•    Are the grades from the various sections of 183 weighted differently, depending on instructor?

No. There is no differential weighting for grades in any of the Core courses (DsnS 183, DsnS 102, DsnS 131) according to the section you were in.

•    How do your non-Core courses affect your GPA?

This varies per program in terms of admission criteria. Refer to the admission formulas for each program at http://www.design.iastate.edu/CORE/admcrit.php.

•    What is the average GPA of the students that get into the graphic design program?

We do not have this data collected in any formal way, though we are beginning to track it. Check with your adviser for a ballpark idea.