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Ames has definitively outclassed and passed Iowa City

May 17, 2021
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According to one of the most reputable organizations examining higher education and college towns, Ames is yet again in the top five. Iowa City used to be top three in the country, but they slipping.

sure, I personally think any ranking that would put Ames ahead of Iowa city in any category as a joke, but I’m really curious about what goes into such rankings. I’m guessing it is that Iowa city has had MUCH more immigration over the last 20 years, as well as more migration from other states, and has grown a lot faster and is thus not as affordable, but then again, the number one city on this list is Boulder which is freaking ridiculously expensive.

i’ve been to Ames number of times and it is a nice town, and isu has a nice central campus, but it is not even in Iowa City‘s league in any category I can think of. Campuses are more than quadrangles, and I love how the University of Iowa’s campus integrates the river and has more verticality and visual interest, plus much better architecture, and I also love how the campus either side of the river eventually becomes integrated into the city itself, just like the University of Michigan and most European universities.

I agree with their assessments of Ithaca and Madison and Boulder and other truly great cities, and I would put Iowa city among those, minus the mountains or the gorges though.

Any of the college towns in the south are not deserving of the top 25 though, because those places are just not truly diverse anymore, not like up north or out west or east, and in fact, are at times actively intolerant, particularly because of the states that they’re in. I feel sorry for and am worried for people who go to school in places like Florida or Texas these days, not to speak of other SEC states. Particularly if those people happen to be women or happen to not worship in a certain cult, be it fundamentalist Christianity or fascism or Christian fascism, If those things actually are separable these days. I never imagined in my lifetime I would see so much government intrusion into education as I am seeing from the current republican party. It is designed to be oppressive and divisive. And is designed to turn education into a corporate business that makes people dependent on and indebted to the neo liberal capitalist system, even as it collapses.

Madison is outstanding, especially its bike and outdoor Rec culture, and the terrace on campus just might be my favorite single place at a university anywhere in the world.

Iowa State does have better sculptures than the University of Iowa though. Really love how they integrate sculptures into the campus.

But if you’re talking about culture, world class programs and colleges, restaurants, and underground scene, art, percentage of highly educated people, creativity, walk ability, livability, and national and international significance, Iowa city I would definitely put near the top of any list of college towns, and I’ve been to hundreds of college towns - from small cities like Iowa city to midsize towns like Madison to major metro areas like Berkeley/Bay Area and Boston and Palo Alto and all over the place in Europe and elsewhere. so I have a bit of perspective. I also really like the small college towns that are just all about the college, like a lot of the liberal arts schools. Those can be beautiful, if not a little suffocating and full of overly sheltered bubble mentality big but extremely fragile ego types.

One thing that’s great about Iowa city is that you have a huge university and it still has a small town feel but with big city culture and sports etc.

I am biased for my hometown though. So I’m sure they will be cyclone fans who simply refused to concede that Ames is ridiculously overrated, as has been their university and athletic programs.

 
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And any list that doesn’t put New York City on it is a complete joke. I’m close to a number of people who go to undergrad or grad school in New York City and let me tell you, there is no more phenomenal place for anything and everything than that city, and it is amazing to be able to take 20 steps off of campus and go down a stairway to the subway and literally have the world at your feet.

But Fargo and Corvallis and Ames and Champaign-Urbana? Please.
 
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Harvard made the list because Cambridge is nice but Cambridge is basically Boston Metro anyway, so you have a big city campus right there. I think their definition is any city that has a College in it. But I have Corvallis Oregon rated higher than Cambridge Massachusetts is laughable. Not to speak of Ames.
 
The woke school board and teachers around here don’t help. So happy my kids are done with this school district.
 
I'm just glad they received a quality education so they don't end up as dumb as you.

Good for them and good for Iowa City!


Haha, you’re an idiot. A punk ass stooge.

I wish all dumb people could be as successful and happy as me. Unlike a brilliant miserable POS like yourself.
 
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Reactions: QChawks
Haha, you’re an idiot. A punk ass stooge.

I wish all dumb people could be as successful and happy as me. Unlike a brilliant miserable POS like yourself.
Appreciate you recognizing my brilliance, but I'm very happy. :)

I hope you are prepared for 50-plus years of your intelligent children rolling their eyes and being embarrassed by your ignorant political takes and general misanthropy. For your sake, here's hoping they keep coming to Thanksgiving despite you being the dipshit MAGA drunk dad.
 
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Reactions: ThorneStockton
That doesn't sound like something a miserable POS would say.
I been telling everyone I'm a chipper sonofabitch!

giphy.gif
 
It's the tap water that launched Ames into the top 5.

And lol @ Champaign. The MAC has half a dozen college towns that are better than Champaign.
 
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Reactions: torbee
According to one of the most reputable organizations examining higher education and college towns, Ames is yet again in the top five. Iowa City used to be top three in the country, but they slipping.

sure, I personally think any ranking that would put Ames ahead of Iowa city in any category as a joke, but I’m really curious about what goes into such rankings. I’m guessing it is that Iowa city has had MUCH more immigration over the last 20 years, as well as more migration from other states, and has grown a lot faster and is thus not as affordable, but then again, the number one city on this list is Boulder which is freaking ridiculously expensive.

i’ve been to Ames number of times and it is a nice town, and isu has a nice central campus, but it is not even in Iowa City‘s league in any category I can think of. Campuses are more than quadrangles, and I love how the University of Iowa’s campus integrates the river and has more verticality and visual interest, plus much better architecture, and I also love how the campus either side of the river eventually becomes integrated into the city itself, just like the University of Michigan and most European universities.

I agree with their assessments of Ithaca and Madison and Boulder and other truly great cities, and I would put Iowa city among those, minus the mountains or the gorges though.

Any of the college towns in the south are not deserving of the top 25 though, because those places are just not truly diverse anymore, not like up north or out west or east, and in fact, are at times actively intolerant, particularly because of the states that they’re in. I feel sorry for and am worried for people who go to school in places like Florida or Texas these days, not to speak of other SEC states. Particularly if those people happen to be women or happen to not worship in a certain cult, be it fundamentalist Christianity or fascism or Christian fascism, If those things actually are separable these days. I never imagined in my lifetime I would see so much government intrusion into education as I am seeing from the current republican party. It is designed to be oppressive and divisive. And is designed to turn education into a corporate business that makes people dependent on and indebted to the neo liberal capitalist system, even as it collapses.

Madison is outstanding, especially its bike and outdoor Rec culture, and the terrace on campus just might be my favorite single place at a university anywhere in the world.

Iowa State does have better sculptures than the University of Iowa though. Really love how they integrate sculptures into the campus.

But if you’re talking about culture, world class programs and colleges, restaurants, and underground scene, art, percentage of highly educated people, creativity, walk ability, livability, and national and international significance, Iowa city I would definitely put near the top of any list of college towns, and I’ve been to hundreds of college towns - from small cities like Iowa city to midsize towns like Madison to major metro areas like Berkeley/Bay Area and Boston and Palo Alto and all over the place in Europe and elsewhere. so I have a bit of perspective. I also really like the small college towns that are just all about the college, like a lot of the liberal arts schools. Those can be beautiful, if not a little suffocating and full of overly sheltered bubble mentality big but extremely fragile ego types.

One thing that’s great about Iowa city is that you have a huge university and it still has a small town feel but with big city culture and sports etc.

I am biased for my hometown though. So I’m sure they will be cyclone fans who simply refused to concede that Ames is ridiculously overrated, as has been their university and athletic programs.

I wasn't impressed with Ames in my one visit there 20 years ago, but maybe things have changed. Don't know how Ames would be ahead several of the towns behind it. The only advantage to me for Ames over Iowa City (only driven through Iowa City on 80) is that it is 40 minutes from Des Moines.

For the Noles on this board, Tallahassee should not be behind Gainesville. I spent enough time in both places. Like Ames, Gainesville is closer to other major metros than Tallahassee, but even objectively, I am not sure how it would get ranked that far ahead of Tallahassee or several of the places behind it.
 
According to one of the most reputable organizations examining higher education and college towns, Ames is yet again in the top five. Iowa City used to be top three in the country, but they slipping.

sure, I personally think any ranking that would put Ames ahead of Iowa city in any category as a joke, but I’m really curious about what goes into such rankings. I’m guessing it is that Iowa city has had MUCH more immigration over the last 20 years, as well as more migration from other states, and has grown a lot faster and is thus not as affordable, but then again, the number one city on this list is Boulder which is freaking ridiculously expensive.

i’ve been to Ames number of times and it is a nice town, and isu has a nice central campus, but it is not even in Iowa City‘s league in any category I can think of. Campuses are more than quadrangles, and I love how the University of Iowa’s campus integrates the river and has more verticality and visual interest, plus much better architecture, and I also love how the campus either side of the river eventually becomes integrated into the city itself, just like the University of Michigan and most European universities.

I agree with their assessments of Ithaca and Madison and Boulder and other truly great cities, and I would put Iowa city among those, minus the mountains or the gorges though.

Any of the college towns in the south are not deserving of the top 25 though, because those places are just not truly diverse anymore, not like up north or out west or east, and in fact, are at times actively intolerant, particularly because of the states that they’re in. I feel sorry for and am worried for people who go to school in places like Florida or Texas these days, not to speak of other SEC states. Particularly if those people happen to be women or happen to not worship in a certain cult, be it fundamentalist Christianity or fascism or Christian fascism, If those things actually are separable these days. I never imagined in my lifetime I would see so much government intrusion into education as I am seeing from the current republican party. It is designed to be oppressive and divisive. And is designed to turn education into a corporate business that makes people dependent on and indebted to the neo liberal capitalist system, even as it collapses.

Madison is outstanding, especially its bike and outdoor Rec culture, and the terrace on campus just might be my favorite single place at a university anywhere in the world.

Iowa State does have better sculptures than the University of Iowa though. Really love how they integrate sculptures into the campus.

But if you’re talking about culture, world class programs and colleges, restaurants, and underground scene, art, percentage of highly educated people, creativity, walk ability, livability, and national and international significance, Iowa city I would definitely put near the top of any list of college towns, and I’ve been to hundreds of college towns - from small cities like Iowa city to midsize towns like Madison to major metro areas like Berkeley/Bay Area and Boston and Palo Alto and all over the place in Europe and elsewhere. so I have a bit of perspective. I also really like the small college towns that are just all about the college, like a lot of the liberal arts schools. Those can be beautiful, if not a little suffocating and full of overly sheltered bubble mentality big but extremely fragile ego types.

One thing that’s great about Iowa city is that you have a huge university and it still has a small town feel but with big city culture and sports etc.

I am biased for my hometown though. So I’m sure they will be cyclone fans who simply refused to concede that Ames is ridiculously overrated, as has been their university and athletic programs.

Lived in Iowa City 10 years and Corvallis for 5. Wouldn't pout Corvo that close to Iowa City at all.
 
Oustide of the poor football team and gameday experience, ames is a solid small town. Good food, decent shops, etc. Much more "small town" felling than IC or DSM w/o being in the middle of nowhere.
 
It's the tap water that launched Ames into the top 5.

And lol @ Champaign. The MAC has half a dozen college towns that are better than Champaign.
Since you are somewhat close, what do you think of Oxford. It's been quite a few years but rather liked that place.
 
Berkeley? I guess if you change up the metrics to give credit for used-bookstores, used-record stores, coffee shops, and related ... then it could qualify for 6th. But when I was there, they had only one bar next to campus; a rathskeller that was in the basement of a restaurant. The only time it was busy was right after a football game when the alums crowded in.

Don't get me wrong. Berkeley is a wonderful place, but it is not Madison or Iowa City. It has a big reputation but not for the bar scene.

In any event, IC making the top ten in a survey designed to have different rankings each year is pretty good, and I will go with it. We will get a turn at being number one in someone else's survey someday.
 
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