Tag: ACT

How to Choose the Right High School Classes

How to Choose the Right High School Classes

 

Everyone wants to know the secret recipe of high school classes to earn admission at Loyola, and while there is not one right combination of classes to choose, I am going to share some of my personal advice for making these decisions:

How are Honors, AP, or IB Classes perceived by Loyola?

  • It’s always nice to see students challenging themselves by taking some of these high level courses. However, it’s not a good move to stack your schedule with these classes if you’re not going to be successful in them. A transcript full of failed AP courses is not going to impress an admission counselor, so talk to your teachers and counselors to find the level that is really the best fit for you. It’s also important to know that you can be admitted without taking these classes, so don’t feel the need to force yourself into one of these classes that might be too much for you.

So is it better to take an honors class and get a B or take the standard level and get an A?

  • In my opinion, take the AP class and get a B. We accept weight GPA’s so if your school weights AP, IB, or Honors classes, you’ll still benefit in regard to your GPA (but keep in mind, your GPA isn’t everything… all aspects of the application are used to make decisions).

Should I take AP or IB exams?

Speaking of exams, should I take the SAT subjects tests?

  • Loyola doesn’t look at these scores at all during the admission and scholarship review process, so no. However, make sure you know the requirements of others colleges you might be applying to in the fall.

Should I take the writing portion of the ACT or SAT?

  • While we don’t look at this section for admission and scholarship purposes, other schools might. If you’re interested in doing the Dual-Acceptance Pharmacy Program with Midwestern and Loyola, Midwestern will want to see the writing portion to make their admission decision.

Will I get transfer credit from Loyola for Dual-Enrollment Courses with other Colleges or Community Colleges? And is there a limit to how much credit I can receive? 

 

If I want to go into the following major or advising track, what classes should I take?

  • Nursing – Definitely focus on taking higher level and elective classes in the maths and sciences.
  • Engineering – Physics and Calculus are must-haves and then solid results in  your other math and science classes.
  • Pre-Med – Again, focus on the maths and sciences.
  • Pre-Pharmacy – Maths and sciences are key again, specifically Chemistry.

Do I need 4 years of a foreign language?

  • Not necessarily. Loyola will be content with less as long as you still meet your high school’s graduation requirements. This goes for other subject areas, as well.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

 

Only 13 Days Left!

Only 13 Days Left!

 

13 days or 312 hours or 18,720 minutes or 1,123,200 seconds… until our priority deadline: December 1st!

That means you better request your transcripts, test scores (ACT or SAT), and letters of recommendation right away so schools, counselors, teachers, and testing agencies have time to send it all over to Loyola before our postmark deadline. Also make sure you submit your application, your essay, and your optional resume. Meeting this deadline will allow you to be automatically considered for all of Loyola’s merit-based scholarships, which are based on high school GPA, test score, and class rank (if available).

Please be patient if you have requested materials be sent to Loyola in the past 3 weeks and they are still not showing up as received in your status page. It typically takes 3 weeks or so for us to upload or process a document and update your status page.

If you have already submitted all of your materials, be sure to check your applicant status page regularly for a decision! Click here for tips on what to do while waiting for a decision. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns!

Warning: Due Dates are Closer than They Appear

Warning: Due Dates are Closer than They Appear

Deadlines

 

So in a post I wrote earlier this year, I broke down Loyola’s various admission and scholarship-related deadlines. While our priority application deadline is still 26 days away, those days will quickly pass by!

DECEMBER 1st – this is the big day. Your application (online application, essay, and optional resume) must be submitted by then and all of your supporting documents (transcripts, letters of recommendation, and ACT/SAT scores) must be postmarked by December 1st.

By sending in EVERYTHING by December 1st, you are automatically considered for ALL of our merit-based scholarships which range from $13,000 – $20,000! You do not need to complete any additional paperwork or scholarship applications for these, you just need to submit your admission application and supporting documents by December 1st!

Make sure to request letters of recommendation, transcripts, and test scores ASAP! These documents will take your schools, counselors, teachers, ACT/SAT, etc. quite some time to send over, and then it takes us sometime to manually process each document, so if you don’t see one of these items appear on your applicant status page right away, don’t worry, it’s likely processing, just make sure it is postmarked or sent by December 1st!

If you have any additional questions about the deadlines or scholarships, contact us at admission@luc.edu.

 

P.s. It’s not too late to register for our November 8th Open House!

 

Breaking Down Loyola’s Deadlines

Breaking Down Loyola’s Deadlines

Every school has their own set of deadlines and it can be a lot to remember. Below I have outlined all of Loyola’s major deadlines and share some helpful tips to follow throughout the process. My #1 tip: create a calendar that lists ALL of the Loyola’s deadlines (and other collegiate/scholarship deadlines) so you have all of the information in one place where it won’t get mixed up with homework assignments, exam dates, and your schedule of extra-curricular activities.

December 1st

This is the priority deadline to submit Loyola’s application.

What does this mean? You must submit your online application, your essay, one letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor, all high school transcripts, and your ACT or SAT scores in order for your application to be complete. If you meet this deadline, you will automatically be considered for all of Loyola’s Merit-based Scholarships, which can go a long way in helping to pay for your collegiate experience.

Suggestion: Don’t wait to start your application! You can send in your application and supporting materials in any order so request documents & scores right away so your school or College Board has plenty of time to submit everything for you before the deadline approaches. It’s also better to get an early start because your senior year will only get busier and we near the winter season and you’ll want plenty of time to spend on your applications and essays.

February 1st

This is the general deadline to submit applications for the Honors Program, the Business Honors Program, and for specific scholarship opportunities that require specific applications or essays.

What does this mean? Many programs and scholarships will have their own deadlines, but many of them will be February 1st or early in the month.

Suggestion: Each one will have their own separate requirements and process so be sure to closely monitor everything to be sure you don’t miss the deadline!

March 1st

This is the suggested deadline to file FAFSA (or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

What does this mean? You will want to file FAFSA to insure that you receive the best possible financial aid package and don’t lose out on any financial assistance because funds could eventually run out if you file to late in the year.

Suggestion: Even if you don’t think you will receive any financial assistance, you should still apply and the results may surprise you. Submit your FAFSA as early as possible (even if this means using last year’s tax information and updating it later on in the spring). However, if you do miss the deadline, you should absolutely still apply.

May 1st

This is the national enrollment deadline when colleges and universities across the country ask students to make a final commitment to a single school.

What does this mean? This is your deadline to submit the $500 enrollment deposit to Loyola. If you miss this deadline, the class could potentially fill and close resulting in you losing your opportunity to attend Loyola.

Suggestion: Make your enrollment deposit sooner rather than later. You are able to make your deposit starting the day you are admitted and it is refundable through May 1st should you change you mind.

A Summer To Do List for Prospective Students

A Summer To Do List for Prospective Students

While the start of application season is still about a month away, there is still plenty to do for rising seniors this summer before the school year begins:

  1. The first step, create an appropriate email address to use for the college application process. Keep in mind that your parents, admission counselors, and high school counselors/teachers will likely see this. Avoid using your high school email address because these email addresses are often deactivated right when you graduate and you may miss out on emails from colleges that are sent over the summer after you graduate.
  2. Create a list of schools of interest and gather suggestions from your classmates, teachers, parents, and family friends by asking about their alma maters and collegiate experiences. Spend a lot of time on their websites researching student life, study abroad, athletics, available majors and minors, or anything else you deem a significant factor in your collegiate decision-making process. Don’t forget to sign up to receive more information from the school’s on their websites. Also, follow your prospective schools on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information.
  3. After you have a list, create a calendar with all application deadlines, scholarship deadlines, honors program application due dates, campus visit dates, etc. Once the school year starts, it’s important to keep track of all admission-related dates in addition to your homework assignments and test dates.
  4. Visit as many schools as you can over the summer while you don’t have to worry about missing classes or interrupting your extra-curricular schedule. If you can’t visit campus, look on school websites for virtual tours of residence halls or campus to at least get a feel for the institution.
  5. Start working on components of your application: You can start working on college essays before even opening the application. Click here for college essay tips!
  6. You can also start creating a resume. Be sure to include all leadership positions, community service, involvement with clubs/organizations/sports, internships, research experiences, ministry youth groups, part-time jobs, or whatever it is that you’re involved with outside of the classroom!
  7. Send your test scores to schools you are definitely applying to in the fall (Loyola’s ACT Code is 1064 and the SAT Code is 1412). If you’re unhappy with your original scores, sign up for a new test date and use your time off in the summer to prepare.
  8. Start searching for scholarships. Many scholarships are looking for students with very specific majors, interests, or skill-sets or cast a broad net when searching and use as many research resources as possible (websites like scholarships.com or fastweb.com; talking to your high school counselors about local opportunities; have your parents ask their employers about any company scholarships; etc.)
  9. Make a list of possible people to send in letters of recommendation for you- consider teachers, employers, coaches, supervisors, counselors (anyone who knows you professionally or academically). While it’s a little soon to ask them for a letter now, you certainly want to ask right away in the fall so they have plenty of time to write and send in letters before the application deadline.
  10. Enjoy your summer!

 

What to do When Waiting for a Decision

What to do When Waiting for a Decision

It’s that time of year when applications are complete and the waiting game for decisions and acceptance letters begins! Here are a few tips on what you should be doing with this admission process down-time:

 

If you have any additional questions, give us a call at 800.262.2373 or email us at admission@luc.edu.