Drake University Admission
Drake University Undergraduate Program
Drake University Application

The Facts

Drake University is a rather small, private institution located in the city of Des Moines, Iowa, and is home to over 3,200 undergraduate students and approximately 2,000 graduate and part-time professional students. The school is perhaps best known for its outstanding music performance program, which is housed in the state-of-the-art Henry G. Harmon Fine Arts center. The university is actually divided up into six undergraduate schools and one graduate school, which offer programs in the areas of arts and sciences, business and public administration, pharmacy and health sciences, journalism and mass communication, education, the fine arts, and law. These programs offer broad majors in the areas of biological science (which has a renowned program in the neurosciences), business (which houses a unique risk management program), communications and the arts (home to the music program), computer and physical science, education, engineering and environmental design, health professions (which only encompasses pharmacology), as well as the social sciences (which has an interesting program in religious music.) Some of the most commonly chosen majors at Drake are in the areas of actuarial science, pharmacy, physics, astronomy, accounting, and music performance.

Admission to Drake University is not terribly competitive, but most students who apply are very academically competent. The music majors must also perform a live audition to determine whether or not they are admitted to the music program. Last year, over 3,200 people applied for admission to the school, and approximately 2,650 of those students were accepted; of those, about 815 matriculated. The admitted students had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1178 to 1400, and an average comprehensive ACT score ranging from 26 to 32. Additionally, more than 99% of those admitted were ranked in the top 25% of their high school graduating class with an average high school GPA of about 4.0.

Drake University has a very manageable student to faculty ratio of 19:1. Most of the classes are primarily discussion-oriented, and students get plenty of one-on-one attention from their professors.

The Social Scene

The city of Des Moines, Iowa has plenty of culture and entertainment for students, including restaurants, theater, concerts, operas, movies, bars, and clubs. Most students live fairly nearby, and own cars, making going home on the weekends a popular option. The school is home to thirteen fraternities and sororities, which is a large amount, considering how small the school is. A large percentage of the student body belongs to a Greek organization of some sort, and the Greek influence on campus is understandably enormous. The weekend parties are a big draw for most students, and drinking is definitely the most popular mode of social interaction, particularly at the frat soirees.

The dating scene is quite vibrant and diverse; there are people from all walks of life, and from all areas of interest. Where else do you have musicians hanging out with actuaries?

What’s Good

“The school is nice and small, and you really know that your voice is being heard both in class and on campus.”

“The music program is incredible. Even if you aren’t a part of it, there are tons of concerts throughout the year that are free to all students.”

“The school has a great variety of majors, and except for music majors, they give you time to explore your options.”

What’s Bad

“People go really crazy on the weekends, and sometimes their partying habits seep into their school work.”

“A lot of the professors can be really intense, and seem to have a bit of a chip on their shoulders, particularly if they’ve been there awhile and have tenure.”

“The campus is just too small. You get a bit tired of seeing the same group of people day in and day out.”

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