I went to the University of Iowa for several years during undergrad. I also received my paramedic training at the university hospital.
all I can say is that it is an amazingly huge, 1,000 plus beds, teaching university. Very new looking. The hospital doubles as a museum and has art all over the place. This way they get money for being a hospital and money for fine arts and stuff.
There are all of the usual college bars to hang out at. some are notoriously undergrad hangouts while others are for the older crowd. The pedestrian mall downtown is where most of the bars are located, but there are several in the neighborhing town of Coralville also.
There are a ton of sports to watch at the university and a pretty big city is just north 20 minutes called Cedar Rapids which has pretty much everything. Chicago is only 4 hours east also.
later,
