Join us at the Association for Pre-College Program Directors' Summer 2025 Virtual Fair on Wednesday, December 11th from 6 PM - 8 PM CST. We will have representatives available to answer all of your questions!

Residential Experience

Tulane Pre-College Programs residential participants get a true taste of college life from living in a residence hall with a roommate, to eating at The Malkin Sacks Commons, to working out at The Reily. Residential students will be immersed in a university setting that will inspire them to learn important skills that they will use when they enter their freshmen year of college like time management, meeting new people, and keeping common spaces clean, all while having the support of caring guidance from our program counselors.

During their two-week session, residential students take either one credit-bearing course or two enrichment courses.

A residential student tapes her door deck to her new room

Living on Campus

In our residence halls, you will forge meaningful friendships, learn from others, and discover more about yourself with students from a variety of backgrounds. Our staff provide opportunities for you to connect with your peers outside of class and support you as you adjust to your new home.

You will be housed in a single-point-of-entry dorm with assigned floors by gender and have access to university facilities like the Reily Student Recreation Center, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, and the Lavin-Bernick Center (LBC). Learn how to manage your time, budget your expenses, and live independently within a welcoming environment.

Residential Staff

Live-in professional staff is responsible for creating an inclusive community experience, as well as ensuring safety measures by enforcing curfew and other policies. Additionally, Tulane students will serve as mentors to help you forge lasting connections on excursions and during krewe meetings.

Expectations

We expect you to live independently like you would in your first year of college. Staff will provide support, but we expect you to self-advocate and take care of your basic needs. If guardians have concerns about your student's ability to live independently and self-advocate, please call (504) 314-7619 or email summer@tulane.edu to discuss their viability in the program.

Activities

We offer co-curricular programming to complement our academic courses. You will learn more about college life and the transition from high school to college. Evening activities and weekend excursions will help you get to know the Tulane experience and the New Orleans community.

Students doing a Service Learning Project at a Local Garden

Choosing Your Krewe

At Tulane Pre-College Programs, residential participants will join a "Krewe" inspired by New Orleans' Mardi Gras traditions. In these Krewes, students will foster community, creativity, and celebration with individuals that share their same interests. Your Krewe will provide a space to build friendships, create memories, and explore the city’s culture through a themed evening excursion. These hands-on experiences will connect your group’s interests to New Orleans’ rich history, art, and traditions, while helping you grow and deepen your connection to the Tulane community.

What TU Know

 

Most students will live in a double-occupancy room with a pre-assigned student featuring bunkable twin beds, moveable desks, and closet space, but some students may be in a single-occupancy room. Sheets, pillows, and towels are included. The meal plan included in the program cost covers three meals and a snack per day. A vegan option is included for every meal, and Dining staff work with participants who have dietary restrictions.

New Orleans is famous for its heat and humidity, especially in the summer months. The average high temperature in the summer is 95 and the average low is 80 degrees. All rooms and buildings are air-conditioned, including the residence hall and classrooms. Sheets, pillow, blanket, towel and washcloth are provided. Laundry facilities are available for use, free-of-charge, and laundry detergent is provided. At check in, we will also provide you with a Tulane Pre-College t-shirt, a lanyard and card holder, and a water bottle. As you begin packing, please consult our helpful pre-college packing list.

The only required expenses not included in the program cost are the cost of transportation to and from New Orleans. All extra-curricular activities, as well as transportation to and from these activities, are included in the cost of the program. Students should plan to have spending money for any souvenirs or extras that they wish to purchase. For example, admissions and transportation to the Aquarium of the Americas will be covered by the program. If a student wishes to buy a souvenir or a drink and a snack while there, they will need to cover that cost personally. We do not encourage students to bring large amounts of cash to Tulane Pre-College. There are ATMs for many major banks on campus in the LBC, and most places that your student may spend money accept debit and credit cards.


What to Bring Packing List

Maps and Directions

No matter how you plan to travel, you want to know the best way to get here. It also helps to know where you’re going once you're here. You can find driving directions to campus and an interactive campus map on Tulane’s Admission website.

Flying

Tulane University’s uptown campus is about a 25-minute drive from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (airport code MSY). A continuous airport shuttle will be available on residential move-in days and on move-out days. If a scheduled arrival or departure time is outside of the shuttle service window, students will need to find their own transportation to/from campus. Commercial taxi service, ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft, and car rentals are available from the airport.

Airport Shuttle

Tulane Pre-College provides complimentary shuttle services from the New Orleans International Airport (MSY) to campus on designated arrival days, and from campus to the airport on departure days. Requests for shuttle transportation must be included with the travel details you provided in your enrollment documents. Information about the shuttle schedule is available here.

Residential students should arrive between 10am - 3:30pm, and we provide a complimentary shuttle service from 10am - 3pm from the New Orleans International Airport (MSY) to campus. Parking on check-in day is usually available on campus. Once check in is complete, students can move their items in their room. If a scheduled arrival is outside of the shuttle service window, students will need to find their own transportation to campus.

Special requests for students to take longer or off-campus leaves from the program are highly discouraged as they will disrupt the immersive experience of the program. However, special leaves can be requested for approval, which approval may be granted or denied at the discretion of Tulane Pre-College Programs. Information on these policies and procedures are included in the student handbook, which is provided with students' enrollment paperwork in the spring.

Residential students are not permitted to leave campus unless supervised by pre-college staff. Parents/guardian may complete a leave request form to request student sign-out by a legal age adult.

Participants have classes from 9am-3:30pm with a lunch break. Students have plenty of downtime to enjoy hanging out with friends after class and can choose from a variety of social  activities at night and on the weekends. Tulane has a gym, libraries, Newcomb Art Museum, Dixon Concert Hall, campus bookstore, food court, ATMs, and a technology store. Audubon Park is across the street and is a local favorite for its scenic live oaks, jogging track, and golf course.

Check-Out and move out is between 6:30am and 12:00pm. Once the student has been signed out by a Program Counselor, they are authorized to leave campus. The complimentary shuttle service to the airport operates 7am – 12pm. Students are assigned a shuttle time that is approximately two hours before their flights. If a scheduled departure time is outside of the shuttle service window, students will need to find their own transportation from campus.

" It was great to have the residential experience which will serve as a precursor for the freshman college experience! The excursions were cool, and there were a lot of different options to choose from, which I appreciated. "

— Owen M., 2024

Students in the New Orleans Sculpture Garden