Tulane University of Louisiana Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Olivia

Students at Tulane are very friendly. It's definitely a change from the small town I came from.

Ebony

My classmates are a diverse group of individuals from all over the world who come from many different backgrounds;however, the one thing that we have in common is our desire for a higher education, which is enough.

Sarah

Very driven, but happy students. They worked extremely hard but also took the oppotunity to enjoy the culture of New Orleans in their free time.

Sara

Very interested in Neruoscience.

Jonathan

JAPPY Priviledged girls from Long Island.

Ilana

There's all different types of people, but for the most part everyone is down to earth and willing to say hello.

Patrick

passionate about whatever they do. and kinda goofy but fun and nice.

Alex

The school is predominately white. Outside of that it consists of an even mix of Asian and African-Americans. There is a strong LGBT presence on campus, and it is widely accepted (I have friends that are LGBT, so I know about the social aspects of that part of campus life). There is a really strong Jewish presence on campus, but it's not felt unless you actively go to be part of it. Students tend to be from more well off families, but there are those that could not otherwise come to this school if it weren't for very generous scholarships. Most students are from the northeast, but there is also a large pull from FL, TX, LA, and CA. The rest of the student body is greatly varied. As far as politics are concerned, most students lean conservative, especially when considering a college campus. However, there is also a louder left voice on campus, but the numbers don't seem to be on their side. Students are very concerned with how much they'll earn one day. If they aren't, that means they have some goals in life to be more of a non-profit social change maker. That is one type that is also very common on campus.

Jennifer

Tulane, like most private universities, is overrun with upper-middle class white kids. There are a lot of frat boys and sorority girls, easily identifiable by the Greek gear they wear on designated days. Religious (especially Christian and Jewish), LGBT, and minority organizations are all present and vocal on campus, but to a lesser extent. Most students seem to come from the South or the New York area, which means the student body is pretty divided on a lot of issues. I wouldn't say Tulane is particularly political, but everyone does community service, so to varying extents, we're all socially engaged. Big draws to Tulane include its business, law, and medical schools, so a large chunk of the students are pretty intent on making good money one day.

Jessie

Tulane is definitely mostly white and northern. But, my college friends are a gay, black, asian, indian, you name it. My friends have jokingly complained about the diversity, but I think for a private college it's not awful. Could be better, but not awful. I think if you are looking for a group of fellow ethnic/racial/religious/sexualorientated people, you can find it. As the president of VOX, Voice for Planned Parenthood, I met tons of lesbian and bi students who were involved in the Gay Straight Alliance as well as VOX. On the other side of the coin, there are also pro-life organizations. There is a christian students organization and an organization than plans alcohol and drug free night time events for students who don't drink or do drugs. I was not and did not want to be involved in either of those...and that was fine! I worked at WTUL, the on campus radio station, and met a lot of cool students there. I also was in PHAT, Peer Health Advocates of Tulane, an organization that ran fun interactive health related events (sexual health, healthy eating, and more). So I think there is a niche for everyone. At first at Tulane, I think I was a little taken aback by the wealth of my fellow students. But on consideration, I decided that I would have felt like that going from a public school to any expensive private college, not just Tulane. I had a scholarship, so I felt a little like everyone else had way more money than I did. But that was just not true. Most of my friends are on scholarship or financial aid as well. A lot of the adjustment was what any student goes through at any college. Tulane is definitely full of involved and active students. There are college republican and democrat organizations. The democrat group throws fun parties called "Drinking Liberally." What I loved most about Tulane (and when you consider this, remember I was NOT in the business school, which is a very different atmosphere) was that lots of the students were focused on social change and social entrepreneurship, rather than earning the big bucks. There were lots of competitions and grants from start ups with a social impact, and the service learning requirements got tons of students involved in the community a lot more than most other schools would have.

Elinor

Many people here complain about the lack of diversity in the student body. Sure, there are a lot of white kids, but the amazing thing about Tulane is the diversity amongst students of even the same race. The high cost of tuition attracts a generally affluent population, but everyone here is from a different household and financial standing, and everyone has a unique story. One of my good friends here is a bisexual swing-dancer from a small town in Idaho, another is a musician from San Francisco who just released an EP, and yet another is a dancer who aspires to test missiles and work with the MythBusters someday. I know a girl here from Spain, a guy from Panama, an Ohio native who has spent the last two years in Mexico, and others who have already experienced more than I can imagine. We're known here for our large Jewish population as well as our "work hard, play hard" attitude, but I've never once felt out of place here as an agnostic girl who would often prefer to stay in and watch a movie over going out and getting trashed. One of the things that particularly drew me to the school was the surrounding area. Sure, Mardi Gras is something I look forward to experiencing, but I'm mostly talking about the neighborhoods of New Orleans that have been in severe disrepair since the Katrina disaster. My love for volunteering served me well in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but there is so much more to be done here in New Orleans. Because of this, the student body here is predominantly liberal, outgoing, and very involved. But whatever one's religion, politics, stance on alcohol, or ideas for how to spend a Saturday night, I firmly believe that anyone here can easily find their niche.

Caitlin

Tulane's student body is very geographically diverse, with many people from the Northeast. From my point of view, everyone should be capable of making and enjoying a group of friends. There are people who can be considered main stream, hipster, or on the far end of the "alternative" spectrum. Even the "frattiest" of Tulane's population wouldn't compare to those in Greek life at a public school. Most students tend to hang out with people who are most like themselves, but there really isn't a "social hierarchy" and everyone gets along. Greek life is a great way to make friends, but it isn't a necessity. We are welcoming two new sororities to our campus next year, making it easier to be Greek if thats the direction you choose. Tulane's student body definitely represents more of the "1{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}" versus the "99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}" but financial background isn't an alienating factor. Most students choose to dress comfortably for class, but its not unusual to dress in more fashionable clothes. Tulane students are driven, especially those in the Business or "B" school. They plan to be successful and involve themselves in activities that will help them in the future.

Alex

Very jewish, very northern. There are students from across the country, but i think there are an equal amount from New York as there are from Louisiana in the freshmen class.

Samantha

Students are generally easy-going and friendly, and open to meeting different groups of people. There are people who clearly came to Tulane to party, but there are just as many who were interested in various community service opportunities and great education. Hillel and Chabad are very popular because of the prevalence of Jewish students, but both organizations are inclusive of everyone. There are definitely a lot of wealthy people here, with a lot of BMW's and Mercedes in the school parking lot. Because Tulane gives so much financial aid, there are a lot of students that got into "better" schools and chose to come down here. This makes for a very intelligent and well-rounded student body, as well as allowing for more middle and lower class students to take advantage of the lower cost. The campus definitely leans left, but politics are not a significant part of campus life.

Clifford

This being New Orleans, homosexuality and queerness of all types is accepted and enjoyed. Race relations in the city are famously good, and although the students generally come from Northeastern states, Tulane has enough diversity such that no incoming student would feel out of place just because he or she were a racial, sexual, political, or religious minority compared to the whole. Students who might feel out of place are those who are shy or unsociable, but I firmly believe that any incoming student could find a niche and call Tulane home. Despite this diversity within groups, sociability between groups is less common. Any individual can certainly be friends with anyone he or she desires, but most sporting events draw a different crowd than local concerts, as you would expect. Financially, there are many wealthy people at Tulane. This is neither here nor there, but those with latent class resentments or anyone for whom this would be a discomfort should be aware of this fact. Politically the student body is generally liberal, but there are both young Democrats and young Republicans groups for the partisan. Students in the business school might talk about how much they'll earn one day, but English majors like me are satisfied to look forward to that wonderful day when we just might be employed at any job.

Lily

The typical Tulane student is someone who loves to party and drink. If that's not what you're into, you probably won't fit in. That being said, there's more diversity and different types of students than most people assume. While a lot of students come from well-to-do backgrounds, there's plenty of more students who are here on academic scholarships. Different students interact with each other all the time through activities, jobs, and classes. Tulane students for the most part are friendly and outgoing, more so than at other colleges and universities. This is why they are attracted to living in New Orleans and chose to attend Tulane in the first place. A lot of people assume that Tulane kids are all rich and from Northeastern Jewish communities, thus the nickname, "Jewlane." While there are a lot of students hailing from the Northeast, there are also a lot of local students, and Louisiana, Texas, and Florida are all very well represented at this school. It's not a Southern school in the sense that Ole Miss or Vanderbilt is, but it's not completely Northern either. Tulane students as a whole are politically apathetic. They are more involved in local issues, or just wrapped up in their own lives. Overall the university is politically liberal, but there's plenty of conservative students out there. If you want to get involved in politics, you can, but if you choose not to, you will be in good company.

Paige

I see a lot of diversity in my school, all different races, many people with disabilities, and international students. However, I personally do not hang out in the most diverse crowd. I don't know if it is me or if it is the way the school is structured. But I tend to see a lot of groups of people who aren't diverse at all, then others who have every kind of person you can imagine in a friend group. It really depends on your extra curricular activities. I know our school offers many clubs, including LBGT, religious groups, and multi-cultural groups.

Ryan

The students here are predominantly of middle class to upper middle class. I, being lower middle class myself, do not feel out of place here. They generally don't brag about anything, like the stereotypes in movies portray. I have yet to meet a student being actually rude. The students are very proactive in their prospective fields of study. They leave announcements everywhere! Posters, putting chalk on the street, emails, every way you can possibly imagine. All types of students here interact. Here we are one big school body.

Zoe

One of Tulane’s most notable attributes is the unique nature of its student body. Students come from around the globe to attend Tulane because it is a prestigious and well-rounded university. I’ve always believed that despite the differences that exist between the students, the fact that we all chose to come to Tulane University unites us. We all possess boundless school spirit and display these feelings every day. Everyone at Tulane is extremely friendly and welcomes each other with open arms. The relatively small student body compared to other schools allows for a close-knit group of students that enjoy helping each other despite their level of friendship. As I mentioned earlier, the students here definitely know how to have fun, whether it be activities around New Orleans or concerts on the quad, but also know when to be serious and get work done. The friends I have made here at Tulane are ones I know I will maintain relationships with long after we graduate and continue to make lasting memories. Regardless of the different backgrounds and cultures of the Tulane study body, we are all bonded by our love for Tulane.

Zoe

One of Tulane’s most notable attributes is the unique nature of its student body. Students come from around the globe to attend Tulane because it is a prestigious and well-rounded university. I’ve always believed that despite the differences that exist between the students, the fact that we all chose to come to Tulane University unites us. We all possess boundless school spirit and display these feelings every day. Everyone at Tulane is extremely friendly and welcomes each other with open arms. The relatively small student body compared to other schools allows for a close-knit group of students that enjoy helping each other despite their level of friendship. As I mentioned earlier, the students here definitely know how to have fun, whether it be activities around New Orleans or concerts on the quad, but also know when to be serious and get work done. The friends I have made here at Tulane are ones I know I will maintain relationships with long after we graduate and continue to make lasting memories. Regardless of the different backgrounds and cultures of the Tulane study body, we are all bonded by our love for Tulane.

Marianna

It's impossible to describe the students at Tulane without heavily stereotyping so I will preface my answer with this: I AM stereotyping...and this is just MY perception of the Tulane student body. We got a lot of New Yorkers, a lot of "Chicagoans" from the suburbs (myself included), a very large Jewish population, not much racial diversity (most people of color at Tulane are athletes), tons of business majors (aka folks that just wanna 'make money'). We have the girls that wear leggings and UGGs, the guys that wear polos and sperrys. That being said it is totally acceptable to wear sweatpants to class and Bruff (our cafeteria). I rock athletic shorts on the reg. Tons of folks interested in or that play music. A great Ultimate Frisbee team (my fave humans on campus...!). In general, just lots of rich white kids from the North spending their parents money on drinks/living it up.

Matthew

This school is very chill. It's a lot of east-coast, white, straight people but that doesn't mean there aren't alternative lifestyles, and that they aren't respected. I came from a super-liberal high-school which brainwashed me into believing that everyone had to tolerate everyone else because that was the law of compassion and sacrifice. I was then shocked when I moved to this much more moderate University and realized no, the reason you respect everyone else is because otherwise you're a jerk who no one will want to talk to. One shouldn't expect big LGBTQ rallies or black power protests because they don't exist. What one should expect is a calm, smart, respectful community which does not really care what you are, so long as you're not bothering anyone else. I like to think the best change between high-school and college is how much people care. In high-school, everyone cares about everything. In college, no one cares about anything, including what you like to do in your free time. That kind of freedom is part of the real reason college (and Tulane) are awesome.

Michael

Far from the alternative/indie student body I was expecting. It's easy to describe what Tulane students are not, but more difficult to describe what they are. Not jocks, not geeks, not alternative, not preppy, not stoners, not political activists. Imagine upper-middle class, well-educated, relatively liberal, pretty Jappy and primarily white. Definitely your typical wealthy suburbanites, but rarely obnoxious about their money. Everybody is very sociable and its the right size where you pretty much know the faces of most people around you, and its almost impossible to walk to class without running into someone you know. Too much Greek, but not nearly as much as most southern or state schools. Generally you get a really bland, relatively smart and social suburban kid, with an occasional hidden person who is really interesting and different. A large amount of 'gap-year' students who spent time living in South America or something, and talk about little else. Most people have some form of language or travel experience under their belt. Not competitive at all and almost overly friendly, getting to the point of fake quite often. For such a public service and worldly oriented student body, there is little talk of current events or politics. You will feel out of place if you don't fit the mold, as the entire student body seems to do exactly the same things and travel in groups. Students struggle to get outside the Tulane social bubble and experience the cool and interesting city of New Orleans.

Michael

Far from the alternative/indie student body I was expecting. It's easy to describe what Tulane students are not, but more difficult to describe what they are. Definitely your typical wealthy suburbanites, but rarely obnoxious about their money. Everybody is very sociable and its the right size where you pretty much know the faces of most people around you, and its almost impossible to walk to class without running into someone you know. Too much Greek, but not nearly as much as most southern or state schools. Generally you get a really bland, relatively smart and social suburban kid, with an occasional hidden person that is really interesting and different. A large amount of 'gap-year' students who spent time living in South America or something, and talk about little else. Most people have some form of language or travel experience under their belt. Not competitive at all and almost overly friendly, getting to the point of fake quite often. For such a public service and worldly oriented student body, there is little talk of current events or politics. You will feel out of place if you don't fit the mold, as the entire student body seems to do exactly the same things and travel in groups. Students struggle to get outside the Tulane social bubble and experience the cool and interesting city of New Orleans.

Rebecca

I think students at Tulane are pretty diverse, but one of the things that keeps students more divided is the fact that the rich, sorority girls are also often business majors, and the LGBT students are often psych or gender and sexuality studies majors or things like that. It's not so much that there are uncrossable lines, and most people have friends in all sorts of different groups, but since we spend so much time with people in our classes the type of people tends to narrow. The general political feel of the school is usually pretty left, but being in the South there is still a fair number of right and center students. These students seem to get along fairly well as most of the focus is on awareness, and encouraging students to vote, rather than on tearing each other down. I think Tulane does a good job of creating an environment where no student feels automatically out of place. It may take some time to find the right video game club, the right sorority sisters, or that one other kid on your floor who likes heavy metal, but it can be done. That's one of the great things about the small size, whatever you're interested in, there is someone else who is too. And they aren't too hard to find if you keep looking.

Chelsea

Most students at Tulane are well-off and white, and hail from the Northeast. There are a lot of Jewish students. I think it is somewhere near 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} Jewish. Other races are present on campus, but the divide is pretty harsh. This is not to say that someone from a different background would be uncomfortable, but they would be in a fairly small minority. Tulane is not a religiously affiliated school and I don't think I know a single person who attends services. Most students are laid back in terms of clothing. There is not much pressure to be incredibly well-dressed at all times. Political activism is pretty much non-existent, but most Tulane students are pretty left-wing and liberal, though generally apathetic and certainly not radical. If there were four hypothetical tables of students in the dining hall, one would be frat guys and sorority girls, one would be an uncomfortably racially segregated table of athletes, one would be "hipsters" and generally interesting or intellectual folk, and the last would be miscellaneous geeks. We certainly have enough geeks for there to be a healthy game of Humans vs. Zombies going down on campus!

Sonya

WASP - White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. JAPs - Jewish American Princesses. Black sheep - the individual free thinkers

Hunter

Most students at Tulane fit into 4 of the 5 categories: White, Jewish, Upper-middle class, from a wealthy suburb of NYC, DC, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, LA. That said, Tulane is geographically very diverse and while everyone on campus isn't white/jewish most come from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. However, Tulane is very generous with scholarship money so there are a few kids I imagine who are more in the middle class range. Tulane can often seem very high school-esque. Greek Life sort of separates students into cliques and the size means you know a lot of people but not everyone. There are also some kids (mostly the kids on scholarship) who spend their life studying and are afraid of living in "the scary city of New Orleans" From my experience there isn't a lot of in between.

Michelle

I would say my classmates are varied because not a single one is alike and we all come from many diverse backgrounds which makes for a very multicultural campus.

Samantha

There is a good mix of students at Tulane but it is predominately white upper/middle class. There are people from all sorts of political backgrounds. If you are not a social person or are not into partying it might be harder to find a niche...not that one does not exist you just might be annoyed by a lot of the students. Students where a range of clothes to class from gym shorts/t-shirts to cute dresses with flats.

Cain

Well-to-do, conformist, fraternity/sorority students with few or no original ideas, no original tastes in clothes, who are always lost in their own heads, listening to their iPods, never making eye-contact with or greeting people, and oblivious to their surroundings.

Samantha

We're all on the same page and we help each other get through that page and turn to the next one.

Catherine

My classmates are rich, sometimes rude, sometimes nice, northern kids who have no sense of what it's like to work for money and save for things.

Paul

Tough to nail down, actually. The greek population is pretty small: less than 1/3 of the student body. But if you do decide to go to Tulane, why would you join a frat?! You can go to all of the parties and they're not the only show in town. The city is full of places where (even freshmen) can wet their whistles. No need to join a frat. There is an activist crowd that is into environmental initiatives. Tulane is quickly moving toward a 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} green campus, with the new university center being an award-winning environmental building. There is also an artsy crowd and numerous opportunities to visit funky galleries and the like. The majority are best described as those people from high school who were in all AP classes and involved in some extracurricular activities, but not the "overachiever" - the really smart people who didn't really have to try that hard but might have tried harder if properly motivated. I'm sure most people were relatively popular and well-liked, and many of the people who come here are extroverted. Pretty cool student body overall with some exceptions.

Julie

Tulanians are generally wealthy, kind of spoiled, and very entitled--but they're also generally nice people, friendly, happy, and fairly intelligent with their own interesting life stories.

Julia

My classmates were smart, fun, and interesting people mostly, though many have lived sheltered lives.

Rachel

Friendly

Erica

rich liberals.

Jacob

party people that still know how to study and get the job done.

Emily

My classmates are mostly very wealthy and privileged, and many spend their free time drinking and going out. However, it is easy to find the right niche at Tulane, as there are so many diverse people that it is impossible to not find someone who shares your interests. In general, everyone is really outgoing and friendly, and all Tulanians are incredibly proud of their school.

Nina

Students at Tulane are not as diverse as other schools due to the cost of tuition. However, Tulane does have students from all over the world and country and I have found in my experience that all are friendly. The majority of Tulane students are comprised of career-track students, those wanting to complete degrees in Business, Medicine and Law. There are, however, a large number of Philosophy and English majors who tend to be different from the other types of students. In addition, the Architecture school also provides another unique type of student, not found on all college campuses.

Jordan

They definatly spend their weekends out partying, but they are academically focused as well. I'd say they have struck the perfect balance. Tulane is for smart kids that like to party.

Dan

The students who attend Tulane arrive from all over the country. Aside from the Ivy League schools, Tulane has one of the most geographically diverse student bodies in the country. I am from Chicago and I have made friends from all corners of the country as well as students from other countries. I believe that this diversity is one of Tulane's strongest assets. While geographically diverse, Tulane is not however very ethnically diverse. Going to public schools in an urban setting my whole life up until college, I have been used to interacting with people of many races and socioeconomic backgrounds. At Tulane, most of the students are wealthier white kids and many of them have not grown up in racially diverse settings.

Steven

There really aren't any racial groups at Tulane because pretty much everyone is white. All the black students are athletes, there aren't many asians, and there aren't any hispanics. I think it's bad because many of the kids don't have any cultural knowledge. When my parents came to visit during parent weekend, there were a group of SigEp brothers who started yelling racial slurs at me and my parents. I mean seriously...are you kidding me? You're like 20 years old, grow up! I also won't forget about how they flicked off my dad when we got into our car. Students at Tulane are just so self absorbed. It's gotten to the point where I don't even feel comfortable being on campus. Most students come from a middle-upper income family. A lot of students are from the Northeast. It's kind of annoying because there are so many Boston area kids. Because of this, most students are liberal and care a lot about politics. There are a lot of Obama fans here.

Alex

Students at Tulane run the spectrum of fashion. When it rains, out pop the brightly colored rain boots. Students often have boots covered in vibrant colors or patterns, making the gray, rainy day more cheerful. During the very mild winter weather, many female student wear mini-skirts with Ugg boots, which seem silly in a place that rarely gets below 50 degrees fahrenheit. During any type of weather, there are always a variety of flip-flops, sunshine, rain, or snow. It is not too unusual to see a girl wearing a strand of pearls with her gym clothes. Students go to class in anything from sundresses, skirts, blouses, and heels, to sweats, t-shirts and tennis shoes. Boys wear anything from jeans and t-shirts to suits.

Katie

30{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} Jewish 30{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} Catholic 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} everyone else - primarily white These numbers and the stereotypes of these numbers reflect on the population Most have money, most are also on scholarship. Many are religious, few attend their respective religious locations on a regular basis. Tulane is a liberal, northern school in a southern state. LGBT accepted, but there isn't a huge population. Vera Wang, J Crew, Coach, and Longchamp are extremely common brands

Kate

The students, at least within the Greek community are very alike. A student who is very shy and/or has trouble with socializing would have a very hard time fitting in at Tulane as students like to engage with one another, faculty, and even administration while still contributing intellectual ideas. My roomate freshman year was very shy and had a much much harder time adjusting to life at Tulane than someone who was not afraid to talk to people they did not know.

Alex

The type of students that will feel out of place at Tulane are the students who are not involved. Everyone wears tee-shirts and shorts with flip flops, or some dress up casually. Most Tulane students are from California, and up north. No one really talks about how much money that they will earn one day.

Jesse

tulanes pretty homogenous. most black kids on campus are athletes, or they don't go here and are visiting an athlete. everyones pretty wealthy for the most part. lots of kids are on scholarships (up to like 20,000 for merit). nerds would feel out of place here. don't come here if you don't like to have fun or be social. tulane is small enough to get to know a large circle of people but big enough that you won't meet everyone while you're here. people arent really preoccupied with money/theirs or their parents money, but everyone wants to make $$ when theyre done here, obviously. money is shown through clothes and drugs of choice.

Julie

- because of its location, you can find pretty much any different type of student at Tulane - but they all coexist peacefully - Tulane students are from all over the country; many are from the northeast, but there are also a large number from the south