Purdue University—West Lafayette (PU)

It's easy to understand why students are attracted to Purdue University and have "great school spirit": It's a Big Ten school that provides "a world-class education." Students also love that the university provides a "big campus atmosphere" while still getting a "smallschool feel within [their] individual colleges." Historically, Purdue has certainly been "known for being a great engineering school," and while it's still producing some of the country's finest engineers, the school offers many amazing majors and programs, including "a great nursing program," "a great pharmacy program," and a "speech pathology program [that] is one of the best." No matter the department, incoming students should be prepared for a "difficult and rigorous curriculum" and that professors here "expect the most out of you." Fortunately, there is a collaborative environment among students, and most find their "classes are excellent and stimulating." Of course, a lot of credit for this should be given to their "knowledgeable and helpful" professors who are "very excited about... teaching," with many having "at least ten years under their belts with PhDs." One student sums up their Purdue experience: "It has everything a college kid could want: sports, academics, clubs, and delicious food."

Purdue has a strong pull with the middle of the country, and it can often seem like most students are "white and from the Midwest." While it's true that a little less than half of the incoming first-year class is from Indiana, the university attracts students from many different states and more than 120 countries, so you're bound to meet a variety of personalities, backgrounds, and ethnicities. Undergrads agree that "most students are really down to earth," and everyone seems to "find their niche here and get along well." It's quite common for undergrads to bond "within their majors," which "helps create a small-school feel within a huge university." Everyone seems to find a place to fit in, and as a student fondly observes, "the atmosphere on campus coaxes most out of their shell sooner or later."

Purdue is a university teeming with excitement and opportunity. While generally a good thing, it does mean that the "typical student has a hard time completing all three S's (sleep, study, socialize) but has fun trying." Fortunately, there are tons of opportunities for undergrads to "unwind and have fun by joining a club or organization," ranging from The Art of the Bonsai Club to Act Natural, Purdue's own sketch comedy group. They can also kick back at Rack and Roll, a campus venue that features bowling lanes, billiard tables, and arcade games. Of course, as a Big Ten school, sports frequently dominate life here. As one undergrad highlights, "We have Ross-Ade Brigade and Paint Crew, student clubs for cheering on the athletic teams, and they're fairly large." Some students mention that Purdue has a large, active Greek community but that it's "not essential" to be Greek to have a vibrant social life. The school sponsors numerous events like Jazz Jams at the Union and Boiler Con, Purdue's own comic convention, so you can rest assured that "there is always something fun to do on campus." Finally, when students want to break away, they can easily take a weekend trip to nearby Chicago or Indianapolis.