Jelani
Iowa State University has hundreds of majors and minors to choose from. They have majors in engineering, medicine, business, art, and many others it would be hard to find what they do not have. In the engineering major, there is every type of engineer there is they offer. Such as aerospace, materials, mechanical, chemical, construction, and a lot more where you will find what you are looking for in this university. In medicine they have biochemistry, animal ecology, zoology, biology, and so many other medicine majors that will help the world. If students are looking for professional schools then Iowa State has programs that help students for those professional schools. Programs such as dentistry, optometry, law, podiatry, and other programs to help students pursue their goals in whatever they set for themselves. They also have professors that will help out with whatever you need. The professors are there to help their students because they want to see their students succeed as well. Iowa State has a great academic program where anyone can become successful.
Jianyang
Most of the professors do not know my name. My favorite class is math. Least favorite class is English. Students are not competitive. My major is mechanical engineering. Career fire is an amazing organization to help students find a job.
Emma
Introductory classes are definitely typical of large universities. They can have to 300+ students, which can be overwhelming at first. A great way to get involved with small groups and have smaller class sizes is to join the Honors Program. Through the Honors Program there are many more small seminars available and you can take some classes in Honors, which are typically smaller. The English program also has very small class sizes, even in intro classes such as Engl 150 or 250.
Vanessa
I think the academics are great. Most of my professors know my name. Most of the professors are experts in the topics you teach. The education really makes you competitive in whatever field you want to go into.
Molly
Academically I do feel as though my teachers are trying to challenge me, however I also feel as though the larger lectures don't necessarily allow me to thoroughly learn the material. It's a little impersonal with instructors in those large classes unless you personally make an effort to get to know the teacher. As your classes become more focused, this does begin to change, especially in the 300 and 400 level classes.
Charles
The academics are good. Sometimes it's seems the teachers get too wrapped up in their research to focus a lot on teaching, but other than that it's great.
Alejandra
Yes, this is a technical focused university. Yes we have a lot of students who are all competing for the same thing: top grades and amazing employment opportunities. While classes can tend to be pretty big (I have been in some with over 200 students), professors make themselves available to students. How well you get to know a professors depends on each student individually.
As far as classes go, I can't say that I have a favorite one. I have thoroughly enjoyed my 3 1/2 years here at Iowa State University (ISU) and I am sure that this will remain true until my graduation. There have been of course classes that I cannot wait to get done with, but as a Pre-Vet major this is expected. Classes here are tough and professors seek to challenge students and make them THINK. As students progress in their college carreer they will find that grades do matter and being smart is actually a good thing.
As a student in the Natural Resource and Ecology Management (NREM) department I have been able to meet most of my professors and actually get to know them. I had the opportunity of traveling to Costa Rica with two professors, and this was a great way to not only meet students who are likeminded, but also make a good impression of myself as a student and potential employee.
Mayra
Professors and great and very helpful, I know not everyone agrees with this statement but it is all about building those relationships with your professors during the first week of classes. I always make sure to introduce myself and sit in the front row of the class or auditorium in order for them to know who I am and to make me not feel intimidated to ask questions when I have them. Not only do we have a great science, engineering, and math department here but also our Education department is great! The classes are fun and interactive, and all the real world experiences we get are magnificent.
john
Iowa State has one of the largest Colleges of Engineering in the country, but my engineering classes aren't too large, and my professors have always made the effort to get to know their students. That isn't the case in some of the lower-level classes like general chemistry, physics, etc, but big lectures really aren't that big a deal as long as you are responsible enough to go to class and do your homework. There are all different kinds of available, but no one is going to be looking over r shoulder all day to make sure you went to class, you have to do that yourself.
Erin
Courses are reasonable and offer a balance of coursework and practical experiences. Class participation is desired and common, students are competitive but supportive of one another, and the people are humble and open-minded to others' perspectives and current research.
Just like any other college or university, you get out of the program what you put in. Students who party do not reap the benefits the school has to offer. If you try and take the courses seriously, you will succeed.
Alison
Many of the classes are larger here and unless you're one of those people who raises you hand every 2 minutes the professor usually doesn't know your name. Many of the classes i took my first year were lectures with 100+ people. I realy enjoyed my psychology, sociology, and curriculum instruction classes. My professors for these classes were very enthusiastic about the material and still loved hearing from the students opinions and ideas on the subject matter as well as our experiences. The most unique best class i have taken would definitely be my CI 204 class. I had an excellent professor (Chuck Achter), a very brilliant, bright, smiling, caring individual who loved teaching, learning, and hearing feedback from all of his students. Even in the college environment he really tried learning all of our names. We did so many fun activities in his class that also allowed us to get to know others in the class too.
Valerie
It all depends on how involved you get in your classes. The more you put into your classes, the more you get out of them. The more times you go and speak with your professors, the better they will know you and the more likely they are to write you a letter of recommendation or serve as a reference for you in the future. Since I was a triple major, with Political Science being my primary, class participation was huge. Political Science students have a lot of opinions and want to share them. If you take a foreign language, participation is also huge because it's the only way to learn the language. My favorite class was Constitutional Law (POL S 420) with Dirk Deam. Not so much the material, but the professor and the use of the socratic method.
Steven
At Iowa State your academics are in your hands. How much you want to participate determines how you do in classes and what you get out of them. There are usually help sessions for further review of material in larger courses, and I've never had a professor that refused to see me not only during their office hours but any time. Not only will the professors help but I've found TA and my peers to be some of the best resources on campus.
Alex
Most lecture classes for gen. eds are relatively large, but recitations make the large classes seem smaller. By the time you're into your major, most professors recognize students in their program (especially if you're involved in extra curriculars as well).
Ryan
Iowa State is geared towards helping you find a job and letting you grow as a person. Academics are a huge portion of college and it's easy to fail and it's always easy to do well. I've had classes in lecture halls with over 100 student and I've also had classes that are in classrooms. If you participate in class you'll be more prepared and the professor will be more likely to recognize you. In the smaller classes I've taken the professors have known my name and are friendly. The most interesting class I've taken is Entomology 374. I enjoy my major, Animal Ecology, because my advisor really helps me out. He helps me choose courses that are required for my major and he has also recommended some great ones as well. My advisor is always available and is easy to talk to. We also talk about other things besides classes! Iowa State also is one of the few colleges that offer Animal Ecology as a major.
Laura
ISU loves its: engineering, architecture, veterinary, and agricultural students. If you are not looking at going into any of these, while ISU is a great place to go, the rest of the programs are nothing to really get excited about at least at the undergraduate level. Business majors be prepared to be picked on (mostly good humoredly) by the engineering students as they truely do rule the school.
Meredith
Students are competitive; especially in the pre-health realm.
I took a philosophy class with a professor from Poland. Class was very unusual and he had the most interesting stories.
Iowa State is the only university in the state that has an American Dietetic Association certified program and it is said to be one of the best in the nation.
I am hoping that as I get into smaller and smaller classes I will spend time with professors outside of class.
Iowa State's education is what you make it to be. Yes it is a public university where some students barely get by, but for those that want to expand their mind and challenge themselves can.
Jessica
I enjoy my classes at Iowa State and the fact that you get out what you put in. Professors are all friendly and are willing to help if it is needed. I am a double degree with Apparel Merchandising in the College of Human Sciences and Management in the College of Business. I enjoy the variety of classes.
Valerie
I think ISU has lots of academic opportunities like with the study abroad programs. I think the Classes here at ISU are very fun and enjoyable.
Elizabeth
I have had a good experience with all of my professors. I can see that they make an effort to try to get to know their students.