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Iowa State University
- Local Atmosphere

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Iowa State University - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.46

Local Atmosphere

B
Where does this grade come from?View all Local Atmosphere rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Local Atmosphere Grades:

Quick Stats

Points of Interest
  • The Brunnier Art Museum
  • Fisher Theater
  • Hilton Coliseum
  • Maintenance Shop
  • The Octagon Center for the Arts
  • Reiman Gardens
  • Stephens Auditorium

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Ames is in a great location. It is small enough to avoid being intimidating, and large enough to avoid being boring. It has the charm of the country and the flair of the city. So, if you’re looking for a taste of the country, the area just north of Ames is farmland. Those looking for city life will find Des Moines appealing, which is a mere half-hour drive from Ames. Since half the population is composed of college students, there are plenty of things for students to do and see in Ames, and most of it is available at reasonable rates.

Students coming from densely populated areas, such as Chicago, may find Ames to be a boring small town. Ames may also be seen as too strict by many students—the city council passed a ban on putting indoor furniture outside. But students generally make due with what Ames has to offer, and most of the students who attend ISU are generally satisfied with Ames. If aesthetic pleasure is high on your list of priorities, Ames may be the place for you—the town is clean, beautiful, and has a lot to offer for its size. After all, it is the second most livable mid-sized city in the United States.

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Iowa State Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at Iowa State University

Fasching

'16

Advertising

5.0
A+

Big School Small Town Feel

The atmosphere is great with lots to do at school in the city and great transportation

Jan 20, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Iowa State University

joco1990

'13

Anthropology and Archaeology

5.0
A+

Small College Feel Big Town

my college is located in Ames, Iowa. it is a big college, and a big town, although it does have an amazing feel of a small town and a small college. everyone is friendly and always up for talking to one another and being generally friendly.

Jan 05, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Iowa State University

kmpugh

'14

Chemistry

3.5
B

Pretty Fun but Look Out for the Crows...

There is a lot to do around town. They have a really great bus system so it is really easy to get around town. They have tons of restaurants and the mall isn't too bad. The one bad thing is that in the winter there are crows everywhere! So you really have to watch out.

Dec 21, 2011

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Page 1 of 15

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • North Grand Mall
  • Southridge Mall
  • Valley West Mall
Major Sports Teams None:
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Des Moines: IA: 35 minutes
  • Minneapolis: MN: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Did You Know?

Fun Facts about Ames:
• Ames was founded in 1864 by John Blair, who named the town after his friend, Oakes Ames, who never lived in the town.
• According to the New Rating Guide to Life in America’s Small Cities by Kevin Heubusch, Ames is ranked the second most livable mid-sized city in the United States
• BestJobsUSA.com cited Ames as one of the 20 best places in America to live and work. Ames was also voted the 20th best place to live in America by Men’s Journal. On top of that, Ames was ranked the 6th best small city in which to do business by bizjournals.com.
• Ames has over 32 city parks.

Famous People From Iowa:
Ashton Kutcher (actor) – Cedar Rapids
Ann Landers (journalist) – Sioux City
Cloris Leachman (actress) – Des Moines
Slipknot (rock band) – Des Moines
Billy Sunday (evangelist, reverand) – Ames
Abigail Van Buren (Dear Abby) – Sioux City
John Wayne (actor, gunslinger) – Winterset
Elijah Wood (actor) – Cedar Rapids

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Cinemark Movies 12
1317 Buckeye Ave.
(515) 232-4882

Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at ISU

Name: Staci Harper

Major: English/Rhetorical Studies/Speech minor

see all student author bios >

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College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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