West Lafayette, IN

[anya11]

Hello, I am an international applicant with an offer from Purdue.

I would like to know if on-campus housing is preferred or off-campus for graduate students. How soon should i register for apartments? How abt the transportation facilities, campus and climate? 

I have been browsing for info on this city and would like to hear your suggestions as well. Any info will be helpful. 

[jordy]

Hello, I am an international applicant with an offer from Purdue.

I would like to know if on-campus housing is preferred or off-campus for graduate students. How soon should i register for apartments? How abt the transportation facilities, campus and climate?

I have been browsing for info on this city and would like to hear your suggestions as well. Any info will be helpful.

All the grad students I spoke with highly suggested living off-campus in Lafayette (Laf & West Laf are right on top of each other and basically the same city, I'm talking 5min drive from downtown Lafayette to campus). Here's a great website for finding housing: http://www.boilerapa...com/search.aspx. My sources have suggested signing a lease by May.

There is a free trolley service that runs all around the area. In terms of climate, the seasons are pretty clearly marked. Cold snowy winters (highs in the 20s & 30s F), warm springs, hot summers (highs in the 80s F), and cool breezy autumns. You can find some general info about the area here: http://www.homeofpurdue.com/ Check out the Online Visitors Guide.

Hope this helps! Good luck

P.S. You probably know this anyway, but Purdue has a sizable international student population (for a U.S. university), largely in engineering. From my new and limited knowledge, it seems they have some decent services available with this fact in mind (though someone else should probably offer legit input on that).

Edited February 21, 2010 by jordy

[kman3201]

First off, the weather is miserable here. Winter seems to drag on forever here. You can go WEEKS without seeing the sun because it is always overcast. Very cold winters and very very windy. The highs maybe in the 20's and 30's, but once you factor in the wind chill, its in the 10's. Summer is very humid and it always rains in the spring. Fall is about the only nice time of the year, and it only lasts for a month or two. On a scale of 1-10, I give it a 1.5 in terms of weather. I guess Siberia is worse.

As far as the international population here, it is very big and diverse. People from all over the world. The undergraduate population is no where near as diverse. About 90% of the undergrads are from the midwest, whereas I would say 10% of the gradaute population is from the US as a whole.

The campus is huge and stretches for miles.

I would recommend off campus housing, as it will be cheaper and be a better place to live. I would do my best to try and stay in West Lafayette. Lafayette may be just over the river, but everything you need is in West Lafayette and there is much much more bus services in West Lafayette. Plus ,the closest part of Lafayette to campus is downtown Lafayette, which is very expensive to live in. If you can find a room mate, expect to pay around $400/month to live in West Lafayette.

[anya11]

Thanks for the interesting sites and useful info.

More comments on the overall recognition, grad life, program or anything at all is welcome.

[gsams]

It is very flat. The campus is not the prettiest thing in the world, but there are things to do. Of all the states schools in the country, Purdue actually has the largest population. Lafayette has cold winters, some snow (not a lot for me, I am from the Chicago area and we get a lot more), and icy rain which is the worst. If you enjoy basketball or football, it will be fun. Housing is not too expensive, but I am dealing with Purdue's sworn rival (Indiana) for my undergrad. Beautiful campus here, hilly. Probably prettiest state school ever. However, miserably more expensive. Warmer, though.

[kman3201]

Thanks for the interesting sites and useful info.

More comments on the overall recognition, grad life, program or anything at all is welcome.

Well, in terms of recognition, Purdue is known for all things Engineering and Science. From all over, people recognize Purdue for turning out some amazing Engineers, Chemists, Pharmacists, and Biologists. The grad life is pretty good. There are alot of organizations with tons of activities always going on. Alot of us head over to Indianapolis or Chicago every now and then for some fun. Some even go down to Kentucky or over to Ohio for concerts, sporting events and so on.

The Engineering end of the campus is massive, with many buildings connected via skywalks or tunnels. So in terms of program, you are covered. I think Purdue has all its engineering graduate programs in or near the top 10.

[anya11]

Any insights on the transportation facilities.. Is it necessary to own a car?  I couldnt find the data for West Laf in the related thread.

[gsams]

I would say it would be good to own a car anywhere in Indiana, but I will let the Boilermakers on here let you know. As an undergrad here at IU, while the buses do a decent, they are limited in use when you need to get to a doctor's office, go somewhere on a weekend, etc. Lafayette has a better bus system than IU I have heard, but the Midwest pretty much is a car-necessary place.

[matcha]

I grew up in Lafayette, which is only a hop across the river to West Lafayette. I hope my 18 years of experience in that area can be helpful!

First, weather-

Winters are cold and snowy. You will be walking a lot (it is a big campus, although not as spread out as IU and other colleges I've seen), so snow boots and down coats are a must.

The summers are hot and humid. If you are in a dorm or apartment, I would suggest a fan for the bedroom.

The winter lasts from the end of October until the middle of March. Sunny days are not unusual during the winter months, but it doesn't help warm things up that much.

Transportation-

The bus system is good. It is free for students and runs all the time. Parking is awful, so cars on campus are just a pain in the butt. Most things are within walking distance from campus. There are a TON of restaurants and fun things to do in and around campus. The only need for a car is to get to the mall (which is pretty decent), some doctors offices and Chicago.

You can live near Purdue without a car, as long as you aren't afraid of walking a bit and taking the bus.

Living-

From what I've seen (I didn't go to Purdue), the apartments and dorms are very institutional, but nicely located. There are a lot of apartments near campus that look pretty nice. Just be prepared to walk a couple miles to class.

Town-

Good food, bars, and hang-outs. You can live comfortably on a very limited budget. No big clubs or anything, but Chicago is a three hour drive. Not the most beautiful campus, but there are some fun fountains and parks.

All in all, I like West Lafayette. It has a lot of fun spots, restaurants, movie theaters, bowling alley's, etc... The winter is, well, winter. Unless you are going down south, you are going to face the white stuff.

Those are my thoughts. I can ask any other questions about the town, as long as it doesn't have to do with the school itself. I moved as far away from home as possible for my undergrad. :-)

Edited March 18, 2010 by matcha

[BionicKris]

Does anyone know anything about the historic apartments located in downtown Lafayette? I'm searching for a place that is within walking distance to campus and I've been told downtown Lafayette is the place to go. I'll be a first year grad student in the PULSe program in the fall. Is it expensive to live alone in the Purdue area?

[matcha]

Does anyone know anything about the historic apartments located in downtown Lafayette? I'm searching for a place that is within walking distance to campus and I've been told downtown Lafayette is the place to go. I'll be a first year grad student in the PULSe program in the fall. Is it expensive to live alone in the Purdue area?

The historic apartments can be very expensive, if in a good neighborhood. That town is crazy for historic buildings. There are some apartment complexes near the downtown area that are cheap, but I've never been inside. I would visit them first.

There are tons and tons of apartment complexes made for college students near Purdue. Do some craigslisting. Most of my friends had roommates, but I think it is possible to live alone without blowing a ton of money. It just depends on your budget.

[apropos]

I and my roommate have decided to leave Purdue this summer. Because of this, we would like to transfer the next year's lease for our 2-bedroom apartment to anyone interested.

The apartment is walking distance from campus. (10 to 15 minutes from most of the important places on campus. 5-10 minutes from the Chauncey Hill shopping/dining area). There are two parking spaces for cars. The area is safe and the apartment complex residents are reasonably quite people. We don't have noisy parties going on, etc. There is quiet hour time and a large punitive fee charge for anyone who creates too much noise. Renting 2-bedroom apartment is the most cost effective way to live at Purdue. Moreover, you generally need to sign up for one of these at least 8 months in advance. By now all 2-bedroom apartments had been leased out, so the only way you can get one is through people who suddenly have to leave. The rent is (I believe) $880 per month, so it is about $440 per person. The one bedroom apartments and studios offer more privacy but they're a lot more expensive. (Think between 600 and 700 per month). Our electricity bill did not cross $100 mark this past winter. You will have to sign the lease for one full year. The least starts in August or late July.

Apartment description:

Very nice looking and spacious apartment in an apartment complex called Crestview North. You can see the description and measurements on Crestview website at http://www.crstview.com/cr_north.html. Click on 2bedB.

If interested, please send me a message with your phone! First come, first served basis!

[acg]

First off, the weather is miserable here. Winter seems to drag on forever here. You can go WEEKS without seeing the sun because it is always overcast. Very cold winters and very very windy. The highs maybe in the 20's and 30's, but once you factor in the wind chill, its in the 10's. Summer is very humid and it always rains in the spring. Fall is about the only nice time of the year, and it only lasts for a month or two. On a scale of 1-10, I give it a 1.5 in terms of weather. I guess Siberia is worse.

As far as the international population here, it is very big and diverse. People from all over the world. The undergraduate population is no where near as diverse. About 90% of the undergrads are from the midwest, whereas I would say 10% of the gradaute population is from the US as a whole.

The campus is huge and stretches for miles.

The weather is not THAT bad. I would definitely give it a 6 or 7 out of 10 NOT a 1.5! The Spring and Fall are gorgeous! The summer can be a little hot but it's not nearly as humid as it is south and east of here (where I'm from) so I find it very pleasant. Winter is a little long but there are always random days with nice weather mixed into the cold.

Also, the campus is not that big. It's about a mile from edge to edge but you never have to walk from the airport to the stadium (complete opposite edges). I would say on average you can get anywhere on campus in a 10 minute walk. Most other large universities that I've visited have a much bigger campus.

[mscongeniality1]

First off, the weather is miserable here. Winter seems to drag on forever here. You can go WEEKS without seeing the sun because it is always overcast. Very cold winters and very very windy. The highs maybe in the 20's and 30's, but once you factor in the wind chill, its in the 10's. Summer is very humid and it always rains in the spring. Fall is about the only nice time of the year, and it only lasts for a month or two. On a scale of 1-10, I give it a 1.5 in terms of weather. I guess Siberia is worse.

Yeah, I would tend to disagree with this as well. Yes, winter can be brutal at times, and people moving from the South where it is warmer will have to adjust. At times in the morning my Weather.com computer thermometer has said it was zero degrees. Just means you have to layer, layer, layer.

Fall is beautiful. Perfect temperature (well, in my opinion--sweatshirt/light jacket weather and jeans) and the changing leaves are gorgeous. Spring is also nice but it does take a while to show up, but once it's here--fabulous. I've never been around for the summer but I would imagine it is hot and decently humid, but I feel like that describes most of the Midwest anyway so it's never bothered me. I'd give it maybe a 5 or 6 compared to the previous poster (though, granted, I'm probably headed south for grad school and am excitedly anticipating milder winters!).

[weatherwax]

I'm wondering if any of you folks know whether it is possible to commute from Indianapolis to Purdue?

I'm trying to figure out options so that I don't have to commute to Chicago every weekend to see my s.o. and thus far, moving to Indianapolis seems to be the best idea.

I'd be happy for any advice / inputs that anyone can offer!

Edited May 5, 2011 by weatherwax

[themomo]

It's possible to do it, but it might be hard if you're teaching in the English department (I think your little sidebar thing says that's your program.) We teach five days a week and it'll take you about an hour each way to and from Indy. For your first two years you're looking at driving two hours a day every day while teaching/taking classes. Some folks do it, though, but I'm not sure what effect it's had on their experience here.

I'm wondering if any of you folks know whether it is possible to commute from Indianapolis to Purdue?

I'm trying to figure out options so that I don't have to commute to Chicago every weekend to see my s.o. and thus far, moving to Indianapolis seems to be the best idea.

I'd be happy for any advice / inputs that anyone can offer!

[ComeBackZinc]

Having lived in Lafayette (right over the bridge from West Lafayette and Purdue's campus) for several months now, one thing I want to point out that I never would have expected is that the area is really surprisingly easy to get around in without a car. My girlfriend and I don't have one, but we've found it perfectly easy to operate, get groceries, get to shopping, bars and entertainment, etc. There's a good city bus system, a free trolley, and adequate bike infrastructure. Plus downtown Lafayette is very walkable, as is the immediate campus area in West Lafayette. We've really been thrilled about this and didn't expect it from a small city in the midwest.

[ILuvPsych2013]

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if anyone has been through or knows anything about the Industrial/Organizational Psychology program at Purdue? Any info on Lafayette in general?

Thanks!

[ILuvPsych2013]

Hi everybody!

I was wondering if anyone has been through or knows anything about the Industrial/Organizational Psychology Ph.D program at Purdue. Any feedback on the program, Purdue, or the area in general? I am married with two small children, so I am looking for a place to live that is relatively inexpensive and safe.

Thanks!

[trina]

hi everyone,

i've just been admitted to purdue, and will most likely be accepting the offer. any recommendations for places to stay? like.. are there areas to avoid? or anything i should take note of while looking for an apartment? i'd appreciate any advice at all.. on the SLP program (if anyone is familiar with it), and the area in general. thanks!

Edited March 8, 2012 by trina

[kweaver]

Hey, Trina. I just got a call from them last night, too! I'm trying to decide between there and IU-Bloomington. A guy I went to high school with is doing his PhD at Purdue now, and had only good things to say about it. He lives in downtown Lafayette, rather than West Lafayette, but says it's been a nice place to be. Have you visited yet? I went in the fall, but didn't get to explore much outside of campus.

Edited March 8, 2012 by kweaver

[trina]

Hey, Trina. I just got a call from them last night, too! I'm trying to decide between there and IU-Bloomington. A guy I went to high school with is doing his PhD at Purdue now, and had only good things to say about it. He lives in downtown Lafayette, rather than West Lafayette, but says it's been a nice place to be. Have you visited yet? I went in the fall, but didn't get to explore much outside of campus.

i haven't visited yet. but i'm planning on going to the admitted students visit on mar 23rd.. and hopefully i'll get to check out the area then. i was initially planning to commute from northwest indiana/chicagoland.. so i applied to schools within driving distance. (purdue was stretching it. lol.) right now, it looks like i might be able to move closer to wherever i decide to go. so purdue is pretty appealing at this point, since i don't have to worry about the long commute anymore, and instate tuition is way more affordable than my other options (which are non-existent at this point.. still waiting).

[kweaver]

i haven't visited yet. but i'm planning on going to the admitted students visit on mar 23rd.. and hopefully i'll get to check out the area then. i was initially planning to commute from northwest indiana/chicagoland.. so i applied to schools within driving distance. (purdue was stretching it. lol.) right now, it looks like i might be able to move closer to wherever i decide to go. so purdue is pretty appealing at this point, since i don't have to worry about the long commute anymore, and instate tuition is way more affordable than my other options (which are non-existent at this point.. still waiting).

Cool cool! Commuting would get pretty tiresome, I'd imagine. I'm pretty stoked about in-state tution, too, and fortunately it's pretty cheap to live in Indiana. Right now I'm stuck between Purdue and IU [who waitlisted me for funding]. Fingers crossed! Good luck hearing back from your other schools!

[CityFlips]

I am currently a PhD student at Purdue and Lafayette native. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the area. I may have some ideas reageding where you might want to live or not live in the area.

[trina]

I am currently a PhD student at Purdue and Lafayette native. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the area. I may have some ideas reageding where you might want to live or not live in the area.

thanks! i'll take you up on your offer. ideally, i'd like to find a roommate and rent a two bedroom apartment in west lafayette.. but does it get too crowded with undergrad students in west lafayette? what are some good areas to live for grad students? i've heard that some grad students prefer to live in lafayette. would that entail driving to class, or do the public buses extend to lafayette as well? alternatively, i'm also considering purdue village, although it seems pricier. do you know anything about purdue village, or maybe even hawkins? i'll probably get a better idea after i visit the campus in 2 weeks.. but i'm just curious about what it's like in west lafayette. did you ever feel like it was out in the middle of nowhere? (i've got another offer from a school in chicago, but purdue is way more affordable, so i'm pretty confused.)