• Undergraduate Programs

Paul Cronkhite

Senior
Frankfort, Indiana

Academic Resources and Support

You’ve never been challenged to learn the way you will be at Purdue and you will need help in some form or other. How do we know that you will? Because 99% of our students do and that’s ok. There are lots of academic resources available to you. Below are a few of the most common and most effective resources available to you.

Faculty
All faculty keep office hours so that students can meet with them one-on-one. These visits are valuable whether or not you need help in your classes. Professors regularly help students explore additional academic interests and professional opportunities on and off campus. Sometimes scheduling some time with them helps you learn more about the their area of expertise.

Academic Advisors
All students have an academic advisor who helps guide you through course selection, academic resources and opportunities. Students will meet with their academic advisor even before classes begin. The advisor will be the student’s main contact for questions, problems or changes. The academic advisor can also put students in touch with the most appropriate help they may need with their classes.

Academic Success Center
The Academic Success Center offers a wide variety of support services that are free and available to all Purdue students:

• Workshops – No registration is needed to attend weekly, one-hour workshops on topics such as time management, “acing” exams, increasing memory, surviving finals week, etc.  
• Professional consultation – Staff are available by appointment and on a walk-in basis to meet with students for one-on-one guidance and assistance.
• Handouts, videos, educational software – A variety of resources are available online, in the center’s multimedia lab, as well as for purchase.

Click here to visit the Academic Success Center.

Online Writing Lab
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) offers more than 200 free resources online and in person to help students with every type of writing. A partial list of issues addressed includes:

• Editorial topics
• Creating outlines
• Writing research papers
• Grammar and style
• Overcoming writer’s block

During operating hours, the writing lab offers services such as email replies to individual questions, one-on-one tutorials to help with individual assignments or classes, a grammar hotline, business writing consultants, and more.
More information about OWL. 

Learning Communities
A Learning Community is either a group of 20-30 first-year students who take two or three of the same courses together, a group of first-year students who share a common academic interest and live in the same residence hall, or both.

Through learning communities, first-year students have a great way to make friends and learn the ropes at Purdue. Research results here and at programs across the United States show that students who take part in a learning community earn higher grades, make friends faster, and graduate at higher or faster rates than students who don't participate.
More information about Learning Communities.

Math, Physics, and Chemistry Help Rooms
The College of Science staffs walk-in help rooms that are available to all Purdue students, free of charge. These rooms are open during regularly scheduled hours and are staffed by upper-class and graduate students who specialize in the respective subject areas.

Tutors
Tutors are available across academic disciplines. Some are free while others are available for a small charge.

English as a Second Language
English as a Second Language (ESL) resources are available at Purdue and in the Greater Lafayette Community. Purdue’s Online Writing Lab offers Internet access to valuable resources, and community organizations offer classes. For information about classes, visit Purdue’s Human Resources Web site.

Summary
Purdue is known around the world as a leader. We earn this reputation every day through our students successes. Boilermakers have walked on the moon, won the Super Bowl MVP award, established billion dollar businesses and served their countries with great honor. We are committed to the success of every student who chooses to attend Purdue. Soon we’ll be telling the world how you made it. And that you got your start at Purdue.