Experiences at University of Iowa
University of Iowa is a great university at the United States, and well a lot of Indians dream about being there but only a few get into it. One of those intelligent minds who made up till there is Jay. Let’s hear it up from him what is it to be at the University of Iowa. The University of Iowa has high ratings, and therefore the quality of teaching and queries of the students are also high. So, if you are looking for materials related to the authorship or review of the work, go to https://specialessays.com/buy-book-reports/ to buy book reports for better evaluation.
A few days back, I was asked to share a write up on my experiences at the University of Iowa. Now, when I first sat down to do this piece I was paralyzed. There was simply so much that could be written. Being the software engineer I am, it is very hard to write anything when the specifications aren’t precise. But then I consoled myself by saying- “Well this guy wants MY perspective, not a review, not facts and figures, not data infographics, not a formal report”. So, here I am.
The University of Iowa is a mid-sized university situated in the Midwest region of the United States. To those, unfamiliar with American geography, the school is located 3.5 hours west of Chicago in Iowa City, Iowa. Much to my annoyance, many people often confuse it with Iowa State University, which is a separate, different university located in Ames, 2 hours north of Iowa City.
The city itself is a small University town with a population of little more than 60,000. It is located off Interstate-80, a major U.S highway that runs from San Francisco to New Jersey. The Iowa river divides the city into two halves. The west part houses the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, which is a 700 bed super specialty hospital and the largest in the state. All the academic research departments related to healthcare research such as Audiology, Pharmacy and Public health are located around the hospital area. On this side of the river, is also, the iconic Kinnick Stadium, which is an American Football facility with a capacity of more than 70,000 people. Five major residence halls (or hostels, in Indian slang) too lie on the west side of Iowa City. On crossing the river, one reaches the heart of the City that is marked a prominent landmark called the “Old Capitol”, a large iconic building that was once the seat of Iowa legislature before the capital was moved to Des Moines in 1857. Around the capital, is the downtown area, marked (unsurprisingly) with pubs, restaurants and local businesses. The university buildings are all located near the Old capitol area, stretching out in all four directions.
I joined the U of I, in August 2013 to pursue a Masters degree in Computer Science. The major reason why I came here, is the sound financial support provided to graduate students (at least in my department) and favorable reviews by many of my college seniors here in India who were studying in the same program.
First up, I would like to set up a perspective here. If you are looking for a “cool university” with sexy places to visit and post status on Facebook, then this is not the place to be. It is located in the U.S Midwest and is surrounded by states that you would never have heard of before. There aren’t any prominent tourist attractions near by. The biggest city is Chicago, which is a 4-hour drive. This is a place, which is not hot in the rankings table, programs often featuring below 50.
But if you are someone who likes the intimacy of a small town, with its comfortable pace, security and a strong sense of community, then keep reading. While it isn’t the cheapest school if you do not have financial support, the low cost of living makes life easier. The public transport is decent and caters almost every area of the city. It has some good restaurants for vegetarians (surprise) and non-vegetarians alike. Voted the #1 Party school in the U.S a few years back, it is the ultimate place for bar hopping and lascivious dancing. For the more artsy types, the Iowa Writers’ Workshop is the one of the most prestigious writing programs in the country and has a very good art and literature scene. Iowa City has been marked by UNESCO as “The City of Literature”, joining a group of 11 such cities, worldwide. There is also a small lake beach called Lake Macbride, half an hour north, which is very popular with the locals in the summers.
The job prospect, something that many students are concerned about, is bright. This comes off as surprising to many given the location of the place and the lack of ‘popularity’ amongst Indian students who apply abroad. However, there are two major education based companies based out of Iowa City- ACT and Pearson, both of whom hire International students. I personally know people who applied online and offline to score high-paying jobs all over the United States. (Disclaimer- I speak only for Computer Science though I have known people in Health Sciences to have a favorable job outlook here as well.)
Being a University town, you enjoy a lot of perks like student clubs, minor events round the year and of course, sports. Iowa has a decent football team (the American one) and a good basketball team, which are a part of the BIG 10 conference. Due to the lack of any professional sports team nearby, i.e. NFL/NBA, the Iowans root for the Hawkeyes (as the University is called) in both of the major sports. Football game days are lively as both students and alumni support their team with fervor. The same is true for the party scene on game nights, which is more eagerly awaited than the game itself for many.
As for the cons, the first one is weather. Coming from a tropical climate, the intense cold and snow from mid-November to mid-April is not just inconvenient but troublesome. After the initial excitement of the snow wears off, bracing for the cold is like a battle that you have to face everyday, when the temperatures fall as low as -25 degrees. Secondly, Iowa City isn’t the most happening places on the planet. Yes, the campus is young and vibrant and yes, the bars are hot, but what if you are not a big booze fan? There are only so many good books one can read in their free time before you feel the need getting out somewhere. Sadly, there is no ocean, museum or a place of scenic beauty that you can getaway to for a few hours.
Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it.
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