University of Iowa

Overall ExperienceWhat's This?

Most students who come to the University of Iowa are happy with what they’ve found, and few are willing to trade their experiences for anything else. With a combination of solid academics and a college town atmosphere that caters to the social scene, UI students find themselves in a well-balanced environment. Iowa isn’t an Ivy League school, but it does provide a strong education with a focus on career choices. Iowa is not a party school, but its students know how to relax and have fun while keeping up with their workload.

Since it is such a large institution, UI can seem faceless and intimidating at first, but this quickly dissolves as the tight-knit social scene among college students presents itself. With a huge variety of clubs, sports, and other activities on and around campus, plus Iowa City’s bars and downtown area, there are as many ways to meet people and make friends as there are people to meet. Students who have the worst experience at Iowa—or at college in general—are the ones who don’t become involved with things that are going on around them. While Iowa City might not be somewhere you decide to stay for the rest of your life, it can be the ideal atmosphere for getting a college education and learning to live on your own. The experience of the University of Iowa is largely what each student makes of it. There is plenty to learn and take advantage of at UI, both in and out of the classroom.

Iowa Student Reviews