University of Iowa Top Questions

What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

Gabrielle

That our school doesn't do enough to stop date rape.

Andrew

The classes I took were at times very large, which made interactions witht he professors difficult at times.

Jamie

The fact that the sides of campus are located across a river and up/down a hill from each other. Crossing a river and walking up a hill is not the first thing I look forward to when I wake up to walk in the morning. The hill might suck, but the view is always nice, whether it's looking at the old capitol or the Iowa River.

Chris

The difficulty in meeting other students. It was a huge problem for me because I was never shy, but organized activites would have been nice. Most of the activites on campus were run by the Greek system and I wasn't interested in being in a sorority.

Michael

For me, the most frustrating thing about the University of Iowa is the drinking atmosphere. Since Iowa was named the #1 Party School, a lot of people seem to feel the need to embrace that title, and expect others to do so also. While there are still plenty of people who do not drink alcohol, I feel it is seen as normal to drink and to not do so is strange. I think the biggest problem with this is the lack of concern for health, mainly students, who don't feel the need to stay partially coherent.

Ricky

It can be hard to learn in large lecture halls if you aren't willing to put the time into studying. Take ahold of your academics and don't be intimidated by large classes.

Katarina

The most frustrating thing about the University of Iowa is that cost. However, this is something that you would run in for multiple colleges. Iowa lacks reciprocity, so even if you live in a surrounding state you're stuck paying out of state tuition which is about twice the amount of in state tuition.

Natalia

One of the most frustrating things about the University of Iowa is its status as a party school. There are many students that come here primarily for that reason, or that know its reputation for partying but not for anything else. Iowa City is one of UNESCOs International Cities of Literature, and the writing program here is fantastic, but there are plenty of students that do not know that.

Brett

The campus is too big for me. It's frustrating that they have choir auditions the first week of class, after you've already registered, so you don't know what time you'll be having choir - for me, I have choir during another class.

Kathryn

The liberal atmosphere often allowed for inappropriate tolerance of anti-Christianity, allowing students in several classes to openly criticize Christianity in very hostile statements, 2 students reading aloud portions of The Bible like a porno script, opinionizing about Christians in a very defamatory and generalized way. Had these same overt statements been made about any other faith and student complaints would not only get backed but formal action taken to not allow it in the classroom and the newspapers notified and campus protests established, which happened regularly. Instead these behaviors were not only tolerated but defended as free-speech.

Jake

The Main Library has some of the best study spaces on campus. It has private rooms for group projects, tons of computers, and even quiet reading rooms with great views. However, the Main Library is always busy! If the student body is to continue to grow year after year, changes should be made to accomodate them in places like the Main Library.

Jordyn

The most frustrating thing, for me, has been living on the west side of campus (dorms: Hillcrest, Reinow, Quadrangle, and Slater). It is quite a hassle to walk across the bridge to get to classes everyday. There is a campus shuttle, but it is very crouded and shows up late 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time, so you have to plan accordingly. The campus is beautiful, but I would suggest to any student that is thinking about going to the University of Iowa to live on the east side of campus (dorms: Burge, Daum, Currier, and Stanley).

Blythe

The most frustrating thing about my school would have to be the prices of textbooks, as is the same with any other school.

Julia

There is a major problem when it comes to alcohol, and the University and City Police are very ineffective in dealing with it. It's against the rules to drink in the dorms even if you are 21, and if you are even caught in the same room with alcohol, you'll get a 500-700 dollar fine. Almost everyone I know here has been in trouble with the police at some point, because they are rabid about ticketing people. It gets old, both the fact that everyone drinks so much, and the overly strict, ineffective attempts to curb it.

Stephanie

In my opinion, the most frustrating thing about attending the University of Iowa is some of the larger lecture class sizes. Even though plenty of office hours are available, as well as e-mail and other assitance resources, trying to learn and concentrate in a large environment can be troubling. It is one of the main aspects that I have had to adjust myself to here at college. I plan to help myself as much as I can to try and avoid falling behind in a large classroon setting this semester.

Paige

The most frustrating thing about my school is that many students don't care about getting a better education and being successful later in life. A lot of student's main focus is having a good time by getting drunk and acting irresponsibly.

Jacob

What's the most frustrating thing...that's hard to answer. I'd have to say the most frustrating aspect of the University of Iowa is the recycling program. The University's recycling program is lacking to say the least. If a student is to recycle, then they have to save up all their recyclables and drive out to a deposit or a grocery store and turn everything in. If there was even a bin on every dorm floor, or in every classroom, I'd feel much better about what I throw away.

Jamie

The most frustrating thing about my school is knowing that we're in the Top Ten Party Schools. It's ridiculous to see so many people dress up and go to the bars most of the nights. I feel like there's a lot of peer pressure forced on me and other students to go drink and party.

Tyrel

Taking classes that I won't need for my profession.

Nicole

Finding activities to do for fun that don't inclsude alcohol

Desiree

The most frustrating thing about the University of Iowa is the parking situation. It's quite difficult to find parking on or off campus in the afternoons and evenings.

Brelynn

School work is tough!

Nicholas

So long between breaks can be overwhelming.

Brittany

Based on my personal experience, I must say that what's most frustrating about the UI are the differences in financial solutions available to residents and non-residents. In state students have so many more scholarship opportunities, and their tuition is almost four times less than that of non-residents. I start my 5th year Fall 2009, but I fall $16,000 short so may have to drop out. I strongly believe that if I were a resident of IA, my issue wouldn't be so extreme. The UI needs to offer more general scholarships instead of applying residency restrictions.

Erica

The binge drinking that occures on a regular basis.

Anna

The tuition keeps increasing to ridiculous levels for out of state students while in state students' tuition doesn't go up the same percentage. I think it's unfair that the university expects the nonresidents of the school to pay for any expenses it needs.

Gillian

The most frustrating thing about my school is exam times and too many uninformed Teacher Assistants teaching.

Molly

trying to get into the classes you want

Scott

Campus bussing in the winter

David

Sometimes it is a little frustrating living in a city that is not a big city due to the lack of professional sporting events, and concerts that are able to come to the area.

Jason

Sometimes classes aren't as easy to get into as you would like. If you are an undergraduate and don't have a lot of credits behind you then it may take you awhile to register for certain classes that you want to take because they fill up because of the interest level involved with the course.

Michael

The parking is terrible, and The police are kinda pricks about underage drinking.

Brittney

When filing for financial aid, it takes almost a month or sometimes more to get it processed. This puts a lot of stress on my family getting the tuition paid, as well as myself because I cannot register for classes until the University Bill is paid off. Sometimes I am not able to register for classes until a week after most early registered students, and then the classes I need are closed by the time I can register. This is very frustrating, especially since this is my senior year and I need specific classes to graduate on time.

Gregory

Lack of entertainment other than drinking. There are very few good concerts here when compared to other major universities. The few concerts that are any good, aren't sponsored by the University.

Megan

The most frustrating thing about my school is the lack of stuff to do downtown besides go to bars. There are no movie theatres that you can walk to and only a handful of non-bar restaurants.

John

The most frusterating thing about Iowa (and any other school, one can assume) is the pointless general education requirement. These classes should be elect-only, as they take time away from your course of study and only expand your time in the school.