Tippie and Weather at Iowa

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Iowa
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<p>I was admitted to UI and received 2 very generous scholarships that make UI a cheaper option than my other top choices (Georgia and Oregon) and instate schools, which are a complete mess right now. I'm going to visit in a few weeks, but I would like some knowledge about UI beforehand. </p>

<p>Being from Southern California, I'm used to 55-80 degrees year-round. I enjoy some snow, rain, and the changing of seasons, but I'm not sure that I could handle Midwest winters because of the cold and wind. So it would be great if someone could describe how bad the weather gets at UI and your typical winter at UI (ie: when it starts to get chilly, when it starts to warm up, getting around when it snows, etc...).</p>

<p>Also, what is there to do in Iowa City? It seems like your quintessential college town, but are there any outdoor activities nearby? I am a big outdoors and sports enthusiast and Oregon, is very attractive to me right now because of the abundance of outdoor activities, particularly snowboarding. </p>

<p>Finally, what's the reputation for the Tippie College of Business? I would like to major in finance, but I'm also considering going into sports business (management). How is the job placement at Tippie? I would assume that it is very good in Chicago and Iowa, but I plan on living/working in California or Florida (I wouldn't mind working in Chicago for a year or two).</p>

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<p>Hi SoC…we live in northern CA (SF Bay Area), although I grew up in, and went to school in Illinois. Our oldest kiddo is a freshman at Iowa (and also considered Oregon but wanted to experience someplace other than the west coast). We visited several campuses in the Midwest and the Iowa campus and the people there bubbled to the top. </p>

<p>Although being close to 2000 miles away, and a significant change from northern California, I think it has been a good experience, and the adjustment to the weather was faster/better than we expected. </p>

<p>Personally, I think Oregon and Iowa have a lot of similarities – strong school spirit, similar admissions criteria. school size, etc. – and are both great choices. I don’t think you can go wrong with either of them. Never been to Georgia, but I hear great things about Athens. </p>

<p>Re: your specific questions – there are many web sites where you can find avg daily temps. The coldest months are Dec-Feb, where avg lows are perhaps 10-15 and avg highs are 25-30. It can occasionally drop down as low as -25. Right now, highs are typically 40-45, lows perhaps 25. I think it should be into the 50s-60s in the next couple of weeks. Even in the middle of a very cold winter climate, there is a definite warmth about the school and Iowans, I can assure you that anyone from California (especially southern California) will go through an adjustment where they question what they were thinking :slight_smile: </p>

<p>There is nice river that runs through Iowa City and the campus, so things like rowing are a possibility, running, cross-country skiing (I imagine), etc…there is also a great new rec center on campus that you should check out! I recall from my Illinois days that there are some small-ish (very very very small-ish by Tahoe/Mammoth standards) near the Iowa/Illinois border, and definitely as you head into Wisconsin/Minnesota, but that would be a drive. I do not know of any snowboarding that you would find exciting near Iowa City, although the terrain is rolling hills. This might be one of the closer ski areas (2 hours away near Dubuque) –
[Chestnut</a> Mountain Resort - Galena Illinois](<a href=“http://www.chestnutmtn.com/about_directions.cfm]Chestnut”>http://www.chestnutmtn.com/about_directions.cfm) </p>

<p>I’ll let others comment on Tippie and placement. I can tell you that from what I have seen so far, the Iowa placement office at the Pomerantz center seems to really be very good and have their act together, but I believe they have much stronger ties in Chicago and the Midwest than on the coasts. There is a career leadership track of classes and a corresponding LLC (living learning community) that you may want to check out. I will also mention that the administration at Iowa is first rate and they really have their act together – they work closely with students, are well-organized, and very responsive and supportive of students.</p>

<p>Please let me know if you have any other questions, and good luck!</p>

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<p>Thanks for the reply rwehavingfunyet!</p>

<p>The trouble I’m having is exactly what you pointed out: all 3 of my choices are great schools and very similar to each other. Right now, I wish that I could attend all 3. :)</p>

<p>I’ve heard great things about Iowans and after experiencing visiting some Southern schools and being exposed to that hospitality, I definitely feel that being surrounded by similar people would be a great addition to my college experience. It amazes me how polite and kind people outside of Southern California are.</p>

<p>I’m still unsure about the weather because I can recall my trip to Mammoth this winter and thinking that I couldn’t possibly choose a school where I’m going to be in similar weather conditions (well, similar temps, just a little less snow). I’m actually quite surprised that there are ski resorts in the Midwest. I guess that would be better than nothing, but as you said, it definitely does not compare to Tahoe or Mammoth. </p>

<p>I’m looking forward to visiting Iowa City because it seems like a really neat city and I will finally be able to clarify my college choices a little bit. </p>

<p>P.S.</p>

<p>Do you have any recommendations for restaurants that locals in IC would frequent? A burger joint or some BBQ would be great. </p>

<p>Also, since it gets so cold and snowy, is there outdoor ice skating and hockey in IC? I’ve always wanted to play outdoor hockey and I could use it as a temporary replacement for snowboarding.</p>

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<p>SOC, it’s clear you’ll need to visit all 3 schools and register the gut-level response you’ll have to each. It’s likely that the three are as different as can be imagined, based on geography alone.</p>

<p>As for winter, Iowa is obviously colder and snowier than SoCal but isn’t really in the tough winter belt in the midwest. Huge snowfalls rarely occur. They get snow but it’s often mixed with rain or sleet, and it generally doesn’t last on the ground all winter.</p>

<p>I do not get a sense that outdoor recreation is huge at Iowa as it’s not really near the natural areas that attract them. It’s likely - and you’d have to check this - that there is an outdoor activity club on campus, and they’d be likely to seek out the kayaking or mountain biking or whatever that’s within driving distance. So while there are probably some interested in this sort of thing I do not believe it to be a major part of campus culture.</p>

<p>As for restaurants, Iowa City is a compact area comprising about 5 blocks x 4 blocks. In that area you will find numerous restaurants - many of which are low-end or take-out to appeal to student wallets - and bars. Lots of bars. But there is BBQ and some decent burger places as well as Thai, Indian etc. You can walk the whole area and find what you like in 30mins.</p>

<p>What RWE says about friendliness is quite true. When we moved my son into the dorm he was immediately surrounded by half a dozen guys introducing themselves. Most of these guys have become his very good friends. And my wife and I love spending time in IC for the friendliness of the people there. It’s an awesome college town.</p>

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<p>The weather in Iowa I found to be typical midwest weather but different in that the temperatures can change drastically within a short period. The state of Iowa for the midwest I found to be extreme hot, and also extreme cold. There were a few days this year the temperture in Iowa City was recorded at or near 90, while other midwest states were experiencing temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s. This can also be studied during the winter months in Iowa, where the extreme cold drops down from Minnesota. Overall I find the weather in Iowa to be typical for the midwest and biggest concern being that Iowa is considered apart of torando alley. </p>

<p>Iowa City is the best college town within the Big Ten. There are many outdoor activities, especially considering that the Iowa River runs through the campus. During the warmer months you find people kayaking, playing frisbee, football, quidditch, etc… There are also classes that promote outdoor activities such as hiking, and scuba diving. The campus is five stars and I remember once reading that it was awarded for being most tree friendly. Despite, I think the campus could use more trees and although I think the sculpture Iacto by James Sanborn is unique, it could be a more appealing place for a fountain.</p>

<p>Tippie College of Buisness reputation is great, and I would consider the building one of the newest on campus. I once looked into Tippie College of Buisness ( and College of Liberal Arts) job placement and saw that placement outside of Iowa was most popular in Chicago. This isn’t a surprise considering that half of the student body are out of state residents.</p>

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The most distant city I saw that Iowa placed well in was Denver but job placement in California and Florida should not be a problem at all. Iowa is one of the best public schools within the nation with a great alumni base. There are also many resources to help with networking.</p>