A Learning Community (LC) is a group of 20-30 first year students who study in the same major (or at the very least, take 2 or 3 of the same courses together) and stay together in the same dorm. This allows them to study together and get involved and make friends. A L/C also goes on field trips together and attend programs to encourage bonding. Although there are a few exceptions to this rule, you normally choose to be part of one LC only. Most LC have a residential (on-campus dorm) requirement.
When you apply for housing at Purdue, you can also apply separately to become part of a Learning Community (LC) by paying an extra fee. In 2023-24 that was $100 per semester.
You need to be careful if you have any incoming transfer credit (i.e. from your High School AP/IB/CC or A level studies). Most LCs include a class component; to be eligible for a LC, students must be eligible, and must, take all the classes involved in a LC. If you earn, or expect to earn, transfer credit and if the LC in which you are placed requires you to compulsorily attend the course at Purdue, you will be no longer eligible for that LC (unless you decide to take the course and waive the credit. This can impact housing placement if you are required to, or had planned to, live with the LC; so be sure to review the online descriptions that include associated courses for each LC and only apply for appropriate LCs based on your expectations regarding any transfer credit you expect to be bringing with you to Purdue.
Some LCs are restricted- for e.g. anyone lucky to be admitted to the John Martinson Honors College is automatically placed with the Honors College Residence or Winifred Parker Halls which are amongst the best dorms (location and build quality) at the University. [You can’t get admission to the Honors college as a freshman unless you applied for it on the Common App (2 extra essays) and were selected by the College.]
Apart from the Honors college, all other Learning Communities are rotated yearly between the various dorms, in order to ensure that people don’t apply to a Learning Community just to get a specific dorm, but instead are actually interested in being part of that community. Through learning communities, you have a great opportunity to connect with other students who share your interests and get to know faculty.
The application deadline for 2024-2025 for priority placement is May 5th for incoming students and you will be notified of your placement status through your Purdue email by the end of the first full week in May. While you can list multiple options on your Learning Communities application to increase your likelihood of ultimately being enrolled in a Learning Community, you should only list options for which you have serious interest. If you are interested in only one community, list that community only. Space is limited. Submitting an application does not guarantee placement in a Learning Community.
The LC application DOES NOT REPLACE completing a housing contract with University Residences. If you want to live in a University residential space, you must complete a housing contract, regardless of whether or not you are applying for a Learning Community. You cannot be placed in a Learning Community with required residence in a residence hall if you have not completed a housing contract. Applying for a Learning Community and completing a housing contract are TWO SEPARATE PROCESSES.
To sum it up, I would thoroughly recommend applying to a LC that interests you!
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