Iowa State University

Carnegie Foundation Classification

Research Universities (very high research activity)

General Characteristics

Highest offering	Doctoral degree
Calendar System	Semester
Years of college work required	N/A
Variable Tuition

Special Learning Opportunities

Distance Learning
ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force	— / /
Study Abroad
Weekend College
Teacher Certification

Iowa State University History

Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa. It was founded in 1858 as a land-grant agricultural college, became a state college in 1898, and received university status in 1959. The University now awards bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees. It is a Carnegie Doctoral/Research-Extensive institution, and is accredited as a university by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. There are numerous other accreditations for specific programs.

Iowa State University defines its mission as one of “discovering, developing, disseminating, and preserving knowledge.” In keeping with this, the University operates agricultural extension offices in Iowa counties. The extension courses offer non-credit programs for farmers, gardeners, students, and other people interested in any level of horticulture. A branch campus offering credit courses is located in Des Moines.

The history of Iowa State dates back to 1853, when the General Assembly was petitioned for an agricultural research facility. The first building, Farm House, was constructed in 1860. The most famous and recognizable structure, the Campanile, was completed in 1898. Since that time, the University has grown to include hundreds of buildings and thousands of acres on its beautiful campus.

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Iowa State University Academics

The University is composed of nine different schools and colleges: the College of Agriculture, the College of Business, the College of Design, the College of Education, the College of Engineering, the College of Family and Consumer Studies, the Graduate College, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Bachelor’s degrees are awarded in more than 100 different disciplines among all colleges but the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Graduate College. The College of Agriculture and the College of Liberal Arts have the largest number of programs. The College of Design includes art, architecture, graphic design, and interior design. Music programs and the performing arts are part of the College of Liberal Arts.

Master’s and doctoral degrees are awarded in various arts and sciences, accounting, agriculture, business administration (MBA), teaching, community and regional planning, education, engineering, family and consumer studies, fine arts, landscape architecture, public administration, and school mathematics. There are several dual degree programs, including two which include a degree from the Drake University Law School. Graduate certificates are offered in several areas of health, education, and engineering, among others.

The College of Veterinary Medicine awards the DVM and several master’s and PhD degrees.

Iowa State is designated by Carnegie Classification as a Doctoral/Research Extensive university. It is also recognized by U.S. News & World Report has one of the best learning communities for undergraduates. Research permeates much of the academic culture at Iowa State, as the University leads the way in such fields as agricultural technology, genomics, bioinformatics, human nutrition, and human computer performance. The first-year programs entrench freshmen in the research and university experience and introduces them to nearly 200 fields of study.

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Iowa State University Unique Programs

Iowa State University has an incredible number of specific centers, each of which has a particular academic specialty. Any faculty member or group of faculty may establish such a center through an informal proposal to the Provost, which must be approved by the President. The number of such centers currently is over 75. Their areas of specialty include agricultural marketing, women and politics, building energy research, crops utilization, family policy, plant genomics, fluid dynamics, food safety, microelectronics, and business ethics.

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Iowa State University Admissions

Applications to the undergraduate programs have no set deadline, but acceptances begin approximately a year prior to the term applied for, so applying early is in a student’s best interest. There is an application fee of $30. In addition to the application form and fee, students must provide transcripts and test scores. Students who are not in the upper half of their high school class may be admitted if their tests scores are high enough. Students must complete four years of English, three o mathematics, three of science, and two of social studies. Students applying to the College of Liberal Arts have additional course requirements. Applications can be submitted on-line.

Graduate students should consult individual programs for requirements. A graduate application has an application fee of $30. Applicants to the dual programs with Drake University Law School must also be admitted to Drake University.

Freshman admissions at Iowa State are determined based on a combination of class rank and ACT and/or SAT scores. The higher rank a student had in their graduating class, the lower their test scores are allowed to be. For those students who wish to enroll in the College of Liberal arts, they must have completed a total of three years of social studies, plus two years of a foreign language. Students who do not meet the minimum requirements for high school curriculum completion may be admitted anyway, after an additional review of their application and transcript.

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Iowa State University Financial Aid

In-state tuition and fees for undergraduate students were $4702 for the year in 2004-2005. Students applying from out of state and graduate students will have different costs.

Financial aid is available with a combination of grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study programs.

More than 66% of Iowa State students receive some form of financial aid. To be considered for need-based financial aid, students must complete the FAFSA. Based on need, students may qualify for grants, loans, and/or student employment. Students who are admitted to Iowa State are automatically considered for merit-based financial aid. Because these opportunities are very competitive, it is important to submit admissions materials as early as possible.

Iowa State’s Office of Student Financial Aid offers various loan programs, including federal loans, alternative loans, loan consolidation, and loan management consultations.

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Iowa State University Students

In addition to the numerous classroom, dormitory, and administration buildings, Iowa State University has two greenhouses, a dairy farm, a theatre, an ice arena, a conservatory, and an auditorium, among other feature. The campus is nearly 2000 acres and includes an arboretum.

Iowa State University also houses a number of research centers and institutes, including many related to agriculture, food, environmental issues, transportation, policy issues, and technology. These include institutes operated by or in conjunction with state and federal government (including NASA and the USDA). Some of the centers and institutes are open to scholars from other universities. The University’s history as an agricultural school is evident in the research focused on soil, food preparation, and agriculture.

The Iowa State University Library offers electronic catalogs and on-line databases, in additional to physical volumes stored on site. Its special collections include manuscripts, university archives, and a collection known as the Archives of Women in Science and Engineering. The library also features murals, sculptures, and portraits.

The Iowa State campus was one of only three to be recognized as a “Medallion Site” by the American Association of Landscape Architects in their centennial listings. The campus includes 160 different buildings and over 2,000 acres of beautifully landscaped campus. The campus is characterized by such beautiful displays as Reiman Gardens, a conservatory, greenhouses, butterfly exhibit, and auditorium.

Iowa State is home to over 21,000 undergraduates. With over 500 student organizations to choose from, there is literally something for everyone. Opportunities include student government, study abroad, internships, and Greek letter organizations.

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Iowa State University Athletics

Iowa State University is an NCAA Division I school, with basketball, cross-country, football, golf, tennis, track & field, wrestling for men and basketball, cross-country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball for women. The team nickname is the Cyclones. There is an all women’s cheerleading squad, a co-ed cheerleading squad, a pom squad, and a mascot.

Sports facilities include a stadium, a coliseum, three athletic buildings for administration and indoor sports, softball and baseball field, and a cross-country track.

Iowa State sports include co-ed basketball. Men participate in golf, while women have golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming, softball, tennis, and volleyball. Football is a large part of the athletic tradition at Iowa State. In its most recent season, the Iowa State football team defeated such opponents as Baylor, Kansas, and Nebraska.

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Iowa State University Traditions

According to the lore of Iowa State, a student officially becomes an Iowa State when he/she is kissed under the bells of the Campanile at the stroke of midnight. The colors, cardinal red and gold, were chosen as early as 1899. While the official mascot is the Cyclone, the administration adopted a cardinal as its mascot reflecting its colors (and making it easier to signify in costume). The Iowa State cardinal’s name is “Cy.” One of the University’s most beautiful traditions is the annual lighting of the campus Christmas tree and the entire campus to celebrate the holiday.

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Iowa State University Local Community

The town of Ames is a located in central Iowa, 30 miles north of the state capital of Des Moines. The population is approximately 50,000, making it a small city. Ames has been ranked as the second most livable city by the New Rating Guide to Life in America’s Small Cities. In order to make the community livable for everyone, including both students and residents of Ames, the city has enacted ordinances against “keg parties,” loud noises at inappropriate times, and the “couch ordinance,” which makes it illegal to place couches or appliances on your front porch or in your front yard.

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