THE COLLEGE APPLICATION EXPERIENCE

Hi guys! My name is Annie Gassner and I’m from Naperville, Illinois studying Construction Engineering and Management with a minor in Environmental and Ecological Engineering. Applying for colleges is an exciting and sometimes overwhelming time. I’m hope that sharing my experience with you and giving some tips may help.

What the college application process was like for you?

The college application process is like online dating. You’ll make a list of features that you look for in a potential school: high ranking academics, campus involvement, location, etc. At the same time, you will create a profile that highlights your best features. Then you start to narrow down your choices and decide who gets a chance to meet you in person, while colleges decide if your profile would meet their own list of features. Maybe you’ll find a school that checks all the boxes on your list, but if you’re like me, I didn’t have a “love at first sight” experience when searching for a school to attend. I applied to twelve different universities and visited six of them before choosing Purdue. On top of that, I visited Purdue three times before deciding it was the right choice! Applying for college can be like swimming against the tide in murky waters and trying to be Rainbow Fish out of the “plenty of fish in the sea” can be difficult, but soon you’ll find the right school and swim out of the current up to the surface of your bright future!

Why did you pick Purdue?

Besides academics, the top criteria for my college search was a place I could see myself feeling at home and a place where I could make a difference in the world. At my third visit to Purdue, I sat in an auditorium of about 400 high school students and their parents. The Director of the Office of Future Engineers, David Bowker, enthusiastically greeted everyone on the stage in the front and at this point, the May 1^st college decision deadline was only three weeks down the road and I was about fifty percent sure Purdue would be my home for the next four years. David was speaking about what it’s like to be a student at Purdue and relating topics to popular songs. At one point he played a song that I will forever associate with Purdue: Safe and Sound by Capital Cities. By the end of that visit, I was set on coming to Purdue, not only because I knew I could feel “safe and sound”, but because I could see myself growing and learning with the people around me. All of the friendly people who were excited about their studies and the organizations they were a part of made me sure I could find a home on Purdue’s campus.

Why was Purdue a good choice?

From my first day on campus, I felt accepted and proud to be a Boilermaker! Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) is our new student orientation on campus. During this week, new students are put in groups led by current students and become fully immersed in everything Purdue. Diversity and inclusion are the most important values at Purdue and this stood out to me during my week of orientation. As a female going into engineering, I was nervous about being a minority in a male-dominated field of study. Thanks to BGR, the Women in Engineering Living and Learning Community, and everyone I met, by the end of the week, I was starting my first week of school with new friends and a newfound confidence that I could succeed at Purdue. The countless opportunities at Purdue are what reassure me that I made the right decision. For example, thanks to connections with Purdue and the Construction Engineering and Management program, I have had two consecutive summer internships with Bechtel Corporation: one in Houston, TX and the other in Washington state. I have also been to five different countries: Nicaragua, Ecuador, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France thanks to Purdue programs! I love to travel and Purdue continues to help my foster this passion along with my other growing interests. Choosing Purdue was my best decision and I can’t see myself anywhere else.

Tips on applying to Purdue:

1.     Apply early! I am a procrastinator as much as the next student, but it’s important to apply by the early application deadline, November 1 for Purdue.

2.     Be proud of your accomplishments! Your college application is your opportunity to share how you have impacted your community and how hard you have worked to get to where you are. Don’t sell yourself short in your essays and applications; it’s your time to shine!

3.     Talk to your school counselor about your career goals and assess all your college options. As much as we love Purdue and hope you find your home here, we understand that it may not be the best fit for what you’re looking for in a university! Think about your passions, goals, and where you want your college career to take you.

4.     Academics are important, but so are extra-curricular activities. This applies to what you did in high school, as well as, what you look for in a university. Commitment to extra-curricular activities will make you stand out in your college application. In addition, a huge component of college life is what you do with your free time to take a break from studying and classes. Look into organizations you want to be involved with when researching universities.

Good luck on your college search and Boiler up!

Annie Gassner