Visiting college campuses before one enters his/her senior year of high school is a time-honored tradition and one that truly helps to pave a student's path to the future.
The colleges available in Louisiana are both beautiful and academic, fun and worthwhile with plenty of programs to choose from over a full range of tuition prices.
Looking at universities online and visiting them in person is night and day, so we recommend you take a trip this summer to the top universities in Louisiana!
Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge
Alumni at LSU have gone on to the big leagues, including Shaquille O'Neal, Lolo Jones, Joanne Woodward, and James Carville to name a few. While LSU sports and famous names might bring you onto campus, you'll be dazzled by the academic opportunities before you. LSU offers roughly 194 undergrad and graduate degrees to choose from, one of the top 100 largest libraries in the country, as well as the Rural Life Museum which was named one of the world's Top 10 Outdoor Museums by the renowned British Museum. The antique architecture, from the campus' establishment in 1860, continues to serve the school well.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Noted as the second-largest university in Louisiana, Lafayette has a famed faculty, remembered for having uncovered a seven million-year-old camel fossil in Oregon. If you choose UofL Lafayette, the same teacher may be educating you or you can pick from the over 80-degree programs available. Lafayette's music program is perhaps most well-received as it maintains the world's largest archive of Cajun and Creole music. Be enthralled by the academics and magnetized by the campus which continues to be fun and vibrant throughout the year with programs and community events such as canoe races and crawfish boils.
Centenary College of Louisiana - Shreveport
One of the oldest colleges in the state, Centenary College operates in connection with the United Methodist Church with Christian values and academic principles. One of the most important programs at Centenary is the "Living Learning Communities" which help students to find their passions and their own place among the college community. Freshmen are also encouraged to participate in the 10-day study abroad program in Paris, all expenses paid, as an "immersion learning" travel experience.
New Orleans Universities
Loyola University
Loyola University was founded in 1904 by Jesuit Saint Ignatius of Loyola. This college has been ranked #12 'best regional university of the South', as well as #11 for 'best quality of life'. The university thrives in a city infused with technology, talent, and rich culture, welcoming an average of 4,500 undergrad and grad students each year During your visit, you will have the opportunity to take a guided group tour and explore what it would mean to become a part of the Wolf Pack. You will learn about the student/faculty ratio of 12:1, the 50+ study abroad country outreaches, and, most importantly, the 110 undergrad and 36 grad programs available to prospective students. The programs include a wide range of studies, from Accountancy to Vocal Performance.
University of New Orleans
Situated just fifteen minutes from New Orleans proper, on the beautiful shores of Lake Pontchartrain, the University of New Orleans is a college of wonderful reputation. UNO holds the distinction of having the only college of engineering in the city as well as one of the very few colleges of naval architecture and marine engineering in the entire United States. There are only a handful of places you can go to study these subjects, let alone obtain a degree, and beautiful New Orleans is one such place. UNO also maintains an NCAA Division I Athletics program which certainly draws in the crowds at game time!
Xavier University of Louisiana - New Orleans
Historically the first black Catholic university in the U.S., Xavier University focuses on community and service alongside traditional academics. The values are just as important as the information, they uphold, and the university continues to be a leader in placing African American students in medical school as well as granting the most science-related degrees to African Americans in the country. Though the college campus was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the campus raised enough money to rebuild and expand the College of Pharmacy.
Tulane University
Established in 1834 as a private medical college, Tulane University is now one of the most prominent schools in the state, offering world-class programs over a myriad of subjects. Tulane ranks as one of the best research colleges in the entire country. What sets it apart from the rest, however, is its National Primate Research Center. With the mission of developing improvements in human and animal health, the infectious disease studies put it on the map, per se. Tulane is located on a stunning campus directly adjacent to Audubon Park where you'll find the Audubon Nature Institute.
Southern University at New Orleans
Southern University at New Orleans is a public, historically black university that was first founded in 1956. SUNO, as it is commonly known, is a part of the Southern University System as well as the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The college has a mission to be 'one of America's premier institutions of higher learning and to graduate students ready to contribute to the city and the nation'. The gorgeous campus sits on 17 acres of what was historic Pontchartrain Park. During your group's college visit, you will be able to explore the campus, get an inside look on-campus housing, and attend a question and answer session with an admissions counselor. The public tours typically take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.
