ABE Advising FAQ

A list of frequent questions posed for ABE

Admission into ABE

Prospective High School Students

• As a high school student, how do I apply to the School of Agricultural and Biological Engineering?

  • There are two paths to being a part of ABE.  You can enter either through our Pre-ABE program in the College of Agriculture or you will enter the College of Engineering and participate in the First Year Engineering program and transition to ABE after you complete your first year.

• What is Pre-ABE and how is it different than First Year Engineering (FYE)?

  • Pre-ABE is a program where students start in the College of Agriculture with the intention of getting a degree in either Agricultural or Biological Engineering.  FYE is housed in the College of Engineering where all first year Engineering students start with the intention of going to one of the professional schools in Engineering.

• How do I find out more information about the FYE Program and the College of Engineering?

  • Use the following hyperlinks to learn more information about: the College of Engineering and FYE

Transition to Major (T2M)

• If I am a First Year Engineering student, how do I go about getting a guaranteed admission to Agricultural and Biological Engineering?

  • A GPA and EAI of 3.2 is a guaranteed entry into ABE through the T2M process.  

• What is the lowest GPA and EAI that Agricultural and Biological Engineering will accept?

  • As stated above, a 3.2 overall GPA and a 3.2 EAI is an automatic entry into the program.  Those with lower GPA's or EAI's than that will be evaluated by the department.  Biological Engineering is at critical capacity meaning it can deny students after a set number of students have been accepted by the department.  There is no minimum GPA or EAI that Biological Engineering will accept as each transition period varies in terms of potential student's GPA and EAI.  The closer you are to the automatic entry, the better chance you have of being accepted.  For Agricultural Engineering, you must have a GPA and EAI above a 2.0 to be eligible for inclusion into the department. 

• I was not accepted by ABE during my T2M but I want to be in this department.

  • There are a few ways to go about this. If you are still interested in ABE, you can take summer courses to replace grades for classes where your grade was not as satisfactory as you wanted or that you need to retake.  After the summer session ends, if you have finished with ALL of your FYE requirements, then you can be part of the summer T2M process.  If you are not finished with your FYE requirements but still would like to come to ABE, you can stay in FYE for the following Fall semester and participate in the Winter T2M process as long as your FYE requirements will be finished by the end of that term.

• What is the difference between Biomedical and Biological Engineering?

  • While both programs teach students the engineering process in a context of organic materials, there is quite a difference between the two programs.  Biological Engineering (BE) deals with creating processes using biological organisms and augmenting systems on a microscopic level.  Biomedical Engineering (BME) deals with augmenting the body on a macroscopic level (i.e. prosthetics).  BE is similar to Chemical Engineering while BME is in the same line as Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. Click for more specific information about Biomedical Engineering.

• Why is ABE in the College of Agriculture?

  • ABE has changed throughout the decades; it has been a part of Purdue University but its historical roots began in the college of agriculture.  The Department began in 1921 as the Department of Farm Mechanics in the School of Agriculture. It was renamed Agricultural Engineering in 1925, and in 1946 its undergraduate curriculum became a formal degree granted by the Schools of Engineering (now College of Engineering) with the Department remaining administratively within the College of Agriculture.  Our Engineering degrees are accredited with ABET, the national association that accredits all engineering programs in the country.

CODO

• If I can’t get into Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) through the T2M process, can I CODO into (ABE) in future semester(s)?

  • Please see the guidelines on CODO into the College of Agriculture. 

• I have met the academic guidelines and I have the required GPA to CODO into ABE, do I have a guaranteed admission for the next semester?

  • If you are CODO'ing to ASM or Agricultural Engineering, then it is likely you will be approved if you meet the guidelines.  If you are wanting Biological Engineering, then depending on space in the program, you may be denied admission. 

• Who do I contact to request a CODO in ABE?

  • Contact Brenda Schroeder by email: brendaschroeder@purdue.edu

Academic Policies

• Can I take a graduate-level course as an undergraduate student?

  • Yes, however, not all graduate level courses are available to students.  You must meet the requirements for the course as with any undergraduate course you take.  Note that all 600+ level courses are closed to undergraduate students unless approved by the instructor of the course and the student's academic advisor.

• Can I take a course(s) as Pass/No Pass?

  • A student classified as a sophomore or higher who has a minimum 2.0 graduation index may elect the pass/not-pass grading option. A maximum of 21 credits of elective courses under the pass/not-pass grading option can be used toward graduation requirements for the College of Agriculture.

• What is the minimum grade that I need to achieve in my ABE courses?

  • You must receive a D- or better to pass your ABE/ASM core courses.  However, all students must receive a grade of C- or better in the FYE courses to transition to ABE from either FYE or Pre-ABE.   

• Is it a good idea to repeat a course I have already passed?

  • This will vary based on your standing and schedule.  The ABE department generally does not encourage students to retake a course if they receive a C- or better.  However, you may be able to retake a course if there is room in your schedule.

• What does it mean to be on academic notice?

  • Please see our Academic Notice Page

• What do I do to add a minor?

  • If you would like to add a minor, schedule an appointment with your academic advisor. 

Co-Op and Internships

• What is the difference between a co-op and an internship?

  • Co-Ops are recurring work experiences with the same company and are managed by the Office of Professional Practice.  Internships are single-instance work experiences, often during the summer months.

• How do I apply for a Co-Op Program?

  • Students should follow the instructions on Office of Professional Practice website.

Registration

• I just have a quick question and my assigned academic advisor is not available, can I speak to anyone in the ABE Undergraduate Advising Office?

  • If it is a question that should take no more than 15 minutes, then anyone should be able to help you.  If it is a question that you believe will take longer than 15 minutes, e-mail your advisor and set up a meeting time to discuss your issue. 

• Why am I required to meet with my advisor and faculty mentor?

  • Meeting with both your academic advisor and faculty mentor gives students a more comprehensive look at where they are in their academic career at Purdue.

• The Schedule of Classes shows that all space is full in a required ABE course; What do I do?

  • Contact your advisor.

• I want to add a course or make changes to my registered courses, but my time ticket is closed. Can you re-open my time-ticket or make the changes for me?

  • If you miss your time ticket window, you will not be able to make changes or have it re-opened.  You must wait until open registration to add or drop courses.

• I am interested in taking an ABE course, but am not an ABE student. How do I register?

  • Contact Brenda Schroeder and the will work with you to see if you have met the prerequisites for the course wanted and if there will be enough space. 

• What happens if I forget to or am unable to register during my time-ticket?

  • Depending on the circumstances, you will have to wait until open registration to register for your courses

• What should I do if I lose my registration PIN?

  • Go to your MyPurdue page and click in the "Registration" link at the top.  Once on the registration page, click on the link that says "Registration Pin".

• How do I drop a course?

  • The process to drop a course can be found here

• How can I register for more than 18 credits?

  • Your faculty mentor and academic advisor must approve increasing your credit limit past 18. 

• Can my ABE advisor give me an override to register for a non-ABE course?

  • For the most part, your academic advisor cannot give an override for non-ABE courses.  You should contact the department of the course and request an override.  Be sure to let them know of why you need this override.

• A class I want to take is closed?

  • If the course is an ABE course, let your academic advisor know and they will work with the schedule deputy to see if a seat can be opened up.  If the course is a non-ABE course, you can contact the department that teaches the course and ask if they would be willing to let you into their closed section.  

• How do I switch to a different section of an ABE course?

  • If your registration is active, you may either use Scheduling Assistant to swap sections or use the Add/Drop section of "Registration" in your MyPurdue page.  If you want to swap sections when registration is not active or the add deadline without needing a signature has passed, please contact your advisor.

• I would like to take a course in the same semester as one of the pre-requisite courses?

  • This will vary depending on the course.  Some courses have co-requirements which means you may take the course as long as you are taking the co-requirement concurrently.  If course you are looking to take only has pre-requirements, then you will not be able to take the course until the pre-requirement is successfully completed.  Please consult with your advisor.

• What steps do I need to take if I would like to get credit by examination (test-out) for a course?

  • More information on this can be found with the Purdue Testing Center

• Can I join the GEARE program in ABE?

  • Please contact Laurie Snyder for more information.

• I took a course over the summer at a different institution, how do I transfer the credit to Purdue?

  • You can find guidelines to transferring credit to Purdue with Purdue Admissions

Study Abroad

• Where can I go on study abroad?

  • Almost anywhere!  However, careful selection of programs will help maintain an on-time graduation date.  

• Will a Study Abroad add time to my ABE Program?

  • Not necessarily.  Short-term Study Abroad experiences should have no effect on your graduation date.  Semester experiences may, depending on your choice of destination and the courses offered.

• If I am interested in doing a Study Abroad, whom should I speak with?

  • Start with Laurie Snyder in ABE - appointments can be made through BoilerConnect.  You can also start by browsing the options through the Study Abroad, Global Engineering Programs, or International Programs in Agriculture websites.

• Can Study Abroad courses be taken Pass/No Pass?

  • Possibly. Consult with your academic advisor.  It will depend on which courses and destinations you are considering.

Undergraduate Research

• What research opportunities are available within the ABE department for undergraduate students?

  • Speak with your faculty mentor to see what research opportunities are available in ABE.  Many of the ABE faculty perform research during the year and have had undergraduate students in their labs.

• What research opportunities are available at Purdue outside of the ABE program?

  • There are many areas outside of ABE where students can get research experience.  Students may contact professors in other departments that are doing research that fits their interests.  You should also speak with your faculty mentor about research ideas and opportunities outside of ABE.

• Where can I find a list of Faculty and what their research interests are?

  • Here is a list of our Faculty by Area of Research Interest

• To sign up for research credit, go to: undergraduate research credit