Tulane University of Louisiana

The lure of living in New Orleans, home to the French Quarter and all the hot beignets anyone could ever eat, is part of what draws students to Tulane University. They may spend less time on Bourbon Street than envisioned, however, because at Tulane, academics and research are rigorous. The school is among the more expensive colleges in Money's rankings, and it's quite selective, too, with an admittance rate of only 11% for the class of 2024. Five schools offer more than 70 majors, and the school notes that at least a third of students double major. Students can choose from majors in science and engineering, business, public health, architecture or liberal arts. Or they might choose an interdisciplinary program such as musical cultures of the Gulf South, cognitive studies or political economy. Tulane’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine is the oldest school of public health and the first school of tropical medicine in the U.S. A leader in service learning education, Tulane requires that all students complete a service learning course, followed by an internship, research project or other approved volunteer program. As a result, since 2006, when Tulane launched its requirement, students have contributed 2.5 million hours of community service in New Orleans and around the world.