<p>Iowa really seems like a nice school and I want to learn more. So if you have any insider information on Iowa I would greatly appreciate it.</p>
<p>Academics, Athletics, Atmosphere, Campus, Food, Housing, Location, School Spirit, and Student Body???</p>
<p>Academics-good but at the lower end of the Big 10 although with some excellent depts. Athletics-very good with school pride. Atmosphere--typical fun loving big school with a good number of serious students and partiers. Campus is very nice--wooded and with a river. Housing--cheap--many students live off campus near school. Student Body--mostly midwestern with lots from Illinois for OOS. Wide range of ability as it's a big school in a small state. had severe funding problems last few years but farm economy is now booming which portends well for UI. Nice college town with plenty of bars, restaurants and the usual stuff.</p>
<p>I really like Indiana University, so how does UI compare?</p>
<p>Come to Iowa State instead ;)</p>
<p>I'd prefer Indiana but Iowa is a good backup.</p>
<p>SC18, do you have specific areas of academic interest? I have past and current connections to the UI and can try to be of help. The academics are good, as barrons said. There are also areas of excellence. The campus is very pretty -- split by the Iowa River. Iowa City was the original capitol of IA and the original buildings are now a central part of campus. The town is cosmopolitan for its size -- has had the distinction of highest national per capita education at various times over the past few years. A good selection of food choices and cultural events and music can be found in the area. I'm not familiar with the general food quality on campus. Sports are very, very big here. "Bumble bee" clothing is all the rage in the fall -- lots of black and gold. Like many large universities, there is a significant amount of "partying" and UI actually has some fairly high numbers in terms of binge drinking among undergraduate students. There are certainly many other things to do but I think it's important to recognize that as part of the current student culture. There are residence halls scattered around the campus and my sense is that they are fairly "standard" and many students live in apartments after the first year or so.</p>
<p>Funding is still an issue with no near-term relief at the moment but things are better than they were a few years ago. Most students do not really feel those budget woes directly although it does ultimately affect the quality of some programs.</p>
<p>Housing off campus varies dramatically in cost depending on the location and type. Compared to large, metropolitan areas, it is inexpensive but compared to other Midwestern colleges in similar-sized locations, it is average to a little higher than average. Close to campus runs about $1300-$1500/mo for a 4-br with 1 bath and parking is extra if available. Utilities are typically not included.</p>
<p>I'm happy to answer specific questions if you'd like to PM me. </p>
<p>Good luck with your college search.</p>
<p>I like Iowa, in terms of enrollment they are much smaller than other Big Ten schools and they have good financial aid compared to other Big Ten schools. They have a very stong creative writing program, if I recall correctly. The only downside is that it's in Iowa, but i've heard Iowa City is a nice college town. There is a huge OOS contingent, and i've learned that's because tons of Chicagoans end up enrolling there.</p>
<p>There really is no difference in terms of academic reputation among the Big Ten schools (outside of Michigan and Northwestern who stand out). All schools have similar reputation, student body, and type (all big public schools with good sports).</p>
<p>I would say that Wisconsin and Illinois are distinctly higher in academic reputation than the rest and just behind UM and NU. This comes out in the USNews and most any other ranking.
That said, all of them are at least good and offer a very good education if you want it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help. </p>
<p>I think I would like UIowa, but when I think of myself living in the state of Iowa I just don't see it happening. All of my other schools are in really nice coastal cities - Los Angeles, San Diego, Miami, and Santa Barbara.</p>
<p>But I also want to apply to schools with that Big 10 atmosphere, and I think Iowa would be a nice option along with Indiana (the other Big10 school I'm looking at). </p>
<p>So I truly would appreciate any further information.</p>
<p>Distinctively higher than the rest?</p>
<p>Just behind Michigan and Northwestern?</p>
<p>Percent of students in Top 10% of their class
Michigan 90
Northwestern 83
Wisconsin 58
Illinois 55
Ohio State 43
Minnesota 39
Penn State 37
Michigan State 29
Purdue 28
Indiana 27
Iowa 22</p>
<p>I see the gap, and it isn't between Illinois and Minnesota.</p>
<p>There's more to quality that admissions. UW has over 70 NAS members on the faculty as does Michigan. Illinois has 55 and NU has 40. Indiana has 11. Minn has 36. OSU has 22.</p>
<p>UW has a research budget over $800 Million as does Michigan. The rest don't have over $600M.</p>
<p>Same story for major awards won by faculty and any other measure on the quality of the school. The fact that UW provides more opportunities for the students of the state to go to a top quality school should not be held against it. It's a much smaller state than Michigan but has about the same undergrad size. UW grads earn as many PhD's and head more companies than any other school in the Big 10.</p>
<p>I went to grad school for a while at both Iowa and Indiana. Both are wonderful and interesting places adjacent to nice college towns. Each has more of an intellectual atmosphere than you would think would be at big state universities...though each has its share of party animals too. Both towns are surrounded by lush rolling farmland, not the boring flat landscape you'd expect.</p>
<p>While some people here have taken shots at the students, it's VERY clear that each school gets the vast majority of the cream of the crop of the non-engineering students in its state (Iowa State and Purdue getting most of the engineering folks). This is the Midwest, and a lot of even the brightest students are content with going to the best state U in the state.</p>
<p>Indiana has a much larger enrollment, and it feels bigger. The campus is large, but most of the academic buildings are in a relatively compact area. The campus area is generally flat, but it's beautiful and has a creek running through it. I was amazed how clean and well-organized everything was. Coherent architecture scheme...mostly limestone. Nice on-campus bus system. IU-Bloomington doesn't have engineering, agriculture, medicine, or a large law school. Plus, it's huge in music and theater. So it's got more of an artsy, impractical feel to it--sorta like a gigantic liberal arts college, despite the prominent business school.</p>
<p>Iowa is less overwhelming size-wise. Its campus and individual buildings don't dwarf you. Nice river running through campus, at the bottom of a valley. I lived on one side of the river, and had classes on the other side, and it was a workout walking up and down the hills. No consistent architecture sceme.</p>
<p>Like a lot of Big 10 schools, both Iowa and Indiana have a lot of sharpies from the Chicago area that didn't want to do the mundane in-state thing (i.e. go to U of Illinois).</p>
<p>I think TG sums it up very well. I think IU has a bit more dominant Greek scene but not so dominant that it ruins the atmosphere.</p>
<p>Iowa is a good school. Just check the program you're interested in is solid.</p>
<p>SoCal are you going to be a senior next year?</p>
<p>If so you really have some decisions to make because your college interests are all over the place</p>
<p>Iowa was one of the most intriguing schools that I looked at. The school is excellent academically, but there are other things that really got me interested in the school. Iowa City is a great college town. There are tons of bars, restaurants, and shops in the town. The whole city really rallies around the school, especially at sporting events. Sports are huge at Iowa. The school always has pretty good football and basketball teams. Iowa’s business school is solid. Out of state tuition isn’t too bad either. If it wasn’t for the weather and the distance (I’m from California), I might have ended up at Iowa. I have a friend who goes there and he loves it. Indiana is also an excellent school, but Iowa is much more manageable in terms of size.</p>
<p>I'm not sure how many safeties you need. ASU is pretty much an auto admit for high school graduates and San Diego State doesn't reject people with your test scores. Don't apply to Iowa (or Indiana) if you have no intention of going there. I am positive that you will get into one of your safeties.</p>
<p>The attorneys that I've collaborated with [on both coasts] whom are alumni of U of Iowa undergrad were very bright and highly competent and absolutely loved their time at the university.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>A lot of the schools on my list may differ from each other, but they all offer something I'm looking for.</p>
<p>Only a few schools can offer a beach side location along with warm weather and big time sports. The University of Miami is my number one choice because it offers everything I want. UCSB, USD, LMU, and SDSU offer a great location and perfect weather, but they don't offer the excitement that a Big 10 school has. Then there is Indiana, and Iowa which offer great sports, and are in nice college towns, but they don't have the amazing weather and beaches that San Diego has. </p>
<p>So currently I have a perfect school (UMiami) and some with amazing locations, and some with amazing sports. I'm not 100% sure which is more important to me at this time, so I will apply to a mix of both and figure it out once I found out where I have been accepted/rejected.</p>
<p>Again thanks for the help.</p>