Coe College

Iowa's Coe College is a private university that encourages its 1,200 undergraduates to learn through experience, ensuring that every student takes part in at least one internship, research, or off-campus study opportunity. For the goal-driven population, wanting to make the most of one's time at school is a recurring theme, and students feel "if you put in the work, success is secure." That's at least in part due to "small class sizes, [which are] a HUGE plus in terms of building relationships with professors and other students." That connection with faculty goes a long way, with teachers described as "always here for the students whether it be as an educator or a support mechanism" and as having "the best interest of the students in mind." Many professors "prefer hands-on projects to test our learning or discussions with other students," such as a professional writing class in which "we practiced the skills we learned when we partnered with a local nonprofit and...helped them rework their website to make it more accessible and clear about their mission." Outside of the classroom, students find C3: Creativity, Careers, Community a "phenomenal" place to "build their résumés [and] gain an internship, job opportunities, work studies, graduate school applications, interview coaching, and other amazing opportunities you may need." One student attests: "I went to C3 this last semester and within three weeks, I already had a résumé built, connected with countless people in my area on LinkedIn, and interviewed and got an internship." This type of career support is just one of the reasons why Coe is approaching a decade of 100 percent reported placement in jobs or grad school within nine months of graduation.

Students at Coe "come from a vast array of backgrounds, helping to give many diverse perspectives and ideas, leading [the] campus toward the future." They quickly find unity in this "very tight-knit" and village-like community and note that "It's very easy for all of us to come together under our pride for our school." Many "are involved in athletics on campus, working to balance both varsity athletics and a full courseload," and "you will see multiple people be involved in athletics, Greek life, work, and still maintain a good GPA." This "diverse, optimistic, positive, and determined" bunch "is very welcoming and willing to meet new people" and are willing to "work hard for what they want to achieve."

"When [the] weather is nice, a lot of people spend it outdoors," and "there is a diverse range of extracurriculars here that students can get involved in." Clubs and organizations "are run by students and bring new and unique events from cultural, educative, and environmental backgrounds," and more than 90 percent of students choose to join. Events are organized by the Student Activities Committee (SAC), which puts on "a lot of things on campus, from taking students to Scream Acres to having bingo nights with great prizes." One student shares that their favorite extracurricular activities are the "cultural clubs, which host many events throughout the year that provide a great learning experience." The school itself "provides a wide array of weekly activities": everything from career fairs and guest speakers to yoga and hot cocoa in the library. "We probably get 25 emails a day from Coe, [and] at least 3 of them are events that are going on that day and 5 others are upcoming events that anyone can attend."

Nestled in the heart of Cedar Rapids, one of America’s most prosperous Midwest cities, Coe students benefit from the school’s forward-thinking focus on creativity and innovation—tools heavily valued by employers. Coe’s Center for Creativity & Careers invites students to bring in any idea or entrepreneurial project so the C3 can assist in making it a reality. The C3 even has an Entrepreneur in Residence available for office hours, coaching, and consulting. Through job fairs, externships, and creative initiatives such as startup pitch competitions, the C3 connects students to Coe’s business partners and successful alumni in the Cedar Rapids Corridor and beyond. Google, Corning Incorporated, Mayo Clinic, and NASA are just some of the businesses routinely reserving internships for Coe students. The Off-Campus study program at Coe College is similarly helpful: with domestic and international options in locales like Southeast Asia or Washington D.C., as well as opportunities for a semester, year-long, or just May Term study, Coe “offers a wide variety of locations to suit everyone’s interests at a reasonable price.” Payscale.com reports that the median starting salary for Coe graduates is $55,300.