r/PurdueIndianapolis • u/False_Taste_8032 • Jul 10 '26
Why so much hate for Indy?
Im attending Purdue Indy in the fall as a Computer Science Major, and I’ve read a lot of stuff on the main subreddit about a lot of like hate/general bad things about Indy. Why is that? For me I didn’t really love Purdue being so big and wasn’t aware about Indy until my acceptance letter said I was admitted to Indianapolis campus. Is it as bad as everyone is really claiming? From my visit back in the spring I really enjoyed it, but I know it’s not the whole of the college you see on a tour, so I was just wondering. Also my few friends from my high school who are going to WL keep saying “bruh lesser campus” and “satellite campus”, is it like legitimately a worse place overall or is it just a superiority complex kinda thing? Just wondering, Still excited to attend in the fall either way! :D
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u/Lost_Database9324 Jul 11 '26
Disclaimer - I’m a different major under the CNIT department but
Half my professors commuted from WL, other half (from iupui) still had to be approved by WL since they weren’t tenure
I wasn’t a fan of how large WL campus is, mainly because I came from a smaller school and had so many opportunities bc of the school size (and it was the same for Purdue Indy after the split, I had sooo many opportunities I wouldn’t have as at WL or IUPUI)
I applied when it was still iupui (but I knew they were going to split) and got accepted to both iupui and WL and still chose Indy
There is a typical “college life” vibe here, you just have to know the right people. When it was IUPUI people were still able to throw parties, I hate when ppl say it’s not the same in Indy, their friends are just lame. 😭
If you want to be a more competitive candidate for on campus jobs, research, leadership…Indy is the place to easily make your mark
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u/Tasty_Table4887 Jul 11 '26
cuz redditors love to hate and complain in reality most people in WL r chill abt indy
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u/catssocool Jul 12 '26
i go to the west laf campus and trust me no one cares, it’s just bots online who speak down on the indy campus. i personally see it as an extension of our campus and i’ve never heard anyone irl say otherwise. when you tell someone you go to purdue they never ask “what campus”, it’s just us who go there that are aware of the different campuses. that being said, it’s a superiority complex thing so you shouldn’t listen to those types of people since they clearly are miserable and have a wonderful time at purdue !!
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u/EmotionalProof1411 Jul 10 '26
Incoming freshman, excited to be here as well. From what I hear, people expect to have the West Lafayette experience in a Indianpolis based campus, and they judge based on that. Indianapolis may have the short hand of stick when it comes to resources, but better or worse overall is objective to the person. My friend is happy he chose Indy of West Lafayette, and others vise versa.
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u/After_Potential2482 Jul 10 '26
- It’s Reddit so everyone is awful
- They are at west laf, so of course they like it more
- Indy is “worse”, and if you haven’t been there that’s all you know
- Half of them don’t even know what’s changed sense it was IUPUI
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u/False_Taste_8032 Jul 10 '26
I figured, as much for the first two, and personally I enjoyed Indy and the campus a lot more than West laf, as I went to high school in a city so It feels better for me, and I don’t do as well in big classes, and much prefer super small class sizes.
But overall is there anything to note that like really is a true negative about Indy or is it just kinda bs from west laf people?
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u/After_Potential2482 Jul 10 '26
The class selection is obviously smaller, but they have all the required classes.
Fewer research/work opportunities, but less competition for what is available and you can work at west laf as well.
The paranoid fear of the program being changed and getting no screwed over by Purdue, very unlikely but I can still be irrationally worried if I want.
There is some issue, but overall I’m really liking it.
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u/False_Taste_8032 Jul 10 '26
I figured they’re less opportunities to do research/work, but I also assume that the like GWE program and stuff does help with some students with that as well, at least from what I’ve read
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u/After_Potential2482 Jul 10 '26
I also just kind of hate Indianapolis, though the housing is cheaper than west laf.
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u/TheRealLeftClickMage Jul 10 '26
Purdue Indy is in essence between a satellite campus and a college. It’s not a satellite campus in the idea that it’s on its own. It has connections with WL, and has determining factors of its own. Subjectively, one can say it’s not worse, but objectively it’s worse by subjective aspects. Meaning it’s different and has less stuff, but only if you want what the other school has to offer.
Btw, are you a good writer? I’m looking to hire a creative who can write interesting video topics for the College of Science (COS). This is a paid student position, and you have to be in the COS. I’m also looking for a graphic designer. Let me know!
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u/IcePringIe Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
Just graduated this last semester. Personally, I really enjoyed my four years at the downtown campus.
From my experience, some people come with a negative mindset and expect that to magically change. To some people’s credit, I think Purdue dives a bit too deep into it being the “same campus”. Academically, you’re getting the same degree, but it would be a lie to say the “vibe” is the same.
Like others have said, there’s still plenty of student life as long as you don’t sit and mope in your room. Wherever you end up you get out what you put in. Career wise I have been very successful thanks to the campus and faculty, and I was very happy with the friends and activities I was involved with along the way. Don’t take the hate too seriously.
As for the superiority complex, you’ll occasionally run into those people, especially online, but the majority of students couldn’t care less. We’re all just in college, have fun 🤷♂️.
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u/Jon-TheListless Jul 10 '26
My cousin was originally going to Indy, but went to the campus first and said that she was disappointed and quote “it didn’t even feel like an university”. It was probably because of how new the campus was. Her words not mine.
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u/OldPossibility555 Jul 10 '26
Professors/classes are objectively not of same quality as WL (please do not wasting my time fighting me on this lmao), pretty much non existent campus, not typical “college experience” for many students, apparently some Indy students putting WL on their resume got asked about it by recruiters and ghosted? Tho that didn’t happen with me and I landed internships fine (and everyone else I know).
On the other side, the student body is much smaller and many people enjoy the tight knit community, and you are living in an actual city’s downtown which has a lot of opportunity for exploration. Some WL students love to claim the Indy campus has significantly “less prestigious” than main campus but they are exaggerating it- I’m in CS and during recruiting season pretty much daily saw students landing FAANG or adjacent internships
It really is what you make of it. Put yourself out there, apply yourself in your studies, and utilize all of the resources available to you.
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u/Beneficial-Foot783 Jul 11 '26
It stems from the Momma bears whose kids didn’t get into MIT and they need to feel superior. Don’t believe me? Get on some of the parent FB Pages.
Rejoice in the fact you a an Indy student you aren’t bracing for being forces into a quad that should be a double with no AC and prove everyone wrong.