Is Tulane Right for Me?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Tulane University
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<p>Hey guys, I’m looking for some advice and I thought this would be a good place to turn. I am a senior in high school trying to decide between SMU and Tulane, both of which have accepted me. I have always thought I wanted to go to SMU, but after I visited last year, I realized it probably wasn’t the place for me. I had always thought I would love SMU, so after that, I was left to think about Tulane, which I had never realistically considered. I plan on visiting Tulane next month but was hoping to get the insight of the people who already know a good deal about it. For the record, if I went to Tulane, I would be interested in double majoring in Architecture and International Relations; also, SMU has offered me $3000 a year, while Tulane has offered me nothing. After visiting SMU, I made a list of what I was looking for in an ideal collge (not all of these are things that SMU can’t provide, just a list of my ideal school):</p>

<li>Located in a large city - NOT a college town</li>
<li>More students “party” by drinking than by doing large amounts of cocaine</li>
<li>You don’t have to go Greek to have a social life. I found that at SMU, for many people, friendships were based on whether a person was a member of the “right” fraternity or sorority. I want to go through rush, but I don’t see the Greek system being a large part of my college experience.</li>
<li>The biggest turnoff for me from SMU, and something I am hoping Tulane has, is a student body not concerned only about where they are going for Spring Break, or how much their new car cost, or the clothes you are wearing. I go to a private school and consider myself preppy, but I felt that too many students at SMU were trying to one-up each other, and I’m not really into that. I’m worried that SMU is made up of pretty, popular people who want to go to a private school but don’t have the grades for somewhere better. </li>
</ol>

<p>Please don’t be offended by my anti-SMU stance, and please don’t try to get me to like the place. I know that not every student there fits these stereotypes. But after my visit, I just felt like I wouldn’t fit in. Example: While walking through campus with a friend who is a freshman at SMU, we found a baggie on the ground. A baggie with 3 grams of cocaine in it. Just laying off to the side of the path. </p>

<p>So, to anyone who knows Tulane, I have a few questions. Do you think I would fit in? Is Tulane’s academic reputation generally better than SMU’s? Are there other preppy students there? The worst thing I could imagine is going far from home to go to school at Tulane, hating it, and having to transfer, so I’m hoping for some firsthand opinions here. Also, if anyone can speak regarding SMU vs Tulane for me, I would be extremely grateful.</p>

<p>Sorry for such a long first post, and thanks in advance.</p>

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<p>I have a sophomore daughter at SMU and a freshman son at Tulane.
They are each quite happy at their respective schools.</p>

<p>My daughter's top 4 choices were Emory, Vanderbilt, Tulane and SMU. She choose SMU due to a full scholarship and because she wanted to double major in science along with their awesome performing arts program. She had concerns about the same things you mention above.</p>

<p>She did not see herself in any way as a sorority girl or even preppy. Fast forward a year--she's in a sorority and likes it, but isn't as active as many. She has an apt on the edge of campus, loves her non-sorority roommate, has many friends NOT in sororities, particularly from the performing arts college. She doesn't think greek life is critical. She isn't wealthy, occasionally bemoans the girls who complain about not having the latest fashion, but certainly has found her niche without dressing up as some do there. She's very bright but is certainly challenged by the science/math classes in particular. She is very social but hasn't found the environment to be quite as drug induced as you mention. Although it's certainly on campus, the typical alcohol partying is by far the more common. Dallas has turned out to be a great place for her--she's definitely a city girl--and the location of the campus is terrific.</p>

<p>Tulane is distinctly different than it was pre-Katrina. My son loves it, although he's only been there since mid January. He did not pledge this semester although seems to be slightly sorry he didn't rush. Interestingly, he isn't really a "city" kid, but has fallen in love with New Orleans. The classes are much more challenging than the state university he attended for the Katrina semester. Partying there, he says, is "positively epic" and primarily alcohol related. He has noted a much greater attention to clothes and "status" among the guys he knows--he finds this amusing more than disconcerting. </p>

<p>My overall observation is that Tulane is less pretentious than SMU, but probably not significantly, depending on who you hang out with.</p>

<p>As a parent, I find that SMU seems to have its administrative act more together--from student advisement to billing to responding to emails. And this was pre-Katrina. Nonetheless, I support fully my son's interest in Tulane--it has much to offer. From an observational standpoint, it appears that the girls are slightly less into greek life and the latest status symbols in terms of possessions than at SMU. However, it's most definitely an undertone, which I believe exists at most private universities.</p>

<p>Feel free to email me with more specific questions. Hope this helps.</p>

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<p>Curiouser, my son attended his freshman year at Tulane, then after his major and college were eliminated, transferred to SMU. He spent his "hurricane" semester there, and put in for an emergency transfer since he is a sophomore and didn't want to finish at UNO. I ditto what you said ab out the administrations. SMU has bent over backwards to help him, and I find the business end to be very straightforward. Much more than Tulane pre-Katrina. I have yet to receive a tuition statement from Tulane that reflected all that should have been posted. I have had to do the accounting and send in the balances on my own. I am currently in the middle of a nightmare trying to confirm whether or not S's Stafford has been sent back to the lender as they say it has. I am still getting spring tuition bills even though the registrar, engineering and housing know he has withdrawn. Interestingly enough, the housing charges have been reversed off the bill. Now if they'll just reverse everything else..........</p>

<p>We attended all kinds of things for SMU, but in the end, S did not apply there. We live in a suburb of Dallas, and he really wanted to leave the nest. After the fall semester, he decided that he really liked SMU and wanted to do his grad work there because of the relationship between engineering and the Cox school. He's just getting to do it earlier. </p>

<p>Learningtofly, I don't know where you're from, but around here, SMU is very highly regarded, and the board of regents reads like a who's who of Dallas business and industry. The school is heavily supported by local business and alums, and the endowment just topped the $1 billion mark. Tulane is highly regarded among those around here who know about universities, but it doesn't have the name recognition among the general population that SMU does. I suspect that a state or two over, the situation will be reversed. Most folks are more familiar with local and state flagship schools.</p>

<p>The schools have many similiarities. After all, they are both southern private universities. I believe that there is a niche for you at either school. You just need to visit and ask lots of questions. My son is commuting this year due to the upheaval caused by the hurricane and the restructuring, but he has made many friends. He's even picked up his trombone after 2 years and joined the pep band. He's talking about marching next fall. He's also jumped head long into participation in engineering school activities. Did he like Tulane? YES! He loved it and mourned having to leave. Well, there you have it. Squarely on both sides of the fence! Good luck to you Learningtofly.</p>

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<p>alongfortheride-We also are receiving tuition statements, but my son is back at Tulane this semester. Tulane seems to think he isn't eligible to receive his scholarship and student loan from first semester because he wasn't a full time student at his visiting university. I'm having trouble understanding why if they have received his transcript with 4 classes on it, they don't think he was in school; they admit they have received his transcript. Whenever my husband calls the school, each office says to call another office-pass the buck! I think after 6 weeks we might have made progress; we have not paid them anything for second semester at this time even though they want money-money that scholarship and loan are suppose to cover!!</p>

<p>The best part is that today in the mail we received a loan payment book. My son is a senior and I guess it is time to pay back that money; I might need to hide this from my husband until after we pay taxes!!</p>

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<p>Pokey, you have my sympathy. I have withheld the last bit of money owed for fall until they return the spring Stafford. Hopefully, they will do that soon, as my son can't get his Stafford for SMU until it's been returned. What a mess! I never could make heads or tails of the fall statement. I went back and found the published engineering tuition, subtracted his scholarship from it and got the balance they wanted. Why they couldn't have sent that and just kept the dozen or so offsetting entries for their internal information, I don't understand. It was very confusing. They never did subtract his Stafford from the balance. I had to do that. I haven't spent time on the phone, but have typed many emails and sent much correspondence via USPS. Hopefully, they will have everything straightened out by graduation for your son and by the time the incoming class starts paying their bills!</p>

<p>I have often wondered if the existing business hasn't been back-burnered until the acceptances and finaid packages are mailed for the Class of 2010.</p>

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<p>S's Stafford has officially been credited back! Seems they are making some headway. Unless something unforeseen creeps back up, all I have to do is make sure my payments for fall get credited to fall instead of spring where they currently are. What a relief!</p>