How should I compare Tulane and Emory for an undergraduate neuroscience major?

The biggest practical tradeoff is Emory’s deeper concentration of neuroscience-adjacent research and medical resources versus Tulane’s smaller-scale program and distinctly New Orleans-based undergraduate experience. Emory’s Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology major sits within a large research university with close connections to Emory School of Medicine, Emory Healthcare, and Atlanta’s health-science ecosystem. Tulane offers a neuroscience major with opportunities to connect coursework to medicine, psychology, public health, and community-based work in New Orleans.

For a student who may want substantial laboratory involvement, Emory can provide more breadth in areas such as behavioral neuroscience, neurobiology, cognition, and biomedical research. Its larger faculty and research infrastructure can make it easier to identify multiple potential labs as interests evolve. Initiative matters at both schools: students who contact faculty early, build skills through relevant courses, and stay in a lab over several semesters tend to gain the most meaningful experience.

Tulane may feel more personal and flexible, particularly for a student who wants neuroscience alongside public health, service, music, culture, or a broad liberal-arts experience. New Orleans is integral to the campus identity, and Tulane’s emphasis on community engagement can be valuable for interests in health disparities, clinical care, or public-facing neuroscience questions. Emory’s Atlanta location offers a more traditional major-city setting and proximity to a major academic medical center.

For neuroscience alone, Emory has the stronger overall undergraduate platform because of the scale and density of its research and medical connections. Tulane is the more compelling choice when its campus culture, New Orleans setting, community engagement, or financial package would make you more likely to thrive and actively pursue research.