Academics
Iowa State University is the state's largest research university, offering more than 100 majors, most notably in the science and technical fields, including an engineering program which is "practically unrivaled." Other standouts include the aerospace program and the journalism and design schools. The school is "quick to add new courses on developing technology" and even make some courses available online, and an excellent job placement rate means "if you're looking to not just get a job but build a career, you're in the right place." Due to the size of the university, there are a lot of opportunities (such as "getting to tour and even work at some of the cutting edge research locations in the world"), and teachers will bring in people who work in the field "to talk to you about what their job is like so you can network and learn about your opportunities." In addition to all the classroom and professional resources, there is a largely popular campus lecture series on various topics, and the university is also currently building a student innovation center. "If you are willing to work hard, you can accomplish a lot."
The faculty at the school are "outstanding" and "represent some of the best instructors in the country." Professors "have so much knowledge to share" and include "innovative approaches" in which students "use technology and applications to do assignments." "Not only are they great teachers, but they're great people," says one student. Classes are hands-on and coursework is "challenging in a way that helps [students] know that [they] will be prepared to perform well" in their future careers, but for anyone struggling with their work, "there's a lot of help if you look for it." Overall, students find that Iowa State "offers everything a student needs to succeed" and strives to ensure that every student "succeeds and performs at a high level academically, professionally, and in their personal lives."
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