About Drake

A national, coeducational, independent and private university founded in 1881, Drake is a multifaceted educational community of individuals pushing boundaries, raising standards, lifting spirits and gaining knowledge — that’s how the Drake community lives education. And that’s how you will be empowered to live your life choices at Drake.

Quality and Value
Drake is ranked among the top universities for:

Educational quality (consistently named at the top by U.S. News and World Report)
Student achievement in and out of the classroom (National Study on Student Engagement)
Value for your dollar (Barron’s 300 Best Buys in College Education and Peterson’s Guide to Competitive Colleges)

A Personalized Experience
Expert faculty–not teaching assistants–teach courses and provide personalized feedback and support.

Students choose from more than 70 programs of study; design a personal academic plan; combine majors or create their own major.
Drake’s student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1 offers a quality experience unmatched by large universities.
Professors will know their students name and become active partners in their success, both in and out of the classroom.

Affordable Results
Drake is committed to making sure that your investment provides high returns throughout your life. The actual cost of a Drake education is competitive with public universities for many of our students. In fact, most students who plan properly complete their degrees in just four years and begin working in their chosen profession after graduation.

Approximately 98 percent of Drake students receive financial aid
The average financial aid package for students entering Drake in 2004-2005, typically a combination of scholarships, grants, loans and student employment, was $13,870.
Drake students get real-world experience through professional internships that prepare them for lifelong success. More than 72 percent of Drake students graduate having had at least one internship.
Students acquire valuable leadership skills from area business, government, civic and community leaders.
Nearly all Drake graduates (93 percent in 2004) find career employment or enter graduate school within six months after receiving their degrees.

A Friendly, Safe Campus
Drake combines the benefits of a safe and friendly small town campus with the advantages of a capital city.

Students learn about the world in a diverse community of 3,170 undergraduate students from 45 states and 60 countries.
Drake students participate in more than 160 clubs and social organizations; attend gallery openings and theatrical productions; hang out in the campus coffeehouse and student lounges; and make lifelong friends in Drake’s residence halls and Greek system.
Drake’s campus crime rate is one of the lowest in the nation. Campus security is on duty around the clock as are residence hall attendants.
In addition Drake provides a shuttle service, a security escort service, and educational programming about personal safety.

A Lively Location
Students seize opportunities in a city big enough for a variety of cultural, entertainment and career-related experiences but small enough that they’re readily available.

Drake’s 150-acre campus is within 10 minutes of downtown Des Moines. Facilities include both modern architectural showplaces and historic buildings.
The Drake neighborhood is an eclectic mix of turn-of-the-century homes, shops and services including coffeehouses, restaurants, grocery stores and an art-house movie theater.
Drake’s location in the political and business hub of Iowa, coupled with the University’s reputation in the community, makes Drake a resource that area employers rely on when filling internships and jobs.

Accreditation
North Central Association of Schools and Colleges charter member; AACSB-International Association for Management Education; Iowa State Department of Education; National Association of Schools of Art and Design; National Association of Schools of Music; Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication; American Council on Pharmaceutical Education; American Bar Association; Association of American Law Schools.

Nondiscrimination Policy
Drake University does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or veteran or veteran disability status in administration of its employment and personnel policies, educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other University-administered programs. Further, Drake University reserves the right to take affirmative action in connection with this policy in accordance with applicable law.

Drake University admits students, without regard to sexual orientation, to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded to or made available to students at the University, and does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in administration of its employment and personnel policies, educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs and athletic and other University-administered programs, except when such discrimination is required by Federal or State law or regulations.

The Director of Human Resources has been designated coordinator of Title IX, Title VI, and Section 504 regulations. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the Director of Human Resources, 515-271-3133; or to the Chair, University Equal Opportunity Committee, in care of the President's Office, 515-271-2191; mailing address, 2507 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311.