University of Iowa campus

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Iowa Ratings and Reviews

  • 7/10 Overall Rating
  • 4 Year
  • Iowa City, IA
  • 3.0 3 reviews
#1 Best Public Universities in Iowa
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Iowa Ratings and Reviews

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Ratings

Iowa is rated within the top 32% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 7 out of 10.

  • Overall Rating
    7 out of 10
  • Academics
    7 out of 10
  • Resources
    7 out of 10
  • Outcomes
    9 out of 10
  • Value
    7 out of 10
Learn how ratings are calculated

Student Review Summary

3.0

Approved reviews

3 student reviews

1 out of 3 (33%) reviewers rated 4 stars or higher

Students rate Professors / Faculty highest and Housing lowest.

Rating snapshot

  • 5 stars
    0
  • 4 stars
    1
  • 3 stars
    1
  • 2 stars
    1
  • 1 star
    0

Average by category

  • Overall Rating
    3.0
  • Academics
    3.3
  • Value for Money
    3.0
  • Professors / Faculty
    3.7
  • Campus Atmosphere
    3.7
  • Housing
    2.7
  • Campus Safety
    3.3
  • Student Life
    3.3
  • Party and Bar Scene
    3.3

Student and Parent Reviews

If you are a student, former student, faculty member or parent, please help guide other prospective students by sharing your personal experiences at this college. What is it really like to go to University of Iowa?

Nov 11, 2022
Rating 2 out of 5

Freshmen being placed in Mayflower Hall is very wrong. There is no regular food service at this location which is part of the dinning plan only a place for flex swipes which a student only gets 75 per semester. Students have to walk 30 minutes one way to a regular cafe, closest is Burge Hall then 30 minutes back just to eat. This site is 30 minutes from the main campus. The bus service was non existence at the beginning of school, now there is service but unreliable. This dorm was originally intended for upperclassmen to continue to live on campus. The nearest grocery store is about a 35 minute walk one way. The place is dirty and needs refurbishment. The cabinets in the kitchen kept falling apart and the stoves need to be replaced. The fire alarm goes off a lot due to kitchen fires since I believe a lot of the students do not know how to use it. It is a depressing place. The students seem very unhappy and depressed here compared to the other dorms on campus. I also do not think it is safe for students to walk back to this dorm at night since is it on a busy stretch of road and not well lit. Lucky for us my child was able to change dorms but rooms don't open up that much.

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Mar 17, 2021
Rating 4 out of 5

The university is overall really good.

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Feb 24, 2021
Rating 3 out of 5

Not amazing, but great for a quick four years.

Overall Rating
Academics
Value for Money
Professors / Faculty
Campus Atmosphere
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Rate University of Iowa

Share your ratings for Iowa across academics, campus life, and more to help prospective students understand what it's really like to attend.

Your Overall Experience *

If a friend asked whether Iowa was worth it, what would your gut say?

Academics *

Did classes challenge you and leave you feeling like you actually learned something?

Value for Money *

Considering tuition, aid, and what you got out of it, did the cost feel justified?

Professors and Faculty *

Were instructors accessible, engaged, and invested in students or mostly going through the motions?

Campus Atmosphere *

Did the campus feel welcoming and full of energy, or more like a place you simply passed through?

Student Housing *

Were dorms and residence halls somewhere you'd want to live, or a constant source of frustration?

Campus Safety *

Did you feel comfortable walking around at night, or did safety ever weigh on your mind?

Student Life *

Was it easy to find your people, make friends, and stay socially connected?

Party and Bar Scene *

Do weekends have a pulse here, or does the social scene quiet down once classes end?

We will review your college review for suitability and publish it if approved. We reserve all rights to reject and edit reviews deemed incomplete, inappropriate or malicous or critical of individuals. By submitting this review you agree for it to be published on this website. Your full name will not be published.

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=153658.

Last updated: August 2026