<p>I was admitted to Tulane Early Action for Fall 2014. Though I am extremely excited about my acceptance, I received zero dollars in merit scholarships and financial aid. While my parents would be able to muster up the money to pay for Tulane (it would be very challenging to do so), I have received a lot better offers from other schools. I have visited the campus and fell in love with it. I have appealed for more merit money, but in the case I do not get more, my concern is that Tulane may not be worth the money for an undergraduate education. Can someone comment if they feel Tulane is worth paying the $60k+ price tag for four years? Thanks!</p>
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Let me start by saying I don’t think there is a purely objective or factual answer to that question. I met some parents at Orientation when my daughter was entering Tulane 5 years ago. He was a very successful attorney that was easily able to afford Tulane for his son. So he thought, and I would have agreed if he had asked, that Tulane was worth paying sticker price. My daughter was fortunate enough to receive a full tuition scholarship, but if she hadn’t gotten anything there is no way we would have found Tulane affordable, similar to what you are saying. And so in that case my answer would be the opposite.</p>
<p>If your description of “truly challenging” relative to their ability to afford Tulane is accurate, I would have to pitch my tent in the “not worth it” camp. If your post-graduation plans end up including grad school or an MBA, that money could be useful. If you go straight into a job, then perhaps they would be willing to use some of those savings to help you get set up in your new location. I always take the position that undergraduate studies should not leave a family in an overly uncomfortable financial situation. I love Tulane and I understand your similar feelings, but that shouldn’t blind one to the other realities of life that will always be there.</p>
<p>Which schools are your leading alternatives?</p>
<p>I received $40k from American University and $70k from the University of Denver. Both are great options, and I would be happy at either one, but Tulane would be my top choice. </p>
<p>I would like to get my MBA and also go to law school. One of the attractive things about Tulane is that it will cost only $15k to stay another year and get my MBA, which basically makes up the price difference of attending one of the institutions I mentioned above and going to a $60k business school for a year.</p>
<p>In your opinion, what makes Tulane worth its large price tag?</p>
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Answers to questions like this are always going to be equivocal because you are asking about value. And value is a personal assessment. To some people an expensive Mercedes is worth the money, it has sufficient value to them for whatever reason. For me that would be a joke, I just like to get from A to B. If I had millions I might buy the Mercedes because relative to my disposable resources that individual decision becomes less about value, because it impacts me less. Which is another way of saying I don’t think Tulane is worth the large price tag if it makes you struggle financially.</p>
<p>But to stick with the analogy, what I think makes it a Mercedes consists of multiple features. The combination of its size (small/medium) with having excellent research in virtually all academic areas. The extensive focus by the professors on the undergraduates rather than devoting 90% of their time to grad students and research. Instead there is a good balance, and undergrads can get very involved in the research if they choose. New Orleans is a big asset. The campus environment is very collegiate, unlike many urban campuses that are just a collection of buildings. But it isn’t rural, which for me would lower the value proposition. Many of the majors at Tulane have special programs that are quite interesting. Many are in the business school, which for me would not have added any value at the time, but might for you. There are dozens of additional reasons, I cannot possibly list them all. There is the thread called 101 reasons to attend Tulane, but it needs updating. Someday I will get to it.</p>
<p>Another way of saying all this is that if Tulane is a great fit for a student, then it is the right place to go if it is affordable. Nothing I can say will make it worth the price tag if that price is out of your reach, by which I mean that you are not barely squeaking by. I would say that about Harvard or any other school. The reality of higher education in our country is that people are limited by their financial means. The other reality, thankfully, is that people have choices of excellent schools that are much more affordable. Don’t get hung up on making Tulane work for you. Be smart about it. Who knows what you will actually end up doing in 4 years. Maybe you will go on to an MBA and/or law school. Maybe you will become a physicist instead, 2/3 or so of undergrads change their majors and plans at least once. If you do end up choosing law, go to Tulane Law. But for the here and now, unless you can figure out a way to make Tulane work for you without being “truly challenged” financially, none of those things that make Tulane special are worth the hardship associated with it all.</p>
<p>I thought this blog post from Jeff was timely! <a href=“Tulane University Admission Blog - Jeff Schiffman: The $63,000 Question”>Tulane University Admission Blog - Jeff Schiffman: The $63,000 Question;
<p>DL, Jeff’s blogs are always very timely and interesting. Hate the typos! I think they reflect poorly on the admissions department!</p>
<p>Thank you very much! Do you find that more kids get internships outside of New Orleans, or do they usually stay in Louisiana?</p>
<p>I’m guessing, but anecdotally I would say mostly out in the summers. Some get part-time ones in-town during the semesters, often associated with their service requirement. That probably isn’t technically an internship, but it can be very similar in many ways.</p>
<p>I think Tulane is probably not worth the money in comparison to many top state schools. Tulane used to be a very strong school, but now its reputation is declining and Tulane’s approach to education is just not keeping up with the times. </p>
<p>Tulane’s reputation is not declining…just the opposite and it’s amazing where the school is given that it had to close its doors after Katrina. The number and caliber of kids applying is getting stronger and stronger every year, and is now probably just a notch below Vandy, Emory, Notre Dame etc. Nevertheless, I agree with FC if it is even the smallest of hardship for your parents…choose American (did they give you 40K/year or over 4 years…did not realize that American is so generous with merit aid. ). Same for University of Denver…was the 70K for 4 years or did they give you full ride.</p>
<p>I have seen these kinds of people pop up about once a year, and usually about this time of year. They are probably students that didn’t get into Tulane and are upset. To say that Tulane’s approach to education is not keeping up with the times is rather laughable. Tulane has had several accolades for its innovative service learning and interdisciplinary coursework. If Tulane is so behind the times, how come it was very close to the top in Fulbright Scholars, especially on a per capita basis? Silly stuff.</p>
<p>Let me know if you see typos! Sometimes I get very excited about what I am writing and usually typos are the result. <a href=“mailto:jschiffm@tulane.edu”>jschiffm@tulane.edu</a>.</p>