Admissions

Take a tour. If you are still taking part in the college search, visit the Purdue campus. While on a tour, ask questions! The tour guides want to help you to decide if Purdue is your perfect fit. Ask about programs associated with your intended major, about dorm life, anything! It may be a good idea to have some questions in mind that you would like to have answered. Also, see if you can sit in on a lecture. It is a really great way to get a feel for what your classes would be like.

Don't be scared off by the large number of students. It is a big campus, but after a couple of weeks it will start to feel much smaller. Especially within your focused schools you will get to know people who will be in several of your classes. Also, every class does not have 500 students in it. Some of your classes will be large and others much smaller. I had anywhere from 15-400 students in a class this past semester.

If you are an incoming student, participate in Boiler Gold Rush (BGR). It is an awesome new student orientation program and a great way to meet new people. There are a ton of super fun events throughout the week, not to mention free stuff. It is also a great way to calm any nerves you might have about leaving home, finding your way around, or starting classes.

Get involved in something! There are so many clubs offered here that span the spectrum, and if you somehow find what you are looking for is not offered, you can start that club! This is seriously a great way to meet new people or try something new.

Do not be afraid to get to know your professors! Two words: Office Hours. They want to meet you too! It can be a little intimidating at first, but after you meet with one professor you will find that they are really nice and can give you great advice or help in their course.

Make sure you go to all of your classes. Many professors will give extra credit points or actual points for good attendance. Most of your classes will not have a lot of homework and only a few tests so every point you earn is important. There are rarely any easy points in college. Set aside time to study each week, that way you won't panic when the tests come around. For many of the harder classes, it is recommended to begin studying for test AT LEAST a week in advance. Don't procrastinate or you'll be very sorry when the grades come out at the end of the semester. Also, try to get involved around campus. This helps you make friends and will look good on future resumes. Also, having some good friends will help you get through your first year. Go home as little as possible. Several people I know went home to visit their boyfriends almost every weekend during the school year. These people now have few to no friends at school. The best time to bond with your new friends and meet even more new people is during the weekends. If you go home all the time you will have a lot of trouble in the long run with loneliness because of this. Tough it out for a few weeks because I guarantee you'll be grateful you did by the end of the year. College is where you will meet some of the best friends you will ever have.

Don't be afraid to get to know people, whether it be your roommate, your professors, or just other students on campus. Getting to know people is part of the college experience, and at Purdue, it is DEFINITELY not hard to to; there are people everywhere! Also, your roommate is probably one of the most important people you meet at school, so don't neglect to get to know each other a bit. And finally, there are your professors; they have office hours for a reason! They want to get to know their students, and if you are having any problems, they are more than happy to explain the material to you until you understand.

Aside from meeting people, it is also important to complete any/all coursework (even if it is deemed optional). The work is designed not only to test your knowledge of the material, but also to prepare you for the exams that come later in the semester. And even though you may feel pressed for time with so many assignments, if you manage your time carefully, you can get everything done with time to spare!

Finally, don't get stressed out over exam week(s). They are just tests, like any other test you've ever taken, but with new material. If you get stressed over the exam, chances are, you won't be focused when you are studying. Do what I do, start studying 2-3 weeks before the exam to cover the older material before your professor starts covering new material in lectures. If you do this, you should have no problem studying ALL of the material with time left over to go back over sections that you may have had issues with, allowing you to do your very best on each exam!

Don't take too many credit hours your first semester. It will be easier to get yourself acclimated to the new environment and find activities and clubs to become a part of if you aren't bogged down with hours of studying and homework. I would suggest taking 15-16 credit hours your first semester, and then bumping it up to 17-18 credit hours your second semester. Also, you shouldn't skip class. A lot of professors do put their notes online, but the notes can never make up for actually being there in person. Many professors have in-class quizzes or take attendance, so skipping class can hurt your grade. Attendance points are the easiest way to help yourself get good grades. Being in lecture also helps when it comes to test time. A lot of professors will go over previous exams and take questions during lecture to help you get ready. Also, just having been to lecture helps with studying and cuts down on the time you have to spend preparing outside of class. One final suggestion: bring a good umbrella and good rain shoes. West Lafayette has a pretty wet spring, and there's nothing worse than sitting in lecture for 50 minutes with wet socks on.

Please, please, please, please stay focused.
I know how tempting it is to say that you can go out for an hour and you'll get to that assignment later. But trust me, easier said than done.
College is the best, worst, craziest, easiest, and most stressful part of your life. Sometimes all at the same time.
But you're here for a reason. To educate yourself. Don't get all wrapped up in the glories of adulthood because your childhood will pass you by. And the one thing I miss the most is my easy-going childhood.

Expect to be challenged, but don't let that detour you. You will find that Purdue is filled with passionate nerdy people and that even if you are a procrastinator now (I was), the enormous academic passion of the student body will help you love the challenge.

Get involved! there is over 1000 student organizations at Purdue and if for some strange reason you can't find one that suits you, you can make your own with only two members. However it is college, so no one is going to make you get involved, use the resources that are in front of you. You will be a happier person if you do.

Utilize the amazon stores to the fullest! Purdue is one of the few schools that have actual amazon stores (2) on campus. They allow for one day pickup on most things with the fantastic amazon prime discounts. They make your life easier for sure!

Visit! Before you choose a school you should always visit. Purdue tends to have a stronger name the further you are away from Indiana, so if you are an Indiana resident you should definitely visit the school before you look at other Indiana schools, to see why the name is so strong world wide. If you are like me and are an out of state student, the visit will sell the school to you in ways you can't get without the visit.

Be ready to be thrown into a world of diversity that is almost definitely different than what you are used to. Purdue has more international students than any other public university, second most to only one private school. You will meet people from literally everywhere.

You will hear a lot of this information again and again, but listen to it.
>GET INVOLVED. There are so many different clubs and activities for you to join. Do it. Not only will you meet other students that share similar interests, but you will have fun!
>BE SOCIAL. When I say this, I do not mean go out and party every night. What I mean is, do not be anti-social. For example, when you are in your room, leave the door open. This allows others on your floor to come in and talk. You can meet some great people this way.
>STUDY. If you are in tough classes, be ready for a lot of late night studying. One tip, do not sit in your room. Go to a quiet room, a library, somewhere where you won't be distracted.

-Make a daily schedule. Find times between classes, and instead of laying around, use that time for homework and study so that you can have free time at night.
-Get involved in organizations. They are incredibly fun, and allow you to meet new and interesting people both from, and outside of your major.

The key is just knowing how to balance fun and academics. Finding ways to have fun at Purdue and making friends is easy! But if you skip class a lot and lose sight of the reason you're in college, it's just as easy to let your grades slip.
It can also go the other way. It's important to have a nice, full schedule but don't overdo it! Give yourself time to go out and run through the fountains or chant in the student section of the football games!

Go to BGR! It might sound like a lame college orientation, but you will meet so many friends and learn SO much about Purdue.