For students looking to get out of the Northeast and explore other regions of the country for college, the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA holds a multitude of opportunities.
Overall, Iowa was ranked as the 34th best public university and 84th best university nationally by U.S. News and World Report. Iowa has a fairly high acceptance rate at 80.2%
Populated by over 30,000 students and located near a city, the University of Iowa can seem overwhelming to students use to smaller schools and communities. However, Iowa makes an attempt to keep 78% of classes under 30 students to ensure students have the opportunity to communicate with their professors. 30,000 students may sound big but the University of Iowa is the second smallest Big Ten school.
Rated as one of the best college towns in the United States, Iowa City makes students from both rural and urban areas feel at home. With streets full of shops and restaurants and a bus system running through the Iowa university campus, Iowa City carries a strong “city” vibe, while still remaining “small” when compared to most large U.S. cities with plenty of parks and grassy areas.
With over 200 majors to study and over 5,000 available courses, the University of Iowa offers many areas of study for students to explore. However, the school does not require students to declare a formal major until their junior year, allowing them to continue to explore their interests and change majors easily. On the other hand, students who have their heart set on a specific major can begin studying it immediately in their freshman year.
Being part of the Big Ten Conference, the University of Iowa offers a number of Division 1 sports and is of great interest of athletic students. Nonetheless, Iowa still offers club and intramural leagues for all its available sports for students who are looking to remain active athletes but don’t quite reach Division 1 requirements. For students who are not athletes and just looking for a place to keep in shape Iowa has its large athletic facility, consisting of an indoor track, a full sized basketball court, and an Olympic sized swimming pool open to all students.
The University may be a long haul out to the midwest but students willing to make it to the college will find that if was worth while.
