Tulane University Comprehensive Admissions and Campus Life Study Guide

Institutional Overview and Academic Structure

• Tulane University is classified as a mid-sized, level-one research institution located in New Orleans, Louisiana.

• The university emphasizes a unique geographic identity, noting that New Orleans possesses its own distinct culture that differs significantly from the rest of the state of Louisiana, which is more suburban or rural outside the city limits.

Academic Schools and Newcomb-Tulane College

• Undergraduate academics are organized into five specific schools:

  • School of Business

  • School of Liberal Arts

  • School of Science and Engineering

  • Public Health

  • Architecture

• There are approximately $70$ majors available across these five schools.

• All undergraduate schools are housed under the umbrella of Newcomb-Tulane College.

Single Door Admission Model

• Tulane utilizes a "single door admission" process.

• Definition: This means applicants apply to the university as a whole rather than to a specific major or school.

• Once admitted, students have the autonomy to decide or change their major at any point without re-applying to a specific department.

• Students can select a major as soon as they apply, change it before starting, or change it while enrolled.

• Most students officially declare their major by the end of their sophomore year.

Student Population and Classroom Environment

• Undergraduate Population: Approximately $7{,}500$ students.

• Student-to-Faculty Ratio: $8:1$.

• Average Class Size: Between $20$ and $21$ students.

• The small class sizes facilitate close relationships between students and professors. The speaker noted that even at the graduate level (Master of Liberal Arts), professors remain highly accessible, contrasting this with larger institutions (e.g., $25{,}000$ students) where faculty access is limited.

Research and Professional Opportunities

• As a level-one research institution, Tulane allows undergraduates to engage in research as early as their freshman or sophomore year.

The Brain Institute

• This is the center for prominent research in Psychology and Neuroscience.

• Research focus areas include impulse control and early-onset dementia.

Medical and Environmental Research

• Pre-Medical Track: Students have access to the Tulane Medical School facilities, including the cadaver lab.

• Environmental Science and Architecture: Due to South Louisiana's exposure to climate change over the last several decades, significant research is dedicated to sustainability and building structures capable of withstanding environmental shifts.

Internships and Networking

• New Orleans is described as a "big small city," meaning it offers the same professional opportunities as New York, Miami, or Los Angeles, but with significantly less competition among students.

• Medical Partnerships: Tulane has a partnership with the LSU School of Medicine to co-run a hospital, expanding the networking reach for pre-med students.

• Architecture: The city serves as a living laboratory with French, German, Spanish, and English architectural influences.

• Business: There are ample opportunities in finance, accounting, and general business development, particularly regarding post-disaster rebuilding and climate-conscious development.

Campus Life and Student Culture

• The student body is geographically diverse, representing all $50$ states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and other territories.

• There are representatives from approximately $68$ countries on campus.

• Demographics: Tulane is a predominantly white institution, with about $38\%$ of the domestic cohort identifying as students of color.

• Student Persona: Described as social, "gregarious," and academically minded. Students are expected to balance rigorous academics with an active social life.

Organizations and Greek Life

• There are over $200$ student clubs and organizations.

• TUSTEP: A service dog training program where students train a puppy for approximately $24$ months. If the dog meets the requirements, it moves on to a professional service dog school.

• Greek Life: Approximately $45\%$ of students are involved in fraternities or sororities.

• Recruitment Policy: Students cannot "rush" until their second semester, which allows them to form diverse social circles outside of Greek organizations first. This is contrasted with schools like Alabama or LSU, where Greek participation can exceed $95\%$.

Athletics and Events

• Tulane participates in Division $1$ (D1) sports, with football being the most prominent.

• Crawfest: A student-run music and food festival.

  • A committee of $65$ students manages the event.

  • They boil approximately $25{,}000$ pounds of crawfish (described as a "little lobster" situation).

  • The festival features musicians from the Gulf Coast and local universities.

The New Orleans Environment

• Location: The Tulane campus is in the Uptown neighborhood, a residential, quiet, and highly walkable area containing elementary schools.

• Transportation: The city streetcar stops directly outside Tulane, providing access to restaurants, shops, and the broader city.

• Cultural Immersion: The speaker describes living in New Orleans as the closest experience to "studying abroad" while remaining in the United States due to its unique food, music, and identity.

Festivals and Mardi Gras

• New Orleans hosts approximately $400$ festivals per year.

• Po-boy Fest: Celebrates the local sandwich made on French bread. Varieties include barbecue shrimp, fried green tomatoes with rhubarb sauce, and the speaker’s favorite: red beans and rice with fried chicken.

• Mardi Gras / Carnival Season:

  • The season begins after New Year's and lasts until mid-February or early March, depending on moon cycles.

  • It is a family-oriented celebration, not just for tourists.

  • Example: A local resident named Miss Loretta was noted for frying chicken on the side of the road at St. Charles and Louisiana Avenue to give away for free to parade participants.

  • High school marching bands are considered the heart of the parades, practicing year-round to perform.

Admissions Process and Deadlines

• Early Decision (ED1 and ED2): Binding agreements. Students should only apply ED if they are "a gazillion percent sure" and ready to deposit immediately upon admission. ED2 is a later-dated binding option.

• Early Action (EA): Non-binding and highly recommended. It is more competitive than ED but less so than Regular Decision.

• Regular Decision (RD): The last option. Admission rates for RD can be as low as approximately $3\%$ (not an official figure, but used as a cautionary example) because the class is largely filled during early rounds.

Application Requirements

• Standard Components: Common App, high school transcript, activities list, and personal essay.

• Supplemental Essays: The "Why Tulane" statement is currently on pause and not required for the current application cycle, though it may return in future years.

• Recommendations: One counselor recommendation is required; two teacher recommendations are optional but recommended if the teacher knows the student well.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

• Need-Based Aid: The application for need-based aid opens October $1$.

• Merit Scholarships: Range from $5{,}000$ to approximately $35{,}000$ per year based on application strength.

• Full Tuition and Full Ride Scholarships:

  • To be considered for a full-tuition scholarship, students must submit the FAFSA and the CSS Profile.

  • The Stamps Scholarship: This is Tulane's most competitive "full ride" scholarship. Candidates for full tuition are automatically considered for Stamps.

• Deadline Priority: For ED applicants, the deadline to apply for need-based aid to receive a timely award is December $15$.

Questions & Discussion

Question: Can I participate in studio arts, specifically pottery, while being a STEM-based major (like Engineering)? Response: Yes. Tulane's "single door" policy makes this easy. The pottery program is well-resourced and used by local artists. Students must complete approximately $8$ hours of studio time per week, but these hours can be logged at any time, including weekends.

Question: Does Tulane have a nursing program? Response: Yes. There is a direct pathway where students are admitted into a pre-nursing track. As long as the student maintains the required standards/grades, there is a "pipeline" into the nursing school that is less rigorous for internal students than for outside applicants.

Question: What makes New Orleans special? Response: Beyond the "party school" reputation, which the speaker feels is exaggerated compared to other schools, the city offers an unparalleled food scene and approximately $400$ festivals, such as Strawberry Fest, Gumbo Fest, Fried Chicken Fest, Mac and Cheese Fest, Voodoo Fest, Jazz Fest, and Greek Fest. Each week offers unique cultural opportunities like Broad Street Fest.