According to the school, The University of Iowa is a major national research university with a broad-based liberal arts foundation. Founded in 1847 as Iowa’s first public institution of higher education, it has won international recognition for its wealth of achievements in the arts, sciences, and humanities and offers several top-ranking programs. It is ‘one of the most dynamic schools in the country,’ and it’s the only Big Ten university listed as a ‘best buy’ in the Fiske Guide to the Colleges, 2011. \r\n\r\nRanked the 29th best public university in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, the University is composed of eleven colleges, the largest of which is the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, enrolling most of Iowa’s undergraduates. The Henry B. Tippie College of Business, the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, and the Colleges of Education, Engineering, Law, Nursing, and Pharmacy enroll undergraduates, and, with the Colleges of Dentistry and Public Health, provide graduate education in conjunction with the Graduate College. \r\nLocated in one of three cities in the world designated a City of Literature by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Iowa is home to the world-renowned Writers’ Workshop, International Writing Program, and the Playwrights Workshop. Its research programs in genetics, hydraulics, and speech and hearing are world-renowned, and it operates one of the country’s most advanced and comprehensive university-owned teaching hospitals. \r\n\r\nThe University of Iowa enrolls more than 30,000 students, yet 79 percent of its undergraduate classes have fewer than 30 students. Students can chose from more than 100 areas of study and nearly 500 student groups. More than 1,200 students studied abroad last year; programs range from one year to a few weeks in length. A University-wide honors program is dedicated to advancing Iowa’s best students and the Center for Research by Undergraduates helps students connect with mentors and research opportunities in every discipline, while the Leadership Development Program offers leadership training, education, and development opportunities. \r\nSports fans enjoy Big Ten and NCAA Division I athletics for 22 Hawkeye varsity squads and more than 170 home events each year. Recreation facilities, including a new $69-million 215,000-square-foot Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, offer opportunities to swim, run, lift weights, climb, and more. The picturesque campus is adjacent to downtown Iowa City, home to numerous coffee houses, dance clubs, and a wide variety of restaurants along with art galleries, clothing boutiques, and other local shops. Other entertainment options on- and off-campus include live music, theater, dance, readings by famous authors and poets, and film screenings at a student-run cinema.\r\nIowa is the smallest of the public universities in the Big Ten, and our tuition is among the lowest. Our professors are leading experts in their fields and care about their students. The University offers more than 100 areas of study on a vibrant and diverse campus.