Tulane Pre-College program gives students a head start on the future

On many summer afternoons at Tulane University, high school students can be found conducting chemical engineering experiments, sketching architectural designs, discussing medicine, exploring artificial intelligence or photographing campus.

The teenagers are among more than 800 students participating in Tulane Pre-College, a summer residential and academic program that brings local, national and international students to campus for an immersive college experience. Through both credit-earning and enrichment courses, the visiting high schoolers spend two-week sessions exploring potential majors and careers while getting an early taste of college life.

This summer's course offerings ranged from Bugging Out with Louisiana Arthropods and The Psychology of Happiness to Photojournalism in the Digital Age and Future of Podcasting, giving students opportunities to explore subjects they might never encounter in high school.

For some students, the experience reinforces a career path they've already chosen. Peter S., a rising senior at Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans, already has his sights set on a career in chemical engineering. Senior professor of practice Katie Russell's class, Engineering the Future: Innovations in ChemE, was everything he expected and more.

In that class, Peter partnered with two other students in a lab called An Engineering Approach to Coffee Lab, where students learned how chemical engineering principles influence everything from grinding and brewing to flavor extraction.

"I'm really interested in going to Tulane, and I want to take as many opportunities as I can," Peter said.

For others, discovering that a field isn't the right fit can be just as valuable.

"I'm just as happy if a student says, 'I love this. I want to pursue chemical engineering,' as I am if a student says, 'Turns out this isn't for me,'" said Shanna Harper, director of Tulane Pre-College. "I'd much rather students learn that with us before they get to college."

The program has grown dramatically since Tulane established the Office of Strategic Summer Programs in 2018 to expand summer academic opportunities for high school students. Today, Tulane Pre-College offers just over 70 courses developed by Tulane faculty and graduate students across multiple schools and disciplines.

Harper credits the growth to both an expanding catalog of courses and a behind-the-scenes operation that allows Tulane's schools and faculty to focus on instruction while the Strategic Summer Programs team coordinates housing, dining, transportation, parent communication and student activities.

One of the program's distinctive features is its flexibility.

Rather than applying to a single academic track, students can combine interests by taking courses across disciplines.

"Students have very varied interests," Harper said. "They want to explore architecture, but they also want to do something in the School of Liberal Arts or an introductory medicine course. We wanted to create that opportunity."

About 52% of this summer's participants are from Louisiana, while the remainder traveled from across the country and abroad. After Louisiana, the largest numbers come from California, New York, Texas and Florida, with a small but growing number of international students.

Carmen B., a rising senior from Houston, researched dozens of pre-college programs across the country before applying to Tulane. She said there was no comparison.

"Honestly, it stood out from other programs because of all the options," said Carmen, who signed up for a chemical analysis class. "I especially enjoy lab time because we don't have as many labs in high school."

Apart from the academics, students said they also enjoyed experiencing college life, if only for two weeks.

"You get exposure to balancing fun with academics," said Cade B. of San Francisco, whose grandparents live in New Orleans. "I've really been enjoying college life."

Students live in Tulane residence halls throughout the program, eat meals at The Malkin Sacks Commons and participate in themed "krewes" inspired by New Orleans culture. Each krewe explores a different aspect of the city through excursions and activities, from French Quarter history tours and visits to Preservation Hall to service projects and conversations with local filmmakers.

"We try to emulate the Tulane experience," Harper said. "Tulane is so much more than academics. It's about community engagement, New Orleans and the relationships students build outside the classroom."

The experience often leaves a lasting impression and sometimes results in future Tulanians.

According to Harper, about 7% of last fall's incoming first-year class had previously participated in Tulane Pre-College. But she said the program's success isn't measured solely by how many students eventually enroll at Tulane.

"Our goal is to help students explore what's possible," Harper said. "Whether they leave knowing exactly what they want to study or realizing they want to pursue something else, that's a success. They leave with a better understanding of themselves, and that's what college is all about."