Academics
Purdue is a Big Ten school that provides “a world class education” with a name “that is known all over the world and not just the state of Indiana.” The university is especially “known for being a great engineering school,” but has a bevy of amazing programs including “a great nursing program,” “a great Pharmacy program,” and a “speech pathology program [that] is one of the best.” “I knew that I would receive an unparalleled education here,” an Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering major says. Purdue, “cradle of engineers and quarterbacks alike,” is known for its athletics as well as its academics. There is “great school spirit exhibited in student organizations and athletic events.” Yet despite the “big campus atmosphere,” the school still maintains “small-school feel within its individual colleges.” The “knowledgeable and helpful” professors are “very excited about their topic of teaching” and “the classes are excellent and stimulating.” “Many of my professors have at least ten years under their belts with PhD’s,” one student boasts. Students are not going to find easy classes here. Purdue has teachers that “expect the most out of you.” However, “the difficult and rigorous curriculum” is a bonding experience that “increases out-of-the-classroom skills such as communication and collaboration.” Some students did worry that “many things (such as Industrial Roundtable) are focused almost exclusively on engineers, which leaves some other majors out in the cold.” “The dining services are immaculate” at Purdue, and students love how the school “promotes green technology.” One Biology major explains the Purdue appeal: “It has everything a college kid could want: sports, academics, clubs, and delicious food.” Purdue provides an educational experience that students will remember the rest of their lives. As one student puts it: “Once a Boilermaker, always a Boilermaker.”
Student Body
Located in Indiana, Purdue has a student body that is largely “white and from the Midwest” with “conservative political views.” That said, one student points out that “West Lafayette is a pretty progressive town and usually ends up going Democratic if you check election records.” A fair number of students say the school needs to work to bring “better diversity.” “Most students are really down to earth,” and “students can all find their niche here and get along well.” Students tend to bond “within their majors,” which “helps create a small-school feel within a huge university,” although “it is not unheard of for people involved in different things to be with different people.” There is a fair amount of animosity between majors since “science and engineering majors DO look down on other majors” and tend to think that non-technical majors “are a ‘joke’ to the point that people are arrogant, obnoxious, and rude.” Still, most students “fit in well,” and at the end of the day, “we take all kinds here and turn everyone into Boilermakers.”
Campus Life
Life at Purdue involves a lot of “time management” and “a typical student has a hard time completing all three S’s (sleep, study, socialize) but has fun trying.” As a Big Ten university, athletics make up a large part of campus life. “We have Ross-Ade Brigade and Paint Crew, student clubs for cheering on the athletic teams, and they’re fairly large,” one Biology major explains. “Partying and hard alcohol [are] common,” but seem to divide the student body. Some wish the administration put “more control on partying and drinking,” while others wish it was “less strict on alcohol/drug policies.” A particularly vocal set of students note that West Lafayette isn’t their cup of tea, but thankfully “there is always something fun to do on campus” as well as the option to “party hard on Thursday nights at the Cactus” or to participate in Greek life, which is “huge” but “not essential” at Purdue. Weekend trips to nearby Chicago and Indy also provide some options, and those who stay on campus “unwind and have fun by joining a club or organization.” Everyone seems to find a place to fit in, ultimately, and students note that “the atmosphere on campus coaxes most out of their shell sooner or later.”
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