Location: West Lafayette, Indiana. Acceptance Rate: 57%. Graduation Rate 75%. Student Interviewed: Michael Fiore.
Interviewer: What’s name and where are you from?
Michael: My name is Michael Fiore and I am from Saginaw, Michigan.
Interviewer: Are you sure?
Michael: Not entirely, I’m dissociating.
Interviewer: What year are you in your education?
Michael: I’m a sophomore.
Interviewer: What’s your major/prospective major?
Michael: My major is Neurobiology and Physiology and I am also Pre-Med. This is something you can learn about me by looking at my Instagram bio because I am strange and treat my Instagram like its Linkedin. (Note: this has been edited for clarity)
Interviewer: I can attest, you are strange.
Michael: Four words before I sue you for libel: “Florence Pugh fan account”
Interviewer: Moving on. Tell me about a book that has stuck with you throughout your life.
Michael: 1984 by George Orwell, it’s my absolute favorite book.
Interviewer: Tell me about a film that has stuck with you.
Michael: Ex Machina stuck with me because it’s very telling of what our future could look like.
Interviewer: Who’s your celebrity crush?
Michael: Natalie Portman.
Interviewer: If you had all the money in the world, what would you do with it?
Michael: I would take enough to live comfortably off of interest for the rest of my life, and then donate the rest to various organizations and social programs of my choice. There is no place in this world for people that wealthy.
Interviewer: Do you have any weird talents?
Michael: I’m really good at useless lawn games like cornhole and ladderball.
Interviewer: Are you currently binge-watching anything?
Michael: No, I don’t have the time to watch TV right now.
Interviewer: Do you live on campus or off campus? (If so, do you like it?)
Michael: I live off-campus and I think that it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’m so much happier in my own space than I ever was in the dorm.
Interviewer: Why Purdue?
Michael: I originally chose Purdue because of its prestigious engineering school. I’m not in engineering anymore, but choosing to attend Purdue was still the best decision I have ever made.
Interviewer: What was your first impression of Purdue?
Michael: Welcome week sucked. It’s absolutely nothing like school actually is.
Interviewer: What did you think when you toured?
Michael: I loved the tour because it was a good representation of the school and I just felt like I was at home.
Interviewer: What was that greatest challenge that you faced when you arrived on campus?
Michael: The greatest challenge was making friends and finding my place. Since I’m out of state, I didn’t know anyone in the entire state. It was hard at first.
Interviewer: What’s something that you love about your school?
Michael: The thing I love most about Purdue is its unique identity and sense of community. Purdue is literally in the middle of nowhere and I feel like that actually brings the students together. We have a really strong community atmosphere. I love that I feel connected to every student and I have never heard a single negative thing from anyone who goes here.
Interviewer: What do you think about college classes?
Michael: College classes are far more difficult than high school but I have to admit that I enjoy them more. My freshman classes were a bit tedious because I wasn’t studying something that I enjoyed, but as I progress in this new major, I have begun to enjoy them more.
Interviewer: What’s the atmosphere like at your college?
Michael: The classrooms are full during the day and the bars are full during the night. Everyone definitely puts their schoolwork first but there is definitely a lot of fun to be had as well. This school is also a research university, so there is a very heavy emphasis on student research and actually applying the things they learn in class.
Interviewer: So far, what’s your best memory at college?
Michael: Over this school year, I’ve felt like I make a new amazing memory every weekend, but if I had to choose one it would be when we beat Ohio State in football and the entire school stormed the field and then celebrated until the sun came up.
Interviewer: Have you experienced something that has changed your perception of your goals?
Michael: Over the past 3 summers I have volunteered at a week long summer camp for kids with muscular dystrophy. This camp completely changed my perception of my life and it’s the reason that I switched from engineering to medicine.
Interviewer: What is something you would still like to try at your school?
Michael: We have a famous restaurant called Triple XXX that I still have never been to, so I would like to do that at some point.
Interviewer: What’s something you wish you could change about your school?
Michael: Purdue’s mental health care system is lacking, so I would like the school to make an effort to improve this.
Interviewer: What’s something that you’ve learned about yourself so far about your time at Purdue?
Michael: Purdue has taught me to be more open-minded and be willing to try new experiences.
Interviewer: Tell me about the traditions at your school that you’ve had the chance to participate in?
Michael: We have a tradition called “fountain run” where students run through all the fountains on campus. I did this during my freshman year.
Interviewer: What advice do you have for anyone who would like to attend your school in the future?
Michael: I would tell anyone who wants to attend Purdue that they absolutely will not regret it. It’s a beautiful place full of amazing people and I couldn’t be happier.
Anika Talks 