Enrollment: 20823
Most Popular Majors: Business/Commerce, General,Engineering, General,Psychology, General,
Regular Application Deadline: 04/01
Student Faculty Ratio: 15:1

Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid: $4,179.00

Lots of Hard Liquor
Major Frat and Sorority Scene
Party Schools
2010 Top Entrepreneurial Programs: Undergraduate

Students Say - Academics
Students get the "best of both worlds" at University of Iowa thanks to "very strong academics" and a student body that likes "to have a lot of fun." As one undergrad explains, "On one hand it's a huge party school, but on the other hand it's very academically challenging." Fundamentally, the school offers "a great community that knows how to have fun while succeeding." But don't expect to breeze on through classes. Academics are "challenging," and most students agree "you get out what you put in." "If a student is motivated and wants to do well, there is an army of people here to help them improve in all areas of their academic needs," says one student. A substantial part of that support team is comprised of "great professors who encourage you to live life and always learn with passion." While some professors "are more interested in research than teaching, all are very knowledgeable and attempt to help their students." The "research facilities" and "solid programs in a variety of fields" are cited as two of Iowa's "greatest strengths." On the administration side of things, students find little common ground. Some say that that administration is "pretty good" and that it has done "a wonderful job handling the flood damages and changes, which occurred this past summer." Others feel the administration is "a little strict" and "has made some bad decisions in the past year." One student notes, "The president of the university seems both in and out of sync with the problems and challenges which lay ahead-she had a rocky start but seems to be getting better."

Students Say - Campus Life
How best to explain what University of Iowa has to offer its students once classes are out? As one student concisely puts it, "great times, amazing friends, awesome partying, chances of a lifetime, no regrets, intense moments, and rewarding futures." It's no secret that Iowa has a "rather large party scene" with students "heading downtown for happy hour on the weekends." However, some students complain that "social life is starting to head downhill with harsh alcohol policies aimed at students' wallets and cracking down on parties." Despite this, most here report that they lose interest in partying as they "mature" and find plenty to do thanks to "student groups, lots of interesting public lectures," and "free night activities to attend." Iowa City "has a great local music scene" and offers a "plethora of restaurants, shops, nightlife, and cultural events." The proximity of downtown is "an advantage" to students, who not only "breathe a breath of life" into all the local businesses but also "work in businesses" themselves. The university's hospitals and clinics provide "amazing" opportunities to "volunteer or get a part-time job." That said, when the chips are down, "football games take precedence over everything else" at this "Big Ten school with a smaller campus feel."

Students Say - Student Body
Most students here come from either "small-town Iowa or the Chicago area" and are "committed to learning but at the same time still want to enjoy college life." Indeed, "work hard, play hard" is echoed by the majority of students. Most note that while "Iowa is ethnically homogenous," there's "more diversity socially" thanks to a "combination of different types" who all "find their place here." Students do report that there are "many" international students and "a lot of political activism and artistic expression" among "minority students," along with "communities for people with many different hobbies and lifestyles." Overall, what binds these Hawkeyes is a "very strong sense of community" (as evidenced recently "during the flooding over the summer") and "a lot of school spirit," meaning that ultimately "the majority of Iowa students find their niche."

Indiana University--Bloomington
Iowa State University

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