Iowa State University Top Questions

I wish I would have known how much debt I was getting myself into, Iowa State University has always been my dream, but being from out of state, the tuition is crazy expensive. I'm not sure if I would change my mind about coming to this college, because I absolutely love it. But I wish I would have though more about gaining Iowa Citizenship before committing to this college.

I wish I would have done more reasearch on how many majors were offered.

I wish I would have known the stress that is needed to be put on studying. It is a completely different ball-game than high school. Hours upon hours of studying have to be put into EACH class. It takes a lot of dedication and persistance, but it can be done. If anything, I wish i would have known that I would basically have no social life because every free minute is dedicated to getting that better grade.

How to save money and not spend it on projects related to class.

The one thing I wish I had known is how to study and keep classwork at its best. I waited a little too long to get help my first semester, but I ended up ok. I plan to learn from my first semester and start getting my GPA where I want it to be.

I wish I would have known how lonely and homesick you can get when you come from another state. Coming here to Iowa from the Chicago area was also a bit of a culture shock. I'm not used to smelling manure and seeing tractors on a daily basis. Being six hours from home with none of my friends or family make the adjustment to living here very difficult. And due to the differences between many of the people here and myself, I have found it hard to make friends.

I wish I would have known how big the campus is at first but after you get used to it, it doesn't seem that big. Also, always make time to talk to your CA and academic adviser because they can be so useful in finding new dreams and writing recommendations for anything.

My academic advisor has been lacklustre; there were two courses my fall semester that I should have been able to bypass due to transfer credits, but he insisted I had to take them. I later found out through friends who had skipped the courses. After residence hall preferencing, I was stuck in a hall I hadn't preferenced, with no air conditioning.

When coming to school people had informed me that it would be a lot more work and more time management but I just thought, "Oh everyone says that." Once at college though I soon discovered that everything that everyone had told me was true and that the new free time isn't really "free time" instead I would say this new found time is actually new responsibility. With all the time in college I had to learn how to be get my homework done and stay on top of my classes while still wanting to have fun.

I wish I would have known how cold it gets in Ames, it is like a whole different kind of cold from anywhere else in Iowa but it is easily manageable with the bus system!

I wish I had known the dorm buildings are kind of old.

I wish that I would have known about Iowa State's athletic program before I came here. I was an athlete in highschool and miss the competition!

Before coming to Iowa State University, I wish I had known just how much I would love the school and my experience there, despite it being out of my comfort zone. Very few of my peers from high school chose this school and it was my first time living outside my home state of Minnesota, I was also in a long-distance relationship. I was filled with a lot of anxiety and did not give the school a fair chance at first. Luckily after my first year I finally embraced the school and truly fell in love with it.

I wish I would have known how involved and benefical it would be to join the Greek system on campus. They do so many activities interacting with fraternaties and other sororities, and seem to be involved in many difference campus activities. For example they are widely invloved with organizing and participating in Homecoming events on our campus.

I wish I had known more about how involved I would be able to be. With so many different things to do on campus, it was hard for me at first to priortize and determine how much I could really commit to. It is important to understand as a new student that although being involved is important, learning and getting good grades is really what you are at the university to do.

I wish I had known how easy it is to get involved in different things on campus and how welcoming everyone is once you do get involved.

I wish I had known how involved the school was with the Greek life. I would have conisdered joining a sorority my first semester of college If I had known how involved the Greek Community is at Iowa State.

I wish I had known how much time is necessary to put in outside of class in order to get your work done and learn the material.

Before coming to Iowa State, I wish I would have prepared myself more. High school and college are very different, socially and academically. I wish I took more classes that involved my major. In addition, I wish I mentally prepared myself to meet and open up to new people, in an attempt to make friends. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, people at my high school were very snobby, however, when I got to Iowa State, the people were so pleasant and personable, making me feel right at home.

I wish that I would have understood the advisor proccess and why they are there. Along with how much they really would help and how personal they would be in helping me with my education. Also how much work it would be to just sign up for classes and deciding which classes to take and how little your advisor helps you through this proccess.