Samantha
My favorite thing about this school is definitely New Orleans, which has a ton of amazing things for college students to enjoy. Everyone knows about the French Quarter and Bourbon Street, but most people don't realize that Maple Street is about one block away from campus, and is filled with bars, restaurants and shops. There are always promotions and events, and it is absolutely impossible to be bored on any given night. Uptown is an awesome place to be, and it's impossible not to fall in love with NOLA culture. There's also a thriving Greek scene, and those parties are always a lot of fun.
The campus is beautiful, and the perfect size. It is big enough that you will never meet anyone in your class, but it is small enough that you will always see the people you want to see. One of the best things about Tulane is the weather, which starts out very humid but then hovers around 70 for much of the year. The professors are a mixed bag, with many being very good and others being pretty awful. However, if you use ratemyprofessor and the course evaluations that are posted online, you can avoid some of the bad ones.
Students always complain about registration, but I've never actually heard of it impeding anyone's ability to graduate. Our football coach recently resigned (it's common knowledge that he was fired), and students are split on the topic of what we should do next. Some say that this is our chance to finally become a football powerhouse, while others say we should remain focused on academics. There is a lot of school pride but not usually in the context of athletics, although our baseball team is very good.
Almost every student I know does community service, mostly of their own volition. We do have service learning courses, which vary between incredible and useless. It's simply luck of the draw.
Clifford
The best thing is probably the other people. Everyone seems eager to meet new faces, and every student also becomes possessed with a pervasive happiness. The things I would change are probably specific to my own experience, but if I had to generalize I would say that the administration seems to go for shiny technologies that are of questionable worth. Also, I have not personally had any problems with the science department, but I have heard from many sources that those teachers tend to delegate far too much to inexperienced teaching assistants.
Most people react favorably when I tell them Tulane, or at least they seem aware that it is located in New Orleans, and then they respond positively to the city. There is certainly an uptown Tulane bubble, but downtown is always only a direct streetcar ride away. School pride has increased recently as the basketball team has become the success of our sports program. Controversy arose a couple years ago as to the status of workers in the cafeteria and in other buildings, and took the form of protest-minded students siding with the workers against Sodexo, the company which employs all of the workers. The most frequent student complaints are probably against the quality of food in the dining hall, but as a senior who has had to cook for himself, those students are perhaps in for a surprise when their meals become self-cooked.
Lily
I know that Tulane is the perfect school for me, and I couldn't have picked a better place for undergrad. You get a great education but you have the opportunity to participate in a ton of extracurriculars, as well as get part-time jobs or internships through the university. Oh yeah, and your studies definitely don't interfere with your social life. People tend to look down on Tulane, especially my peers who went to schools in the Northeast. If you want the experience of living and working and one of the greatest cities in the world, New Orleans, Tulane is the perfect choice.
One of the major problems with Tulane is also the subject of recent controversy. Clearly New Orleans has a lot of crime, especially post-Katrina, and the area around the university is not the safest. Tulane sends out emails to their students when crimes occur, and these emails are sent as frequently as a couple of times a week. Tulane has a shuttle service known as Safe Ride which picks up students between 8 pm and 6 am if they feel they are in danger, or if they don't want to walk home alone. The service has gotten a lot better in recent months following a major controversy after students were robbed at gunpoint while waiting for Safe Ride. However, Safe Ride's not ideal, nor are most of the other means of public transportation around the university. You may think it's great that you go to school right by the St. Charles Streetcar, but it's the most impractical way to get somewhere fast. It's fine for sightseeing, but if you are going to work or even a concert, you don't want to wait 45 minutes for the rickety, slow trolley to pick you up. The cabs are also terrible in this city. They arrive late, don't come, and pick you up drunk. They best way to stay safe and get around in New Orleans is to get a car, or find someone who has a car to chauffeur you around.
Paige
I think the title says it all...I love my school! The combination of New Orleans, social life, new friends, campus, and academic opportunities really make Tulane unique. I was nervous traveling so far away from home, at least a 5 hour flight, and only knowing one person from home at school. But I easily made friends and immediately felt comfortable in the city. I really enjoy New Orleans and try to take advantage of all the things it offers to me. No school is like Tulane. One night you can be at a frat party, the next at a jazz festival, the next taking the street car to a local Creole restaurant, and lastly watching a parade down the street and grabbing a drink at a bar. Unbelievable. The freedom New Orleans offers is addicting and I hope I never leave.
Zoe
Tulane University has exceeded all my expectations about the college experience. It is one of the most welcoming, spirited and exciting environments a college student could wish for, and I feel so lucky to be a part of it. Going off to college can be a scary or anxious time in a young person’s life, but Tulane’s student population and faculty make it feel like a home away from home. The feeling you get just stepping onto Tulane’s campus is one of warmth and happiness, and it is clear that everyone feels that way. There are always events happening on the quad or in the student center that aim to unify the students as well as the faculty, and are very successful in doing so. The professors are awesome and really take the time to help their students both in and out of class. New Orleans is such an amazing place to live; the rich culture of the city provides an opportunity to absorb knowledge supplementary to our studies and participate in new, fun activities. Community service is a very important part of Tulane’s philosophy and instills in its student a sense of responsibility and desire to help others. The city plays a huge role in the diversity of the student population and is one of Tulane’s defining qualities. I could go on and on about how much I love Tulane University, but there is really no way to put into words how incredibly rewarding attending Tulane is. The best way I can put it is that I feel so fortunate to be at a school where I am truly happy to wake up for class every day, and have made friends and memories that will last a lifetime.
Zoe
Tulane University has exceeded all my expectations about the college experience. It is one of the most welcoming, spirited and exciting environments a college student could wish for, and I feel so lucky to be a part of it. Going off to college can be a scary or anxious time in a young person’s life, but Tulane’s student population and faculty make it feel like a home away from home. The feeling you get just stepping onto Tulane’s campus is one of warmth and happiness, and it is clear that everyone feels that way. There are always events happening on the quad or in the student center that aim to unify the students as well as the faculty, and are very successful in doing so. The professors are awesome and really take the time to help their students both in and out of class. New Orleans is such an amazing place to live; the rich culture of the city provides an opportunity to absorb knowledge supplementary to our studies and participate in new, fun activities. Community service is a very important part of Tulane’s philosophy and instills in its student a sense of responsibility and desire to help others. The city plays a huge role in the diversity of the student population and is one of Tulane’s defining qualities. I could go on and on about how much I love Tulane University, but there is really no way to put into words how incredibly rewarding attending Tulane is. The best way I can put it is that I feel so fortunate to be at a school where I am truly happy to wake up for class every day, and have made friends and memories that will last a lifetime.
Zoe
Tulane University has exceeded all my expectations about the college experience. It is one of the most welcoming, spirited and exciting environments a college student could wish for, and I feel so lucky to be a part of it. Going off to college can be a scary or anxious time in a young person’s life, but Tulane’s student population and faculty make it feel like a home away from home. The feeling you get just stepping onto Tulane’s campus is one of warmth and happiness, and it is clear that everyone feels that way. There are always events happening on the quad or in the student center that aim to unify the students as well as the faculty, and are very successful in doing so. The professors are awesome and really take the time to help their students both in and out of class. New Orleans is such an amazing place to live; the rich culture of the city provides an opportunity to absorb knowledge supplementary to our studies and participate in new, fun activities. Community service is a very important part of Tulane’s philosophy and instills in its student a sense of responsibility and desire to help others. The city plays a huge role in the diversity of the student population and is one of Tulane’s defining qualities. I could go on and on about how much I love Tulane University, but there is really no way to put into words how incredibly rewarding attending Tulane is. The best way I can put it is that I feel so fortunate to be at a school where I am truly happy to wake up for class every day, and have made friends and memories that will last a lifetime.
Marianna
If I could change one thing it would be the visibility/number of sororities and fraternities on campus, and sadly the school is trying to add more. That being said, the beauty of Tulane is that one does not need to be involved in Greek Life to have a social life. The energy of New Orleans can be enjoyed by everyone, and because the bars are open to all not being a member of Greek Life has never hurt me socially. In fact, there are ways to benefit from Greek life while not being involved. (More Greeks=More free booze/parties)
Marianna
If I could change one thing it would be the visibility/number of sororities and fraternities on campus, and sadly the school is trying to add more. That being said, the beauty of Tulane is that one does not need to be involved in Greek Life to have a social life. The energy of New Orleans can be enjoyed by everyone, and because the bars are open to all not being a member of Greek Life has never hurt me socially. In fact, there are ways to benefit from Greek life while not being involved. (More Greeks=More free booze/parties)
Michael
To be completely honest, I am disappointed with my time at Tulane, and almost all of that disappointment arises from the university's administration or policies. The administration presents a facade of a university dedicated to public service and rigorous academics. In doing so, they attract some really creative and intelligent students, but then are unable to follow through on their promises. Students tend to just brush off their poor classes and grow generally apathetic when they find things aren't at all what expected. Also, as far as bureaucracy is concerned, there are absurd amounts of hoops to jump through as far as the simplest tasks are concerned, like registering for classes, studying abroad, or paying your bills. Tulane is behind other schools in many of the simple administrative aspects, including technology, food services, and general organization, but most things get shrugged off using Katrina as an excuse.
It's a bit sad, but because the students are fairly cheerful, optimistic kids, you get this phrase a lot with a shrug, "Yea, sure I don't like Tulane, but I love New Orleans." That sentiment seems to be accepted as a sad underlying truth, even with professors, but people just make the most of it with the incredible surroundings and good social life. Students in general are happy, but very little of that has anything to do with Tulane. Things are definitely improving, but at a New Orleans pace.
Best thing about the school: it's in New Orleans. Worst thing about the school: the administration. Somewhere in the middle and a bit spotty: academics. Random good thing most applicants should know: they give great financial aid. Random bad thing about the school most applicants should know: student safety at night is a huge issue, with armed robberies and sexual assaults relatively common just off campus.