University of Iowa
With slightly more than 20,000 undergraduates, the University of Iowa has the smallest student population of any other school competing in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference. Even so, Iowa offers top-notch academic programming in more than 100 areas. Students looking to hone their leadership skills have many options, too: They can enroll in the Leader Shape Institute, a six-day getaway workshop; attend the Leadership Development Series, which meets three times a semester; or participate in the Leadership Development Conference, an annual one-day workshop. Freshmen do not have to live on campus, but more than 90 percent choose to do so. Campus life may pose a challenge to tobacco users, as Iowa is a smoke-free campus. Students have more than 500 clubs and organizations from which to choose, and close to 10 percent of students go Greek as members of the school's 40 fraternities and sororities. Sports are another big focus of campus life; even in the competitive Big Ten, the Iowa Hawk eyes are notorious players. Four blocks from campus is Iowa City, a Midwestern metropolis that has been recognized among the nation's best for its scenery, greenery, and sustainable energy efforts.
