Hello, and Happy New Year to all of you.

I've started do make a comic using poser (you can see some images in my gallery:
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/browse.php?user_id=4683
) and in the meantime I've read a book about screenwriting ('The Foundations of Screenwriting, by Syd Field) and I'm interested in give my comic a deeper look. For that, I'm going to write the biographies of the main characters of the story. Here is where I ask for your help...
I'm from Europe, exactly from Spain. So I don't know much about the life in USA. In many facts we are the same, but there are several doubts I have. If anyone can help me to draw a realistic pannorama of life in USA, more concretely in New Orleans, it'd be a great aid.
My questions are 'bout this:

• My main character is a young white woman. She has studied in the College (there in Europe I'd have called it University, but someone told me in USA you use the word 'college'). My question.. wich Colleges are en N.O? I've heard of Tulane University. My character is not rich, nor the better student in town, so she couldn't have studied in a great College like Hardvare or Yale... Is Tulane a good chance? are there any others?
• It's her first job, how old can she be? I've thought in 28... maybe too older?
• Her father is a police officer. Not the highest rank, he still must have some 'action', so I think Captain is too much...
• The story focuses on an ancient manor in the outskirts of the city. I've seen the movie 'The skeleton key' and that's exactly what I want. Where can I locate that manor? It'd be great to be near the Pontchartrian bayou.

Well, that'd be enough by now. Hope some can help me; any idea, or link, etc would be great.

Thanks you all!!!!