Iowa State University Top Questions

Most lectures are very large but many have recitations in which students meet with a TA in groups of 15 to 20 once or twice a week. In addition, free supplemental instructions is offered on a weekly basis. There are also help rooms for subjects such as math or physics that you can visit at any time during the day to ask for help at. Finally, tutoring is very inexpensive and easy to get in almost any course.

Large lectures suck. You feel lost in a sea of students and the professors don't help you, they make you ask the TA. But my upper-level labs and lectures are very close-knit and the professors are very personable. They are more than willing to go out of their way for you (well the biochemistry ones at least).

Only one professor of 6 know my name- even after I've visited their office several times. My favorite class is Theater 106 taught by Jane Cox-she doesn't cover so much material that it is frustrating and unmanageable to study for. She tells us what is important and what we would be interested in. She is so helpful with questions and I've never seen her in a bad mood! Her class is very encouraging because it one class that actually makes me feel like I can succeed at something. My major is Finance. The college of business is very well organized and the program requirements are very clear. The college of business staff, however, is very unhelpful! I have had 2 different advisers. Setting up meetings with them is totally pointless. They never tell me anything I don't already know. I go to them for help and they send me somewhere else. I feel that Iowa State's academic requirements are very manageable, but many of the classes I have taken have been very discouraging based on teachers who don't care about students or the fact that I am not a great test taker, but that's all I ever do in my major! Iowa State's education is definitely geared towards learning and not job preparation at all. The college of business has a great Career Services office, but you have to go out of your way to use that service-we're not taught job prep things in our classes that are REQUIRED!

My favorite class is design 131. I love to draw and learning how to do it correctly really helps with my major!

The higher up in my course level that i get, it seems like the professors become more familiar with you. One thing I don't like about Iowa State is I will walk by a professor I have or have had and I never know whether to say hello to them or not cause I'm not sure if they remember my face. I love my advisor in journalism because she was also a member of my sorority, although she attended Drake. But I feel like even if I don't feel familiar and close with my professors I do have a staff member that I can talk to. I know in my department I have been pleased with their curriculum they give you guidlines and options, because sometimes the classes they choose aren't exactly what you are looking for and they do a good job with really hearing you out and giving you options. Iowa State has some of the top colleges in the state and nation and I think that is very impressive.

Most of the classes I take are large lecture courses. I don't feel like I know the instructors well but that is due to the large classes. Class participation is not common in my lectures. In the college of human sciences my advisor is extremely helpful and very knowledgeable about my courses.

Academics are great here at Iowa State. I have comfortable professor to student relationships where I know that if I have any questions or concerns, I can go to one of them for help. Class sizes are great once you get into your designated major. Academic requirements are good, however, for some of the language requirements (foreign language) they are more literature based rather then actual speaking requirements, which I wish were different.

Like I said my majors are pretty small so my classes are as well. I think most of the teachers I've had know me, but that's also because I make it a point that they do. I think you could easily "hide" in class if you wanted to. The teachers in my majors are very helpful if you need it. I think it's pretty much like any other school, you get out what you put into it, and as far as the students here go, I don't there's really a sterotypical Iowa State student. How competitive and intellectual students are completely depends on the person.

Academics at Iowa State are great. The engineering department is ranked very high. Recently, I have not liked my professors because I feel like I am teaching myself everything. Once I get past the generals, I feel the professors will improve. I do not talk much with my professors outside of class, which is something I hope to work on because they are the people to write recommendation letters for future careers. Education for me is both geared for a job and learning. The industrial engineering department does everything they can to make sure you will find a career fit for you after college, but they prepare you well enough so that you know what you are doing. Academics have been challenging for me lately, but that is why I switched to engineering: for the challenge.

Studying is very easy especially living in a sorority. Class sizes make it easy for interactions and communication one-on-one with the professor. All professors have been very helpful and try for hands-on technique rather then large lecture.

The class sizes are larger at Iowa State than some schools, however class participation is still highly encouraged. There is a wide variety of classes offered.

Professors could be improved. Students are competitive. I hate lecture classes.

Most of the professors are really good about helping you if you fall behind, even if it's a large lecture type class.

Knowing professors and advisors on a personal level is extremely important. I have a very close relationship with my advisors. They are available to help me when I need it, and are more willing to accommodate me because they know me personally and share a relationship with me. Not all professors know me, but I usually develop a relationship with 2-3 of them per semester. When a professor knows you, it not only gives you another mentor to have in life, but also a chance for someone to actually help you when you need it. The professors and advisors that I have a good relationship with will be the ones that I go to in the future when I have problems, or just need someone to talk to. They will also be the people that will vouch for me and write me recommendations, etc. These are the people that will help make sure that I have a future.

ISU has a hard science program, which I chose as my major for some reason. I spend alot of Sundays at the library studying for my chem or bio tests. I think our academics are something to be proud of, but unfortunately we don't have the top professors because of pay and climate reasons. If I was going to teach, I wouldn't chose ISU.

My most favorite class so far has been statistics 101, because it is absolutely the easiest class I've ever taken and I really love math, so it was just a fun time. Kind of like playing sudoku. I also really enjoyed my beef science class because we spent a lot of time off campus, on the farm working with the cattle. I've tried to get to know a few of my professors and it hasn't been easy, simply because I don't really know what to say or ask. Fortunately, some of them have been very open and inviting which has made it easier. It's frustrating to me that everyone puts so much pressure on students to pick a major and decide RIGHT NOW what you want to do for the rest of your life. It's not an easy decision and you make a few wrong choices before you finally find what fits. I should know, ISU is my third college and I've changed my major at least that many times.

I think that 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my professors have been more than willing to always be there to help me with any academic problem. They understand that we have lives outside of school and things happen that cause problems. All of my professors seem to try very hard in interact with their students.

Most of my classes are large lectures ranging from 200-500 students, and in those classes (IF EVEN TAUGHT BY A PROFESSOR) I am nameless. That can be really frsutrating and annoying. In mos classes like that there is no homework, only exams so I feel as though my grade doesn't truly affect what I've learned.

One of the best things about Iowa State is you get to choose. You can generally choose to take large classes or small classes. I love my large lectures where my professor has no idea who I am. Coming from a small high school, I was worried about that adjustment, but I've come to love big classes.

I think ISU has a lot of great resources, if you want to learn there are plenty of tools for you to succeed. ISU has a great career services program and several career fairs each year that greatly help students find employeement after college. Professors want you to succeed and are more than willing to help you whenever you are in need. My professors do know my name, because I visit them during office hours. I'm in the business college, it's a great program that has a large variety of courses.

Some professors know me, some don't. Some of my classes are 300+, so I'm not going to hold it against them if they don't know me. I attend all my classes so if they just remember my face, I'm ok with it. I don't really have a favorite class. So far my least favorite class is STAT 326 just because the subject matter is really boring. I hate going to the labs because the subject matter is hard to relate to, and when you ask for help, I get the answer, It's not my problem. Well, if I knew how to do this stuff, I wouldn't be taking this class. I don't spend time with professors outside of class, I email them when I have questions. When I'm able to spend time with professors, it's usually too late.

Many classes I have taken my freshman and sophomore year were big. I'd have a class with more students in it than the number people I graduated with in high school (which was 115). Because of the big classroom setting it was a little hard to meet people in my classes since they were lectures and not very interactive. Once you get the gen eds out of the way classes become more interested and become more focused and the classes sizes get smaller. ISU also offers classes like Tae Kwon Do, bowling, billiards, dance and other things. It's fun and lets you have a chance to do things that you might not do otherwise or just practice some skills.

I know some of my professors names. my favorite class is computer science because i can do it online and its convient, my least favorite is english because my teacher is asian and i cannot understand him. i study alot.

I know most of my teachers by name but not all. I think for the most part students come class then leave. When there is a big test then we all talk and study together. I have spent time with my professors outside of class to get to know them. I'm personally not a big fan of ISU's academic requirements. Classes that I thought transfered didn't. Iowa State has recently changed their catelog requirements and I personally don't like it. Many students feel the same way about the situation. Many of the advisors (in all the colleges) don't seem to care about the students. They are just there.