tulane university essay

Life123.com

• Home & Garden
• Relationships
• Celebrations

Master the Five-Paragraph Essay

The five-paragraph essay is one of the most common composition assignments out there, whether for high school or college students. It is a classic assignment because it presents an arena in which writers can demonstrate their command of language and punctuation, as well as their logic and rhetorical skills. These skills are useful not only for classroom assignments and college application essays, but even in the business world, as employees have to write memorandums and reports, which draw on the same skills.

Mastering the five-paragraph essay is doable, and here are some tips.

Components of a Good Essay

The five-paragraph essay lives up to its name, because is has five paragraphs, as follows: an introductory paragraph that includes a thesis, three body paragraphs, each which includes support and development, and one concluding paragraph.

Its structure sometimes generates other names for the same essay, including three-tier essay, one-three-one, or a hamburger essay. Whether you are writing a cause-and-effect essay, a persuasive essay, an argumentative essay or a compare-and-contrast essay, you should use this same structure and the following specifics.

Keys to Introductory Paragraphs

Any introductory paragraph contains from three to five sentences and sets up the tone and structure for the whole essay. The first sentence should be a so-called hook sentence and grabs the reader. Examples of hook sentences include a quote, a joke, a rhetorical question or a shocking fact. This is the sentence that will keep your readers reading. Draw them in.

What Makes a Thesis Statement

The last sentence should be your thesis statement, which is the argument you are going to make in the essay. It is the sentence that contains the main point of the essay, or what you are trying to prove. It should be your strongest claim in the whole essay, telling the reader what the paper is about. You should be able to look back at it to keep your argument focused. The other sentences in this paragraph should be general information that links the first sentence and the thesis.

Content of Supporting Paragraphs

Each of the next three paragraphs follows the same general structure of the introductory paragraph. That is, they have one introduction sentence, evidence and arguments in three to five sentences, and a conclusion. Each one of them should define and defend your thesis sentence in the introduction.

The first body paragraph should be dedicated to proving your most powerful point. The second body paragraph can contain your weakest point, because the third body paragraph can, and should, support another strong argument.

Concluding Paragraph Tips

Your concluding paragraph is important, and can be difficult. Ideally, you can begin by restating your thesis. Then you can recall or restate all three to five of your supporting arguments. You should summarize each main point. If you have made similar arguments multiple times, join those together in one sentence.

Essentially, in the concluding or fifth paragraph, you should restate what your preceding paragraphs were about and draw a conclusion. It should answer the question: So what? Even if the answer seems obvious to you, write it down so that your reader can continue to easily follow your thinking process, and hopefully, agree with you.

A Note on Compare and Contrast

Let’s look a little more closely at the compare-and-contrast essay, which is a very common assignment. It can be a confusing one due to the terms used. Comparing two items is to show how they are alike. Contrasting two items is to show how they are different. One way to approach this essay is to make a grid for yourself that compares or contrasts two items before you start writing. Then, write about those characteristics. Do not try to write about both. The name of the essay is actually misleading.

Keep these pointers in mind when you need to write a five-paragraph essay, and your end result will be clear in its argument, leading your reader to the right conclusion. Often, that conclusion is to agree with you, and who doesn’t like to be right?

MORE FROM LIFE123.COM

QuestionsAnswered.net

What's Your Question?

10 Great Essay Writing Tips

Knowing how to write a college essay is a useful skill for anyone who plans to go to college. Most colleges and universities ask you to submit a writing sample with your application. As a student, you’ll also write essays in your courses. Impress your professors with your knowledge and skill by using these great essay writing tips.

Prepare to Answer the Question

Most college essays ask you to answer a question or synthesize information you learned in class. Review notes you have from lectures, read the recommended texts and make sure you understand the topic. You should refer to these sources in your essay.

Plan Your Essay

Many students see planning as a waste of time, but it actually saves you time. Take a few minutes to think about the topic and what you want to say about it. You can write an outline, draw a chart or use a graphic organizer to arrange your ideas. This gives you a chance to spot problems in your ideas before you spend time writing out the paragraphs.

Choose a Writing Method That Feels Comfortable

You might have to type your essay before turning it in, but that doesn’t mean you have to write it that way. Some people find it easy to write out their ideas by hand. Others prefer typing in a word processor where they can erase and rewrite as needed. Find the one that works best for you and stick with it.

View It as a Conversation

Writing is a form of communication, so think of your essay as a conversation between you and the reader. Think about your response to the source material and the topic. Decide what you want to tell the reader about the topic. Then, stay focused on your response as you write.

Provide the Context in the Introduction

If you look at an example of an essay introduction, you’ll see that the best essays give the reader a context. Think of how you introduce two people to each other. You share the details you think they will find most interesting. Do this in your essay by stating what it’s about and then telling readers what the issue is.

Explain What Needs to be Explained

Sometimes you have to explain concepts or define words to help the reader understand your viewpoint. You also have to explain the reasoning behind your ideas. For example, it’s not enough to write that your greatest achievement is running an ultra marathon. You might need to define ultra marathon and explain why finishing the race is such an accomplishment.

Answer All the Questions

After you finish writing the first draft of your essay, make sure you’ve answered all the questions you were supposed to answer. For example, essays in compare and contrast format should show the similarities and differences between ideas, objects or events. If you’re writing about a significant achievement, describe what you did and how it affected you.

Stay Focused as You Write

Writing requires concentration. Find a place where you have few distractions and give yourself time to write without interruptions. Don’t wait until the night before the essay is due to start working on it.

Read the Essay Aloud to Proofread

When you finish writing your essay, read it aloud. You can do this by yourself or ask someone to listen to you read it. You’ll notice places where the ideas don’t make sense, and your listener can give you feedback about your ideas.

Avoid Filling the Page with Words

A great essay does more than follow an essay layout. It has something to say. Sometimes students panic and write everything they know about a topic or summarize everything in the source material. Your job as a writer is to show why this information is important.

MORE FROM QUESTIONSANSWERED.NET

Tulane University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Decision: 

Early Action: 

Tulane University 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Community

Tulane has kept it simple with its classic supplemental question, so we’ll make this introduction brief. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: a straightforward supplement is a demand for perfection.  

Describe why you are interested in joining the Tulane community. Consider your experiences, talents, and values to illustrate what you would contribute to the Tulane community if admitted.

This statement should be 250 words at most; however, it is neither necessary nor expected that you reach this maximum length. we strongly encourage you to focus on content and efficiency rather than word count. while submitting this prompt is optional, we recommend that all applicants do so..

This question is a blend of the Why Essay and the Community Essay. Admissions wants to know not only why you’re interested in joining the Tulane community, but also what you will, in turn, contribute to the community should you be admitted. Now’s the time to do some research and paint a picture of what your life would be like as a Tulane student. In other words, show off your fit! Maybe you’ve been a researcher since you were a little kid, devouring books and documentaries about your favorite subjects. What excites you about attending a university that the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching ranked in the top 2% nationwide for research activity? Once you’ve answered the first part of the prompt, focus on what kind of impact you want to have on Tulane’s campus. Whether you hope to bring your teamwork skills to a club sport or your leadership skills to a volunteer organization dear to your heart, be sure to tell admissions the kind of story that shows their student body will be incomplete without you.

About Kat Stubing

View all posts by Kat Stubing »

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Contact us for information on rates and more!

• I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
• Name * First Last
• Phone Type Mobile Landline
• Street Address
• Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
• Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
• How did you find CEA? Internet Search New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Other
• Common App and Coalition Essays
• Supplemental Essays
• University of California Essays
• University of Texas Essays
• Resume Review
• Post-Grad Essays
• Specialized Services
• Waitlist Letters
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
• Agnes Scott College
• Alvernia University
• American University
• Amherst College
• Bard College
• Barnard College
• Baylor University
• Bennington College
• Bentley University
• Berry College
• Bethany College
• Bishop’s University
• Boston College
• Boston University
• Bowdoin College
• Brandeis University
• Brown University
• Bryn Mawr College
• Butler University
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• California Lutheran University
• Capitol Technology University
• Carleton College
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Catawba College
• Centre College
• Chapman University
• Claremont McKenna College
• Clark University
• College of Mount Saint Vincent
• College of William and Mary
• College of Wooster
• Colorado College
• Colorado School of Mines
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Culver-Stockton College
• Dartmouth College
• Davidson College
• Drexel University
• Duke University
• Earlham College
• Elon University
• Emerson College
• Emory University
• Flagler College
• Fordham University
• George Mason University
• Georgetown University
• Georgia State University
• Georgia Tech
• Gonzaga University
• Harvey Mudd College
• Haverford College
• Hillsdale College
• Hofstra University
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Indiana University Bloomington
• Ithaca College
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kalamazoo College
• Lafayette College
• Lehigh University
• Lewis and Clark College
• Linfield University
• Loyola Marymount University
• Lynn University
• Macalester College
• Malone University
• Manchester University
• Marist College
• Mary Baldwin University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Meredith College
• Monmouth College
• Moravian University
• Morehouse College
• Mount Holyoke College
• New York University (NYU)
• North Park University
• Northwestern University
• Occidental College
• Oklahoma City University
• Pepperdine University
• Pitzer College
• Pomona College
• Princeton University
• Providence College
• Purdue University
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Rice University
• Rutgers University
• Saint Elizabeth University
• Santa Clara University
• Sarah Lawrence College
• Scripps College
• Seattle Pacific University
• Soka University of America
• Southern Methodist University
• Stanford University
• Stonehill College
• SUNY Stony Brook University
• Swarthmore College
• Syracuse University
• Texas A&M University
• Texas Christian University
• The College of Idaho
• The George Washington University
• The New School
• Trinity College
• Tufts University
• Tulane University
• University of California
• University of Chicago
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Florida
• University of Georgia
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• University of Maryland
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Miami
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Oregon
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Richmond
• University of San Diego
• University of San Francisco
• University of Southern California (USC)
• University of Tampa
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Tulsa
• University of Vermont
• University of Virginia (UVA)
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Vanderbilt University
• Vassar College
• Villanova University
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest University
• Washington and Lee University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Wellesley College
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
• Yale University

Want free stuff?

We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!

One-On-One Advising

Common App Essay Prompt Guide

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

• YouTube Tutorials
• Our Approach & Team
• Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Academy and Worksheets
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guide
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Statistics
• Deadline Databases
• Notification Trackers

2022-23 Tulane Supplemental Essays – Prompts and Tips

August 8, 2022

If you blinked at some point during the 2010s, you may have missed Tulane’s meteoric rise in selectivity that resulted in a sub-9% acceptance rate for the Class of 2026. However, today, this mid-size private research university in New Orleans is among the most selective schools in the country. The average incoming freshman possesses 95th percentile standardized test scores and a strong academic transcript. This brings us to the topic of this blog — the Tulane supplemental essays for 2022-23.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Tulane? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into Tulane University: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

When applying to an institution like Tulane that rejects nine of every ten applicants, you’ll need to put maximum effort into every area of the application, including the three supplemental essays. Below are Tulane University’s three optional supplemental prompts for the 2022-23 admissions cycle along with our advice for composing a winning essay.

Tulane Supplemental Essays – Prompt #1 (Optional)

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (250 words)

Tulane is not necessarily asking you to write about the activity where you earned the most prestigious awards or held the highest position of leadership. The university is going to see all of your activities in that section of the Common App. As such, you want to ask yourself which of your entries is crying out for more explanation and detail? Which one is closest to your heart and most representative of your unique passions? Pick the option that will allow you to deliver additional detail that may be memorable to the admissions reader. Start this process by asking yourself, “What is the most interesting and consequential moment that I have experienced in one of my extracurricular activities?” If you can identify one clear-cut moment, that is likely the activity worth sharing with the Tulane admissions staff.

Essay Prompt #2 (Optional)

Please describe why you are interested in attending Tulane University. (50-800 words)

Tulane wants to know about the academic discipline in which you are interested and why you desire to pursue your studies at their institution. With up to 800 words at your disposal, you’ll have all the real estate you need to make a detailed and compelling case for why Tulane is the perfect school for you.

In general, make sure to:

• Cite specific academic programs, professors, research opportunities, internship/externship programs, study abroad programs, student-run organizations, etc.
• Address why Tulane is an ideal-fit school for you.
• Lastly, explain how you will take advantage of the university’s immense resources both inside and outside of the classroom.

Examples of items that quality “Why Tulane?” essays touch upon include:

• Firstly, Tulane’s great track record with facilitating community service opportunities.
• The 60+ Tulane Interdisciplinary Experience Seminar topics available.
• The small class size—94% of classes have fewer than 50 students.
• Additionally, Tulane has an excellent 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
• Desire to participate in some of the 200 student-led organizations on campus.
• The geographic diversity on campus—85% come to the school from over 300 miles away.
• 110 study abroad programs in 40+ countries.

Essay Prompt #3 (Optional)

Tulane values the lessons gained from pursuing an education alongside a student body that represents a wide range of experiences and perspectives and is reflective of our multicultural world. If you would like to share a perspective related to your family, cultural group, sexual or gender identity, religious group, or some other aspect that has shaped your identity, please do so here. (50-800 words)

While this one is technically “optional”, we advise every single applicant to Tulane to go ahead and complete this essay. Remember, Tulane is one of those rare schools that rejects 90+% of those who apply. Therefore, it is essential that you showcase the characteristics and skills that make you one-of-a-kind.

Take note of the wide-open nature of this prompt. Essentially, you are welcome to address the following topics:

• A perspective related to family.
• An experience or point of view related to a cultural group.
• A perspective related to a sexual/gender identity.
• The influence of a religious group.
• Any other community experience that has shaped your identity.

The admissions officer reading your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words. Therefore, you should be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and insightful. No matter what type of story you tell, the goal is to have the reader come away saying, “I can definitely see this applicant as a contributing member of our talented and engaged student community.”

How important are the Tulane supplemental essays?

Tulane lists four factors as being “very important” to the admissions committee: GPA, standardized test scores, class rank, and the rigor of your secondary school record. The Common App and supplemental essays are included in the next tier of “important” factors alongside recommendations and character/personal qualities.

Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

Lastly, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Tulane supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

• College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

• 2-Year Colleges
• Application Strategies
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High School Success
• High Schools
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Summer Programs

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the Tulane University Essays 2022-2023

Located in the vibrant and multicultural New Orleans, Tulane University is a private research university that began as a medical college to combat cholera. To this day, the school continues to uphold their commitment to service. Tulane has integrated community service into its curriculum and mandates it for all students. If you’re looking for ways to give back, the school has ample opportunities including service learning courses, public service research, and service-based study abroad programs.

Tulane offers three optional supplemental essays where you can showcase aspects of yourself that aren’t as present in the rest of your application. The first is about your extracurricular activities, the second about why you want to attend Tulane, and the third is about diverse perspectives. 

Below we cover how to respond to these essay questions. Our essay team is here to breakdown tips and tricks to writing the Tulane University supplemental essays.

Want to know your chances at Tulane? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Tulane University Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prompt 1 (optional): If you would like to elaborate on one of your activities, you may do so briefly here. (20-250 words)

Prompt 2 (optional): Please briefly describe why you are interested in attending Tulane University. (500 words)

Prompt 3 (optional): Tulane values the lessons gained from pursuing an education alongside a student body that represents a wide range of experiences and perspectives and is reflective of our multicultural world. If you would like to share a perspective related to your family, cultural group, sexual or gender identity, religious group, or some other aspect that has shaped your identity, please do so here. (500 words)

If you would like to elaborate on one of your activities, you may do so briefly here. (optional, 250 words max)

Although you probably already listed out your extracurriculars on your application, chances are you those one or two lines didn’t accurately capture the hard work and dedication you put into your extracurriculars. This prompt attempts to mitigate that by allowing you to expand on one of your extracurriculars. This is an opportunity to add depth to your application in a way that shows rather than simply telling readers your passions and character traits. Answering this prompt also lends credibility to your application overall by detailing your specific contributions to the organization or activity you previously mentioned.

When choosing an activity, use the following steps to determine which one would fit best into this prompt:

Choosing the activity :

• Step 1: Replicate your extracurriculars list from the Common App on a piece of paper or in a spreadsheet.
• Step 2: Create a column to the right and write down any accomplishments, interactions, conversations, phrases, or words that are particularly memorable for each activity.
• Step 3: Further to the right, write down in a separate column the corresponding/related student organizations, events, and programs available at or in the vicinity of Tulane.
• Step 4: Rank your activities in order of content, with the ones with the most impressive accomplishments, most interesting conversations, and most corresponding Tulane programs at the top, and the ones with the least at the bottom.
• Step 5: Choose the top-ranked activity to write about, unless you feel very strongly for another high-ranked item.

You can approach this prompt multiple ways, but we recommend either a narrative- or collection-based approach. A narrative approach involves focusing in on one particular memory, event, or instance for the majority of the response. A collection approach would entail detailing a few of these events in a way where your response emulates some sort of connecting, underlying theme. Because of the smaller word count, a narrative approach will probably be easier to tackle, unless you have two or three strongly interconnected instances.

When constructing this prompt, it is important to focus on showing, and not telling your audience what you have done. While listing out the number of hours you spent volunteering or the board positions you held over the years does quantify your efforts, the essay prompt is a space to demonstrate these things more creatively, so avoid stating these facts directly unless they can be smoothly woven into your narrative.

The key to showing and not telling is specificity and descriptive language. A natural inclination many students have is to list out every event they volunteered at or contribution they made to the extracurricular, but within this word limit, this approach can leave much to be desired in terms of detail. Rather than pursuing quantity, try to zero in on one or two quality instances that you feel best showcase your contributions to the extracurricular, and use descriptive language rather than plain statements to illustrate how you feel about the activity rather than merely describing the steps you took to complete it.

Here are two versions of an essay about dance.

In my sophomore year, I stumbled into the dance studio by chance one day, and was invited to audition to be placed on a team. During the audition, I noticed how free yet powerful the advanced dancers looked when performing, and became determined to emulate their techniques. Ever since then, I have become a loyal member of the dance club at XXX High School.

In that first audition, I was selected to perform with the largest dance organization in school, which performed a variety of pieces, including house, modern, and freestyle at school fairs, annual productions, and charity events. As I learned to nail down the basics of hip-hop and modern dance, I began to choreograph for the team on occasion, and organizing extra practices for other members to perfect our upcoming set.

Dance is the newest thing I have learned in my life. In exploring this novel territory, I have learned the determination and humility necessary in nurturing a craft from scratch, characteristics that will certainly help me succeed in performing with the Newcomb Dance Company at Tulane. Other than this prestigious student dance organization, I am also interested in joining the Tulane Ballroom Dancing Club to supplement my repertoire of dance styles. It would be very interesting to experience and investigate the roots of social dance that we see today and I look forward to bringing my expertise in modern dance and choreography to the Tulane dance community.

Upon first pointe, I was immediately enraptured by the power (and delicacy), freedom (and discipline) of dance. Ever since, I have committed my creative spirit to cultivating the dance subculture at XXX High School, in a consummate mélange of my passion for hip-hop and community building .

With no prior training, I auditioned and was selected to perform with the largest dance organization in school.

To perfect our set and provide fellow budding dancers with the opportunity to expand their repertoire, I taught snippets of other styles — house, modern, freestyle… — in the bi-weekly extra practices I coordinated for the team.

The rest of my spare time I spent configuring my limbs into novel silhouettes in choreography for our upcoming set.

In exploring the exquisite art of dance, I grasped the humility and tenacity necessary in nurturing a craft from scratch, characteristics that will surely assist my transition into performing with the Newcomb Dance Company in the successors of its current production Above the Oaks. This annual student-run performance will prompt me to hone my technique in the three core styles that cement the foundation for all creative choreography: ballet, modern and jazz, perfecting my grand j été in the process.

Between rehearsals, I can be found waltzing into the Lakeside Room of the Reily Center to take lessons with Tammy Clark as a member of the Tulane Ballroom Dancing Club, foxtrotting across the floor, further into my dance journey.

While version 1 and version 2 both discuss the same activity, sequence of events, and even mention joining the same organizations at Tulane, version 2 is much more effective in illustrating an image of you enhancing the dance community’s spirit with your choreography of “novel silhouettes” in the admissions officers’ minds.

Here are some of the mistakes found in version 1:

• Failed to highlight the most impressive part of the candidate’s accomplishment in dance, which is being selected to dance with the largest organization in school with no prior training. While version 1 does mention performing with that organization after the first audition and mentions stumbling into that audition accidentally, it does not spell out the candidate’s lack of experience in plain words, and hence does not sufficiently emphasize her talent.
• Used very plain and commonplace phrases on applications such as:
• “I noticed how… and became determined to…”
• “Ever since then, I became a…”
• “Other than this… I am also interested in joining…”
• “It would be very interesting to…”
• Try to avoid these commonly used sentence structures. Otherwise, embellish them by rearranging the structure of the sentence or packing the rest of the sentence with unique words (that fit the context of course) and vivid imagery.
• Version 1 “told” without “showing” anything. Version 2’s  “ Upon first pointe, I was immediately enraptured by the power (and delicacy), freedom (and discipline) of dance” effectively conveys the idea that the candidate was hooked by dance upon her first encounter, but with much more powerful illustration than version 1’s statement of events that led to the candidate’s participation in dance. Version 2 also makes reference to “pointe,” which is a ballet term, further showcasing her true depth of experience in dance. If possible, try to incorporate relevant references to the activity throughout your essay.

Just remember, less is not more in terms of the level of detail in admissions essay-writing. In your first drafts, try to pen as many details about your anecdotes as you can possibly think of; you can decide which ones are not essential later.

Writing them all down on one page allows you to make a more objective decision about which ones are critical and which ones are not. Besides, in revising your essay, you never know which details you will need later on; therefore, it is beneficial to have an archive of all possible details in a longer first draft.

Please describe why you are interested in attending Tulane University. (optional, 500 words max)

Many universities employ a “ Why This College? ” prompt to better assess your interest in the school and knowledge of their current offerings. Writing a strong response serves to set apart candidates who may have similar academic statistics and extracurriculars. You should absolutely respond to this essay, even though it’s technically optional.

Your response to this prompt helps admissions officers determine  if Tulane is a good fit for you – and in return, doing this type of research can also help you determine where it falls on your prospective school list. Therefore, it is important that you paint a detailed and accurate picture of what you are looking to get out of your college experience at Tulane. While it is impossible for you to truly know what your college experience holds, you can use your current skills and interests as a starting point to determine which communities you may inhabit at Tulane.

Since you have up to 500 words, you have ample space to talk about multiple aspects of Tulane that interest you, and you’ll be able to also provide plenty of detail on how those Tulane resources connect to your interests and goals. 

One potential starting point is thinking about your prospective major and potential courses you could take. A great starting point is Tulane’s website, where there is a list of Majors and Minors. Under this tab, you can choose your prospective major and then see a list of course requirements with course descriptions. You can also browse a list of professors and find one that participates in research that intrigues you. 

However, it is important to note that simply name-dropping a class or professor can have an adverse effect rather than contributing to your application. This might be the case if you choose courses that are too generic or mention professors without connecting them to your interests. Remember, while this essay is about your interest in Tulane, it is also about you. Therefore, establishing a personal connection to the college is important . 

For example, think about your current clubs and which of them you would like to pursue in the future. Tulane’s website has a Campus Life tab that contains multiple avenues to learn about the school’s offerings and its connection to the surrounding community. Just as with classes and professors, it is important to find clubs and events specific to Tulane and your interests. For example, if a student has a history of fighting food insecurity, Tulane has a Food Recovery Network organization. Because most schools have some form of community service, it is important to name the specific club and also specific goals and activities that you wish to participate in. You should describe what you wish to do at Tulane and tie it back to work that you have already done in this field. 

Here are two potential responses:

Bad: “I have always been very passionate about community service; in particular, fighting food insecurity is very important to me. I am interested in Tulane because I wish to make a difference in the community and there are clubs that fight food insecurity in the local area. I can use the resources at this college to further pursue my passion and help others. This will also help me gain leadership skills for my future career, which I hope will involve some form of community service in this manner.”

Good: “At my high school, I established a program to combat food insecurity where students could drop their unopened leftover food from the cafeteria lunches in a box that anyone could grab from. I worked with my principal to establish a program where the food that was left at the end of the lunch period was taken to a local food shelter. My passion for food redistribution is one that I hope to continue at Tulane, a school that prides itself on its commitment to community service. Through an organization like the Food Recovery Network, I can help package leftovers from The Commons to donate to a homeless shelter. I also plan on starting my own initiative to fight food insecurity on campus, by working with dining hall staff to create a program to increase accessibility to food insecure students.”

The first response may be factual but lacks the detail and depth necessary to sound convincing. The generic approach does not really convey the student’s background in this topic, or how they plan to pursue it at Tulane. The second response bridges the student’s past with their potential future at Tulane, and establishes a realistic and goal-oriented path for readers to follow. Adding these specific details signals a deeper interest in Tulane itself while also communicating your passion for this type of community service. 

Finally, because Tulane is a small, private university, it can be helpful to mention people affiliated with the university, especially if they influenced your decision to apply. Tulane espouses this as it can be helpful for their admissions office to know if you have an indirect link to the school. This can include current students, alumni, and recruitment officers. If you don’t know anyone yet, no worries! Tulane has a Green Wave Ambassadors program where prospective students can read about and contact current campus tour guides at the university. Networking can both help you learn more about Tulane and also give you valuable information for this essay prompt.

Tulane values the lessons gained from pursuing an education alongside a student body that represents a wide range of experiences and perspectives and is reflective of our multicultural world. If you would like to share a perspective related to your family, cultural group, sexual or gender identity, religious group, or some other aspect that has shaped your identity, please do so here. (optional, 500 words)

This is a great prompt that is essentially asking about what makes you diverse. Tulane draws attention to our multicultural world and how we all have different experiences and perspectives that make us unique and add value to our community. Your range of experiences and perspectives can stem from your ethnicity/race, gender, country of origin, language, hometown, socioeconomic status, illness/disability, and so much more. You can even mention interests you have or activities you participate in that have allowed you to gain a perspective that is different from others. 

Notice that the question asks you to not only share something that makes you diverse, but also how it has “shaped your identity.” This is an important part of the question because you do not want to just list off fragmented aspects of your identity that you think make you unique. Instead, you want to create a cohesive story that explains how your experiences and perspectives have shaped you into the person you are today, as well as how they will influence who you will be in the future. Choose a couple aspects of your identity to focus on and weave a story that helps admissions officers understand how all of those aspects fit together. 

A common misconception about diversity essays is that you must mention something that applies to ONLY you – this is not true. You can mention aspects of your identity that you believe make you unique, but these do not have to be qualities that no one else possesses. It would actually be quite difficult to find qualities that only apply to you. The goal here is not to find something that only applies to you, but rather to find something that has a unique impact on you. 

For example, a handful of applicants may believe that their public speaking skills make them unique. However, each of these applicants will have a different story regarding public speaking. One applicant may have struggled a lot with self-esteem. However, after developing their public speaking skills, they became more confident in their abilities. To help others in a similar boat, they may have started a public speaking club at their school to help increase students’ confidence.

Another applicant may be really interested in both public speaking and healthcare equity, so maybe they meshed both of these interests to speak at local events and advocate for equal access to healthcare. Notice how both of these students like public speaking and believe it makes them unique, but each has their own story that gives more insight into what public speaking means to them and how it has shaped them.

Where to Get Your Tulane Essays Edited 

Do you want feedback on your Tulane essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools.  Find the right advisor for you  to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Tulane Essay Guide: 2022-2023

Tulane Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• Tulane acceptance rate : 10% — U.S. News ranks Tulane as a highly competitive school.
• In U.S. News list of National Universities Tulane University ranking is #44.
• Common App essay
• 2 (50-500 words) optional essays
• 1 (250-word) extracurricular essay
• Tulane application note: Students can apply via the Common App or Tulane’s online application .
• #1 Tulane Essay Tip: Though each Tulane supplemental essay is “optional,” think of them as required. We recommend giving yourself plenty of time to answer each Tulane supplemental essay comprehensively and thoughtfully in order to stand out to Tulane admissions. 

What are Tulane’s supplemental essays?

Each Tulane essay for the 2022-2023 application cycle is posted on the Common App site . The Tulane supplemental essays asks you to discuss your experiences, background, and reasons for applying to Tulane.

Think of the Tulane supplemental essays as an opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are beyond what you already wrote in your Common App personal statement . Successful Tulane essays will present a clear, cohesive, yet dynamic picture of who you are.

Tulane Supplemental Essay Requirements

Your Common App essay is a key part of your Tulane application. Tulane requires students to respond to the Common App essay prompt essays. 

Beyond the Common App essay, you’ll find three Tulane supplemental essays that are all optional this year. However, we recommend that you complete each Tulane supplemental essay to maximize your Tulane admissions odds, especially given the low Tulane University acceptance rate. Think of each Tulane essay prompt as a required part of the Tulane supplemental materials. 

Remember, Tulane also receives your personal statement submitted through the Common App or the online Tulane application. This means that you will submit your Tulane essays as well as your Common App essay.

Need some help writing your Common App essay? Get great tips from our Common App essay guide .

How many essays are required for Tulane?

There are three optional Tulane essays. This year, each Tulane supplemental essay is technically optional. However, hopeful applicants should consider them all required. One Tulane essay prompt asks you to write a “Why Tulane” essay, another asks you to discuss your diverse perspective, and the third asks you to elaborate on an extracurricular experience.

In short, students are only required to complete the Common App essay in their Tulane application; all three supplemental essays are optional.

In addition, consider each “optional” Tulane essay a vital part of the Tulane supplemental materials. Tulane admissions is extremely selective. Hopeful applicants should think of every Tulane supplemental essay as an opportunity to impress Tulane admissions. While each Tulane essay isn’t technically a part of the Tulane application requirements, they still can make a huge difference in the Tulane admissions process. 

The Tulane University acceptance rate is relatively low (just 10%), so each Tulane essay can help you stand out . With so many hopeful applicants, you need to do everything possible to present yourself as a dynamic, serious, and motivated student. Competitive applicants will treat each Tulane essay as a required and important part of the Tulane application process. 

Tulane essay #1: “Why Tulane” Essay 

Please describe why you are interested in attending tulane university (up to 500 words)..

This Why Tulane essay is a classic type of essay. You may wonder whether you should write the Why Tulane essay since it’s listed as optional. However, if you are serious about being admitted, you should consider the Why Tulane essay a required part of your application. The word limit is as vague as it gets, so we recommend 300-500 words. Your Why Tulane essay will be more effective if it is focused and concise instead of long and rambling.

An effective Why Tulane essay will think beyond the Tulane University acceptance rate and Tulane University ranking. Though these factors feel important, they do not ultimately relate to your application. When answering this Why Tulane essay, don’t just write about why you want to attend Tulane. Think of this Why Tulane essay as a “why fit” essay. Your college experience is a two-way street; you will both contribute to and benefit from the Tulane community.

Successful Tulane supplemental essays will reflect the mission and key values of the school—a strong research institution with a tight-knit campus community and small class sizes. In your Tulane essays, capture the essence of Tulane’s demanding academics and community engagement.

Service-oriented

If you are committed to serving others, Tulane is an excellent place for you—and this “Why Tulane” essay is a perfect opportunity to discuss your commitment. The school has many opportunities to explore service learning courses , service research projects , and service abroad .

When writing your Why Tulane essay, be specific about classes you want to take, research opportunities you want to pursue, clubs you want to join, and places you want to serve. Successful Tulane supplemental essays will take these a step further, however. Don’t just name-drop. Instead, connect them to your experiences and goals.

Strong “Why Tulane” essays will incorporate some or all of the following questions: How and why will you choose to spend your time at Tulane? In what ways will your involvement help you pursue your major ? How will the ways you spend your time light up your curiosity to learn? How will they spur you forward in your career? In your Why Tulane essay, describe specifically how Tulane’s offerings will help you succeed.

Make it personal

Avoid cliché phrases, generalizing, and overly emotional appeals. Don’t discuss traditions that are too well-known or frequently written about, either. Instead, make it personal. Perhaps you attended a campus tour that left an impression on you or you attended a webinar that inspired you to apply. Mention these specific and personal connections to Tulane in your essay. What put Tulane at the top of your college list ?

This essay prompt is so broad that you have lots of freedom. Make sure to discuss both academic and non-academic reasons for applying to Tulane. No one expects you to have your future fully planned when writing the Why Tulane essay. However, the admissions team does want to see that you can articulate a genuine plan based on your interests and goals.

For each Tulane essay, brainstorm , research, outline, draft, and proofread before submitting. Your Tulane essays should represent your best content and writing ability.

Tulane Essay Reflection Questions:

• Does your essay highlight why you would succeed at Tulane specifically?
• Is your Why Tulane essay both specific and personal?
• Does your essay “show” instead of “tell” through vivid details?
• Do you clearly and concisely write your response to the Why Tulane essay prompt?

Tulane Essay # 2: Diverse perspectives essay

Tulane values the lessons gained from pursuing an education alongside a student body that represents a wide range of experiences and perspectives and is reflective of our multicultural world. if you would like to share a perspective related to your family, cultural group, sexual or gender identity, religious group, or some other aspect that has shaped your identity, please do so here. (up to 500 words).

This Tulane essay prompt, like the Tulane why school essay, is also optional. However, we strongly recommend that you complete it to maximize your chances against the lower-than-average Tulane acceptance rate. 

By explaining a specific perspective that has shaped your background , your response to this Tulane essay prompt will enhance your application. The prompt provides several suggestions for perspectives—family, cultural group, sexual or gender identity, or religious group—but also allows for others.

Does something on this list resonate with your identity? What makes you stand out among your peers? Do you have a special hobby or interest? Are you soon to be a first-generation college student ? Did you take a meaningful gap year ? What else have you not shared about yourself with Tulane? Ultimately, how can your response to this Tulane essay prompt illuminate who you are?

Since there are only three Tulane supplemental essays, you’re bound to have some part of your identity you haven’t yet shared with admissions. Rather than thinking of this Tulane essay prompt as another box to check, think of it as another opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are. Successful Tulane supplemental essays will delve into diverse perspectives you haven’t discussed elsewhere in your application.

When answering this Tulane essay prompt, you may have trouble being personal and specific when others share your identity. The most effective Tulane essays will make a broader identity unique to you by telling a compelling story and detailing how your identity has impacted your own life.

• Does your response to the Tulane essay prompt highlight something that you have not discussed elsewhere on your application?
• Is your Tulane supplemental essay personal and specific?
• Do you tell a compelling story about who you are for this Tulane essay prompt?

Tulane Essay #3: Extracurricular essay

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (250 words).

Choosing a topic for this Tulane essay prompt can feel overwhelming. Brainstorm several ideas before selecting one. Most strong Tulane applicants will have many options to choose from when responding to this Tulane essay prompt.

The most successful Tulane supplemental essays will be well-written and unique. You don’t have to write about the activity that you are most involved in, especially if you already discussed that activity in your Common App personal statement . Just make sure that the activity you choose matters to you.

Focus on impact

Effective Tulane essays will discuss why you chose to get involved in your activity or work experience , how you have dedicated yourself to it, and how this activity has impacted your community, growth, and character. As you address these questions, focus primarily on impact. What did you do, why did you do it, and what was the result? Choose the experience where you have made the biggest difference when writing your Tulane supplemental essays.

This Tulane essay prompt is quite straightforward but like some of the other Tulane essays it is very broad. You have the freedom to tell your story to the admissions committee. The best Tulane supplemental essays will either focus on one experience—one conversation, one interaction, one day—or discuss your involvement in an activity over time. The more detail you can provide, the stronger your response to this Tulane essay prompt will be.

Tell your story

When answering this Tulane essay prompt (and all others), be vivid in your storytelling. Instead of just stating what happened in your Tulane supplemental essays, use specific examples and descriptions. Be vivid without being wordy—successful Tulane supplemental essays will be concise. You only have 250 words, so don’t be too long-winded when answering this Tulane essay prompt.

Most importantly, include the “So what?” in your Tulane supplemental essays. While you should outline what you did, you should spend most of your Tulane essay describing why your actions mattered. What skills can you highlight? How did your mindset shift? What values does this activity reveal about who you are? Ultimately, why did you choose to tell this story instead of another?

• Is your response to this Tulane essay prompt original and personal?
• Did you select a topic that is interesting and important to you?
• Does your Tulane essay focus on your growth, skills, and values?
• Do you avoid repeating content that has already been discussed in your Tulane application?

How do I write the Tulane supplemental essays?

The admissions team evaluates your Tulane supplemental essays for both content and writing ability. So, what you choose to write about for your Tulane essays matters as much as your writing skill. Proofread your Tulane essays for all grammatical and syntactical errors. Finally, remember to review your essay for the message it sends to the admissions committee.

With three Tulane supplemental essays, you have plenty of freedom to explore different parts of your identity. Consider your application as a whole package. Each of your Tulane supplemental essays should provide a new and deeper window into who you are.

It may feel overwhelming to complete three Tulane supplemental essays. However, if you give yourself adequate time to plan, draft, and revise your Tulane essays, you can eliminate much of the stress in the application process. 

Additional tips for “Why School” essays

The why school essay is one of the most common types of essays that you will see during the college application process. The why school essay basically asks students to elaborate on why they want to attend that specific university. In a why school essay, students should be specific. 

In a why school essay, you can talk about the Tulane-specific programs that have caught your interest. Or you could discuss what clubs you would get involved in on campus. Alternatively, you may want to incorporate specific values and missions of the university. How do you personally resonate with that mission? What will you gain from attending that school? And what would you bring to its campus? 

Top 4 tips for writing a great “Why School” essay: 

#1 – brainstorm.

For each school that requires a why school essay, start by looking at the specific offerings. Write down what you like and would participate in. 

#2 – Demonstrate your passion

Use your brainstorming list to decide what you want to write about. You should talk about the programs or extracurriculars unique to your school that most excite you. What makes you want to apply?

#3 – The more detail the better

Remember that being general or vague in a why school essay is the kiss of death. It won’t impress Tulane admissions, or any other admissions committee. Elaborate on what interests you (unique to that school) and why. You can also mention specific professors, counselors, etc. 

#4 – Demonstrate “fit”

You want to use your why school essay to say what makes you want to attend, but you also need to show that you would be a great fit for the university. Why should you be selected out of the large pool of applicants trying to impress Tulane admissions? What will you bring to campus? And how will you carry your Tulane education into the future?

How important are Tulane’s supplemental essays?

The Tulane acceptance rate is just 10%. The slim Tulane acceptance rate comes from the school’s widespread acclaim. Given the low Tulane acceptance rate, the high Tulane University ranking, and the school’s holistic admissions approach, your Tulane essays can make a major difference. Your essays can strongly influence your admissions results and your chances at beating low acceptance rates .

You should approach each of the three Tulane supplemental essays with thought and care. In your response to each Tulane essay prompt, you have an opportunity to highlight different aspects of your Tulane application. Consider each Tulane essay as another one of the Tulane application requirements. 

There are several key elements of your application that you must submit in addition to your Tulane supplemental essays in order to meet the Tulane application requirements. Read the complete checklist to make sure you have everything you need. You’ll notice that Tulane admissions has gone test optional another year. This makes your essays even more important. While many students will have impressive test scores, GPAs, etc., you should use your Tulane essays to help you stand out from the pack.

Check out these college essay examples to see what makes a successful college essay. 

Five tips to make your Tulane essays stand out

Writing each Tulane essay may seem overwhelming. You may even be tempted to not add them to your Tulane supplemental materials as they technically aren’t part of the Tulane application requirements. However, that would be a huge mistake when it comes to your admissions odds. Competitive Tulane applicants need to consider each Tulane essay as “required.”

Five more tips for your Tulane supplemental essays: 

#1 – start early.

Give yourself ample time to complete each Tulane essay. In your writing process, leave plenty of time to brainstorm, draft, outline, and edit your Tulane supplemental essays. The Regular Decision deadline for Tulane is on January 15th.

#2 – Be authentic

Make it your goal to write unique and compelling Tulane essays that tell your authentic story. Your Tulane essay shouldn’t be able to pass as anyone else’s. Before submitting, reread your application and proofread your Tulane supplemental essays to make sure it truly shows who you are.

#3 – Show passion

Each Tulane essay should show your passion for the school. Don’t fake it. After brainstorming topics, choose to write on what got you genuinely excited about attending. Be sure to be specific and not vague in each Tulane essay. 

#4 – Ignore stats

When writing each Tulane essay, don’t get hung up on factors like the Tulane University acceptance rate or the Tulane University ranking. At the end of the day, focus on why Tulane is the school for you, and use your application to show the admissions team why.

# 5 – Invest time in the Why Tulane essay

The why school essay is extremely important to Tulane admissions when evaluating applicants. Make sure your application shows that you’re genuinely interested in attending Tulane. Even if the Tulane University ranking initially helped you learn about the school, you should focus on Tulane’s specific offerings in your Tulane supplemental essays

Tulane Supplemental Essays — Final Thoughts

In your Tulane supplemental essays, show the admissions committee who you are as a person, student, and community member. Research Tulane so you can write the most tailored and specific Tulane supplemental essays. Choose topics for each Tulane essay that genuinely get you excited about attending. 

Remember that the Tulane application requirements include the Common App essay prompts. Leave yourself plenty of time to write thoughtful responses to not only each Tulane essay, but to each Common App essay as well. Every Common App essay and Tulane essay is another opportunity to impress Tulane admissions. 

You can also visit resources like the Tulane University admissions blog . There, you’ll find Q&As from the Ask the Dean event and other helpful information for applicants. There is not one successful type of Tulane student, so be yourself in your Tulane supplemental essays. Good luck!

Still not sure how to approach the Tulane essay? For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources, click he r e . Want help crafting your Tulane University supplemental essays? Create your free account or schedule a complimentary advising consultation online .

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 3 tips for writing a stand-out why tulane essay.

College Essays

If you're applying to Tulane University, you can choose to answer the Why Tulane optional statement as part of your application. The Why Tulane supplement essay asks you to explain why you want to attend Tulane.

In this article, we'll talk about what the Why Tulane application is, whether you should answer it, and how to write a successful essay that'll help increase your chances of admission.

The Why Tulane Essay Prompt

The Why Tulane supplement essay is straightforward:

Please describe why you are interested in attending Tulane University (optional) (50-500 words).

See? Straight to the point.

While the instructions are simple, the wide range of word count and relatively open-ended prompt make the Why Tulane essay more difficult than it initially seems. The Common App prompt states, "We strongly encourage you to focus on content and efficiency rather than word count. While submitting this prompt is optional, we recommend that all applicants do so."

In other words, you'll need to put some serious effort into your essay in order to stand out as an applicant.

Should I Write the Why Tulane Supplement Essay?

Looking at the Why Tulane application essay, you might be wondering if you even need to write the essay in the first place. After all, the prompt does say "optional".

While that's true, it would be a huge mistake to not write your Why Tulane application essay. This essay is a great opportunity to a) show off any interests and talents you have that aren't immediately apparent on the rest of your application and b) demonstrate why Tulane is a great fit for you and vice versa. The Tulane supplement essay is your chance to prove that you belong on Tulane's New Orleans campus—don't forgo it.

What Is the Purpose of the Why Tulane Essay?

Colleges like Tulane want to see that you really want to attend their school. Applicants who love their school are more likely to be active and happy students and later, active and happy alumni. Your essay should show the admissions committee that you really love Tulane, which will make them feel more confident that you'll be a great addition to the campus. Applicants that really want to attend a school are also more likely to enroll, meaning that Tulane's rate of enrollment will be higher.

Similarly, Tulane wants to make sure you know and value what they offer, and they also want to assess how you'll take advantage of the many opportunities on Tulane's campus to further your academic and professional career.

This essay is a great opportunity for the admissions committee to weed out students who haven't done their research on Tulane or really don't care about attending.

What Should I Write About in My Why Tulane Application Essay?

Your Why Tulane essay is your chance to express to the admissions committee why you want to attend Tulane. What made you apply to this school over any of the thousands of others you could have applied to?

Your Why Tulane application essay should be personal. The admissions committee doesn't want to read a cookie-cutter statement that could be written by any student about any school. Your paper should read as uniquely about you and uniquely about Tulane. With that in mind, here are three ideas for what you can write about for your Why Tulane essay.

#1: What Resonated With You When You Visited Tulane

If you made it down to New Orleans to visit Tulane, you should tell a specific story about what resonated with you on your campus trip. You could talk about a class that you sat in on or an experience you had with a tour guide. You could discuss visiting a local restaurant or engaging with New Orleans culture.

The Tulane admissions committee wants to hear about what stuck with you—and generic, bland answers will stand out as insincere. This essay isn't about why you want to attend college—it's about why you want to attend Tulane. Pick experiences that could only happen at Tulane, not anywhere else.

#2: What Makes Tulane a Great Match With Your Past and Your Future

You can use your Why Tulane essay to expand on your interests and passions as a student and person. Tie those interests back to Tulane itself to show why Tulane is the right school for you.

Tulane places a large emphasis on community service, so if you have experience doing community service in your hometown or plan to make that a large part of your life at college, this essay is a great opportunity to talk about that passion. If you want to study a specific field, like public health, that Tulane specializes in, the Why Tulane essay is the place to highlight that. Use this essay to describe how attending Tulane fits in with your plans. Doing so will help show the admissions committee that you plan to make the most out of your time on campus.

#3: Experiences You've Had With Current or Former Students

Tulane admissions officer Jeff Schiffman recommends name-dropping current or former Tulane students to explain why you're interested in attending the university . According to Schiffman, your reasons don't have to be particularly highbrow or academically-minded. You might just have noticed some awesome Instagram posts from a friend of a friend or heard great things from your second cousin. However you have the connection, use the Why Tulane essay to prove your interest in attending Tulane.

Tips for Writing an Amazing Why Tulane Essay

Writing a strong Why Tulane application essay isn't just about picking the right topic. You need to make sure your essay is the best possible example of your work in order to wow the admissions committee. Follow these three tips for writing an amazing Tulane application essay.

#1: Make Your Work Tulane-Specific

Nothing about your Why Tulane essay should be generic or impersonal. The more specific you can be when answering this prompt, the better. Don't say Tulane has great academics, caring professors, and an interesting student body. Tulane knows that already—it doesn't need you to tell its admissions officers that.

Everything you write about in your Why Tulane essay should be specific to Tulane—from the names of the professors and the courses to the feeling you had while visiting the campus. The more authentic you are, the more your passion for Tulane will stand out.

#2: Do Your Research

The best way to make your Why Tulane essay specific to Tulane is to do your research about the school. If you can, visit the campus to get a feel for its student body and on-campus life. If you can't, spend time perusing the school's website and try to speak with current or former students. The more you know about Tulane, the more convincingly you'll be able to write that Tulane is the best school for you to attend.

You should get an idea for the different clubs and activities that you'd like to participate in. You can find this information on the school's website. It can also be worthwhile to schedule a meeting with a professor, especially if you have a particular area of study that you're extremely interested in.

#3: Proofread and Polish Your Essay

Your Tulane essay should be the strongest example of your work possible. Before you turn in your application, make sure to edit and proofread your essays.

Your work should be free of spelling and grammar errors. Make sure to run your essays through a spelling and grammar check before you submit.

It's a good idea to have someone else read your "Why Tulane" essay, too. You can seek a second opinion on your work from a parent, teacher, or friend. Ask them whether your work represents you as a student and person. Have them check and make sure you haven't missed any small writing errors. Having a second opinion will help your work be the best it possibly can be.

The Why Tulane supplement essay is your opportunity to show why you want to attend Tulane University.

The Why Tulane essay is…

• An opportunity to explain what you specifically like about Tulane.
• A place to highlight your unique skills and interests.

The Why Tulane essay isn't…

• The place to share why going to college in general is important.
• An opportunity to talk about the other schools you're applying to.

What's Next?

Starting your essay is often the hardest part. If you're unsure where to begin, read our guide to starting your essay perfectly!

A good essay is just one part of a successful Tulane application . If you want to really wow the admissions office, be sure your grades and test scores are up to par.

Tulane University may not be an Ivy League school, but that doesn't mean your application shouldn't be Ivy League-caliber. Use these tips for getting into Harvard to shape your college application, and you'll have no problem getting into any school you choose!

Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar.

Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges.

Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now :

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

"Why Tulane University"

Tulane University

Please describe why you are interested in attending Tulane University (optional).

50 - 800 words

( Tulane University )

Tulane University has a unique history, deeply established in the city it calls home, New Orleans. After transitioning from a medical school to a full college in in 1847, then undergoing a name change from the University of Louisiana to Tulane in 1884, as the city changed, Tulane changed with it. Tulane is the crossroad of two distinctly different ideals: being rooted in tradition and adapting to the needs of modern society.

When the city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Tulanians answered the call to serve. Scott S. Cowen, then-President of Tulane, refused to let the hurricane ruin Tulane and the CIty. Tulanians were part of rescue and clean-up teams, devoting time and resources to rebuilding their school and the city it calls home. What was most impressive, however, was their resilience.

It would’ve been easy for the student body and staff to not come back. Being as smart and service-oriented as they are, the students and faculty could’ve found another place to live and learn easily. Yet, they returned. Tulanians have a certain sense of pride and commitment to the school that I admire. They could’ve stayed home and not gone back, but they wanted to pick up the pieces of the school they love. It’s clear that Tulanians take ownership in their education. I want to go to a school that my peers want to go to; I want to be immersed in a community as excited about being in it as I am. That’s Tulane.

I could go on and on about Tulane’s teacher education program. I could write about how Tulane-educated teachers are leaders in their fields because they have both a degree in their area of study as well as certification to teach. Maybe I could mention the service learning requirements necessary to graduate and enter the teacher certification program, ensuring that the teachers are prepared to instill morals in the students that walk through their classroom door.

Truthfully, I could go almost anywhere to become a teacher, but only schools like Tulane that synthesize in- and out-of-classroom learning produce great ones. Tulane, like I said before, houses a resilient and altruistic student body. They served New Orleans specifically in 2005, but Tulanians serve their community every single day. Newsweek ranked Tulane 19th for service-minded schools. Likewise, the U.S. News & World Report placed Tulane in the top 25 schools for service learning. It is one of the top schools for producing Peace Corps volunteers, a program that interested me for post-graduate work.

Whether it is through Outreach Tulane, CACTUS, Wave of Green , or another similar program, I will be immersed in service work throughout my four years. Tulane stands alone in its commitment to community. Classroom education is married with service learning, producing empathetic, worldly leaders ready to set the world on fire. In my case, that will be through educating the next generation.

I need a meaningful education to be a meaningful educator. Tulane is unparalleled in its dedication to development of the students, on a personal and intellectual level. From when I touch the Victory Bell after Convocation all the way to when I say farewell at the Wave Goodbye Party at Commencement, I’ll have changed and grown, both in my mind and in my heart.

The Tulane study body is diverse and well-rounded; finding people and groups with shared interests is inevitable. I could see myself writing for the Hullabaloo or being a tutor in the After-School Newcomb Tutoring (which will bridge my learning and my intended career and give practical application to my education classes). But more so, I can just envision myself at Tulane, as a Tulanian. The willowing oak, myrtle, and cypress trees, the world-renowned research facilities, the dedicated faculty, the motivated and inspired student body , and the timeless school spirit all lend itself to a picture I can see myself in.

Why This Essay Works:

• Shows Specific Ways to Get Involved : For "Why Us" essays, it's critical that you imagine how you'll be involved on campus. One strategy is to research specific initiatives, events, or programs already taking place. The more unique these are to the school, the better. Then, talk about how your personal interests would make you a perfect fit for participating in these opportunities. Don't reference too many (over 5 is pushing it) in a committal way (i.e. saying "I will do XYZ") because it can seem unrealistic. Instead, focus on a handful that you're most interested in, and then you can reference others as "possible" ways you'd get involved.
• Finds Aspect Unique to the School : For "Why Us?" essays, one of the hardest parts is finding what is super unique about the school that other colleges don't offer. Most colleges have similar research, curriculum, sports, clubs, etc. While those can be good references (if unique to the school), it can sometimes be easier to find unique aspects by focusing on the intangibles: the culture, approach to education, values, character of student body, ideals they uphold, etc. Having a combination of both unique offerings (programs, opportunities, curriculum, etc.) and ways the school is unique in its approach will make for the most compelling reasons for "Why Us?".

What They Might Change:

• Repeats Unnecessary Info : Avoid telling admissions officers what they already know about their school. You don't need to repeat the school's history or information about its faculty, unless there is something exceptionally unique about it that you're pointing out. Admissions officers will already know these facts, so instead jump into the "meat" of your point. Focus on the unique aspects that make you interested in the school, rather than the ones that could be said about almost any school.

© 2018- 2023 Essays That Worked . All rights reserved.

Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms and Conditions , Privacy Policy , and Cookie Policy .

We have no affiliation with any university or colleges on this site. All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners.

Tulane University Essay Prompts

• Why Us - Example 1
• Extracurricular - Example 2

View our complete guide to Tulane University admissions.

Tulane University asks for three essays, the first a very long “Why Us” essay, the second a shorter essay on an extracurricular, the third an optional essay on your personal identity. The first essay has a limit of 500 words, longer than any other supplemental, and the personal statement. They don’t, however, necessarily expect you to use all of the space, though they will allow it. You should write enough to say everything which needs to be said. The second essay is a much more reasonable 250 words.

The examples we have here are from older prompts but still do a good job demonstrating what Tulane is looking for from applicants.

Why Us - Example

Please describe why you are interested in attending Tulane University? (0-800 words)

Sitting in the small room accompanied only by the clickety-clack of the mechanical keyboard and the blinding light from the computer screen, I work for hours, wearing down an extensive backlog of payments. My work at Ibn Sina, a low-cost primary care clinic, gave me my first glimpse at the inner workings of a hospital. I began to familiarize myself with ICD-10 and CPT codes as well as the software used to categorize and log patients’ data. 

Yet, the most impactful lesson was the intersection between medicine and economics. In IB Economics, I was introduced to topics like scarcity, opportunity cost, and elasticity. Working at Ibn Sina, I was exposed to these concepts in real-time. Restocking perpetually low supplies of adhesive tape, syringes, and IV sets, I saw how scarce resources coupled with a large patient base forced the clinic to choose between allocating resources to one sector over another. 

Ibn Sina catered to patients from underprivileged backgrounds by lowering fees for those without health insurance, meeting specific market demand for healthcare. Unfortunately, the clinic was bereft with small-scale sacrifices necessitated by their limited budgets, such as limited time spent with patients and manual patient scheduling procedures. While it’s easy to dismiss these as the issues of one low-income clinic, the US healthcare system itself is rife with inefficiency.

My experiences at Ibn Sina introduced me to the fascinating world of health economics. While the patient’s ailments and medical procedures interested me, the way an individual’s choices shaped the function of the clinic interested me even more.

I aspire to study economics to better understand the ways people, markets and government policy affect the healthcare industry. Through Tulane’s department of economics, I will finally be able to peer through the looking glass of health economics to learn how to make better choices, so I can help others make them too.

Taking courses like Economics and Healthcare Reform (ECON 3500)  will allow me to examine the economic theories and concepts underlying current approaches to health care, while simultaneously demystifying the impact of reform on the United States healthcare system overall. As I begin to understand the reasoning behind current healthcare reform strategies, advantages, and disadvantages,  I will slowly build the tools to analyze health management and policy issues that plague small clinics like Ibn Sina. 

Meanwhile, core economics courses will broaden my understanding of the problems society faces while exposing me to the techniques and points of view developed by various economists. I plan to make use of these opportunities to develop logical reasoning and critical thinking skills that will assist me as I work towards a career in medicine.

While majoring in Economics will deepen my understanding of the economic basis of healthcare, pursuing a pre-health track will prepare me for a future as a medical professional. Courses such as organic chemistry, physics, and biology will equip me with the foundational knowledge required to think critically and deduce efficiently in the medical field, invaluable skills for future doctors. On the other hand, courses in psychology and sociology will elucidate the strategies and techniques I will need to form interpersonal relationships as I deal with patients every day. 

Additionally, I will take advantage of the many undergraduate research opportunities available. Dr. Zachary Pursell’s biochemistry research concerning the relevance of DNA polymerase epsilon with regards to cancer is especially interesting given my previous experience at an MD Anderson cancer research facility. 

Clubs such as the Pre-Medical Society and Doctors at Reach stand out to me. My interest in medicine compels me to be around like minded individuals traversing the same field I am. As an active member of these organizations, I will expand my social circle with peers I can count on to make a difference together. 

Tulane will be the perfect learning environment for me, rich with resources and opportunities that will deepen the medical and economic insights I first glimpsed at Ibn Sina.

Why Us - Analysis

This prompt isn’t just asking “Why is this school great?” rather it’s asking “Why is this school right for you?” Admissions officers want to see that the values you hold and the reasons you want to attend fit in with their idea of what the school should be. To answer this, and to fill out the word count, the student goes deeply into why they want to study the subjects they are interested in.

There is no minimum word count for this essay, and if you want to write a more standard “Why Us” essay without the “Why Major” components, that is allowed. Tulane gives you all of this space to write for a reason however, and you should not pass it up lightly. That doesn’t mean you need to use every word; the essay above is only 650 words long, but you should make sure you have said everything worth saying.

Admissions officers only know what you tell them, and this essay is a good chance to tell them quite a lot. In the example above, the author starts by going into the background of why they are interested in economics and healthcare alike. Thus, when they discuss the resources and opportunities offered by Tulane, they are able to clearly tie them in with their own desires and passions. In this way, they concretely link what Tulane offers with their own goals.

Further, the author is very specific about which parts of Tulane appeal to them. There is room in this essay to go deeply into specifics, so the author does so. When they discuss the research being done by Dr. Pursell, it has it’s own paragraph, and is clearly tied into experiences from the author’s past, to show why it interests them  in coming to Tulane. In this way, the author is able to briefly touch on one of their own experiences, and delve further into specifics about Tulane.

When you are answering this question, determine what exactly you want from Tulane. We recommend the bulk of the essay focus on academics, unless there is some other burning passion driving you to the school. The essay above does mention clubs, but they are clearly a secondary focus. If clubs are more important to you, then you should devote more space to discussing why. 

Finally, this essay should display some of your values, and who you are as a person and student. The essay above manages this by exploring the author’s motivations for their choice of major, and desire to help people. While you don’t have to display these same values, you should display some which let admissions officers know who you are, and how you will contribute to their campus.

Other - Example

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (0-250 words)

The calming hum of the laboratory generator coupled with the scent of bulk-use solvent vapors wafts over me as I prepare the lab’s thermal cycler to run a Polymerase Chain Reaction.  Within the sterile maze that is MD Anderson, I am hard at work, seeing things I have only ever read about in textbooks. 

From learning the basics of confocal microscopy to enzyme active site crystallography, the topics that once seemed so distant became closer than ever. The lab opened my eyes, literally, as I saw things that could only be measured in microlitres. I saw my first human cancer cells, I learned to use my first pipette, and I created my first cell line. I adapted to an environment requiring knowledge levels above anything I had learned up to that point, and the satisfaction of continuously learning and challenging myself is second to none. 

More importantly, though, I learned how to be a functional part of a professional team.  As I worked alongside my medical mentors, I began to understand the genetic and biochemical bases for lung cancer metastasis with even greater depth. Our work helped develop novel therapeutic strategies based on the metastatic properties of lung cancer cells in a tumor ‘microenvironment’ – the immediate small-scale environment of an organism. 

Over the summer, I continued to build my foundational medical research skills: understanding complex experimental processes and making sense of scientific jargon, to prepare for a future career in medicine.

Other - Analysis

This prompt is quite open ended, and provides you with an opportunity to dive more deeply into one of your extracurricular activities. While Tulane does get your activities list, there is only so much which can be learned from a 150 character blurb, thus this essay is a chance for them to learn more about how you choose to spend your time outside of the classroom.

There is more to it than that alone, of course. While you discuss an extracurricular, you can also display other values of yours that you want Tulane to know about. Thus, essays you have written about your leadership abilities or how you have contributed to a community demonstrated through an extracurricular, can be used to fulfill this prompt. We recommend doing this to kill two birds with one stone; you both explore an extracurricular which shows impressive involvement, and display a core personality trait.

In the example above, the author chooses to discuss in depth an impressive extracurricular, working in a lab conducting research. While they are merely an assistant, they are still part of the ongoing scientific process, able to observe and contribute. The author covers what they learned, both in terms of concrete research skills, and the values of working with a team towards a common goal.

This is a good topic to cover, as it allows the author to show off what they have accomplished, and what skills they have acquired, in a far more extended way than an activities list allows. We recommend covering your most impressive extracurricular you don’t go into in other essays. If you only participate in a single extracurricular, due to time constraints or other reasons, then explore a different facet, or display a different value exemplified by your participation in the activity.

Transform your college application.

Ivy Scholars is the leading educational consultant in Sugar Land, Texas, providing admissions coaching, test prep, and more to help students enroll at top tier schools.

Get In Touch

Call us now: (281) 215-5148

Sugar Land: 77 Sugar Creek Center Blvd, #375, Sugar Land, TX 77478

View Sugar Land Location

Houston: 4265 San Felipe St, Suite 1100, Houston, TX 77027

Get Started

Subscribe for updates, © all rights reserved.