Tulane University of Louisiana Top Questions

Academics are extremely tough, but you learn a lot.

harderish - but not really that bad. i study very little but i have always been that way, and then i have friends who study every day.

The academics vary greatly by major. Most kids are ok with not doing a lot of work until a test comes along, and then, depending on the class, may only need a night to study or at most a few days. Besides the general science classes that every Pre-med student needs to take, classes are decently small. I'm a triple major (it's not that uncommon) in Political Economy, German, and International Relations with a minor in Philosophy. The political economy major is my primary one, and my experience with everyone inside it has been amazing. All the professors really know and like to teach the subject. That makes being in class much more tolerable (which when you get to pick all your classes is a really important aspect).

The academics vary greatly by major. Most kids are ok with not doing a lot of work until a test comes along, and then, depending on the class, may only need a night to study or at most a few days. Besides the general science classes that every Pre-med student needs to take, classes are decently small. I'm a triple major (it's not that uncommon) in Political Economy, German, and International Relations with a minor in Philosophy. The political economy major is my primary one, and my experience with everyone inside it has been amazing. All the professors really know and like to teach the subject. That makes being in class much more tolerable (which when you get to pick all your classes is a really important aspect).

In terms of academics, Tulane holds its students to standards equivalent to those in ivy league schools. The courses are rigorous, but not impossible to pass. Professors are always willing to help students who have difficulty grasping specific concepts, and if students need additional help, there is a free tutoring center on campus. Most of the classes I have taken have had approximately 30 students each, but I have also taken a few large lecture classes (100-200 students), but I have never felt as through a professor was not available to answer questions and to address any concerns I have had about course material. In my time here, I have taken classes I never thought would capture my attention, and have actually decided to declare a second major. I have accomplished things here academically that I never thought possible, such as sustaining a high GPA and doubling my workload purely because I enjoy the academic environment at Tulane.

To be completely honest, academics at Tulane are generally pretty easy. Of course it depends on your department, but a lot of teachers seem loath to giving anyone anything lower than a B. Unsurprisingly, Tulane seems to attract fairly laid-back, non-competitive kids, but that doesn't mean Tulane students aren't serious. Many are just there to get a diploma, but I've had some very intellectual discussions both in and out of the classroom and I've also had some first-rate English and French professors, people I've stayed in touch with outside of class as my interests in their fields have developed. My favorite class I've taken was on feature writing taught by a former editor of TIME Magazine. The teacher's insight was great and he really encouraged us to find the unusual side of everything and everyone we came across. I learned a lot about writing and a little about life in that class. In almost every class at Tulane there are both slackers and overachievers, and while the teachers will put up with coasting, they really appreciate students who put in effort.

I definitely got a wide exposure to Tulane's academics as I was earned dual degrees and had three majors - I got a Bachelor of Arts in English (Creative Writing) and International Development, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. I'm not going to lie - my English and Int. Development classes where a lot smaller and more intimate than my public health classes. I loved getting to know those professors on a one-on-one level and feel comfortable emailing them whenever I have a question I think they could help me solve. These professors offered my internships, put my name up for great conferences, and generally helped me grow as a student immensely. In public health and my science classes, I was more impressed with the experience of my professors than the classes per se. Tulane has incredible Science and Medical professors, with tons of real life professional experience to share. But the classes were bigger and relied more on powerpoints than my English-minded-brain enjoyed. My favorite class was actually a public health class though, despite those downsides of larger classes. It was called Violence in the Community, and taught by a nationally known criminologist named Peter Scharf. He brought in great speakers from the city to talk about the crime problem in New Orleans and basically posed this question as the thesis of the class: Is violent crime a solvable problem? It was incredible. Since that class, Dr. Scharf always takes the time to stop me and ask how my plans are going, and he wrote me an awesome recommendation for graduate school. I was really happy with my classes at Tulane. I feel like my analytical and writing skills are really strong, thanks to classes that focused specifically on increasing critical thinking skills. I was exposed to so many different world-views and theories without feeling like my learning was theoretical only. The service learning component at Tulane is probably what keeps their academics more focused at learning real skills. This component is a tiered community service program that requires more hours and more involvement each year with a local or international organization. I worked at Planned Parenthood and went to Malaysia where I interned an HIV/AIDS NGO through the service learning program. These are the real-world experiences that got me jobs in the future.

Despite, the "party hard" environment surrounding Tulane, the academics here are pretty intense. The architecture students are rumored to rarely see the light of day, the pre-meds are always stressed (though most of that is self-induced), and many others are just trying things out. The core curriculum here actually allows for a great deal of freedom. I'm allowed to double major in disciplines outside of the sciences, while still completing my pre-med requirements, and that isn't the craziest thing I've heard here. Academic advisors here really know what they're doing, which is great because, a lot of times, you probably won't. My advisor has offered me a great deal of guidance regarding classes, professors, roommate issues, and beyond. As long as you do a little planning on your own, your advisor can help fill in the gaps, and you'll be on your way to graduation and beyond. Despite the size of the undergraduate student body (roughly 6,000), most class sizes are small. Sure, if you take intro classes like Chemistry I and others that are required by a great deal of students, you'll probably experience the large lecture style. However, most of my classes are capped at 20 or 30 students, including my favorite - Spanish 2030. My spanish professor is very fun and always does her best to get us involved in discussions. She knows my name as well as where I'm from, what sports I play, and what I like to do on the weekends - all through conversation in spanish. I always have a great time in that class, and my fluency has never been stronger. My least favorite class is taught by a professor who clearly knows his stuff, but should probably not be teaching it. I distinctly remember one day when he flipped through a bunch of powerpoint slides, denoting the information they contained as "more words about stuff." Like other lecture classes, there is a great deal of disconnect in my chemistry class. This is exhibited between the professor who "teaches" the subject and the TA's who grade the tests and quizzes. It's clear that the faculty doesn't converse as much as would be beneficial. Consequently, before curving, most of the students in the class are failing. The curve in this class is based on competition - x{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} will receive A's, y{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} will receive B's, and so on and so forth - but you'll find that every professor has their own distinct way of grading. Consistency is something the academics here sometimes lack, but most of the time, professors really know what they're doing and are more than willing to help you out if you're struggling with the material.

Tulane University is the only college in the country that I know of that has integrated a service-learning requirement into the curriculum. This two-tier requirement means that students must complete a total of 40 community service hours, revealing the willingness of students to give back to the school and community. I completed this requirement at Sophie B. Wright, a nearby charter school. The program was arranged through the Latin American Studies department. I was paired with a seventh grade student as a reading buddy. I found this experience to be very valuable. As the University is consistently ranked amongst the nation’s top universities, incoming students should not expect to party away their four years in New Orleans, although some are tempted. Students will, consequently learn to maintain a balance between the academic rigors and cultural and social events. With each progressive year, the freshman class at Tulane continues to raise the academic bar and the high caliber staff exceeds expectations. Tulane University is classified as a ‘medium size university,’ with a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,803 students. This means that students can anticipate seeing many familiar faces while walking on campus, but also expect to meet new students throughout the duration of their time at Tulane. Introductory lecture courses on average are large, ranging from one to two hundred. Even in this larger lecture setting, however, courses have been taught by dedicated professors willing to make time for students. The majority of my courses during the first two years consisted of twenty students or less. My freshman year Spanish class, for example, had just twelve. As a student in the honors program, I have benefitted from the fact that classes become even more intimate. This ensured individual attention that facilitates the strong academic ethos of Tulane. I have never had a teacher than did not know my name after one or two weeks of class. Contacting professors is incredibly easy, as professors commonly make their cell phone numbers available. As a freshman I was shocked to find that the library closes at 9:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. I felt that this was not conducive to studying, but students prove to be highly motivated and resourceful, ignoring that going out every night of the week is an option. I oftentimes find myself wondering how students at Tulane do it, but they manage to get work done, and do it exceptionally well. Majoring in English and International Development, the liberal arts curriculum of Tulane University allows for so much flexibility that I have been able to also minor in art studio. Even though I was an exploratory freshman, the roundabout path of arriving at my major illustrates that education at Tulane is geared to learning for its own sake. I have multiple favorite teachers from Tulane. In my beginning drawing course I met one of the most dedicated teachers imaginable. Aaron Collier opens his art courses to students of all skill levels and is committed to the teaching the art of ‘learning to see.’ Students are willing to collaborate and the atmosphere is one of sharing.

Professors will know your name. They are always helpful at office hours and the school has a great tutoring center. There are a lot of bad professors, but also some really great ones. I have loved taking Legal studies, ethics and economics.