To
preface this review, I am a freshman at Tulane in
the Honors Program double-majoring in Finance and Economics. I have
taken some classes within and outside of the business school,
so I am familiar with the range of academics here.
(As an aside, I am not entirely sure this constitutes
a “negative” review, as I have enjoyed a good portion
of my experience here, but I have applied to transfer
nonetheless, if that validates my opinion on the school as
a whole.) 1) Academics. The coursework has been my
biggest source of satisfaction here at Tulane. I took 17.5+
credit semesters this year, and I spent a significant amount
of time doing work for those courses to do well.
All of my professors are well-qualified, accommodating, and clear in
their expectations. Pre-professional programs (particularly pre-med) are strong here. Moreover,
the Finance program here is also top-notch, although the Freeman
School of Biz. is largely populated by idiotic marketing majors.
If you want a Finance program where you'll get recognition
as an Honors student and have the potential to take
applied, relevant trading courses, Tulane is a great option. That
being said, the engineering program here is EXTREMELY WEAK, despite
the caliber of its students. Academics are really what you
make of it here; you can challenge yourself as much
as you please.
2) Social Scene. Despite the wondrous city
that is New Orleans, Tulane offers a social scene that
falls way short of its expectations. Certainly, there are frat
parties and bars, but the people who attend such parties
are by and large moronic, snobby, jappy students. Then again,
I am particular about these sorts of things, and if
you are capable of ignoring the hordes of drunk &
belligerent Westchester kids, you'll probably find the party scene enjoyable.
Off campus, the nightlife is absurd; the City offers diversions
all night, every night. (FYI, not many people go downtown
more than 4-5 times during the year, so these opportunities
aren't utilized.)
3) Reputation. This is BY FAR my biggest
complaint. I was initially swayed to attend Tulane because of
the large scholarship I received & overall ignorance during the
application process. This consideration, of course, depends on your field,
but for those wanting to study Engineering or go into
Investment Banking (that's me), the reputation falls awfully short. In
these departments, you cannot compensate for Tulane's mediocre reputation.
All in all, I would say Tulane is what you
make of it. There is a pretty diverse group of
students here, and one has little trouble finding his or
her own group. The academic program similarly offers a broad
range of coursework for those willing to challenge themselves. My
transfer is largely due to a weak reputation in my
program of interest and its incompatibility with the competitive field
I wish to enter after graduating.