Tulane University of Louisiana Top Questions

Some degrees and classes are great. Business, Pre-Law, Pre-Med, Public Health, Latin American Studies, and most sciences are generally very good, with departments that hold deserved great reputations. Many Liberal Arts degrees are disappointing and seemingly forgotten about by the school. Some departments are so bad that they are almost laughable, which is usually due to a lack of funding from the university. The university seems to spend a ton of money on the degrees that give Tulane its 'prestigious' reputation, and it in general pays off. For being such a small university, there is an excellent diversity of course offerings, including some really random but interesting classes, and lots of Louisiana/Louisiana studies. Once again, depending largely on your department, you can end up with some amazing professors, but terrible ones are far too prevalent in lower-level classes. Some of my most difficult classes were the 101 intro classes because they were taught largely by grad students who didn't have a clue what they were doing. In truth, once you stick it out through quite a few large and sometimes very poorly taught lecture classes, there is usually an abundance of small 10-12 person courses in really interesting topics. As far as how challenging it is, I've been wholly unimpressed. I've found that in order to get above a B, all you really need to do is hand things in on time and show up to classes. I have only really been challenged academically in two or three classes, which are the ones I really enjoyed. So it depends on what you're looking for; if you want to have a good time, get decent grades, and just slide your way into a degree, this place is great. But if you're looking for more out of your time in college, it's all on you to work for it.

I'm a psychology major (School of Science and Engineering), an English minor (liberal arts) and a dance minor so I have a lot of experience with many of the different class structures. I think that science classes are probably some of the hardest to be motivated in because they tend to be on the extremely high end in terms of the amount of students in the class. Biology is taught in a HUGE lecture hall and it was hard to even be motivated to go some days because I felt like no one would notice if I wasn't there. As you move into the higher levels of all classes though, class size shrinks, and as you take more classes with the same specialized professors they learn your names and you begin to really feel like a part of the department. I think dance classes are usually my favorite classes, especially the lower level classes, because they offer such an eclectic mix of people trying dance for the first time. Everyone gets a chance to get to know each other, and the professor. English classes also offer that opportunity, and class participation is more frequent in liberal arts classes in general. One of the reasons I applied to Tulane was because I really dislike hyper-competetive environments. I like environments that foster the idea that we should all be helping each other achieve more, not ones that seem to encourage you to let your fellow students fail because it will make you closer to the top. I think Tulane has a less competitive environment than many schools of similar academic caliber, and most of the students I know really are here to enjoy learning. Even outside of the classroom my friends share things they learned in their classes, and we are each pretty happy with our major choices even if we don't know what we want to do with our lives yet. I think the amount students study is another important thing to think about, and here students do study quite a bit but not so much that it interferes with having a social life. The library is closed early on Friday and Saturday nights and students are out, even when it might be a little irresponsible to be. During finals students really get to work though, and show that we're a school that works hard so we can play hard.

I am a Film Studies and English major at Tulane. Most liberal arts classes are fairly small, and most professors certainly know your name and care about your performance. I have also been in large lectures of up to 200 people. Most professors make themselves available outside of class. I, myself, am not particularly close with any professors for whatever reason, but one of my roommates has become close enough with one of her professors to have eaten dinner at his house with him and his wife. Some professors make it quite blatant that they have other priorities and teaching is just a way to pay the bills. In the liberal arts, students are supportive, rather than competitive. If there is a large assignment, I often find myself meeting up with classmates in the library to complete them and have someone to take breaks with. I am currently in a Screenwriting class and we're doing a BYOB, scene-reading session at someone's house next Saturday before our final scripts are due. Most of my classmates are fairly intelligent, but of course, there are some that make you question how you're getting the same degree as them. I think some of the academic requirements should be done away with, but I understand that the purpose is "well-roundedness." I am currently in Geology to fulfill my science with a lab requirement and it's dreadful. An interesting requirement that Tulane has is the service learning component. You are required to take one class with a 20-hour service learning component and one with a 40-hour service learning component by the time you graduate. A lot of students feel that where they are placed within the community is largely ineffectual. I currently serve as an assistant tennis coach for under-privileged children attending Lafayette Charter School. The service learning really forces you to step outside of your comfort zone at times, but I think it's great to give back to the city.

Professors always know my name. Students are not competitive, but they do often spend time with professors outside of class. I think the academics are on par.

The academics are challenging due to the caliber of students. However, students are still friendly and willing to help other students. There is a sense of competitiveness but not in a hurtful or negative way. Teachers are, generally, eager to help and willing to set aside the time to work with students or just to talk. As an English major and dance minor, I find my classes to be small and often discussion based. I know the names of all my classmates, and personally know my teachers. I feel comfortable approaching my teachers for help or advice with my work. I am not fond of the huge lecture classes and only took them to fulfill my science and math requirements one semester. Now that I am strictly taking classes within my major and minor, I take smaller classes and feel that I am better able to learn in this type of environment. Due to the community service requirement, most people have internships during the academic year as a junior or senior. These help students determine what kind of career they are looking for. These internships can also turn into jobs in the future.

For the most part professor know your name. Intro science class (bio, chem, psych etc) are usually 100+ but every other class I have had has been smaller than 40 with some as small as 12. I have had some great experiences with history classes--most of my history professors have been extremely knowledgeable, helpful and available. Intro classes are usually a little bit disappointing, but Tulane's TIDES seminar (freshman req) and the upper-level classes, in my experience, have been for the most part engaging, challenging and thought provoking. The core req's really aren't that demanding. Tulane's workload can be stressful depending on what you are majoring in. I only have experience in the social science and history fields and they require LOTS of reading and you really have to apply yourself. Overall, my academic experience so far has been challenging and I have learned a lot--I've had some great professors and some that were average. I do feel as though I am being prepared for graduate school/a job after I graduate.

Classes are generally small, my biggest class was around 50 but most were around 20-25. The majority of the professors take the time to know their students by name and are readily accessible for help if needed. My favorite class was International Relations but the most unique was glass blowing. My least favorite was intro to microeconomics. Students study on a regular basis but there is definitely an increase when finals roll around.

I earned my BA, MA, and JD at Tulane. At every corner, I was challenged and impressed. I was looking for a serious curriculum (Ivy or the equivalent) when applying at each level and found Tulane to be a great suit at each junction. I NEVER had a teaching assistant or grad student teach a class. I NEVER had difficulty reaching a professor. In every semester, I had at least one professor who was a Nobel laureate, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, or Peabody Award recipient. From introductory classes to graduate level courses, my professors were accessible and kind. That being said, they were fierce in lectures and class debates. Nothing is spoon-fed to you. Like all top-tiers, it's up to you but you will be provided with a world-class basis upon which to build a career and, most importantly, become a free thinker.

Although I have only completed my freshman year at Tulane, I am somewhat familiar with the Freeman School of Business, of which I am enrolled. The nationally well-ranked business school at Tulane gives students many advantages but also has some disadvantages. The advantages include respected professors who have a vast professional knowledge of their field, as well as career programs aimed to guide your path from Freeman to the outside business world. Some of the disadvantages include mandatory business courses that are not interesting and do not seem to help many students stride closer to thier business goals.

At Tulane, students can take large, impersonal lecture classes (perfect for skipping out on every once in a while...just make sure you get the notes later!), or they can take smaller, more intimate classes. There's always the possibility of running into professor around campus or out on the town, and stopping to have a brief chat is commonplace.