University of Iowa Top Questions

What is the stereotype of students at University of Iowa? Is this stereotype accurate?

Theron

The stereotype that I hear the most about my school is that it is a party school. Most of the time this seems pretty accurate. However, there are plenty of student organizations that are also interested in academics. Our sporting events offer a great alternative to the downtown nightlife.

Colin

At the University of Iowa there are many different groups of people, thus it is hard to choose one general stereotype would be that of a corn farmer. Everyone outside of Iowa that talks to me about going to Iowa never fails to ask, "So, whats new with corn?" To this statement I reply with something along the lines of how although most students at Iowa are thought to be farm kids there is actually quiet a diverse student body. Other than students from Iowa there are many students from Illinois and other midwestern states, but there are also students from almost every state as well as many foreign countries. In my time at Iowa I have met international students from countries such as Brazil, Finland, China, Korea, Macedonia, and Sudan. To put it bluntly, the stereotypical 'Iowa Farm Boy' is not at all accurate in representing the entire student body at the University of Iowa.

Anthony

Due in part to our ranking high on the various list of "Party Schools" compiled in recent years, U of I has gained a reputation for heavy drinking. While the majority of the students at the school have no problem balancing their social lives with academia, it's difficult to ignore just how many people are out crawling from bar to bar on any given Friday (or Thursday) night. There are many students who defy this stereotype and live relatively soberly, but for every person who places academia above alcohol, there are others who squeak by in their classes while focusing their energies on the weekend.

Anthony

Due in part to our ranking high on the various list of "Party Schools" compiled in recent years, U of I has gained a reputation for heavy drinking. While the majority of the students at the school have no problem balancing their social lives with academia, it's difficult to ignore just how many people are out crawling from bar to bar on any given Friday (or Thursday) night. There are many students who defy this stereotype and live relatively soberly, but for every person who places academia above alcohol, there are others who squeak by in their classes while focusing their energies on the weekend.

Darya

The university of Iowa truly has a wide range of students. The greek life is not as strong here as in other schools so committing to it is not the only option you have. It is however, very fun and there are over 10 chapters to choose from. The diversity is great on campus. We have many students from all over the world and you have a chance to learn something about someone you would never normally interact with. There are jocks, frat kids, geeks but none of them stick to only their group. They all intermingle with one another which is what makes U of Iowa so unique!

Ashley

Iowa has many bars located downtown, and you can see people out on the weekends, but everyone is inside studying the books during the weekdays. Everyone earns pretty good grades, too.

Jon

I would say the main stereotype of Iowa students is that they are all big partiers. Yes, a lot of people here drink (as do many students all over the country) but I don't think that the rankings are accurate when they say the University of Iowa is such a huge party school.

Brandon

The University of Iowa is pretty well known for its bar scene and sports programs. We're typically ranked pretty high on the "best party schools" list. If there is a stereotype, it would probably have something to do with alcoholic jocks.

Juan

They drink too much.