The holiday season is here again. I’m looking forward to spending the next week with family and friends. I’m also looking forward to a little relaxation!
Whatever your tradition, I wish you a happy holiday season!
And if you have a moment, take a look at some of the festivities around our recent tree lighting.
Here on campus, exams are finished and students are heading home for a welcomed and needed break for the Holidays.
For high school students with final exams finished, you might be wondering if college exams are the same.
The truth is that they are actually pretty similar. But college finals tend to cover more information and require more specific knowledge, so you’ll have to spend more time studying. Here are some ideas to help you prepare for success when you arrive at the college of your choice:
With a little preparation and by sharpening your study skills, you don’t have to be stressed out during final exams.
It’s mid-fall, and high school seniors all over the country are working on their college applications.
As a parent, what can you do to support your son or daughter in this process?
In the end, know that it will all work out. Each senior will realize that it is okay if he or she doesn’t know what major to declare right now. Each senior will make it through the holiday season waiting to hear from schools on top of their lists.
And ultimately, come May 1, each senior will have the opportunity to enroll at some great colleges.
Halloween has come and gone. The costumes were great despite some chilly weather here in Chicago last Friday. Kids dressed up as princesses, pirates, monsters, policemen, and more. My nephew dressed up as Kiss’s Gene Simmons. I loved the fake tattoo sleeves and the rockin’ wig. I’m not sure anyone paid attention to his glasses; he definitely sold it. I also had a friend who dressed up as Mr. Snow Miser and her daughter went as the Mr. Heat Miser. Fantastic!
But here we are in November. Clocks have been set back, so it is darker out earlier in the evening. It’s cooler and all the leaves have fallen.
November is also the time of year when high school seniors aim to meet their application deadlines. College counselors are ensuring transcripts have been sent. Recommenders are following up to ensure a letter was received on behalf of a candidate. Students are curious if everything has been received by an admission office.
Most admission counselors are wrapping up visits to high schools and attendance at college fairs or interview days. They are now reviewing applications and getting to know students and their interests. They want to know if a student might be a good fit for their campus.
But are you being authentic or are you in disguise?
Think about your answer carefully. When choosing a college, you have a lot of choices, but relatively few are going to feel like a good fit. Just because one school is perfect for one of your friends or because a family member is an alum, doesn’t mean that a particular school is good for you.
And remember that admission counselors want to get to know the real you. Make sure your application materials—like your essay—reflect your true interests, goals, and dreams. Doing so will go a long way in helping you find your best fit college.
There are many important components in a successful college search, but don’t underestimate the value of honest reflection on what you really want out of your college experience. Think about it like finding the right Halloween costume—you have to like it and be comfortable wearing it for the whole night.
In the end, just know that the admission process is all about you feeling confident in yourself and your eventual college choice. The next four years are for you—and you shouldn’t feel like you have to talk yourself into believing that a particular school is your best choice.
If you look at Loyola’s website or see a Loyola ad or receive a printed Loyola brochure, you will likely see this phrase, The Loyola Experience.
In truth, I think it is a pretty common phrase that prospective students hear from one university to another—particularly during the admission process—the (fill in the university here) Experience.
Well, if it is so common, why do we use it at Loyola? What does it really mean?
Years ago, we looked at our history as a university as well as the Ignatian belief that education should prepare leaders to better serve their communities. Jesuit colleges and universities were established in proximity to the city to ‘lend an ear to the discussion and needs of the community so students would know how they could best make the city stronger and a better place’ given his or her unique gifts, talents, skills, and interests.
And for all of us at Loyola, our mission is just that—to ensure that students have a Loyola Experience that equips them to leave the world better than they found it and, just as importantly, to add value to the lives and experiences of others.
It doesn’t happen overnight. There is no prescribed formula that tells you that if you just follow these steps, the Experience will occur. The Loyola Experience is designed to empower you to establish goals, map out a plan, critically think about who you are and what you want, and shape your individual and professional journey. It is deeply personal and yet, your Loyola Experience will connect you with thousands of other students and alumni around the world.
Your Loyola Experience is about the adult you will become and how society will view you and your contributions. Your Loyola Experience is the foundation for the rest of your life. In short, the Loyola Experience is what you want it to be.
I think most of our students ‘get it.’ They seek out resources on campus and dive into conversations with others. They take an active role in clubs and organizations and typically have multiple internships and research opportunities. The Loyola Experience that is alive today is quite different than the Loyola of years past. Our community has been fortunate to build on its strengths and provide more and more opportunities for those who have yet to start their experience. Every class seems to make it better for the next.
Our students really do seek out the magis—striving for more—and they leave Loyola better than they found it.
Like essays, different schools ask students to meet different criteria, but typically, most institutions are looking for one or two letters of recommendation. Make sure you read the guidelines carefully.
Here are a few other things to remember when asking for a letter of recommendation:
This is a missed opportunity. Your list of recommenders should consist of your guidance or college counselor (required by many colleges and universities), at least 2-3 teachers (one should include a teacher from a core academic class), and someone who can attest to your interests and leadership outside the classroom. Choose wisely.
Can this person attest to your aptitude, interest in a particular school, leadership qualities, maturity, character, and drive? This person should be able to accentuate your strengths and discuss instances where they saw you confront challenges head on.
Most recommenders have done this before, but it doesn’t hurt to let them know about specific things you hope they can call attention to. For instance, if you founded “Meals on Wheels” in your town, but it is only one small line on your resume, you might want to mention how much time you have spent on it and how important it is to you. You may want to call their attention to your academic achievement that prepared you for a specific school’s program.
If you are applying to more than one school, remember—it is important that if they use the name of a particular school in the letter, ask them to make sure it is changed for the appropriate university throughout the letter.
In the end, keep in mind that the letter of recommendation is one more way to share who you are and what unique traits you will bring to the university community.
If you are applying to a selective or highly selective college, you’ll probably be required to write an essay or a personal statement. Chances are you’ve already started to write them. But if you haven’t, don’t panic. The essay is your chance to bring your application to life.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
As you prepare to apply to Loyola, I hope you include a great essay that will make me walk out of my office and share it with other admission officers. Each year, we are amazed by students who take the time to tell their unique story. And we look forward to what these talented students will bring to the Loyola community in years to come.
This Thursday, we celebrate another Thanksgiving. For many, it’s a day comprised of good food, family and friends, football, and the kick-off to the holiday season. More importantly, it’s a day where we are able to reflect on our lives and of course, think about those less fortunate.
Here at Loyola, the HUB staff members (our one-stop destination for questions, answers, and directions) put up a Tree of Thanks at the desk. Each leaf is hung by a student, faculty, staff member, or guest indicating something or someone each person is thankful for this Thanksgiving. Thank you HUB staff for taking a moment and asking us to step outside of our day-to-day lives for a bit to reflect and simply say ‘Thank you.’
Personally, I want to say “THANK YOU” to the many admission staff members, student workers, and ambassadors who go above and beyond their required responsibilities each day. Your hard work is appreciated!
Happy Thanksgiving!
P.S.: Please don’t forget that if you are applying to Loyola for Fall 2014 as a freshman student, the priority application deadline is this coming Sunday, December 1. APPLY NOW!
On November 9 and 16, Loyola hosted high school juniors and seniors as well as transfer students for our annual open houses. Students and their families came from all around the Chicago area, across the state, and from many states outside of Illinois. We welcomed more than 2,100 students and approximately 3,800 family members.
It was an exciting and busy two days on campus!
It was great to see so many students interested in the Loyola Experience. Our faculty and staff were very excited to talk with members of the Class of 2018 and beyond!
Take a look at what you missed.
A few weeks ago, my niece sent me a college essay to review and provide her with some feedback. Last week, she called me and screamed, “I GOT IN!”
I could sense the grin on her face.
But now, my question was, “Where?”
She shared that she was admitted to Ole Miss and how it was so nice to know that she ‘got in’ to at least one school. She knew other decisions would be arriving later, but she was excited that this was the first college she had heard from. She planned on setting up a campus visit soon.
I enjoyed the conversation for many reasons:
Hopefully, my niece will share the rest of the decisions as well as her impressions from her campus visits. I am sure our discussions over the holidays will be quite lively. Hopefully you have similar discussions as well!