WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Students interested in transferring to Purdue University can use a new online tool to help them evaluate any credits that might transfer.

“In addition to the transfer credit database that will help prospective students determine if credit from other institutions will transfer to Purdue, this also will help current students evaluate whether a course they want to take at a hometown school during summer break will be accepted,” said Karan Bowerman, an assistant director who supervises credit evaluation in the Office of Admissions.

The transfer credit database, as well as information about transferring credit to Purdue, can be found at http://www.admissions.purdue.edu under the “Applying” header.

In the past, students relied on Purdue credit evaluation staff to provide a report. This new public site allows students to plug in a course name and number from another institution. The database immediately lets the user know if the course will be accepted.

This database also covers classes taken at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis because many of the courses there are offered by Indiana University. The credit evaluation is not applicable to Purdue’s Calumet, Fort Wayne and North Central regional campuses courses at those locations are offered by Purdue.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — To help ensure that students succeed academically once at Purdue, the university will require incoming students to have completed four years of high school math.

“We want Indiana students to succeed, and we want Purdue students to do well and excel,” says Randy Woodson, Purdue’s executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “We know four years of math during high school is one of the best ways to prepare for college because it puts students on the right track from day one to do well in the classroom.”

Students who completed their high school sophomore year this spring should plan on taking math during their senior year if they want to get in to Purdue.

The requirement will take effect for the fall 2011 incoming class. Students who completed their high school sophomore year this spring should plan on taking math during their senior year if they want to get in to Purdue. This admission requirement applies to all baccalaureate programs.

This change is not about selectivity, but about success, Woodson says. The vast majority – 95.1 percent – of Indiana students attending Purdue already takes four years of college preparatory math, such as algebra, trigonometry, precalculus and calculus.

“Studies show that completing one additional unit of intensive high school math increased the odds of completing a bachelor’s degree by 73 percent,” says Ken Sauer, the interim Indiana commissioner for higher education. “We emphasize four years of math in our ‘Reaching Higher’ plan. Not only do we want to make a college education accessible for students, but we want students to have the right preparation to succeed and graduate.”

This also serves as a reminder that the senior year does matter, says Pamela Horne, dean of admissions and assistant vice president for enrollment management.

“Students need to look at their senior year as the first year before college, rather than their last year of high school,” she says. “A runner would never take a year off from training before a marathon, so we don’t want students to take it easy academically during their senior year, but rather be ready to hit the ground running here.”

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Several significant changes to undergraduate admissions will affect students who apply to Purdue University for 2009.

Additions to the application for admission include a required personal statement, dedicated space for students to list their activities, honors, and accomplishments, and questions regarding previous criminal offenses or academic misconduct.

In their personal essay, students have the option of addressing one of three topics: how a college education will help them achieve personal or professional goals; how they used and learned from someone’s advice; and how they reacted to and learned from a setback in their life. Essays must be 500 words or less.

The essay adds to the University’s holistic approach to admissions, says Pamela Horne, assistant vice president for enrollment management and dean of admissions.

“Through their essay, students will have the chance to tell us about themselves in their own words,” Horne says. “This gives Purdue the opportunity to look beyond the numbers when considering applicants.”

Also for 2009, students must answer personal conduct questions regarding criminal offenses or academic misconduct. Most Big Ten peers have similar questions on their applications.

Horne anticipates that most reports won’t affect the applicant’s admission decision.

“Purdue recognizes that an educational environment characterized by safety, respect, honesty, and integrity enhances learning for all students,” she says. “We’re not trying to focus on youthful indiscretions, but instead on whether the person might jeopardize that educational environment.”

Beginning with students who apply for 2009 enrollment, there will be multiple advantages to applying online, Horne says.

Applying online expedites the application process. In addition, students can confirm online that their application is complete as well as check for an admission decision.

Purdue has moved back its release date for admission decisions from September to December for students applying for fall 2009. The University will begin releasing decisions online after 5 p.m. Dec. 5 and begin mailing decision letters on Dec. 8.

Decisions are not guaranteed by Dec. 5. After Dec. 8, decisions will be on a rolling basis — released as applications are completed and decisions are made.

“Moving the release date to December will allow for a more thorough evaluation of a larger pool of applicants prior to releasing decisions,” Horne says.

As application volume has increased nationwide, many other large universities have moved to later decision dates, including Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio State in the Big Ten.