About the Course

• First-year and transfer students enrolling for Summer or Fall will take the course during the Fall Semester.
• First-year and transfer students enrolling for Spring will take the course during the Spring Semester. 
• International students in the Iowa Intensive English Program (IIEP) will complete the course once admitted to a degree program. Exchange students and students in an online degree program are not required to take the course. 

Course Structure

Success at Iowa will be completed in ICON. Each stage has its own opening date, due date, and set of requirements. The course opens 2 weeks prior to the first day of the semester. The final stage, Stage 5, is due during the seventh week of the semester. 

The content in each stage provides you with information when it is most relevant to your transition to the University of Iowa. Because of this, the course must be completed in order. 

5 Stages of Transition

Transitioning to and throughout college is a process. Success at Iowa supports you as you transition to Iowa so that you can reach your goals and get the most out of your experiences. 

Stage 1. Prepare

In Stage 1 of Success at Iowa, you will Prepare for your time at the University by learning about online tools that help you stay connected with your instructors, academic advisor, and your coursework. You will also explore diversity, equity, and inclusion at Iowa and consider what choices you can make during your college journey.

Stage 2. Discover

In this stage, you will Discover the unique community and resources available to you throughout your time at Iowa and how to get involved in that community. You’ll also learn tips for academic success, as well as options for getting around campus, including how to ride the Cambus, the University of Iowa’s bus system.

Stage 3. Experience

Once classes begin, you will Experience what it is like to be a student at the University of Iowa and to interact with faculty and fellow students. You will also find out where to go for help when needing personal and academic support. 

Stage 4. Excel

In Stage 4, you will set yourself up to Excel by reflecting on your first few weeks on campus and learning strategies that you can use to stay successful at Iowa.

Stage 5. Persist

Finally, Stage 5 gives you the chance to consider the choices you have made so far and the choices you want to make in order to Persist through your first semester and beyond at Iowa. You will also learn the steps you need to take to successfully transition into your second semester at Iowa and to register for your second-semester courses.

Requirements

• You must complete all of the course requirements and earn a score of 80% or higher to receive a Satisfactory (S) grade in the course.

To Begin the Course

• There are no class meetings to attend or textbooks to purchase for this course. Everything you need is available in Iowa’s learning management system, Iowa Courses Online (ICON).
• Log into ICON with your HawkID and password. Once you have logged in, click on the Success at Iowa course and read the information on the “Home” screen to get started.
• If you do not see the course listed, you may need to select the correct semester from the semester drop-down menu, found in the upper right-hand corner of the ICON dashboard.