Your Guide to Purdue University's Business School

Try new things. Even if it was something that I didn't like at the time, I would encourage myself to try it anyway. I feel that there are many times that we let the fear of failure win us over, and four years ago I used to let it. Living through all the opportunities at Daniels School of Business has shown me that one of the most important things in life is putting yourself out there. 

Filippa

It is never too early or late to ask for help. Ask upperclassmen for advice. Sometimes hearing someone else's experience can help you navigate through your own.

Sreeya

Make relationships and connections not only with peers but also teachers and staff. I wish I could have told myself to start making those connections as early as freshmen year. Once you start to make relationships in and out of professional settings, you will see how helpful it is for your career.

Chloe

Your four years in high school are a great time to figure out what you’re passionate about and what you love to learn about to help determine what you will study in college. So explore through coursework and extra-curricular activities. But most importantly, enjoy high school. Go to that event that only happens once even if you feel bombarded with homework, hang out with friends, and have fun because once those four years fly by, you’ll wish you did more than just hyper-focus on school to get into college. Colleges want people to be holistically ready.

Kyle

I was in your place four years ago, struggling to dare myself into things that I didn’t know I would be successful at. It is normal to feel intimidated by what’s to come. Aim for where you want to be in four years, but most importantly, who you want to be.

Filippa

Try to be open-minded. Your dislikes and likes will continue to change through the four years of high school. Try to be open to finding what you like to do especially in your classes. Once you figure out what you like and what you are good at, you will be able to eliminate what you are not good at. That will help you to choose what you want to do in life, and this will make your decisions easier. Classes will be challenging, but they are made to be challenging to further your education. Everything you learn in high school will be the foundation that you create for yourself as you move forward. 

Chloe

I was pleasantly surprised to see the amount of group work we do. The Daniels School of Business prioritizes teamwork and leadership, and we are given so many opportunities to practice these traits. 

Vaibhavi

The classes are very collaborative environments. Although everyone is on different paths, the students will always encourage each other and constantly provide support to one another.

Sreeya

What I love most about the Daniels School of Business is the community of the school and the hands-on practical coursework. It is a small school compared to the other schools on campus, and it’s a close-knit community where everyone is friendly and wants to help each other reach their goals and succeed.

Kyle

How Clubs, Competitions and Co-curriculars can help you land a career in the business world

When you walk through the doors of high school you have a world of opportunity- from courses you’re taking to the extracurriculars that you can try. Not only are you experimenting to discover more about yourself, but you’ll also build an impressive track record to boost college admissions chances.

"I am involved in Purdue FBLA Collegiate and I am the Vice President of Membership. I have been a part of FBLA since high school and have gone to numerous state competitions as well as one national competition."

- Atharv Wayse, Finance '26

How will these help you? If you…

• thrive as a leader of a large group of people, a management role might be in your future.
• are the president of Student Council, that’s sort of like being the CEO of a company.
• have been the treasurer of your National Honors Society, careers in accounting or finance, where numbers and details really matter, might be a good fit for you.
• write a position paper for Model UN or defend a project or paper for a science club competition, you’re getting practice for business pitches - like giving a presentation for development, a marketing pitch, or a business plan.
• mow lawns, babysit, or walk the dogs for your neighbors, maybe you’d be interested in learning more about entrepreneurship and owning your own business one day.
• are committed to a sports team, captain of the team, or a strong team player, you are developing your collaboration and teamwork skills, your grit and discipline.

How do you choose?

When choosing your extracurriculars, the College Board recommends you think about what you’d like to study in college. Specific extracurriculars give you the chance to test out your level of interest, expand your knowledge and skills in the field, and impress the admissions committee at your dream school, which is Purdue, naturally!

Two other pieces of advice about extracurriculars: the longer you’ve participated, the more you show your commitment and give you the chance to take leadership roles or win awards, depending on the activity. Awards and leadership are top-tier when it comes to catching the attention of admissions.

Below are some clubs that prepare you for Purdue University’s Daniels School of Business. Some will specifically prepare you for our undergraduate majors; others could improve your admissions chances.

Explore the business world

• Future Business Leaders of America
  • High School students prepare for college and careers in business through academic competitions, leadership development, and educational programs. FBLA can follow you to college. It also offers collegiate chapters!
• Business Professionals of America
  • BPA is a club that builds business and leadership skills through competitive events, fundraising activities, and helping others. BPA gives students leadership and professional skills to prepare for the workforce and grow personally and professionally while networking with other students and having fun. BPA can follow you to college through one of its collegiate chapters!
• DECA
  • DECA is more than competitions, blazers and medallions. Joining DECA is the first step you can take towards achieving your goals and realizing your greatest potential. Your membership in DECA provides you the opportunity to participate in DECA’s high school programs at the local, chartered association and international levels. DECA can follow you to college through one of its collegiate chapters!

• EconChallenge
• Junior Achievement Career Fairs and Competitions
• Entrepreneurship Club

Improve your PSAT, SAT, and ACT math scores

• Economics Club
• Math Club
• Mu Alpha Theta: Math Honor Society
• Caribou Mathematics Competition
• Math League
• American Mathematics Competitions
• American Regions Math League

Expand your STEM knowledge

• Engineering Club
• Other science clubs
• Robotics Club
• Science National Honors Society
• Web design/coding club
• Science Olympiad
• Science Bowl
• Clean Tech Competition
• FIRST Robotics Competition
• Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

Improve your academic excellence, business communication, and leadership skills

• National Honor Society
• Student Council
• Peer Tutoring
• Trivia and Quiz Clubs
• Academic Decathlon
• Academic Triathlon
• High School Innovation Challenge
• National Academic Quiz Tournament
• Quiz Bowl
• Civil Air Patrol
• Junior ROTC
• FFA

You are on the cusp of being a senior, so now is the time to create a timeline to complete your college application. We’re here to help you break down this project into some manageable tasks and suggest best times to complete each one.

Your Junior Year Priorities:

Fall Semester

• Decide which colleges you want to consider based on ideal characteristics. Though we know that Purdue is your number one choice, dream big about your next giant leap. List qualities of your ideal school: majors offered, campus size, student life, cost and location. Research using the websites, mailings and emails you’re receiving.
• Take the ACT and/or SAT. Many students take one or both of the tests two or three times to improve and reach their target scores. Ideally, your first attempt will be in the fall of your junior year. The Daniels School of Business is a data-driven business school. We admit students with strong math skills and test scores so we know they can cut it in our majors. Here are the test scores and GPA of most of our students:
  • ACT: 25-31
  • SAT: 1180 - 1360
  • HS GPA: 3.55-3.87

Spring Semester

• Set up visits. There’s no replacement for visiting campus to get a feel of the energy and potential of the place. Schedule a visit in the spring of your junior year or over the summer before you begin your senior year. The Daniels School of Business is excited to welcome you for a visit. (Yes! We’re 100% confident that a visit will prove why Purdue will be the school for you.)
• Take the ACT and/or SAT again. If you aren’t satisfied with your scores from your first attempt, take them again in the spring of your junior year, and, as needed, early in the fall of your senior year. You’ll want your best scores to be ready to send with your application.
• Select senior-level classes. Consult with your school counselor to ensure you have completed or scheduled all the prerequisite classes required for admission to the Daniels School of Business. As a STEM-based school and Top 10 Public University in the U.S., Purdue University’s admission criteria are competitive. Before the end of your junior year, evaluate your application to be sure you meet the minimum requirements.
• Settle on the central idea for your college essay. In your spring semester open up the application essay guidelines and topics and review the prompts. Take some time to imagine or create an outline for the topic(s) that most engage you. If you’re excited about what you’re writing about, you’ll delight your reader and better represent yourself and your writing skills. A simple outline can help you eliminate the topics that won’t work as well for you. We recommend you set some goals for drafting, revising, having a second reader, and then editing. Completing this early will reduce your stress.