Need HELP!!-visiting and choosing Tulane

<p>Hey everyone! I need serious help right now...I'm doing an overnight visit at Tulane this Thursday and have no clue what to look for...any ideas?</p>

<p>What are reasons to choose Tulane if I plan to do a double major in biology and history and have a deep interest for French? I ABSOLUTELY LOVE TULANE! But, considering my other options, I'm not so sure about it anymore. If you had to convince someone to go to Tulane, what reasons would you cite (other than student/fac ratio, size, diversity, location, etc...what makes Tulane unique and desirable)?</p>

<p>I was reading a thread about the lack of color and have another concern: I'm Asian and am worried that I may not be able to experience as much of my own culture in New Orleans as I would at Northeastern schools like Swarthmore or even Southern schools like Rice, Emory, or WUSTL. Any opinions on that?</p>

<p>Thanks so much for all of your help!!! :)</p>

<p>On what to look for - there has been a long thread in Parents Forum on things to look for on college visits. Or browse many of the college visit "reports" that parents have made on that forum to see what they look for.</p>

<p>Re thread on people of color - be very wary on this or any other topic of allowing one or two vocal opinions to influence you. When you go there: ask adcom about any concerns you have (clubs/orgs for Asian students etc), look around for bulletin boards, etc. for activities that would be of interest, check website (tulane.edu) before you go to get ideas of what you might ask.</p>

<p>Tulane, unlike some other Southern schools, draws a huge % of its student body from out of state/out of area, so will not have an "insular" feel, imo.</p>

<p>Rice Emory and WUSTL are all amazing schools that you should definitely consider going to. But the best thing to do would just to hang out with someone there and ask yourself, Is this the kind of life I would like to live for the next 4 years? The best way to find out how students live is to live the life of a student. If that makes any sense at all.</p>

<p>Russian Esquimaux, Israeli Jewsm and Sri Lankans are all Asians by virtue of the fact that they are all native to the same immense land mass so I suspectpect you could feel as alien in a room full as Asians as you could in a room full of Hottentots. Going to college, especially going away to college is about learning to live with people who do not sure your own prejudices - and deciding which set, your or theirs to keep.</p>

<p>I can well remember being plopped down - a Mid_Western catholic kid in an east coast school full of NE Jewish kids. We viewed each other as bizaare and alien creatures. For my part I am certain to this day that I would have had more in common with a wandering tribe of Australian Aborigines. And of course I was view almost as an anthropological specimen by some of them. But we all managed to retain our values - at least the ones that mattered to us and learn to respect the values of others without sacrificing our own. So the moral of the story is diversity is more than skin deep and you will doubtless meet as much or more of it among people whose eyes all slant the same way as you will in a rainbow hued room.</p>

<p>As for Tulane - good languages department including a lot of offbeat ones - French Creole anyone,. Don't know much about biology but probably not bad. Son has taken a couple of history courses and liked them. Other than that there are lots of good schools in the country and Tulane is one of them.</p>

<p>Thanks so much for all of your help! I understand that it's really hard to gauge which school is "best" for any student even if you know the student, but all of your advice is so helpful!</p>

<p>patuxent...I totally understand what you are talking about. I have spent the last 18 years of my life in an area where I am constantly a racial, ethnic, and religious minority, so I have met many people who do not share my "prejudices." I have, however, yet to find someone who isn't 40 years older than me who is as devoted to exploring and sharing my culture and religion as I am; I was thus hoping to attend a college where I could find other people as passionate about my culture (Asian Indian) and religion, a place where I could explore, discuss, and expand my views on the ethnic, racial, and religious history that is mine. But I do understand what you are saying; I've felt that way more than once when hanging out with friends of my own background.</p>

<p>hey LAgal! I think I'm in the same boat as you! I didn't think I'd find someone on the Tulane board voicing the exact same concerns I have. I'm from the greater Boston area, so I have many Asian and Asian Indian friends, but I don't know how I'd gel with the student body at Tulane. I have a really deep interest in my religion and cultural history, and I really want to go to a college where I can have a forum to explore further. Are you seriously considering Tulane? I think I'd like it one day, and then hate it another. I'm having very conflicting feelings.</p>

<p>I would try to talk to students who are NOT part of your "official" tour and ask them questions that you really want to know: Why did you choose Tulane and how has it fulfilled/failed your expectations? What do you love/hate about the school? If you had a magic wand and could change three things, what would they be? What's the dating scene like? Which dorms are the best for (fill in the blank)? What's campus like on the weekends? Good luck -- and let us know what you find out!</p>

<p>thanks, boxmaker! will do! :)</p>

<p>riggedveda...are you desi and/or hindu? Tulane was originally a school for me to fall back on, but the more I think about it, the more I'm starting to love it. I'm seriously considering it...here are the things that most turn me off about it though: few desis, tons of alcohol, declining UG reputation, and culture most emphasized is cajun/creole. I live in LA, so I've spent nearly 18 years learning about/experiencing that culture and I'm ready to try something new, like my ancestors' culture. But New Orleans is such an awesome place...
I guess that what I'm trying to get to is this: Diversity, location, and financial aid aside, what makes Tulane so great/different that a potential student would want to choose it above any other school?
Is Tulane one of your top choices, riggedveda?
Anyone else have a similar dilemma?</p>

<p>"declining UG reputation"</p>

<p>???</p>

<p>please correct me if i'm wrong, along and everyone else...
talking to a couple of friends about why they chose [insert name of school] over tulane, they've cited that tulane has a declining undergraduate reputation...
reasons i've come up with to support their claims:
1. alcohol is still prevalent
2. as other southern schools gain prestige, tulane seems to be slacking
3. tulane seems like a party school...combine new orleans w/students in their late teens and early 20's, and it's hard to find ppl whose main focus is studying
PLEASE contradict, elaborate, comment on any of these...all of us considering tulane need as much help as we can get
Thanks so much, y'all!!! :)</p>

<p>LAgal: Tulane is pouring tons of money into trying to attract top students from around the country and beyond. The parent's on this board who have kids at Tulane are generally very happy with their kids experience so far -- me included. My son is one of those students who turned down some very elite schools for Tulane just because he liked the feel or fit there.</p>

<p>He is challenged in his courses, has easy access to his profs, has made great friends, and has had a career boosting experience as a memeber of the Tulane Emergeny medical service as a freshman.</p>

<p>There is booze there, maybe more than some campuses, although I live in a college town -- large state U. -- and I do not see anymore drinking at Tulane then here.</p>

<p>The only other southern schools that I can think of with better reputations are Emory and Vandy -- and look at how high they are ranked.</p>

<p>Hope this helps</p>

<p>Vandy and Emory certainly have risen in rankings in the last several years. Tulane is working towards doing the same. The Promise & Distinction campaign is coming along very nicely.</p>

<p>Alcohol is everywhere. Sure, there are bars in NO that will sell to under 21's. If you look at other schools, I'm sure the same exists to some extent, (at least it did at the large state u I attended), although you may have to turn to frat parties to find it. My son is a serious student. Has to be with the course load he is taking. He also is involved on campus with various organizations and has fun. Alchohol is not the center of his life, nor is is the center of his roomie's and circle of friends. I think there is always an alternative out there.</p>

<p>Another perspective I can bring is that of a person who has never lived north of the Mason Dixon Line. Tulane has a hefty reputation in the south. It's interesting to me that your friends avoided Tulane because of what they thought was a declining undergraduate reputation. My son picked Tulane because of what he thought would be a great undergraduate experience - and is has been for him. Perspective is a powerful thing. YOUR personal past experiences and future hopes, combined with what YOU love about a particular school should drive your final decision. I would hate to see Tulane lose a student of your caliber - who obviously loves Tulane - because of the opinions of a couple of friends who chose other schools. If my son had followed his friends from school, he would have headed to one of our large flagship u's and would not have had the first year experience he has had. </p>

<p>Yes, the Creole/Cajun culture is a huge influence in NO. It's why millions flock there every year to conventions and for vacations. The entire region is steeped in history and culture.</p>

<p>LAgal, I sincerely wish you the very best in your decision process.</p>

<p>concerneddad...that does help a lot! is your son in the honors program? if so, does he like it? </p>

<p>this is really hard to explain...not just tulane, but every college i'm looking at, i have so many questions about all of them, but i'm not quite sure what the questions are</p>

<p>i know that picking a college isn't life-changing in the truest sense of the word; our country is replete with great institutions, and though they vary on certain factors, nearly all will provide an excellent education...but this is the biggest decision i've had to make in my entire life, and i'm worried about making the wrong one...fifty years later, it MAY NOT matter, but it DEFINITELY WILL for the next four years, and i don't want to make the wrong decision</p>

<p>sorry for the rant</p>

<p>thank you, alongfortheride! i didn't know you had a son at tulane! what's he majoring in?</p>

<p>LAgal: Yes my son is in the Honors program, but honestly, he has not yet taken a honors course. He is allpying to the Tulane creative med. program next year, which will give him a Tulane Med. School admission decision by the end of his Soph. year. So this year he is killing himself with Bio, Chem. Physic and associated labs, along with Intermed Spanish, and an EMT class. Next year is Organic chem, and some survey courses (hopefully at least one honors course). But he lives in Butler (the honors dorm), and will be in the leadreship village next year.</p>

<p>And even with all that, hemanges to hit The Boot, and other hangouts too.</p>

<p>It is all a matter of what you seek. I know this is a hard decision for you, as well as many others. My son waited until almost the last day of April to make his final decision. And while it would be easier all around if you made the right choice the first time, if you do make a mistake there is always the transfer option. The key is to visit and feel the "vibe" if at all possible and go with what your heart tells you.</p>

<p>LA Gal - My S is accepted to Tulane with the DSA, Engineering Honors and Honors Program. He is choosing to go there. He is not into the drinking scene. There will be plenty like him and you in the class of 2009 if you decide to attend.</p>

<p>I can say the same for my son, who is also a DSA student and will also be at Honors Weekend. He's a non-drinker and serious student who likes to have a good time playing music, computer games and with a lot of other things that don't involve getting stupid. (Is there a lot of Ultimate Frisbee at Tulane?) Tulane looks like a great place, but it will be what he makes for himself. I think that's true of any college to some degree.</p>

<p>LAgal, he's either going to major in electrical engineering with a minor in computer science or vice versa.</p>

<p>thanks so much for all of your help! i'm off to new orleans tomorrow (tulane thursday, loyola friday...my overnight host didn't go through, however, so i'll be spending the night at a hotel :()...stories to come...:)</p>

<p>Yeah, I too wish there were more desis...LAgal, I'll be going to New Orleans on Thursday, and visit Tulane on Friday...yeahhhh</p>