Weather at Tulane

Colleges and Universities Tulane University
#1

How hot is it at the beginning of the school year at Tulane and when does the weather usually get cooler? My D has ruled out southern schools because she does not do well in the heat. She has Raynaud’s and has a hard time going from hot outdoors to cold a/c and back. But Tulane has all that she’s looking for in a school so now she’s questioning if it’s worth being uncomfortable for a few weeks. Her condition is not dangerous just uncomfortable and her feet turn red or purple.

I think Tulane is a match for her. Quick stats- 3.87 UW, 4.08 W, 31 ACT- she has 32-34 in English and Reading but 27-29 in science and math. She’s URM. Decent extra curriculars- sports, lots of volunteering and has a job.

Please let me know about the weather and if she has a good chance at Tulane. Thanks.

#2

http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Louisiana/Places/new-orleans-temperatures-by-month-average.php

#3

@Calimom23

And to give you some idea what it is like in human terms, it is indeed very hot and humid for 4-6 weeks at the beginning. And the A/C in most of the buildings makes it quite cool inside, because they never stop running. Once the heat breaks (usually between the first and fifteenth of October) it gets much more pleasant. Generally speaking the humidity is always on the high side compared to most of the country, even in cooler weather. So sometimes when it does get into the 40’s as a high, it can feel colder because of the damp air. But there are a lot of really, really nice days from mid-October to mid-April. Then it starts getting hot again with the last couple weeks of school in late April/early May, but students are indoors a lot then anyway because it is finals.

I really wonder how she might adjust to such a climate, which is a shame since Tulane does look like a nice fit stats-wise. It’s a real long shot, but I wonder if New Orleans doctors, and specifically Tulane med school people, see this more than most physicians since they would encounter those climate conditions more than others. Might be worth a phone call or two to the rheumatology group at Tulane Med.

My only other suggestion would be to visit Tulane in mid-September if that is at all possible. I don’t know how revealing that would be, since I know nothing about Raynaud’s beyond what I just read. Do people with it tend to acclimate at all? Maybe there are others out there with actual experience with this?

#4

Thanks for your reply @fallenchemist. We live in a hot town in CA and my a/c runs a lot. But we don’t have any humidity.

Tulane is going to stay on her list for now and she’ll need to decide if it’s worth it. The school sounds like a good fit and New Orleans sounds like a fun place to go to school. We’ve never been. Not sure when we’ll be able to visit.

#5

BTW @Calimom23, not to make the decision harder or anything, but with those stats there is an excellent chance she would be offered a strong merit scholarship, especially if she got her app in on the early side and applied EA. I know, I just made things worse. Sorry!

Oh, and as long as I am making things worse, NOLA is a very fun and very interesting place to go to school. I thought so many years ago, and my D thought so as well and hated to leave when she graduated last year.

#6

@Calimom23, I grew up in New Orleans and now live in Northern California and my daughter will be freshman at Tulane starting in August. I also have Reynaud’s syndrome. I do not have problems with my Reynaud’s in New Orleans (in fact, didn’t even know that I had it until I moved to New York years ago). Mine usually flares up when the outdoor temperature is very cold.

On a different note - the humidity is a shock for someone coming from a dry climate - and I say that as someone who grew up with humidity, but has lived in a dry climate for 16 years. It takes a bit getting used to and there are ways to work around it (loose fitting clothes and breathable fabrics), but as @fallenchemist states, the worst of it is over by early to mid October. At that point the weather is fabulous - just crisp enough to get a bit of fall without the bitter cold. At the other end of the school year, while temps and humidity are creeping up by April and May, the worst doesn’t really start until June, so your daughter will avoid the peak of the HHH (hazy, hot and humid) season. August and September are the worst. Hope this helps

#7

@goodchoices thank you for your response. It definitely helps get a sense for the weather. She’s lived in humid climates before but it’s been several years.

She does ok in the cold because she has socks on. The worst for her is going from hot to cold. Her feet go from red and hot to cold and purple.

August and September weather at Tulane is definitely not ideal for her but if everything else is a good fit, then she’ll need to decide how much of a con it is. Of course, all depending on if she gets accepted!

#8

@Calimom23

Just to emphasize what I mentioned, she should apply as early as she can and apply EA. Tulane has a long track record of letting students know if they have been accepted as early as mid-October if they get their application and all relevant documentation in near the first of October. That acceptance includes the merit scholarship award, if they qualify. And while there are never any guarantees, her stats and other aspects of her resume that you quickly outlined seem to fit Tulane very very well, and also would usually have qualified for merit $$ in the past. I cannot tell you how many people in the past have expressed how wonderful it is to have that acceptance to college “in the bag” early, especially to a top quality school like Tulane. All of which is my way of strongly encouraging her to get that application in!

Tulane has their own application which is available to be filled out now and is free. https://www.tulaneinfo.org/freshman/about.htm I think Tulane still does not require any letters of recommendation, which makes it even easier. Tulane is also accepting the Common Application this year, but the web site says that is not available until August 1. If she does go ahead and get started on this, a word of advice: the “Why Tulane” section isn’t really optional, as Tulane puts a very high value on true interest in attending, as opposed to being a safety school for those thinking HYPS.

#9

Thanks again @fallenchemist She will definitely apply EA as soon as possible. We won’t be able to visit prior to applying. She recently had back surgery and cannot travel for a while. She did email our regional admissions counselor and is awaiting a response.

#10

Calimom, any chance that you live in the SF Bay Area? If so, the regional admissions counselor for that area is spectacular and the kids love her! She is originally from the Bay Area, attended Tulane and decided to stay after graduation. Also, she generally hosts a few smaller gatherings for prospective students at the home of a local Bay Area family - those are great if you can’t make a visit to the campus.

#11

@goodchoices yes we are in the Bay Area. My daughter emailed her and she did say that she was hosting a couple of events in October. Hopefully it will work out that my D can attend.