Application

I'm going to be sending my application in very soon, and my guidance counselor talked about some colleges needing 2 or more teacher recommendations. Looking through the Purdue application, I didn't see them ask for it. Is this required? Also, since Av. Managment is my first choice, should I hear back to Purdue in a few weeks, or will the fact that flight is my second choice delay it until december sometime? Thanks a lot for your help.

If it doesn't say anywhere on the application that it's required then it's not required - simple as that. Now, having said that, if you have a few teachers that can write you a good letter then include it - it'll never hurt you.

Listing flight as your 2nd choice shouldn't delay your notification any - the only reason they would even look at your second choice is if you didn't get into your first choice for some reason. I **think** it's still a rolling admissions so you should hear something fairly quickly but a couple of weeks might be pushing it - I would expect it to be something more reasonable like maybe a month or even 6 weeks.

Jason

If you send your app along with all the information that's required, I think that you'll hear in December whether or not you've gotten in. That's what the admissions people told Zach, who told me.

Everything else Jason said is right on the mark.

I wish you luck on your application process!

Not to create confusion here, but let me share my own experience as I'm a freshman in the flight program. I sent my application in at the end of September and heard within three weeks of my acceptance. Dont be surprised if you hear earlier than December. However, get those apps in as soon as possible. With rolling admission timing is critical.

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised if you heard back earlier whether you applied for Flight or otherwise. They just told me they'd get back to me in December (probably just to give them time if they need it, I suppose).

As for letters of recommendation-- I asked about that specifically when I met with Karan Bowerman (assistant director at Admissions that deals with aviation applications -- 765/494-5931 if you want to chat with her) and she said that really they don't look at them, giving me the reason that one wouldn't get a letter of recommendation from a teacher that wouldn't say something spectacular. Which I suppose I understand, but I'm still bummed because I had a couple of awesome letters. But like Jason said, it definitely wouldn't hurt to stick them in there with the app, ya just never know.

Good luck to you.

Thanks a lot for the help. I hope to see you there next fall! Neil, would you mind telling us a little about your freshman year at Purdue, and how it was making the switch from high school?

What can you expect from your freshman year...

My biggest advice would be to be prepared to work from Day 1! I had a hard time with that. In high school, which is one of the most difficult public schools in Massachusetts academic-wise, we would normally have a one to two week "transition" time from summer vacation to school time. That doesn't happen here! It really took me by surprise when the professor gave a little "who I am, what this course consists of, and this what the syllabis says" then launched into his lecture and assigned a boat load of work that night.

I would also advise you attend Boiler Gold Rush (freshman orientation, BGR). That is a good way to get to know your fellow freshman and the layout of campus before classes begin. It is usually held the week before classes begin.

Another big shock came when I came from a high-school where we had only 400 people across all 4 grades (average of 100 in a graduating class). I was surprised to learn that I'd have at least many in a class! Or it seemed as much.

Since I knew no one going here, I had to basically start over and make new friends. Although my roommate and I hated each other (and couldn't be more polarized opposites), I made friends with my neighbors across the hall and next door. Those guys become my roommates for the next 3 years.

Another way I learned to make friends is by joining clubs. At least here you are allied by the same common interest so it's easy to strike up a conversation.

Yes, I did get homesick sometimes but since I had been away from home for prolonged periods of time before this wasn't as bad as it was for some people.

All in all, I found everyone here (aside from a few bad apples) to be very nice and accomidating. Your freshman year professors go out of their way to try to make the transition easier. However, like I said before BE PREPARED TO WORK FROM DAY 1!! Since all your courses are consoldiated into a 15 week period the professors and TAs have no choice but to breeze through the course material. They don't have time to screw around like in high school where it was okay to spend two weeks on how to divide fractions.

I guess that's all I have from here. I hope this has been helpful. If I remember anything else, I will post it! I added some more information in the previous thread.

At any rate... have a good day!

I would strongly agree with what Neil said - come to Purdue ready to work. At Purdue - as it is at any college - 'lecture' classes aren't meant to introduce or teach new material as they are in high school - you are expected to have read and have an understanding of the material BEFORE class and during lecture the prof will likely go over some key points but they don't go over everything - that's another thing - don't fall into the "He didn't discuss it class so it won't be an the exam' trap - that doesn't hold true at college like it does in high school.

Something else - try and learn some 'life management' skills before you go. I know it sounds silly but alot students show up at school not knowing how to do basic things like budgeting time(big one), budgeting money, how to use your parent's health insurance cards, etc etc

Jason

Thanks a lot for the info. Neil. I'm sorry to hear that you hated your freshman roomate. Not getting along with my roomate is big concern of mine. Even though I think of my self as being able to get along with most people, there are some kids in my high school who I definetly would not care to live with. Do you have any tips for ways to find a good roomate (like things that you would fill out on a questionaire), or good dorms to choose? Also, whats the night life there like?