General FAQs

Every student is assigned to an advisor that they will work with to accomplish their academic and career goals. If a student is pursuing multiple programs (majors), they will have multiple advisors. The advisor is an expert on curriculum, policy, and degree requirements in their department. All students are required to meet with their advisor at least once a semester. If a student does not meet with their advisor, they will not be able to register for classes the next semester. During advising appointments students will discuss how they plan to progress towards graduation, address any issues they are having with current classes, transition to Purdue, social/personal concerns, and discuss campus resources that may be beneficial to overall success. It is the student's responsibility to come to advising appointments with an idea of the classes that they would like to take to plan their schedule for the next semester.

FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Once a student begins his or her education in higher education (even if they are not yet 18) only that student has the right to access and correct their educational record. The student can request that information be shared with other parties (e.g. parents) per MyPurdue proxy access.

Purdue's wireless network on campus is known as PAL (Purdue Air Link). PAL is available in most common areas on campus including academic buildings, administrative buildings, and the common areas of most residence halls. Students can connect to PAL using their Purdue Career Account credentials.

Guests of Purdue have free access to AT&T's Wi-Fi service. For more information about connecting to Purdue's wireless services please refer to Information Technology Purdue Wireless Options.

The computer that you buy depends on your personal preference. No department within the College of Science requires use of a specific computer. If you find that you are working on a project that is more compatible with a certain type of computer, there are computer labs on campus that you can work in. Some companies provide educational discounts to qualified Purdue students. Visit the ITaP Shopping Program to find out more!

The ALEKS is an assessment tool that Purdue uses to determine readiness for various math courses. All students in the College of Science begin with Calculus 1. To be placed into this course, students must meet the requisite ALEKS score or students can also be placed into Calculus I based upon their ACT or SAT scores. Find out more information about the ALEKS.

Generally students take between 14-16 credit hours per semester. However, depending on a student's situation more or less may be appropriate for a given semester. To be a full time student, 12 credit hours must be taken during the spring and fall semesters. A student cannot take above 18 credit hours without special permission from the College of Science; please see your advisor for more information.

If you are currently enrolled at the Purdue West Lafayette campus or a Polytechnic Statewide location, you may submit your request directly on myPurdue under the Academic tab.  For more information on requesting transcripts.  

Current students can use Student Self-Service in myPurdue for enrollment certification services.

Getting involved in a research project as an undergraduate gives you hands-on experience and provides a change of pace from formal classroom courses. Click here to find out more about undergraduate research in the College of Science. Check out the University website for undergraduate research opportunities across campus.

Information pertaining to financial aid can be located by visiting the Department of Financial Aid. Students are encouraged to monitor their financial tab in myPurdue and to contact the Department of Financial Aid if they have any questions. It is also important to note that financial awards cannot exceed cost of attendance.

If you have a disability please contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC). They offer several resources including testing accommodations. Any information related to the DRC is kept confidential and there will be no indication of testing accommodations on your academic record.

There are many different student organizations at Purdue; ranging from academic clubs, to greek life, to athletic clubs. If you are looking for a specific group and Purdue does not offer it, you have the opportunity to be the founder of a new club. Students are encouraged to become involved in at least one organization while at Purdue. You can find a list of the clubs and organizations offered at Purdue on Boilerlink.

Safe Walk is a service provided to Purdue students and employees by the Purdue Student Security Patrol (PSSP). When using Safe Walk the person requesting service will be escorted from campus building to campus building by the PSSP. To request this service call 494-SAFE (7233).

Another service offered on Purdue's campus is the Emergency Telephone System (ETS). There are ETS boxes (either blue or yellow) located all over campus. Students who are in need of assistance can use the boxes to request help. For more information on Safety Programs and Services in the Greater Lafayette area please visit the Purdue Police Department.

Buses around the University, West Lafayette, and Lafayette are all managed by City Bus. For more information or to plan a trip using the bus system visit gocitybus.com. The bus costs $1 each way, though it is free with your Purdue ID. There is also an app that you can use on your smartphone to find bus routes and track the arrival time of buses.

Several apartment complexes also provide shuttle service to and from campus. To learn more about these shuttles please contact the apartment provider. Shuttle service is also provided to and from the Indianapolis and Chicago airports by various local companies including: Lafayette Limo, Reindeer Shuttle and Express Air Coach.

The Greater Lafayette area offers over thirty different religious or denominational groups to worship with. Lafayette Online provides a list of religious organizations and places of worship categorized by religion.

Many questions about the College of Science can be found through a Purdue Google search. If you still have questions please contact scienceadvising@purdue.edu.