bronxpilot-
Farms are pretty much all there is to know about the state, so you're really not missing anything (however, Indy was a lot nicer than I thought it'd be). Be prepared for a big change of pace coming from Long Island to West Lafayette; it is completely different. I would highly suggest visiting campus before making a decision.
I found that in my class there was a pretty decent contingent of NYC people. I know a couple from CT, NJ, and a couple from the city. I actually know of one guy who is from the Bronx as well.
As far as rates go, you're right. They are totally rediculous. All things considered you're looking at 40K for out of state (flight costs included). The university just this year greatly increased the monetary value of scholarships they are giving out to incoming freshmen. If your SAT critical reading and math combined are 1340 or better and you have a 3.8 GPA or are in the top 5% of your high school class, you will get 10K/year which makes a nice dent in the tuition. Unfortunately for those who are already here, those same stats got us about 2500/year and we're locked into that, but that doesn't effect you. I've found the academics here to be pretty easy. Last semester I carried 17 credit hours, partied and was able to pull off a 4.0 no problem. This semester I am carrying 20 credits and haven't found it too hard just yet.
Flight Training: The program is split into two parts. The first two years you work up to your CMEL/SEL IA. If you come into Purdue with your private pilot cert, you automatically get credit for the flight portion and you can test out of private pilot groundschool. The class you would enter is essentially commercial time building. There are 2 commercial time building courses which you would do your first year, then first semester of sophomore year you would hop in the Arrow and get your Instrument/Commercial. The 2nd two years of the program are when you do all the 727/King Air stuff. The deal with the beechjet is that each year, they take 6 kids from the senior class to fly it. I believe you need a 3.0 to apply and then you do a sim ride with the guy in charge of the jet. As with any flight school there are some really great instructors and some really horrible instructors, it's luck of the draw.
What you really have to weigh in your decision is whether the benefits of going to a big 10 school/spending all your time in flight outweighs the cost of the program. When I first looked at Purdue it did, and that's why I'm here. However, now that I've spent some time out here, (disclaimer: this is simply my opinion, not the cold hard facts of life or anything) I've realized that everyone who said go somewhere cheap that doesn't necessarily have a flight dept. and fly on the side was right. The education I'm getting from Purdue is simply not worth 40K and is burning a hole in the bank. I worked harder during high school than I have here. If I went somewhere instate (which I'm considering doing next fall) I could go for less than 10K (possibly less than 5K pending scholarships) and have more than enough money to finish up my ratings.
Another thing to understand with Purdue is that the flying here is an incredibly controlled environment. There are certain airports you can and can't go to and procedures you must follow. The majority of the airports you will fly to on cross countries are pretty dead, with the exception of some quieter class C's (Dayton). The reasoning behind this makes sense; as with anywhere, there are some good pilots and some bad pilots. By limiting the possible risk, Purdue is being protective of all who could get themselves in trouble. However, for those who are ready to build experience and hone new skills, this can be detrimental. I'm by no means saying push the limits of safety, but flying the same style flights will not really help all too much; in order to learn, one must experience something new.
In the end, the airlines don't care where you get your degree from, and if you get your CFI and have a good flight school to teach at you will be able to build more hours than CFI'ing at Purdue. Put some thought into the subject, and if you're deadset on Purdue, go for it. See how your first year goes and reevaluate. If there are any other questions or you need anything don't hesitate to ask.
EDIT: forgot to comment on declaring residency. I'm pretty sure Purdue has squashed all hopes of paying in state tuition. I believe you must have lived in Indiana for 12 months (with parents if you are claiming financially dependant) and the move must be related to some reason other than school, or you must show that you are financially independant from your parents and living in Indiana. There is a page on the Purdue website about this that I'll look for.
