IU is a very popular choice for students in my neighborhood, so I had resisted the urge to feature the Hoosiers in a blog post. So many families near me seem to be quite familiar with the school. I realized, though, that awareness does not equate to knowledge and given the level of interest in IU, I should really bring to light some of the characteristics that make it so great. So, for my friends with IU degrees and my neighbors whose kids have IU at the top of your list, here are your 5 fun facts about Indiana University:
1) IU is a great choice for students who are unsure of their academic path because they offer 16 degree-granting colleges (12 offering undergraduate degrees) and over 200 majors plus the ability to create their own through the Individualized Major Program. Students don't have to declare a major until their sophomore year and 5% of students enter IU through as Exploratory - the Explore Programs Tool allows students to research areas that are interesting to them and select courses to explore.
2) The culture at IU is one of "Hoosier Hospitality," as students received support from both the administration and their classmates. Student advising is emphasized at IU, so even in a large university, every student gets access to individualized support and attention. The Culture of Care, is a student-led initiative focused on providing support to peers in the areas of mental health, sexual well-being, respect, and drug and alcohol awareness.
3) Bloomington is a terrific college town, often ranked among the top 10 college towns and earning IU a ranking among the most beautiful campuses. Bloomington is located 50 miles from Indianapolis and 230 miles from Chicago, but you will find everything you need right there, from shops to restaurants, arts and culture, to biking/jogging trails, parks and lakes.
4) IU is often known for its Kelley School of Business, one of the top undergraduate and graduate business schools in the country. Students who apply to IU and are offered admission can enter Kelley as a direct admit with a 3.8 GPA and an ACT of 30/SAT of 1370. If a student does not meet those requirements upon entering IU, there is an opportunity to apply to Kelley once you are enrolled as a current student and achieve minimum academic requirements. Kelley offers 12 primary majors and 6 co-majors, like Technology Management and Sustainable Business. 72% of students will double major within the Kelley School and 61% of Kelley students study abroad. Kelley students looking for a more intimate experience and even more academic rigor can apply for the Kelley Business Honors Program during their freshman year.
5) Students who are looking to study music in a conservatory style within a flagship research university won't find a better option than IU's Jacob School of Music. Jacobs offers 22 major options, some more "traditional" like Voice, Strings, Music Education, and others like Music Scoring for Visual Media and Audio Production & Engineering. Ballet is housed within Jacobs as well. Non-music majors can minor in music or participate in the music community at IU in a variety of ways - band, jazz ensemble, orchestra, vocal - the Singing Hoosiers are IU's Grammy nominated contemporary vocal group, open by audition to any IU student.
There is really so much to share about IU - I would be remiss if I didn't mention that International education is extremely strong at IU. IU offers more than 80 foreign languages and more than 300 study abroad programs. IU's Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies has a special partnership with the Peace Corps, enabling students to earn academic credit while preparing for potential Peace Corps participation.
One more thing to note - I think there is an assumption that social life at IU is dominated by Greek life; however, only 20% of women and 23% of men participate. If you are looking for it, it absolutely can play a large role in a student's campus experience. However, with more than 750 student organizations, 40 club sports, intramurals, and other activities, there is plenty to do on campus for students who are not interested in joining a fraternity or sorority.
IU is offering a variety of ways to visit and engage with the admissions office - there are virtual opportunities as well as limited on-campus tours.
Curious about IU plans for Fall 2021? Students can look forward to being on-campus.