Virginia Tech vs Purdue University for Aerospace Engineering: Seeking Advice on Decision Trouble

[Ostrum]

Hi, College Confidential, long time lurker here. I’ll get right to the point!

I’m a Virginia resident and have received acceptances from two schools that I’m having a tough time deciding between: Purdue University and Virginia Tech. Due to some unexpected familial savings, cost is not a very large factor in my decision, as long as I don’t want to go to graduate school for a JD later. I’ve visited both schools, (including Purdue’s admitted students event) and I don’t know how I’m going to make a decision. Here’s some of the things currently factoring into my decision:

Virginia Tech PROS

• I have family friends in Blacksburg.
• I have connections with some current and former VT engineering students.
• I loved the VT campus and the environment.
• VT is far closer to home.
• The food is supposedly some of the best of any college in the U.S.
• I will get a LOT of transfer credit from AP and Dual Enrollment
• Originally my dream school, but that’s faded a bit.

Virginia Tech CONS

• I don’t like the off-hand approach VT seems to take with communication.
• Similar story with how VT feels more nonchalant about assisting students with getting jobs and internships.
• I might run into people from high school here. I want a fresh start. This is a minor gripe.
• I’ve heard some of their dorms really suck (See the “VT Slusher but its Friends” video on YouTube).

Purdue PROS

• Their Office of Future Engineers has consistently given detailed and useful information. Super communicative.
• The few professors I did meet seemed extremely kind and approachable.
• Fresh start, only a single person I know of at my school even applied, and he will not be attending.
• Extremely hands-on approach to student futures. An entire section of the Purdue Engineering’s For Me presentation was about how they have dozens of career fairs and the majority of Purdue engineering students get at least one internship. Additionally, they said that companies come directly to Purdue to hire. This is a major sticking point that I liked.
• It’s more prestigious, though I know it’s only slightly, it still is the “Cradle of Astronauts.”
• Zucrow Labs! I didn’t get to tour it while I was there, but I’ve heard it’s one of the best propulsion study labs in the country.

Purdue CONS

• I did not like the campus. I do not like cities.
• Hundreds of dollars and about a day worth of travel to go either way.
• The food I did have while I was there was just ok, but to be fair, I don’t have VT to compare to.
• Nothing much to do outside of the city of West Lafayette. It’s just a cornfield for miles. It’s depressing, and I want to get out of my shell during my time at college, and I don’t know if this is conducive to that.
• My dual enrollment credit doesn’t seem like it will be accepted, and I will receive far less credit for AP.
• The weather. Regularly 90s in the summer, and regularly in the teens in the winter.

Context about me: I can be extremely antisocial except with people I’ve known for months (which I intend to change, but it’s an important part of my current personality), to the point where I have made very few friends in high school and plenty of enemies.
As far as I’m aware—though I could be wrong—both schools are effectively the same educationally. I’d like to find a campus that is better known for its extremely diverse set of personalities, one that gives its students the tools they need to succeed, and one with the best opportunities for personal and educational growth. I think I’m currently leaning towards Virginia Tech, but not by that much.

If you have suggestions, advice or anything related, please drop it below. If I made any mistakes or incorrect assumptions, correct me! This seems to be an incredibly common decision for prospective engineering students, and it would be great if this thread served students in the future as well.
Thank you so much!

[momofboiler1]

Congrats on wonderful acceptances! You really can’t go wrong so go with your gut in terms of where you see yourself being the happiest.

As you can probably tell by my user name, I’m a Purdue parent and my D had an amazing experience as a Purdue chem e. She graduated lasted year.

I think your pros/cons list is pretty accurate about Purdue but a couple of things. My D enjoyed the food. She particularly liked that you could use swipes at some of the restaurants and occasionally at food trucks which helped with variety.

I would not describe W. Laf as a “city” ; ). And yes, cornfields all around until you get to Indy and it’s not the easiest to get to by plane, although there are campus shuttle buses that run from Indy and Chicago. Lots of fun restaurants, bars, and shops near campus so a decent college town. My D was never ever board. So much going on in and around campus to stay busy. Sports, concerts, farmers markets, a ton of clubs, activities, etc… More stuff than she had time to for.

My D had all her OOS DE credits accepted but not until right before classes started. She needed to submit the syllabi and wait until there advisor reviewed and approved. Her advisor had her submit a schedule though as if they would be approved and thankfully it worked out. Much less straight forward than AP credit.

Be aware though that even if they accept all your AP/DE credit, it likely won’t help you to graduate any earlier at Purdue because of course sequencing. My D would have only been able to shave off a semester and she came in with nearly junior standing. She opted to stay that last semester to finish up her research and take some grad level classes.

Congrats again!

[ucbalumnus]

Note that both start in first year general engineering, with secondary admission after completing first year courses. But 3.2 at Purdue and 3.0 at VT are supposed to assure secondary admission to your choice of engineering major (otherwise competitive if you do not make the GPA).

Not a huge problem (unlike some schools where the automatic admission college GPA is high like 3.75, or where it is competitive for all), but be aware that you would not be in the major immediately at either school.

[Ostrum]

I’m aware! Just not much to worry about, after looking at both college’s first year engineering roadmaps.

[Ostrum]

Oops, I just realized I accidentally marked this post as “transfer.” I’m not sure how I did that, but please ignore that tag!

[momofboiler1]

Tag removed!

[OctoberKate]

Does it make a difference to where you want to end up after college? I know that VT has a huge alumni network in the mid-atlantic region, I would guess - at least in this area - stronger than Purdue. Do you want to come back here after college? If not, that might not make a difference as they might be comparable everywhere else in the country. And my guess might be totally off, so take it for what it’s worth.

You mentioned getting a JD one day - if you think that is remotely realistic, and the schools are otherwise equal, then I’d say the money matters more. Law school is expensive, and it would be great if you didn’t have to go into debt to pay for that. So many lawyers come out and are paying down those bills for 20+ years, that anything to help mitigate that could be a good factor to consider.

[suntala]

This is a common choice to make and was the final 2 schools for my kid. She’s now a sophomore Hokie and living her best life in Blacksburg. I was impressed by the marketing stuff and communications we received from Purdue, but in practice, VT gave my kid all the info she has needed to be successful. They don’t coddle you by any means, but it’s not as if they’re keeping you in the dark. She went on to choose one of the smaller engineering majors, and the main advisor is wonderful at keeping the students informed of all kinds of information and opportunities.

I was super enthused about Purdue until our flight out left late, there are no direct flights from where we live, and the airport is a ways from campus. It just felt so far and a drag to get to. VT is equally hard to get to if you have to fly, but we’re 3 hrs drive (out of state), so it’s much easier. At the start and end of several breaks, my Hokie has changed her mind last minute about what day to return to campus (once weather related), and it’s been a non-issue since we can play it by ear. Can’t do that easily with flights. It’s also the case that VT gives off the entire week of Thanksgiving. That’s a rough time in the semester stress-wise, and having 9 days off (with the weekends) is amazing. Purdue isn’t off until Weds that week, and with travel, it’d barely pay to go home.

Both schools will have employers that recruit Nationally, but there’s definitely a stronger alunni connection in the MD/DC/VA/NC region for VT and in the mid-west for Purdue if that at all affects where you want to live later. Though Aero seems a bit more niche than some of the other fields so maybe it matters less.

Don’t underestimate how being in a place you feel comfortable with and appreciate aesthetically can affect mental health. If you really dislike Purdue’s campus, spending 4 years there is going to be draining. My daughter loves seeing the mountain views and beautiful sunsets in Blacksburg.

Last, VT is incredibly generous with AP credit. My daughter wouldn’t have gotten nearly as much at Purdue. She had to decline some of her AP credits at VT because she had too much and so brought in the max allowable 38 credits. Only had to take 1 pathways class (gen ed) that isn’t already part of her major requirements. This has allowed her freedom to spread out the tough classes more, pick up a minor easily with the extra class slots, and she could have taken fewer credits per term if not for a small scholarship that requires her to do 30/year.

Most schools have good dorms and crap dorms. At VT, choosing to live in an LLC can affect dorm choice by putting you into a certain building if there’s one you especially like. And most students will move off campus sophomore year, so if your dorm isn’t great, there are lots of apartments close to campus at all different price points. And the free BT buses get students to campus easily.

The bottom line is that they’re both great schools and you can’t go wrong. Just hone in on the factors that are most important to you. Best of luck!

[WestCoastal]

This is so helpful, thank you. I am considering applying to Purdue and VT and I did not even consider the Thanksgiving holiday time off. There are so many things to think about when weighing options, I am so glad I found this website! thanks!

[Ostrum]

I’d like to thank everyone who participated in this thread and lent advice to me. I fully committed to Virginia Tech a few days ago for the following reasons:

1. The amount of DE and AP credit they were offering me (almost two semesters worth if I ace my AP exams next month)
2. The campus. There’s definitely something to the atmosphere of VT, and it was my least favorite part of Purdue.
3. I got offered the opportunity to lodge in the CID building (newest dorm on campus) due to Innovate LLC.
4. During my visit last week, it just felt right. I can’t describe it.

To be perfectly clear, I’m sure that in other timelines, I picked Purdue. They’re both incredible schools, and I didn’t pick Virginia Tech because it was necessary “better,” but because I think it is better for me based on my current wants and needs. (In fact, VT is ranked lower than Purdue in aerospace engineering.)

To anyone who sees this thread next year, or in the years following—because I know I spent hours pouring over old posts—please make sure to visit both campuses and make a decision based on what’s right for you.