Tulane University of Louisiana Top Questions

Tulane is big in public service. Everyone is required hours of service each year.

Greek life is pretty popular as well as separate major oriented fraternities. In addition club sports and big sporting events are popular as well.

TUCP - brings bands to campus - last year we had Snoop Dogg and this year it was Ben Folds

About 1/3 of all undergrads are involved in Greek life. The dating scene here is primarily hook up based as opposed to long term relationships. Athletics are not popular here, mostly because our teams are not that good, so I would urge anyone looking for a division one school to really look elsewhere. Partying is a big thing here. The city itself lends well to that atmosphere. Getting alcohol is never a problem and going to bars is what people do almost every day.

We're a Division I school, with well-supported sports teams and long-standing traditions. We also have a lot of club sports teams, endless volunteer organizations, and other student groups that cater to just about any area of interest. Like juggling? We have a club for that. Hip-hop dance? Yeah, we have one of those, too. My boyfriend's personal favorite is Humans vs. Zombies, an event that takes place one week of every semester, in which bandana-clad students chase each other around with Nerf guns, in an attempt to force assimilation. On any given day, there could be a Drag Show in our Student Center, a themed frat party on Greek Row, several bake sales on campus, a walk for AIDS or Breast Cancer in neighboring Audubon Park, a play in the Performing Arts Center. Through classes, student organizations, dorm living, and athletics, it's easy to form multiple circles of friends. The possibilities are endless and it's impossible to get bored here.

A large portion of the student body is involved in Greek life, although it is not the end all of the social scene. There seems to be a sorority and fraternity for every type of student, and with the addition of two new sororities next year, it is a good opportunity for anyone who would like to take that path. Most people in Greek life are involved in a ton of extra activities proving that Tulane students don't have to be Greek to have a good time. As I said before there are endless opportunities to participate socially with out drinking, but that does not mean the bar scene is not one of the most popular choices. It seems that mostly everyone goes out and enjoys themselves at one or more of the many establishments close to campus. Some people choose to be involved with club sports such as crew or volleyball.

More than a third of students participate in greek life. There is an active student government, green club, theater programs and interesting campus programing. There are two bars that are basically on campus, and about five more in walking distance on maple street.

It's really easy to get involved at Tulane, and there is an activity for every interest. Student Government is very popular, and there is an undergraduate government as well as separate councils for each school. Cactus is one of the largest student organizations, and it spearheads many community service opportunities. Another popular organization is TUCP, which plans campus programming, and brings musicians, speakers and activities to campus. One of the major events of the year is Crawfest, which is free to Tulane students, and basically involves eating unlimited Crawfish while tanning on the quad listening to local bands. This is something almost all students participate in, and it is not to be missed. There are also a lot of events within the city, such as Po-boy fest, Southern Decadence, Mardi Gras (obviously), that attract Tulane students. Frats and sororities are exactly as important to you as you want them to be. If you want nothing to do with them, that is absolutely fine, and you can spend your time at clubs and bars around the city. If you want to join one, you will likely have best friends for life, but might also be subject to unnecessary drama. Frats have a lot of fun themed parties, and they are much more popular among underclassmen. Drinking is a huge part of Tulane nightlife, and New Orleans culture in general. However, Tulane does have a program called Tulane After Dark, which hosts comedians and other fun events on Thursday and Friday nights. There is no pressure to drink, but it is definitely a popular way to spend your time.

The most popular organization is probably TUCP, or campus programming, who procures musical guests and other events. A great source of school spirit is these events and concerts, moreso than sports teams, although they too draw many spectators. Club sports are a big draw, and fraternities usually compete in these for bragging rights and an excuse to throw victory parties. Personally, although I attend the basketball games frequently because I know some of the players, I am more involved with WTUL, or Tulane radio. There is an abundance of musical diversions, both affiliated with the school and elsewhere, because the city places a high value on music of all kinds. If I am awake on a Tuesday, I could be out at a bar, studying, talking with friends, watching a movie projected on the quad, or any number of diverse things; the night hours are just as good as day ones! Fraternities and Sororities are very important to those who are in them, but they are not universal by any means. People party very frequently, every night except sunday and monday, and maybe these if there is a good football game on. If you don't want to drink on a Saturday night, you could see a concert at the school or in town, have a fun movie party with your dorm, some popcorn and cupcakes, play frisbee on the quad with an LED equipped disk (amazing technology), or simply make a blanket and pillow fort with your significant other. With regard to the dating scene, all one really has to do is put himself or herself out there; many people meet in bars or while drinking and socializing, but class, the gym, or even a student senate meeting could all be occasion to make a romantic connection.

Greek life is popular at Tulane, but it's not the end of your social life if you don't get involved in it. While the image of Tulane as a party school has typically been linked to frats and sororities, controversy in the past ten years has led to a big crack-down in how wild Greek life gets. It's worth checking out the Greek system, but if you aren't involved in it there are many other ways to make friends. Activities like WTUL (the campus radio station) are great if you are interested in the local music scene. Students also connect with each other through the on and off campus jobs offered through the university, which is probably the best way to make friends at the school. Tulane Football plays in the Louisiana Superdome, and admission is free for all students. While going to games are fun, you won't find the same sort of excitement for sports that you'd get at other Southern schools like LSU. A lot of students actually travel to Baton Rouge to tailgate for the Tigers rather than cheer on the Green Wave, who are, well, not the best college football team. Nightlife at Tulane is centered around the college bars. The most popular of these are The Boot, The Palms and the Maple Street bars like TJ Quills and Rocco's Tavern. As students get older they inevitably gravitate farther from the university to check out more interesting 21+ venues. The social scene is not frat party oriented, most freshmen connect at bars instead of house parties, which makes it feel a lot less exclusive than other colleges. If you don't like to drink or party Tulane probably isn't a great fit for you, but there are plenty of fun things to do in New Orleans(most do involve excessive drinking, though.) There's over 400 festivals a year in the New Orleans area, and only 365 days. The most popular festivals for Tulane students are Mardi Gras, music festivals like Voodoo and Jazz Fest, the Po-Boy festival in November, and Tulane's annual crawfish boil, Crawfest. If you enjoy live music and food Tulane is a great choice, as you get opportunities to experience new tastes and sounds every day.