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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Cassidy Whitaker Thompson had a dilemma. The incoming freshman at Purdue University wanted to know whether she needed to register for a first semester physics course.
So, instead of waiting until orientation or slogging through a list of campus phone numbers, Whitaker Thompson, who will major in engineering, presented the question to members of the "Purdue Engineering Class of 2015" Facebook page.
Within two minutes, fellow engineering major Aharon Hannan replied. Having already attended the Summer Transition, Advising and Registration (STAR) program, where students meet with their academic advisers and register for classes, Hannan recommended she take the course, which is a pre-requisite for higher-level physics courses.
That exchange was part of an online friendship that has continued through summer break. And it's part of growing trend of universities using social media methods to help incoming students get acclimated long before they move into a residence hall.
Hannan had first helped Whitaker Thompson in March, when she had a question about a visual spatial reasoning test that had to be completed before the STAR date.
The newfound friends — he's from Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers (enrollment: 2,700 students), and she's a graduate of Brown County High School in Nashville, with 758 students — met face to face for the first time recently, coming to the West Lafayette campus to get the lay of the land.
Having followed the university's Facebook accounts and using them to interact with future classmates, the friends said they would feel more comfortable meeting new people once classes begin this fall.
"You say, 'Oh, I've talked to you online before,'" Hannan said.
Incoming Purdue students are using Facebook in droves to learn more about the college freshmen experience.
And the university is accommodating discussion between the new Boilermakers, helping them find answers to all kinds of questions.
The Office of Admissions sets up a Facebook page for each upcoming class each December. Invitations to join the page are emailed to class members. Eventually, students are handed control of the group.
Ashley Scott, assistant director of admissions, coordinates the office's social media outreach.
She continues to monitor the page, but typically allows students to discuss questions and concerns among themselves.
"It's become a great way to learn more about the university in an informal way," Scott said.
In fact, while admissions staff still use email and regular mail to contact incoming students, the office has determined Facebook the most effective way to reach the young adults, who were raised in the age of Internet and social media communication.
Meredith Shannon, who traveled from Houston with her mother, Marilyn, to attend STAR in June, said she checks the page once or twice a day. Without it, she said she would have felt more unfamiliar with the college prep process. And she appreciated reminders of important dates.
"I would have probably missed out on some stuff," said Shannon, who is undecided on a major.
Purdue's admissions staff also oversees a Facebook page for parents of incoming students — frequently monitored to provide timely responses to questions — and a fan page titled "Future Purdue Students," aimed toward prospective Boilermakers.
University Residences has a heavy presence on Facebook. Students have posted questions asking whether certain residence halls are air conditioned and what the best days to move in are next month.
"We're meeting students where they're at," said Danielle Fawbush, director of marketing and communications for University Residences, noting Facebook's explosive popularity. Fawbush and her marketing assistant, Jennifer Wetli, constantly monitor and answer questions posted to the page. They also share information and photos related to residence hall activity.
The University Residences page has spawned other groups administered by incoming freshmen.
Tyler Garner, who will major in professional flight technology this fall, set up a group for residents of Meredith Hall.
Garner graduated among a class of 65 students at a high school in the small town of Waldron in Shelby County. He said he is the only one of his classmates attending Purdue. So the thought of living in a residence hall with hundreds of other strangers worried him.
"At first I wasn't really sure what to do after creating the group," he said, reached through Facebook. "After looking at some other pages, I decided to upload some pictures of the room layouts and dimensions."
Group members are now discussing move-in dates and job opportunities.
Back on Facebook, Hannan and Whitaker Thompson said some students are already organizing events and parties for move-in week.
And they're excited for the opportunities that freshman year of college provide.
"The freedom," Whitaker Thompson said.
"New people and all you can eat," said Hannan.
All-you-can-eat applies to the campus dining halls. But, thanks to Facebook, Hannan has learned about many off-campus choices — including Five Guys, Buffalo Wild Wings and Triple XXX Family Restaurant.
Leave it to the college kids to talk about food.
"There are multiple topics and questions on places to eat," Hannan said.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Cassidy Whitaker Thompson had a dilemma. The incoming freshman at Purdue University wanted to know whether she needed to register for a first semester physics course.
So, instead of waiting until orientation or slogging through a list of campus phone numbers, Whitaker Thompson, who will major in engineering, presented the question to members of the "Purdue Engineering Class of 2015" Facebook page.
Within two minutes, fellow engineering major Aharon Hannan replied. Having already attended the Summer Transition, Advising and Registration (STAR) program, where students meet with their academic advisers and register for classes, Hannan recommended she take the course, which is a pre-requisite for higher-level physics courses.
That exchange was part of an online friendship that has continued through summer break. And it's part of growing trend of universities using social media methods to help incoming students get acclimated long before they move into a residence hall.
Hannan had first helped Whitaker Thompson in March, when she had a question about a visual spatial reasoning test that had to be completed before the STAR date.
The newfound friends — he's from Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers (enrollment: 2,700 students), and she's a graduate of Brown County High School in Nashville, with 758 students — met face to face for the first time recently, coming to the West Lafayette campus to get the lay of the land.
Having followed the university's Facebook accounts and using them to interact with future classmates, the friends said they would feel more comfortable meeting new people once classes begin this fall.
"You say, 'Oh, I've talked to you online before,'" Hannan said.
Incoming Purdue students are using Facebook in droves to learn more about the college freshmen experience.
And the university is accommodating discussion between the new Boilermakers, helping them find answers to all kinds of questions.
The Office of Admissions sets up a Facebook page for each upcoming class each December. Invitations to join the page are emailed to class members. Eventually, students are handed control of the group.
Ashley Scott, assistant director of admissions, coordinates the office's social media outreach.
She continues to monitor the page, but typically allows students to discuss questions and concerns among themselves.
"It's become a great way to learn more about the university in an informal way," Scott said.
In fact, while admissions staff still use email and regular mail to contact incoming students, the office has determined Facebook the most effective way to reach the young adults, who were raised in the age of Internet and social media communication.
Meredith Shannon, who traveled from Houston with her mother, Marilyn, to attend STAR in June, said she checks the page once or twice a day. Without it, she said she would have felt more unfamiliar with the college prep process. And she appreciated reminders of important dates.
"I would have probably missed out on some stuff," said Shannon, who is undecided on a major.
Purdue's admissions staff also oversees a Facebook page for parents of incoming students — frequently monitored to provide timely responses to questions — and a fan page titled "Future Purdue Students," aimed toward prospective Boilermakers.
University Residences has a heavy presence on Facebook. Students have posted questions asking whether certain residence halls are air conditioned and what the best days to move in are next month.
"We're meeting students where they're at," said Danielle Fawbush, director of marketing and communications for University Residences, noting Facebook's explosive popularity. Fawbush and her marketing assistant, Jennifer Wetli, constantly monitor and answer questions posted to the page. They also share information and photos related to residence hall activity.
The University Residences page has spawned other groups administered by incoming freshmen.
Tyler Garner, who will major in professional flight technology this fall, set up a group for residents of Meredith Hall.
Garner graduated among a class of 65 students at a high school in the small town of Waldron in Shelby County. He said he is the only one of his classmates attending Purdue. So the thought of living in a residence hall with hundreds of other strangers worried him.
"At first I wasn't really sure what to do after creating the group," he said, reached through Facebook. "After looking at some other pages, I decided to upload some pictures of the room layouts and dimensions."
Group members are now discussing move-in dates and job opportunities.
Back on Facebook, Hannan and Whitaker Thompson said some students are already organizing events and parties for move-in week.
And they're excited for the opportunities that freshman year of college provide.
"The freedom," Whitaker Thompson said.
"New people and all you can eat," said Hannan.
All-you-can-eat applies to the campus dining halls. But, thanks to Facebook, Hannan has learned about many off-campus choices — including Five Guys, Buffalo Wild Wings and Triple XXX Family Restaurant.
Leave it to the college kids to talk about food.
"There are multiple topics and questions on places to eat," Hannan said.
