Purdue University

Colleges Purdue University

Purdue University

Purdue University

www.purdue.edu

Image Gallery Button
location students adm. int’l. fresh grad GPA ACT SAT TOEFL
West Lafayette, IN 37,949 53% 11% 92% 63% 3.7 31 1335 80

Purdue University is a public institution that was founded in 1869. It sits on a 2,468-acre campus situated in the small city of West Lafayette, near the western bank of the Wabash River, across which sits the larger city of Lafayette. Purdue encompasses four other campuses throughout the state as well. Although a large university, Purdue maintains an intimate atmosphere that highly values individual needs and achievements. The University’s Exploratory Studies program supports undergraduate students who enter the university without having a declared major. Students at Purdue participate in more than 1,000 student organizations that cover a variety of interests. Some of the notable clubs founded by Purdue students include the Purdue Reamer Club (school spirit and scholarship) and two clubs that eventually became nationwide organizations: the National Society of Black Engineers and the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest.

Academics

Purdue University is made up of 13 schools and colleges, and offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in over 211 major areas of study and research initiatives. Purdue is a member of the Association of American Universities and is classified among R1 Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activities. The University possesses over 400 research labs and is also well known for its competitive engineering curricula. Purdue has also been integral in America’s history of aviation, having established the first college credit offered in flight training; the first four-year bachelor’s degree in aviation; and the first university airport. The student-faculty ratio at Purdue University is 14:1, and the school has 39% of its classes with fewer than 20 students. Popular majors include Business, Mechanical Engineering, and Industrial Engineering.

Special Highlights

Slayter Center. Slayter Center is an outdoor amphitheater with striking architecture. Throughout the year, it hosts musical events, dances and lawn movies. The Fourth of July Stars and Stripes Concert is an annual event with more than 20,000 people attending. Architect Joseph Baker conceived Slayter Center in the concept of Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England. The side and back walls of the stage are formed of stelae similar to the stone monoliths that comprise Stonehenge.

Discovery Park. Nestled on 40 acres on the southwest edge of Purdue’s West Lafayette campus, Discovery Park is a place where challenge and innovation converge, a hub where researchers move beyond traditional boundaries, collaborating across disciplines and with policy makers and business leaders to create solutions for a better world. DURI Internship Program supports faculty-led teams of undergraduates to investigate problems in the strategic areas of global security, global health, and global sustainability.

School Mission & Unique Qualities

For over 150 years, generations of “Boilermakers” have left their mark in small steps and giant leaps. Today, we continue in those footsteps as we bring our best and learn to build a better world, together. On campus, Purdue’s University Hall is the only building remaining from the original six-buildings. Construction began in 1871, when the building was known as “The Main Building.” The official seal of Purdue consists of elements from emblems that had been used since the earliest years; the current version depicts a griffin, symbolizing strength, and a three-part shield, representing education, research, and service. One popular university tradition: many students mark the beginning and end of their time at Purdue by running through any of the five campus fountains. The Boilermaker Special, Purdue’s official mascot, is a railroad locomotive maintained by the student-run Purdue Reamer Club and is used to announce campus events and for visitor tours.

Student Reviews…

“The campus is beautiful and compact enough to get around just by walking. The faculty are wonderful. Students are offered plenty of opportunities to participate in research. Purdue is a great school to cultivate connections and develop necessary leadership skills for their careers.”