University of New Orleans

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hey, all.</p>

<p>I am an international student from Nepal. It is most likely that I'll be going to University of New Orleans, come this fall. I have high financial need, so it may have been one of the reasons why I was rejected at my top choices, namely, Bowdoin, Colby, etc. I am waitlisted in Middlebuty, Kalamazoo and Colorado College. But, unless Middlebury comes with a surprise, I'll be going to UNO. I have been accepted into the Honors program and have received full ride in UNO-- only need to pay about $800 + personal expense and insurance.</p>

<p>What do you think of University of New Orleans? Its academics, student life, surrounding areas, internship and study abroad oppurtunities and campus as a whole? Is its International Studies progam stron? I am planning to concentrate on 'International and Political organization' or 'Peace and Conflict Studies' instead of Area and Ethnics studies.</p>

<p>I'd love to receive comments.</p>

2

<p>I took a couple of courses there several years ago. Long before Hurricane Katrina.<br>
Katrina really messed up UNO, so I hear. UNO was right on the Lakefront and sustained a LOT of damage.
When I was a student there (briefly, and as an adult), it doesn't have that much of a campus. A lot of the students commuted to the college from their homes in NO. It had a very very good biology dept at the time, people who aced the Anatomy & Physiology course (and did well in other classes) were oftentimes easily accepted to the LSU Medical School a few miles away. It was that good a biology program. Now, since Hurricane Katrina, I don't know. </p>

<p>Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. I recall going into the student union bldg once when I was a student there, and while it is small, it was crowded, so students did congregate between classes. It's just that Katrina created a lot of problems for UNO, and I don't know how well it has recovered from that.</p>

3

<p>@ schoolmarmABC : thank you for the post. I also heard that Katrina caused whole lot of problems for UNO. But, the university says it has recovered since. They have opnened a new resedential hall, few fitness centers, science research centers in the past years. Their endowment increased by about 400% in the last five years. But, there must still be some problems over there.</p>

<p>Any other comments regarding University of New Orleans and its campus life? And, how is its honors program considered?</p>

4

<p>Well I may attend Tulane next fall, and current student at Tulane I met referred to it as " the university of No Opportunity". I don't think it has a very strong reputation.</p>

5

<p>im from new orleans going to tulane next year, and UNO is not highly regarded in this area at all. that being said however, many, MANY successful people graduate from there and go own to great careers. its what you make of it.</p>

6

<p>thanks for your opinion. How is the condition of New Orleans after Katrina? Any UNO student or New Orleans dwellers in the CC, please share your experience.</p>

<p>yeah, elevenson, it certainly depends on what you make of your next 4 years.</p>

7

<p>I guess it's safe to say that the parts you'd be frequenting (Garden District, French Quarter) as a non-native student are just fine. Those neighborhoods are on the historically high ground and so were barely flooded/experienced minimal damage as a result of the storm. I used to live, however, in the Eastern part, and that basically looks the same as it did two years ago. The last time I visited home was over winter break. I visited my old neighborhood...and I saw the same car that I saw in September of '05 when I was escaping the city after the hurricane struck. As a college student, however, you'd love the city...lots of fun and partying to be had, definitely. It's odd though that you'd want to go to UNO...a lot of out-of-state students and international students apply to Tulane. You're the first that I've "seen" that wants to go to UNO...cool.</p>

8

<p>Thanks, NOCCA Junior for your post. It certainly helps me get the feel of New Orleans. I am sure that the city will offer plenty of oppurtunities. Well, I don't exactly remember the reason now but, I didn't apply to Tulane. UNO offers me an excellent oppurtunity and the scholarship is generous. A guy from a third world country couldn'r ask for more. Finance was a major part of my decision. </p>

<p>Now, since, I have made my decision, I want to know more about the positive and negative aspects of UNO education. Any more comments?</p>

9

<p>Other than what elevenson said (about how it's regarded), the only thing I really know about UNO is that the Naval Arch./Marine Eng. program is amazing.</p>

<p>But really, as a college student New Orleans really is an amazing city to visit.</p>

10

<p>UNO is a great school, I've known a lot of very comfortable people who graduated from there. There aren't really any negative aspects--I mean, you're getting a college degree. It's less "prestigious" than other colleges in the area (namely Loyola and especially Tulane) but you can excel in your courses and pursue graduate study at Harvard if you wanted to. UNO is also known around the city, and the name is obvious to outsiders (University of New Orleans, haha) and it's ultimately a very interesting place to study. For college. High school, eh, not so much for me...I had to get out lol. I'm so happy that people are actually interested in going to school in my hometown! Good luck with your studies. You can private message me if you have any more questions regarding culture, education, etc...for instance, make sure to visit the Cafe du Monde for beignets and cafe au lait! OMG soo goooood...and get some pralines while you're at it. You're going to gain at least ten pounds if you're not someone who works out.</p>

11

<p>I'll be sure on the lookout for the cafes. the food must be really dgood, as you say. Btw, I have started hitting the gym :D</p>

<p>Thanks for your kind words. Yeah, undergraduate degreee is about pursuing your interest and gaining whole lotta experience. I realize that studying abroad doesn't limit to classrooms. I plan to experience and understand the American way of living, cultire and many traditions. New Orleans is a great place for this as it is vibrant and historic.</p>

<p>Any more comments on UNO??? Aren;t there any UNO students on CC?</p>

12

<p>A quick weigh-in.
I had an absolutely excellent freshman biology prof (Dr. Grady) at University of New Orleans years ago.
The teacher was trying to teach thinking skills. He actually brought in a chain-saw and asked the class, "Is this alive?" For 'doesn't reproduce' he said, "I can go in any Home Depot and find several dozen." For "doesn't eat or excrete" he said "I have to give it gas and it expels fumes'. You get the idea. I can't recall the punch line! but I think it might have been that it doesn't have living cells. The plastic and steel it was made of don't have cells, they are just rows of atoms.<br>
Of course, now I'm thinking of viruses and prions, which just have DNA. But those 2 are at the boundaries of what is considered life and nonlife, anyway. Still, that might have been the answer, because prions and viruses have got DNA, that's about all they have, but of course a chain saw doesn't have DNA, just rows of plastic atoms lined up.
Anyway, the entire class was like this. Why did plants on the tideline of an ocean have thick skins? I recall a really smart student said, 'my sneakers have jelly substance in them, just like these plants, to cushion." To withstand the constant movement of water crashing on it. That sort of thing. He was trying to get us to realize that form follows function.</p>

<p>For a general freshman class (he only taught the macrobiology part, so to speak, the whole animal part, we had another prof for the second half to talk about cellular part), he was pretty wonderful. And at what you might consider a 'hole in the wall' university, too. Of course, it was amusing--he had a reputation as a really hard teacher (his multiple-choice tests were unbelievable, 8 possible answers, and they were like a) something b) something c) something, d) none e) a, b, and c f) a and c g) a and b h) b and c so the word was out TO NOT sign up for Grady for freshman biology) </p>

<p>Also, in biology, in soph year (Dr. Brunberg? or Blumberg, something like that was the teacher of cell biology) the final exam for this cell biology course had many multiple choice questions, and at the end, 3 essay topics. to help us study, we were given 8 essay topics a week in advance. We were told to research all 8 topics and write a couple of paragraphs for each. On the final, 3 of the essay topics would be asked, and we were expected to write our MEMORIZED essays to those 3 topics. Again, a sophomore level biology course, and this was a city university. </p>

<p>I really resent that someone said earlier that UNO wasn't well regarded. That's because they weren't biology majors. That biology dept was quite rigorous, and LSU medical school knew it. There were many students accepted to the Louisiana State U medical school in downtown New Orleans who graduated from UNO biology program.</p>

13

<p>
[quote]
I really resent that someone said earlier that UNO wasn't well regarded.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>But it's true. The school may be a good school (and great for bio majors), but it doesn't change the way locals regard the school. As a senior in a New Orleans high school, I can tell you that the majority of college-bound students would think a local would be crazy for attending a school that is 'one step up from Delgado' (the community college).</p>

<p>Regardless, I know plenty of people that went there or are there now. They're getting/ got a great education and loved it.</p>

14

<p>Here's what PrincetonReview.com offers as student commentary on UNO:</p>

<p>Student Body:
UNO boasts "an eclectic assortment of students" who are "very serious" about academics, yet "very friendly." "Many different ethnic and social backgrounds" are represented here and it's definitely not "a regular 'all-American' college." "Because the school is a commuter school, the student population is made up mostly of local folks," observes an anthropology major. "But that doesn't stop the school from being extremely diverse." "Classmates range from high school grads to grandparents." "It's just a big gumbo of people," a sophomore writes. "The typical student" at UNO is probably "mid-20s, working full- or part-time while attending classes, [and] living off-campus in New Orleans." "I think the typical student at UNO is one who is excited to be in college, often entering or returning to college after spending some time in the workforce," a political science major reports. Many students are "married, have kids, and live in the suburbs" and many are "making a second or third try at college." In recent years, though, "the contingency of on-campus, fresh-out-of-high-schoolers" has grown by "leaps and bounds."</p>

<p>Academics:
The University of New Orleans is "recovering at a snail's pace since Hurricane Katrina," but continues to provide "an equal opportunity for all people to get a superior education at an affordable price." You'll find a "diverse community of students" and "some of the best academics in the country." Classes are "challenging," "rewarding," and "offered at a variety of times, so it is easier for working students to attend class," but there are few bells and whistles. UNO "is geared to get students an education and doesn't fool around with extras." While "It is easy to get in" to UNO, it can be "hard to get out." "Classes are not easy." "UNO is for hard workers," a computer science major asserts. "It isn't an escalator for rich people to send their spoiled kids like the other schools in New Orleans." Faculty members are "accessible," "dedicated," and "extremely knowledgeable." They "have had extensive careers" and retain "good connections to the real world." Students note, however, that the bad professors are "really bad." Also, "since the hurricane," UNO has shut down "many programs," and many academic services "are only a fraction of what they were." UNO still excels in many areas including engineering and naval architecture. Business and hotel, restaurant, and tourism administration are strong as well. There is also a "great jazz program."</p>

<p>Campus Life:
"Hurricane Katrina has left our campus a mess," warns a junior. "UNO is getting back to normal, but it will be awhile before it will get better." "Areas of campus are still not rebuilt" and the campus was "a hideous sprawl" even before the storm. While "More people are living on campus" now, UNO remains "primarily a commuter campus." Students here are "almost completely focused on academics." Generally, when classes end, students "leave ASAP." "Job opportunities for college students are pretty good" and "Most students work either full- or part-time." "The overall experience at UNO is a very independent one," an English major reports. "There are clubs and organizations in which to be involved," but "It is hard to get people involved in extracurricular activities." "If you want a college life, you must join a fraternity or sorority or some type of group on campus," a business major ventures. On the plus side, UNO boasts a "world-class" gym, and, of course, the "amazing" city of New Orleans is still brimming "with a lot of opportunity." "It's New Orleans. My god!" exclaims a junior. The campus is "less than 10 minutes to the French Quarter." "There's so much to do" and the food "is unmatched anywhere." "We live in a city that is immersed in culture and entertainment, so fun is not too hard to find," says a senior. "You can find an open bar at any time of any day, but it isn't impossible to find a quiet spot and work out some math."</p>

<p>Princeton Review also says that based on student responses, UNO ranks #4 in the country for "Dorms like Dungeons" and #19 for "Long Lines and Red Tape."</p>

15

<p>Thanks guys for your posts. Yes, I also heard that the bio major is quite rigorous and taught by excellent faculty.</p>

<p>I also think that UNO is underrated. This is the fact with many public universities in the US. Evedy college challenges its students, if they want to get challenged. So, it is upto the student to make necessay adjustments and plannings to graduate with a good score, and even more - great academic and extra0curricular experiences.</p>

<p>Any ideas about the Honors Program and the International Studies major? I'd love to know more about UNO, so please post about anything that's related to UNO...Thank you for reading all this.</p>

16

<p>Any one here?</p>

17

<p>Some more comments???</p>

18

<p>At my school which is about 10 minutes from UNO, many students consider UNO a place for Louisiana State University rejects. Ever since the requirements for LSU went up they are forced to go there.</p>