<p>What are your opinions of these schools?</p>
<p>i love tulane, im actually going down to new orleans on march25th so ill let you know how it goes. syracuse is a really industrial down, kinda dirty/dead in my opinion......</p>
<p>Syracuse has a nice "college town" feeling around its campus.</p>
<p>SoCal, what are you looking for in a university?</p>
<p>Well my favorite school is the University of Miami, because of its overall academics, its strong points in my majors (communications/business), location, campus, weather, close to a major city, close to the beach, all about sports and social life.</p>
<p>But I can't seem to duplicate that with any other school...that I actually have a chance of getting into (I took USC off my list, bc I feel it is a waste).</p>
<p>Anyways, my others are UCSB, LMU, Penn St, Pepperdine. And Indiana, SDSU, and ASU are my safety schoools</p>
<p>But I want to apply to more private schools to see what financial aid offers I get. So I checked out Tulane and Syracuse and they both seem to offer something I want. </p>
<p>While Syracuse brings a residential campus, with big sports, frats, and school spirit...as well as a really strong communications department. Tulane offers a nice campus, with warm weather, in a really fun city, close to the beach, and a great business program.</p>
<p>So I don't know...what do you think would be best for me.</p>
<p>How do you feel about snow? Syracuse has LOTS!</p>
<p>Syracuse is a lot bigger, so your first year classes will probably be large. Tulane has smaller class size, and most courses are taught by profs, not TAs. Don't know if this is the case at Syracuse or not.</p>
<p>Not sure what beach you are referring to at Tulane. It's in the middle of the city. I visited Tulane in the fall and was impressed by the school, its atmosphere and students. It's a very friendly place, with great facilities. They also have frats there.</p>
<p>You want more private schools...maybe SMU? It's easier to get into than USC, pretty warm weather, very social, big frat scene, and has a good business school.</p>
<p>Much different weather areas, cold and freezing, hot and sweltering. I like NO and there is alot to occupy kids especially in the French Quarter. The only nearby beach I would guess is up on Lake Poncitrain.</p>
<p>SU is only about 60 miles from where I lived. It is a great college and a great school. If you are the outdoor type lots to keep you occupied, fishing, hunting, biking, boating, skiing, ect you won't get that same mix at NO. There is a street right outside the main gates of SU which I can't remember it's name but it has the usual shops eateries, bars ect and there isn't anything better than watching roundball in the Carrier Dome. Football has been a flop since McMann left town, but they do play big time football and you can see some great games in the dome.</p>
<p>There is no beach near Tulane, but chilling on the levees is almost as good :p</p>
<p>Otherwise, sunbathing in February is definetly awesome.</p>
<p>Syracuse actually does have a similar feel in some ways to U of Miami. But the only "Beach" nearby is Lake Onondaga, and it's not only covered with ice much of the year, but polluted (or used to be). And, you'll be wearing a down coat instead of a bathing suit from October until April. :) But otherwise, I agree with your assessment that it feels similar to U of Miami. </p>
<p>In addition to the schools mentioned above, you may also want to take a look at TCU (Texas Christian University). It's not as religiously oriented or conservative as Pepperdine, and has some of the features you seem to be looking for. They can be good with merit scholarships. </p>
<p>And, one of the BEST values in the world for studying communications is Flagler College in Florida. It's in St. Augustine so the beach is very close by. They have a stunning campus centered around an historic hotel. Their communications program is excellent and the business major is also good. They keep their costs amazingly low by focusing on specific majors instead of trying to be all things to all people. May be on the small side for you, and not easy to get into, but do take a look.
You might also take a look at Stetson and Rollins in Florida as possibilites.</p>
<p>Finally, these three schools are not private, but you might also want to check out the University of Alabama, the University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston. The first two do have some merit scholarship possibilities.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info.</p>
<p>Syracuse and Tulane seem great. </p>
<p>I assumed there was some beach near Tulane, but I guess I was wrong. How far is the closest beach? However I have a few concerns with Tulane. New Orleans seems great, but how is it after Hurricane Katrina? Also Tulane has D1 sports, but school spirit for athletics isn't very big, and that is definitely a problem.</p>
<p>Syracuse also seems great. The one thing I'm worried about is the city and the weather. I heard Syracuse is an industrial ghetto. And that there are problems with crime. But is the campus in a safer area? Also the weather may be an issue since I've never experienced really cold weather. I think the 30's is the coldest I've ever been in for a while. But I'm sure I would get used to it.</p>
<p>I have a friend at Tulane who loves it and has a lot of fun there. He also got very good merit aid.</p>
<p>SoCal,
A few words about upstate NY weather....We lived in upstate NY for four long winters. I grew up in lower Delaware ( mid-Atlantic state, 3 months per season) I was used to summer starting in June and lasting through August, sometimes halfway through September. Mid September it would start getting cooler. Winter came in December and lasted through February, still some cold days in March but you knew Spring was coming. Maybe three snows a year.</p>
<p>We moved up to New York (about an hour south of Syracuse) in early summer of 1978. It started snowing in late October and it snowed weekly, sometimes daily through March. And if didn't snow it was usually cold enough to snow. It even snowed a couple of times AFTER Easter. Spring was the month of May or June and summer was wonderful - it got above 70 degrees! That was July and August. My husband got his degree after we were married and when he was looking for a job I told him I would move no further North then PA. In summary, if you don't really like the cold, I would think long and hard about considering a college where you will be wearing a winter coat for months. However, if you enjoy those 30 degree days then you might be really happy up North and find that skiing and winter sports are just as much fun as the beach. (btw, it's 6 degrees right now in Syracuse and supposed to get up to 22 tomorrow!)</p>
<p>Yeah, I don't know about that... I wear hooded sweatshirts up to 80 degrees, and I think perfect ranges from 66-73 degree's. And I love sunny weather, and plus, I really don't want to look all pasty. In the winter, I always wear sweatpants/jeans and a sweatshirt, so I've never truly worn winter clothes. When it gets into the 30's and 40's, I feel like I'm going to die. But I don't know, is it easy to get used to the freezing cold/snow?</p>
<p>When I visited NOLA in Nov, the Garden District and Uptown District where Tulane is located were in very good shape. The campus was nearly back to normal, and everything was clean, rebuilt or new. Downtown and the tourist areas were also fine. The Katrina damage is mostly in the poor outlying areas.</p>
<p>They do have football at Tulane, they play at the Dome, but student support is not huge. </p>
<p>All the students we met - even the ones not giving the tour - were very enthusiastic about the school, and I got a good vibe from the place. </p>
<p>What about the UCal system? There are some great bargains there for in-state students.</p>
<p>Yah the UC's are pretty good, but they don't really offer that much.</p>
<p>UCLA/UCB - I can't get in, so I'm not really considering them.
UCSD - This school is D2, and is a commuter school, also the campus is completely dead.
UCI - Same as UCSD, only it is D1, but the school sucks at sports, so it doesn't really matter.
UCD - Why would anyone want to live in Davis?
UCSB - Amazing....which is why I am applying.
UCSC - Way too hippie...and it is D3
UCR/UCM - I would never, ever consider these two.</p>
<p>Also one thing I wanted to know about Tulane was the area surrounding campus. I heard it is the wealthiest area in New Orleans, so I'm assuming it is pretty safe. But if you walk a few blocks your in the GHETTO.....is this true?</p>
<p>Good forum...actually my high school is down the street from Tulane(kinda like a baby school)...and im actually going to Syracuse and have spent a lotta time up there in summer '05. Both of these places are AWESOME. they are about equally academically and have solid foundations. I must say though, im gonna miss new orleans and all the partying and social activity. it's not a college town like syracuse if that's what you prefer..but whatever. Also, Syraucuse is freezing 60% of the year and New Orleans is dawg hott 60% of the year so pick your fav! lol Good luck on your decision</p>
<p>SoCal, I don't know if YOU could get used to the cold but I didn't and grew up in a colder climate. Some people do and love it. Thing is, there are a lot of great schools, if you can figure out your priorities you can eliminate a bunch of them. </p>
<p>First off, find a few safety schools in California that you love. By safety I mean schools that you can afford financially and can get into academically and would like to attend. After you have those schools picked out you should know what's important to you and can find schools that are similar but perhaps more challenging, maybe a little farther from home. You've been asking about a lot of different schools in a few posts that seem to have two things in common - they're big and they have a major that you are interested in. Some other things to think of is the vibe of the school - do you want a large school for it's sports, sororoties, frats? How important is a study abroad? Have you ever lived away from home, or do your parents expect you to stay within a certain range? Since you've been talking about some largish schools, would you like to be in freshman classes with 100 other kids or is small class size important to you? These are the kinds of questions to ask yourself to see what kind of school you want. </p>
<p>My son didn't think he cared if his college had football but now he has said it would have been kind of fun to go to the games on weekend but he's not so disappointed that he would transfer so that's a low priority for him. Both of my kids wanted small classes and to get to know their professors - a small school was a high priority. Neither has a class with more then 20 people. Neither of my kids wanted an urban campus but my son wanted to be within walking distance of a town. And so on.... if you can figure out what you like and don't like it will be so much easier to get suggestions on what would be a good match for you. You can't say you want to be near a beach and then ask about Syracuse and Tulane... (I'd put a smiley face here if I could figure out how to do it!)</p>
<p>kathiep - My safety schools are SDSU. Really inexpensive and I love everything about the school. I'm not one to go after prestige, but I'm worried that a degree from SDSU may not hook me up with a job, especially since I want to major in business. And my other safeties are Indiana and ASU. They are more expensive, but there is a chance I can get a scholarship at these two. Also their business schools are very good, and they offer everything I want in a college --- except location isn't amazing.</p>
<p>Finding matches and reaches has been harder for me. I really love UMiami, because it has the total package. My perfect major, connections to the entertainment industry, a really nice, clean, and compact campus. In an upscale city that is very close to Miami's urban environment. Social life is amazing, beach is very close, and sports and school spirit are strong points. The girls are hot, the students seem very athletic and chill. The campus isn't too intellectual. There is strong international diversity, and there is a lake on campus.....I could go on and on...</p>
<p>LMU and Pepperdine - Like Miami, but they don't have the school spirit Miami offers. And they are a little small. And I'm worried the religious nature of the schools may put a damper on the social atmosphere. </p>
<p>UCSB - My favorite UC. The only thing that it is missing is a football team.</p>
<p>And the size of classes have no impact on my choice.</p>
<p>I'm just looking for more options and private schools seem the way to go, since OOS publics are a rip off, and instate schools don't offer me what I want.</p>
<p>And I recently decided Penn St. may not be such a great option since I can't get a scholarship, and OOS tuition isn't worth it to me.</p>
<p>As for Tulane and Syracuse. Tulane is lacking in the athletics/school spirit area. And Syracuse is lacking in the weather/location are. I'm not sure what is more important to me.</p>
<p>Cold is when the windchill is -30, not 30. That's what it was here at ND a couple weeks ago, and we still had class. I think it's broken freezing maybe twice in the past 2 or 3 months.</p>