I grew up in a small town in central Indiana. My graduating class had a whopping 127 members. We have one single-screen movie theater, and have to drive at least 20-30 minutes into another county to get to a Walmart.
So, why did I apply to one of the largest schools in the state, let alone decide to go there?
There are a lot of reasons. One of them being that it was close enough to home that if something major happened, or I just felt like taking a break that weekend, I could go home. It’s also far enough from my hometown that I won’t feel like going home every weekend (let alone finding a ride home), and I can get the classic first-time-away-from-home-for-real college experience that everyone talks about, without being too far away from everything I’ve ever known.
I am an accounting major, and when I tell people this, their next question is generally something like, “Why not IU? The Kelley School of Business?” and my response is that size is a big deal for me. Yes, Purdue has roughly 38,000 students, which is comparable to Indiana University’s numbers, but The Krannert School of Management has roughly 2500, which is definitely a manageable number for me. Purdue also has great scholarships, along with great school spirit, with school spirit being a breath of fresh air in comparison to my high school experience. I’m looking forward to the Division 1 Athletic atmosphere, but also the small-by-comparison management school, and being more than just a number or statistic. Purdue has a very friendly campus, and, even though the Hoosiers are a big rival, Purdue respects that Indiana's successes in its programs.
Purdue also has great study abroad programs that can be school-specific, and in a variety of countries. I love going to Europe, specifically Germany, so the fact that Purdue has two Krannert-specific study abroad programs-one Co-Op and one Exchange-was a huge selling point for me. I am getting a concentration in International Business, so experiencing other countries’ cultures while earning my degree sounds great to me, because once in a European country, traveling to another is no big deal, a concept I have yet to fully grasp.
Even with all of these reasons, I still took some convincing. Luckily, my cousin, who actually convinced me to apply to Purdue in the first place, was more than willing to give me a tour of Krannert, and answer any and every question I had. It probably helps that she is the same major, and has the same advisor.
My advice to incoming high school seniors? Apply to a school that is a little out of your comfort zone, and talk to people you know that go there. College is really about expanding and broadening your horizons, and while I do think it is a good idea to be comfortable in your environment, being a big school can be a really cool idea. At Purdue, you can have both the big school and small school experience, and I could not be more excited about that, and just being at college.
