We also looked at everything local from his school and area groups, merchants and utilities. He has applied for 4 so far, and has about 5 more to go. It’s a lot of essay writing for him and a lot of financial information inputting for me, but if he can scrape together another $5-$10K a year, reducing his debt by 4x that total will be worth it. We will know everything by April 1. Good luck to you!</p>