I’d agree they are peers - with many others by the way.
I’m just trying to figure out why you want to leave - and I thought maybe that was one possibility.
There’s many urban schools that are very good - but you chose Purdue for a reason so it seems two weeks in, odd to be ready to bail.
You need to make an effort - to meet kids, meet profs. Talk to an advisor. Go see your prof during office hours. Ask others doing research how they got.
If you don’t do leg work, I don’t care if you’re at Portland State or Purdue, Georgia Southern or Georgia Tech….you’re going to struggle.