Few things - I’m just looking for a budget fix for you. You may want a big name but you cannot afford a big name - but yet these big state flagships are big names. Check career stats - you may be surprised. Read on line - everything I’m reading for Civil is much like other disciplines - ABET accreditation and low cost to avoid debt are most important.
Just to talk about diversity - Iowa State is 75% white per CDS. Alabama, as an example, 71% white.
Per College Factual, Iowa State first year are 3380 from Iowa, 1017 from Illinois, 200 from Wisconsin and then under 100 - the next two states Nebraska and Texas.
Alabama has more than 100 students in the first year from 15 states. A student yesterday said they were visiting the school with their Illinois HS shirt on and two came up to them. Illinois is #3 btw. There was an article in the Chicago Sun Times about the state brain drain because they are going there. 136 from Maryland, btw, in the first year class. Now x4 - they’ve got over 2k from some states, 1k from others. 2k from NY/NJ/CT area (combined).
It beats Iowa State in cost (crushes it), diversity and geographic diversity (crushes it).
It’s the south - which may not mean what you think. Iowa is likely no different as a state - very conservative.
Loans are bad but here’s your other issue and I applaud the government on this one - From Kiplingers with the article linked below.
“While current rules allow you to borrow enough with a Parent PLUS loan to cover the full cost of attendance, minus any financial aid your child receives, the lifetime federal loan limit under the new law is $65,000 per student.
The new legislation also limits graduate students to $100,000 in loans, or $200,000 for professional programs such as law or medical school.”
Too many kids are chasing a name and they can’t pay back their debt.
Now I’m just comparing two schools - because I think your ‘thoughts’ are based on faulty knowledge. Again, there are many inexpensive schools - likely not as cheap as Bama - which is how they get so many smart kids - they buy them in from all over.
There will unlikely to be more geographically diverse than Bama although some states will have a higher OOS ratio - but still more regional.
You can absolutely find more racial diversity although sometimes that’s not the right word. Morgan State is 70% black, as an example - but yes a much tinier white population than other school black population.
I’m not trying to say it must be this school. I’m using it as a comparator and urging you to look deeper - because I’m not sure why Iowa State - which will be more of what you don’t seem to want than others.
So dig deeper and unless you plan to bankrupt mom and dad, choose an affordable school. Most state flagships are very respected.
I hope you get into UMD but need that back up just in case - whichever it is.
good luck