Complete Pre-Orientation

a) Set up Purdue Login: Purdue Login is the gateway to protected tools and services such as Brightspace, MyPurdue, etc. The Purdue login system utilizes 2-Factor Authentication protections to validate log ins and access. The first factor is your career account username (alias) and career account password. This is commonly referred to as Purdue Web SSO (Single Sign On) for web applications. The second factor is commonly the Duo Universal Prompt on your smartphone and provides several methods to verify your identity. All new Purdue students will be prompted to enroll a device when they first log into any web-based service. To learn more, visit the Purdue Login page. For instructions logging in using the Duo Mobile App on your device, see “How to use Duo authentication with Purdue Login.”

Purdue allows multiple devices to register under the same Duo account. If you have a old spare smartphone, take it with you to Purdue as your backup device. Register this device. Keep it safe in your room. If you lose/break your main phone, you can use the second one to continue your access. Even if you don’t have a spare phone, register a parents phone under Duo- like I have done for my son. This allows us emergency access to his account and set up a replacement device for him in case his phone is inaccessible. This is pretty nifty and will save you the hassle of contacting Purdue IT and getting bypass codes set up.

b) Setup your BoilerExpress Account: This step is not strictly necessary at this stage. However, since you are setting up all your Purdue IT accounts- this is a nice time to set this up. It takes under 5 mins. BoilerExpress is a prepaid declining balance account that gives you on-campus buying power. Although you can use it for buying food (instead of a credit card/ cash/Dining dollars), you really only need this to do your laundry on-campus. At this stage you should just set up your account and leave it at zero balance. Once you are in the US, you can then load initial funds to an online debit account from your bank account. Each time you use your BoilerExpress account, the amount of your purchase will be automatically deducted from your account. Your BoilerExpress account does not expire but since you can use other methods of payment for all its other uses such as food etc, you should only really load no more than $50 at a time for doing your laundry – as you can never withdraw cash back once you load. Every time you transfer/load funds to this account, you will be charged a $1 convenience fee.

Set up the BoilerExpress account using these steps. If you don’t set it up now, you can always do it later.

EDIT: From August 5th, BoilerExpress will no longer be used to pay for laundry in the traditional residence halls. Rather, the washers and dryers will only accept payment from the CSCPay Mobile laundry app. This is entirely new and thus we have to wait for further info; you can set up this app instead.

c) Pro-tip; Set up a separate new Gmail account for Uni use that the parent can share the log in with the child. Then forward all mails from the child’s @purdue.edu email to this account.

You need to see the amount of emails and info that a Purdue student gets every day. There is a ton of info;

• Housing emails;
• LC emails;
• Newsletter emails that contain many activities, events, opportunities from ISS & their faculty; and
• there are a lot of emails with deadlines.

This is especially overwhelming in the first semester, where your child may not have the experience or the discipline to read their emails and act on them. I used to send him an alert or reminder on WhatsApp to certain events or deadlines my son may have missed. I am not advising helicopter parenting or you hovering over their every action. But instead using it judiciously to ensure important events or deadlines are not missed. With the shared Google Drive, you can store and create a common space that you and child can access their Visa documentation, bank statements at Purdue, transcripts etc.

The law of the State of Indiana requires all students taking courses on West Lafayette campus to complete immunization requirements. The following immunizations are required:

All admitted students are required to submit proof of immunizations above to the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH) immunization portal prior to completing the Purdue 101 online orientation program. You must complete the medical clearances section in your Patient Portal. Log into the portal, look for the “Medical Clearances” tab on the left and update any items marked “Non Compliant” by submitting documentation. Follow the detailed guidance here to complete the above steps.

The form that you need to stamp and get signed by your doctor in your home country is here.

Most students will not be able to access the Meningococcal B vaccine at home. There are two different vaccines acceptable; Bexsero (2 doses at least 1 month apart) or Trumenba (2 doses at least 6 months apart). You can read more on this from PUSH here. You can take it at PUSH when you arrive at campus or, in case you want to take it when you land earlier, in a different city or anywhere in US (like at a CVS pharmacy) where it is available- however note that the TB test requirement which has to be done on arrival on same day as the vaccine (as you can’t do a TB test until 28 days after a live vaccine). Note- check if your Purdue Health insurance is accepted by the provider, otherwise its quite expensive to pay out of pocket. At PUSH it is free and covered by the insurance.

In case you do opt for this, you need to get the certificate from the provider to upload to PUSH Portal. Also you have to ensure you take the same vaccine brand for the 2nd dose later at campus. Push has both brands as per their leaflet linked above. If your 1st dose has not been taken before when classes start, state law will prevent you from attending. So ensure you take your first dose at PUSH as soon as you arrive and then they will issue you an exemption to attend classes while you await the 2nd dose. They will not stop you from attending classes if you are just waiting for your second dose.

FAQs and other details on immunization are found here

Purdue 101 is step one in transitioning to Purdue. Purdue 101 is a required online orientation program for all incoming students, completed through Brightspace, Purdue’s learning management system. Purdue 101 guides students through campus resources and provides information on the course planning process to help you make a strong start at Purdue! You can complete the online module at any pace, but you must complete it before you can move on to Step 2, Purdue Advising, when you’ll meet with your academic advisor. Generally this is is open as early as May and the deadline to complete this will be clearly communicated to you but it should be around mid June. To fully complete the Purdue 101 online component, you must fill out the Student Information Form (SIF) at the end of the Brightspace course. This will let your academic advisor know you are ready to meet with them. Count on spending around an hour or so to do this step.

Completing the SIF at the end of Purdue 101 will be the trigger than connects you with your Purdue Advisor. Academic advising timeline varies by academic college but your academic advisor will send an email to your Purdue account to set up a time for your virtual advising appointment. Please continue to check your email regularly. Students are highly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor as soon as possible after finishing the online Purdue 101 course and the SIF.

The academic advisors are busiest at this time of the year, as they have to talk to all the incoming students within a very compressed time frame.

In order to get the best out of your advising meeting, you should be prepared- knowing the requirements of your major, what courses you plan to be tentatively taking for the first semester, what your doubts are. Going into an advising meeting unprepared will rob you of perhaps your only chance of optimising your courses for your first semester.

Before meeting your Academic Advisor, prepare yourself by learning how to go about Choosing your 1st Semester Course Schedule.

You may have worked with a school counsellor in high school. Working with your academic advisor will be different from a school counsellor. One of the main differences is you, the student. Students are now in control of their education. While you are now in control of your education and experiences at Purdue, part of being a great Boilermaker is knowing when to ask for help and to do so when it’s needed.  Your academic advisor is one of your best resources on campus. 

Purdue 102 is your second required self-led module in Brightspace that will provide an overview of important information before you start your first semester. It should be open as early as June and you need to complete it before a deadline, generally before the end of July. It should take up to two hours to complete. Although you do not have to complete the modules in one sitting, students are expected to go through the modules thoroughly. Please pay special attention to all action items to fully complete Purdue 102. More information will be shared with you via email once Purdue 102 opens.

Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) and Boiler Gold Rush International (BGRi) are Purdue’s welcome week orientation programs for all new undergraduate students and new international students respectively.

Boiler Gold Rush – BGR

BGR is an orientation program held the week before classes start in August. Purdue encourages all incoming students to take part. Students learn about campus traditions, Purdue culture and University resources, and take valuable steps in being part of the Purdue community.

Boiler Gold Rush International (BGRi)

BGRi is a supplemental orientation program that supports the transition, adjustment and acculturation of international students. It is timed to run just before BGR starts. This allows incoming international students to connect with existing students in ways to ease the transition to life in the United States.

Students participating in BGRi/BGR will begin the move-in process at the end of the week prior to the program starts. While Purdue staff are ultimately running BGR/BGRi at the top, it’s largely a student-run initiative and organization. Over 500 Team Leaders (“TLs”) are assigned to groups of 10-15 incoming new students. Throughout the week, you’ll get to know each other, play various games, eat meals together, and attend educational sessions and other activities with everyone else in BGR.

This year, Boiler Gold Rush International will take place from Aug. 10-12, 2024 followed by BGR from Aug 13-17th. International students participating in BGRi may move-in to Purdue for BGRi on Aug. 9, 2024. Those with travel delays may also move-in on Aug. 10, if necessary. For BGRI they will generally only have one dining court open and then gradually open all of them up as BGR rolls in and then campus opens.

You need to pay for BGR ($375 for the year 2024-25) and then the BGRi is free for all international students that have signed up for BGR. The Fee includes all meals and there are no additional costs associated with the BGR program outside of the registration fee, unless you choose to purchase personal items. The Fee will not need to be paid separately. Instead it will be debited to your student account along with Tuition fees, Housing Deposit/ LC fees/ Meal plans etc)

A limited number of need-based BGR Fee Waivers are available to cover all or half of the fee- and international students can also apply. The BGR Fee Waiver Application is on the New Student Task List in their MyPurdue portal. Students applying for a fee waiver must register for BGR first for their application to be fully considered. The BGR Fee Waiver Application typically closes on July 31.

Any accompanying parent(s) can also sign up for the International Parents Welcome program by the International Students & Scholars office that takes place the same week of BGRi. This is free for all international parents! However Parents don’t get any meals in their program except for one or two invited events. While I was there, it was just a welcome dinner from Honors College and a Barbecue cook out. The rest of your meals you can pay for. I suggest you use this opportunity and pay to eat a couple of meals at different dining halls so you get an idea what your child will be eating the first year. We ate lunch at Earhart and Ford..Both were good! and I am a vegetarian !

The BGRi and International Parents Welcome Schedule will be published here nearer the date. Students can find more information about BGR and BGRi in their New Student Task List in myPurdue after accepting their admission offer. Updates will also be shared on Purdue social media accounts @allaboardpurdue or Purdue Orientation, so go ahead and follow them! You need to apply for BGR/BGRi by a deadline, this year its July 31, 2024.

Most students will find BGR useful. My kid just loved it, and thought it was a brilliant way to ease into campus life. I will caveat it with a “your mileage may vary.” Some people make lifelong friends from their BGR/BGRi group; some people get bored on the second day and party the rest of the week. It really just depends on your group and how well you like social environments similar to BGR/BGRi. They are a fantastic way to get acclimated to campus – knowing where things are, what resources and support are available, etc. It’s important to note that everything in BGR/BGRi is completely optional. If you sign-up and hate it, you can stop going to events and just enjoy the time on campus before classes start.

Should you register for BGR/ BGRi? Yes, a BIG “YES!” I recommend that both the student and parents sign up for their respective programs!

Prior to course registration, you will be required to demonstrate your ability to succeed in maths. SAT and ACT maths scores as well as Purdue’s ALEKS maths assessment are among the resources your academic advisor can use to determine whether you are academically prepared to succeed in the first maths course required for your major’s plan of study. This placement test is not just for those in Maths Majors but for all Majors such as Engineering, Computer Science etc- in fact any major where you are supposed to take a requisite Maths class as part of your program requirements

The Math Department website provides information about the ACT, SAT or ALEKS scores necessary for placement in various maths courses.

You may refer to the University Catalog to find your major’s plan of study. If your ACT or SAT maths score is not high enough for placement in your required maths course, you may take the free, online ALEKS assessment (accessible via myPurdue prior to your registration period). Alternatively, you may take a Purdue maths course for which your ACT or SAT score qualifies you and that serves as a prerequisite for your required maths course.

Prior to registering for classes, please review the instructions and complete at least one of the three myCareerPlan career exploration activities. Whether you have chosen an academic major/career path or you are still looking for what fits you best, these exercises will help you learn more about yourself and career options. There will be opportunities throughout the academic year to discuss the results of the activity with your academic advisor or a staff member at the Center for Career Opportunities (CCO). Please complete this activity before your first advising session so that Purdue staff can better assist you when you register for classes. see https://www.cco.purdue.edu/mycareerplan

All incoming Purdue University undergraduate students will be issued Purdue Mobile ID as their first ID— and not a physical identification card — as part of Purdue’s Mobile First Strategy. You need to follow the steps here to upload your pic and get your first Mobile ID. There is a deadline for students to upload a photo for their PUID to avoid delays at check-in- this year it’s May 31, 2024.

Your Purdue Moblie ID admits you to University Residences, meals at the dining courts/halls, library services, free bus services and is also a means for using Dining Dollars and BoilerExpress. it serves as your identification to enter your residence after hours and admissions to the Recreational Sports Center when you check out equipment at these facilities. In order to add the ID card to your mobile. you need to have Apple wallet/ Google Wallet/ Samsung Wallet installed on your phone- see here for instructions. If your country does not support Apple/Google Wallet, you need to reset your region to the U.S. by following these instructions for Apple wallet reset and Google Wallet reset.

If you also want a physical ID, you need to apply for it. Although there is a link which purports to allow you to book an appointment for a physical card, we found our appointments were being auto cancelled and an email saying new Undergraduate students were not eligible. However, when we went there in person while we were at Purdue, we were allowed to apply and pay for it. The fee is $25 and we got it instantly at the Stewart Center RM 194 upon payment.

Consider paying for a physical ID and carrying it in your wallet as a backup, this would help in accessing your dorm etc. in case your mobile device is broken/out of battery/ inaccessible. If you are out late at night during the winter months, and if there is no one else around to let you in, being locked out of your dorm in the cold may be fatal. ( I know I am an over thinker!😄)

To keep track of all the things you need to complete, Purdue has a centralized checklist of steps for new students to take before they begin classes at Purdue. Your task list contains a variety of important announcements and to-do items, such as accepting your offer of admission, submitting your housing application, registering for orientation, and more. It is important to check your new student task list regularly, as new items will appear at different times before the start of your first semester. You can find your New Student Task List in your myPurdue student portal. Remember, your New Student Task List is personalized to YOU and may be different than other students. Not every task will have a check mark associated with it. Some tasks are “information-only” (Examples include the ALEKS maths assessment and the BoilerKey two-factor authentication – you will not see a check mark in your NST after completing these items). Once you have completed an item, please allow 24 to 48 hours for the NST to update your status with a check mark.