Small college towns? (Des Moines, Iowa City, Oskaloosa: living in, nightlife, metro)

[metro223]

Right, and I got Mormon from the fact that it is part of the Latter-Day Saint movement; Community of Christ is a sect of Mormonism. Go down to Nauvoo, IL and they own half of the Mormon tourist sites there, I think even including Joseph Smith's house, but don't quote me on that exact location.

[KRIT23]

Central College (Pella,Iowa)
-If you want a great,safe,place to raise your family look no further. Pella is getting bigger but no so fast so it still has the small town feel... Plenty of churches and Pella Christian HS and grade school...Pella HS...Tulip Time....I lived there for 5 years until my dad got a job in CA.....I go to college in Iowa(Dordt) now because its a great place with great people!

Dordt College- If you want a small town experience, Sioux Center is the place. It is 45 min from Sioux City and an hour from Sioux Falls. Dordt is a great college filled with solid Christian people. The professors here really value the students and truly are an impact on their lives. The community at Dordt and in the town is great. They just got a new golf course and a new super walmart. Big changes for the small town haha.

hope this helps

[Deener]

I go to Graceland University in Lamoni. True, it is affiliated with the Community of Christ Church, but I am not a member of the church and feel no need to become one just because I am here.

If you are looking for a smalll college town in IA, Lamoni is about as small as you can get. The population is cut in half when classes aren't in session. The people here are amazing, and the college is unique. I transferred here from a large university and couldn't be happier. Everyone here is as friendly as could be, and it is impossible not to make more friends than you know what to do with. Even better, it's an hour from Des Moines and an hour and a half from KC.

You should check it out, I love it here.

[metro223]

Originally Posted by Deener

I go to Graceland University in Lamoni. True, it is affiliated with the Community of Christ Church, but I am not a member of the church and feel no need to become one just because I am here.

If you are looking for a smalll college town in IA, Lamoni is about as small as you can get. The population is cut in half when classes aren't in session. The people here are amazing, and the college is unique. I transferred here from a large university and couldn't be happier. Everyone here is as friendly as could be, and it is impossible not to make more friends than you know what to do with. Even better, it's an hour from Des Moines and an hour and a half from KC.

You should check it out, I love it here.

Right, which is part of the LDS Movement. However I wasn't trying to imply they will try to convert you, sorry if that's how it came out.

[nanjosbrand]

Originally Posted by KRIT23

Central College (Pella,Iowa)
-If you want a great,safe,place to raise your family look no further. Pella is getting bigger but no so fast so it still has the small town feel... Plenty of churches and Pella Christian HS and grade school...Pella HS...Tulip Time....I lived there for 5 years until my dad got a job in CA.....I go to college in Iowa(Dordt) now because its a great place with great people!

Dordt College- If you want a small town experience, Sioux Center is the place. It is 45 min from Sioux City and an hour from Sioux Falls. Dordt is a great college filled with solid Christian people. The professors here really value the students and truly are an impact on their lives. The community at Dordt and in the town is great. They just got a new golf course and a new super walmart. Big changes for the small town haha.

hope this helps

These two colleges are great in the fact that they have been mentioned in several of the other posts. I think you'll also want to consider Northwestern College in Orange City. It's close to larger cities (Sioux Falls and Sioux City). My vote is that you go for one of these three schools. The religious affiliation is with the Reformed Church in America (Central and Northwestern) and Christian Reformed Church (Dordt).
You'll find wonderful, caring people in these towns. I am originally from NW Iowa, so I'm more familiar with Sioux Center and Orange City, but I've been to Pella. Best of luck in your decisions!

[metro223]

Originally Posted by nanjosbrand

These two colleges are great in the fact that they have been mentioned in several of the other posts. I think you'll also want to consider Northwestern College in Orange City. It's close to larger cities (Sioux Falls and Sioux City). My vote is that you go for one of these three schools. The religious affiliation is with the Reformed Church in America (Central and Northwestern) and Christian Reformed Church (Dordt).
You'll find wonderful, caring people in these towns. I am originally from NW Iowa, so I'm more familiar with Sioux Center and Orange City, but I've been to Pella. Best of luck in your decisions!

Reformed Church, NW Iowa, Pella .... I'm betting you have dutch heritage!

[iagirl30]

I'm actually surprised Cedar Falls has not been mentioned. It's a really nice, clean town with a great community and a lot of unique things to do and very friendly people. There are about 36,00 people living there and it's home of the University of Northern Iowa, which only has about 12,000 students. I lived in Cedar Falls for 8 years and absolutely love the town. I recently moved to be closer to friends and family in other parts of Iowa, but I really do miss the town of Cedar Falls tremendously.

[KRIT23]

GO DORDT! The Defenders started a new football program last fall, they won a few games. They picked up a few boys from the Central Valley in Ca that have served them well. Hope they do well playing varsity in 2008!!

[Deselminator]

Do not go to William Penn! I grew up in Oskaloosa and there is absolutely nothing at all to do there. There are very few good jobs there also, if that makes a difference. I was offered a full scholarship at William Penn but I still refused to go there, I chose to pay to go to the U of Iowa instead! If you need any information on Oskaloosa, I'd be happy to tell you whatever you need to know, but I'd honestly look for a nicer town to live in. I'd personally choose Central, Cornell, Loras or Luther. If you do choose Central, be warned, there isn't much to do in Pella, but it is a fairly nice community. Cornell is in Mt. Vernon which is a nice small town, and is close to Cedar Rapids as well as Iowa City. Loras is in Dubuque, and Luther is in Decorah which are in very scenic areas of the state, but I'm not sure about what all there is to do in those towns.

[metro223]

Originally Posted by Deselminator

Do not go to William Penn! I grew up in Oskaloosa and there is absolutely nothing at all to do there. There are very few good jobs there also, if that makes a difference. I was offered a full scholarship at William Penn but I still refused to go there, I chose to pay to go to the U of Iowa instead! If you need any information on Oskaloosa, I'd be happy to tell you whatever you need to know, but I'd honestly look for a nicer town to live in. I'd personally choose Central, Cornell, Loras or Luther. If you do choose Central, be warned, there isn't much to do in Pella, but it is a fairly nice community. Cornell is in Mt. Vernon which is a nice small town, and is close to Cedar Rapids as well as Iowa City. Loras is in Dubuque, and Luther is in Decorah which are in very scenic areas of the state, but I'm not sure about what all there is to do in those towns.

Depends on the OP's perception of "not much to do."