Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, Purdue is a STEM-focused Big Ten school with opportunities across many fields, including the liberal arts. There’s so much to discover on campus, including an airfield for their professional flight school! Wisconsin families might be interested to know that shuttle services run from Chicago O’Hare Airport (as well as Indianapolis Airport) directly to Purdue’s campus.
Galin’s counselors spoke to a Purdue admissions representative who shared some information that might surprise you about Purdue admissions.
Weighing GPA vs Class Specific Grades:
While overall GPA is important, Purdue places more emphasis on students’ grades in individual courses that are relevant to their intended major. This means for students applying to a biology major, STEM grades hold more weight than their high school history courses.
Applying with Two Majors Selected:
In the Common App, students can choose a primary and secondary major. Students excited about Purdue should select both and make sure to rank more competitive majors (like engineering, computer science, nursing, and professional flight) first. Purdue has many great options for secondary majors–engineering students might choose second-choice majors from the Polytechnic Institute, and nursing students should consider other biomedical science programs on campus.
Room to Explore for Undecided Students:
Although Purdue admits first-year students directly to their majors, students shouldn’t feel pressured by this system! Purdue’s Exploratory Studies program offers undecided students up to two years to take a variety of courses and research career paths. Once students decide what they want to pursue, they transfer into their new major. If students love Purdue but aren’t sure what to study, applying to the Exploratory Studies major is a great option.
Even students in the College of Engineering get a chance to explore. They are admitted as first-year engineering majors and specialize in one of Purdue’s eighteen types of engineering later on. This leaves space for students to take foundational courses while exploring chemical engineering, electrical engineering, and more in their first two semesters.
If becoming a Boilermaker interests you, keep these items in mind while applying to Purdue!
