Northwestern College ranked as safest college campus in Iowa

Northwestern College is ranked as the safest college in Iowa by www.niche.com.

The ranking, which includes both public and private four-year colleges and universities across the state, is based on the cumulative evaluation of key factors, including campus crime rate, local crime rate and student reviews.

“There are many things to consider when choosing a college, and campus safety is one factor that should be evaluated,” says Mark Bloemendaal, Northwestern’s dean of enrollment and marketing. “We are fortunate to partner with the local community in making safety a priority on campus so students can focus on enjoying all that college life has to offer.”

According to the ranking, available at www.colleges.niche.com/rankings/safest-colleges/s/iowa, Northwestern is listed as having a crime rate of 0 out of 1,000 cases, with identical statistics for alcohol- and drug-related arrests. The local crime grade is listed as a B+, and student surveys rank the college as 4.1 out of 5.

The website also includes a number of student reviews. “On campus I feel extremely safe, and if anyone ever has any trouble on campus they can go get help right away,” one reviewer said. Another student wrote, “I have never felt unsafe on this campus. If there were a serious issue, I know campus security would inform us of what to do.”

“A safe and caring community perpetuates itself, and we are grateful that students share in the responsibility to keep the campus a safe place by holding each other accountable,” says Bloemendaal.

Founded in 2002, Niche has grown into one of the largest content startups in the country, providing reviews and insight for neighborhoods, K-12 schools and colleges. Each year, thousands of people use Niche Colleges to read over a million in-depth student reviews and recommendations, explore majors and get matched to more than 3.2 million scholarships.