Some of the professors are great, and if you take the initiative to go to office hours and see them, they'll definitely remember your name. However, there are a lot of professors who are here for research and nothing else.
My favorite class was senior aircraft design, by far. It was the most difficult class I'd ever taken, and also the most rewarding. My least favorite class was probably signals and control systems, but that's mostly because I don't like the subject that much.
I think it depends on the major, but in my major, the students study a LOT. There are a lot of different places where people can choose to study. So don't worry, if you're the type of student who doesn't like to be distracted, there are plenty of places to just focus on studying.
Class participation is very common. I don't think I've had many classes, if any, where there wasn't any class participation. The best classes have always been the ones where the class participation is what drives the class.
I think the students definitely have intellectual conversations out of class. You'll find all types of people on this campus. Sometimes you just have to be proactive enough to find the type you like.
Students in engineering are pretty competitive as it's a very competitive field, but you're trained to work in groups as engineering teams. So I've always found the people in my major willing to give a helping hand to try and teach me a concept or how to do a specific problem.
The most unique class I've taken was Student Leadership Development. It teaches about the different aspects, methods, and theories of leadership. It's really a great class, and I ended up being the TA for a year, too. Pablo Malavenda, Associate Dean of Student Activities and Organizations, teaches it. You'll never meet a person on campus who can lead you to more opportunities.
My major was Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering. It's really a great program. Although not the most personal, the program makes great engineers. It's like a factory for engineers. Once you're done, Purdue's reputation will take you far. Many large companies only hire straight out of Purdue. I just got a job with The Boeing Company, and I have no doubt that having "Purdue University A&AE graduate" on my resume was a large factor in me getting it.
We don't usually spend much time with professors outside of class, but there is an annual Aero Social Night where the professors come to a rented out bar w/ us, drink, eat, and socialize w/ all of us. Most schools at Purdue have something like that I think.
How do i feel about Purdue's academic requirements? haha...I'M DONE!
The education here is geared towards whatever you want it to be. If you want to learn, learn, learn, then you can do it here. If you want a job, just work hard, and Purdue will find the opportunities for you. You just have to know what to do with them.