<p>Exactly what I was thinking Grcxx.</p>
<p>What? Seriously in all honesty they have admitted over 1900 students so far…how do they have time to manage every specific need of every student. If u want a more personalized school then I suggest looking at smaller schools. They got nothing to sell to you either you go or you don’t that’s up to you, they are not going out of their way to spend resources and money on just your son because he’s brilliant or something. Penn state is seriously over rated I’ve been accepted to Penn State but their engineering is nothing compared to Purdue’s. So great for your know it all son who seems to know everything about engineering at Purdue…</p>
<p>americandream - you’re too funny!</p>
<p>Let me just clue you in on something…when someone has traveled over 1000 miles, spent over $1200, taken 2 days off of school and work, and called several weeks in advance to schedule a special appointment…all during a day that is devoted to convincing accepted students to say “yes” - then, yeah, some level of personal attention isn’t too much to ask.</p>
<p>Purdue is a great school. So is Penn State. Bottom line, in my son’s area of interest, PSU wins. We sort of knew that going in, but decided that the strength/reputation of their engineering department made it worth consideration. And that is why Purdue is still #2.</p>
<p>Our experience was similar to Grcxx3’s family. We also stayed at the Hilton.</p>
<p>We did the standard Carny Quad residence hall (I think I got the name right). The room we saw was in pretty bad shape. The loft kit looked like something like a somebody with no construction experience might build.</p>
<p>Since my daughter is interested in Women in Engineering community, we visited Earhardt. Significantly nicer than what we saw in Carny Quad.</p>
<p>The entire family commented on the cafeteria and the food. Much better than what our son had at OSU.</p>
<p>WIE has a session on the agenda, but when we stopped by the office, they acted very surprized. However, they did spend thirty minutes with us and answered all our questions.</p>
<p>The engineering walking tour was only marginally better than the general walking tour we tooked in the morning. Maybe five minutes of additional information, the rest duplicated the morning tour.</p>
<p>We were on the road home at 3:00pm. Unfortuantely it took an additional 1.5 hours due to the winter storm in Ohio.</p>
<p>My daughter likes Purdue, but not sure how we’ll handle the OOS fees. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a nice financial package in April.</p>
<p>I understand what Grcxx3 is saying. They went out of their way to go this event including scheduling a special meeting weeks in advance as a way of trying to find reasons as why Purdue should be put in the number 1 spot for them. The least Purdue staff could do is be ready for anything at this meeting. </p>
<p>Anyway, I’ll be up there in 2 weekends for admitted students day and will give some feedback when I get home. </p>
<p>Also americandream, at least Grcxx3’s son seems confident that he is going to the right place now. You on the other hand seem to be trying to convince yourself still with the comments you made about Penn State and Purdue.</p>
<p>Im not trying to convince myself anything I’ve been admitted to both those and i’m simply saying my opinion…I really could care less if he has made his mind. They think they are going to treat them like royalty on the visit just because he’s smart or something…all I was saying was the staff doesn’t have that many people to treat everyone like kings. Unless you get called over there by special invitation then maybe yes I would expect that. But when it’s just a regular event like Purdue is for me, they simply can’t give people special priority and pull each persons file and be like wow ya ur sats is blah blah and ur gap is. They r both great schools I had the benfit of going to Penn state on a commercial bus all expenses paid and got to stay overnight with a student. So I’m not being biased or anything, good for her son though. I really don’t understand what you were trying to say with I’m trying to convince myself?</p>
<p>No one expected to be treated like royalty, but when you are trying to make a decision that involves spending $36K a year - a little display of interest is nice. </p>
<p>They may not have had access to his file (I always did, but things are different at different universities) but they could have taken 5 minutes at the beginning of the meeting to ask simple questions like “where are you from?”…“what courses are you taking this year?”…“why are you interested in this field of study?” That just didn’t happen. At the end of the meeting, they knew nothing about my son and my husband and son knew nothing more about the program than the knowledge they walked in with. They got a higher level of interest from the marching band folks - who wanted my son to audition right then.</p>
<p>At Penn State, we got lots of personal attention last summer - before my son even applied. We spent time with 2 different professors - over an hour with each - and by the end of those visits, they knew lots about my son and we knew lots about the programs. They were pleased that we had taken the time to learn about the curriculum, answered our questions, talked about the various study abroad options, gave some advice about AP credits, talked about internship opportunities, etc. </p>
<p>Virginiafan13 - I’ll be interested in how your visit goes. Good luck!</p>
<p>rleffler - Hope your daughter gets a great package so it all works out for her!</p>
<p>americandream - I wish you well with your future. But I do hope your “school” writing skills are better than your “internet” writing skills.</p>
<p>I really did not mean to start some kind of fight here. I am sorry if I offended anyone with my posts but maybe I got a different perspective then what you did I really just thought you were expecting a TON from Purdue again I’m sorry about my last posts I got a better idea of what you are trying to say from your last post. I’m in AP English this year if that says something about my writing, but I’m writing from my I touch it’s kinda hard…I feel like kind of a jerk now. I’m really sorry. I got what you said in the wrong way…</p>
<p>No worries americandream! Thanks for understanding and apologizing. And the fact that you can SEE well enough to type from an itouch is impressive!</p>
<p>Grcxx3, disappointing to hear that he’s going to Penn. State. Hopefully, he won’t regret it! 
Best of luck to him though!</p>
<p>Everyone, I just want to tell you that OOS financial aid packages aren’t generous. If your son/daughter/yourself don’t qualify for a scholarship, be ready to pay around $40,000 for an estimated cost of attendance. I had 0 EFC last year and received only like $4-5k in Federal grants, and like $600 from Purdue.</p>
<p>jimgotkp - thanks for the good wishes and thanks again for the restaurant recommendations. They loved the burgers! </p>
<p>It’s a tough decision, because he has some really good schools to choose from, but PSU just seems to be the best all-around fit.</p>
<p>^ Thanks for the feedback on Purdue. My son will attend the School of Science “Actuary Sciences” The pros you listed are very positive. We are proud and comforted that Purdue will be his home for 4 years. I can understand your frustration with them not being prepared when you called ahead. Best of luck.</p>
<p>No problem Grcxx3. Hope he does well there. Everyone has their own needs and wants from the school they will be attending, so can’t blame him. :)</p>
<p>I’m officially going to the March 8th program (for College of Liberal Arts). I’m in North Carolina, and this will be my first time visiting Purdue. Can’t wait!</p>
<p>Hopefully the weather will be warmer for you, LolyGAGHa. My husband and son said it was quite cold! Of course, coming from Houston - we just don’t have the clothes for cold weather. That’s something we will need to rectify!</p>
<p>I can say that my visit to Purdue was very good. I attended the Scholars Day in January. My mom and I went down on a Friday night and stayed in a Red Roof Inn (about $50…not a 4 star hotel, but you can’t really beat the price) that was a short drive to the campus. </p>
<p>I am going into the Math Department in the School of Science. One of my best friends also went to this visit day with his dad-they stayed at the same hotel. He in going into the Actuarial Science program.</p>
<p>We were able to see the Pep band in the morning at the opening speech. I was very impressed by the band to say the least. We then broke up into a student panel-one for the parents and one for the students. This wasn’t overly informative, but still provided a useful insight from the current students. We then broke up into colleges and met back up with our parents. The College of Science gave everyone a bag with free shirts and cool color changing pens (yes, I know, I just said pens were cool). One of the advisors spoke a bit and answered some questions and then a group of students answered questions and shared some cool experiences. </p>
<p>Then within the College of Science, we broke up into departments with the student representatives. I think an advisor met up with every group. In the Math Department, it was two actuarial science students with my friend and I. They gave us the plans of studies for each of our majors and spoke with us for a long time. Since they were both actuarial science students the discussion mainly focused on my friend, but it was still informative. They presented the program in such a good light, my friend put Purdue at the top of his list (and I was almost conviced that I should go there to study actuarial science). The advisor also informed me of the bioinformatics program when he found out that I was interested in math and science with a future career in medicine. He then put me in contact with the bioinformatics undergraduate advisor, who I have been talking to through email.</p>
<p>Later we went into this giant room for lunch with some more speakers and the Purduettes preformed. Then there was a campus tour, where I saw a dorm, which I think was Windsor. Then we rushed to hear about the University Honors Program (and I recieved the invitation in the mail that night).</p>
<p>Overall I was impressed. Purdue is above Michigan now. I still have to hear back from a few schools, but Purdue is definately near the top of my list. (and is about the same price of UofM with my Purdue scholarship and being instate for UofM).</p>
<p>Grcxx thank you for accepting my apology. Really that was a real jerk move from me so really I am truly sorry. I really took it the wrong way and when you explained it, it makes a lot more sense. They should def try to be interactive with the students like ask them stuff like high school courses and stuff. I def see where your coming from when you were upset when you called before hand. I really just took it the wrong way like I said. Anyway Penn state when I was invited for this event for minority students (I was born in South America) was one of the best expriences ever they made it really personal I got to stay with an arch engineering major student and got to classes with him and actually stay in his dorm overnight. They provided free food and transportation it was awesome, I’m from the east coast and they picked me up at a local metro station. I loved Penn state but I really got to see the true side of it while I was there. Trust me there is a reason why it is the #1 party school, and I really lost interest after I saw tat first hand. The campus is amazing!! They treated us like we were students when we went to Penn state. I got to talk with the engineering dean and students it was awesome! I just don’t feel that I would fit in. Anyway I’m happy for ur son and wish him the best! I have yet to see Purdue but there overall rank in engineering really impresses me. But in the end it is where the student feels more comfortable and welcome. I just need to find a way to pay for out of state…</p>
<p>americandream - no problem! Sometimes it’s hard as a teenager to understand what we old folks think should and should not happen in a situation. And my professional experience (and knowing what I used to do when I met with prospective students) probably didn’t help! Had my husband and son just popped in on these folks - it would have been a very different story!</p>
<p>Yeah - we know Penn State is the #1 party school. The year my brother was at UT Austin - it was voted the #1 party school. I have a feeling he contributed to that ranking! But I know my son pretty well, and I’m not too worried. </p>
<p>Will he drink? Probably. But he grew up overseas and is used to traveling to places where drinking wine at 12 was acceptable. So my sons have had wine and beer (under our supervision) many times and the “mystique” of drinking - which is the problem for most new college students - just isn’t there. Plus, he hopes to be very busy - between the Honors College (fingers crossed, we’ll hear soon) and the Blue Band. The Blue Band is not easy to make - but he’s very good and I think he stands a good chance.</p>
<p>Another plus for Penn State is that it is just 90 miles from most of my husband’s family. So - if he needs something, gets sick, gets homesick - whatever - I know that there are people there who will help out.</p>
<p>My son enjoyed his visit to Purdue, and was really excited about how interested the band was in him, but he is pretty set on Arch Engr and Purdue’s program is just too new, while PSU’s program is top of the line. </p>
<p>Where are you from in South America? My step-brother lives in Argentina, but that is one continent I haven’t made it to yet! It’s on my list – but I don’t really like my step-brother so I don’t want to go visit him!! LOL!!!</p>
<p>Anyway - I wish you the best and hope that everything works out for you with Purdue.</p>
<p>Thank you. I’m from Bolivia my family and I moved 10 years ago to seek a better future and an education. It’s been rough but we have managed. My dad was a civil engineer in Bolivia but he has been working air conditioning which has really been rough for him. But I’m following in his footsteps to become an aernautical engineer. But ya anyway PSU is a great school like I said I loved it soo much.But I can’t see myself there for some reason, I really don’t know why. But Wow it’s
great that your son could be in the honors college that is
impressive. But ya he’s probably not going to have a problem with drinking he’s def going to be busy with the honors and the influence from his peers is def going to be great! If you live in Texas why didn’t your son apply to Texas Tech for engineering?they have a great program I think. I mean from my parents perspective they would love it if I go to Virginia tech or Jmu since it’s instate but I don’t really want to. That’s why I convinced them that Iam probably going to do Rotc if I go to Purdue. Anyway I wish your son the best in the future and I hope he gets into the honors college at PSU!</p>
<p>If your from Texas you apply to UTexas-Austin for Engineering.</p>