Tag: Honors

Letting SOC Feed Me for the Week

Letting SOC Feed Me for the Week

Well, technically they only fed me twice.

This was a busy week at the School of Communication. In true college student fashion, I took advantage of opportunities for free food, which meant I ended up attending some really special on-campus events.

The first was on Monday evening. A networking reception was held for students in the Advertising and Public Relations program, alum from the program and professionals in the industry. Many of the professionals are people working at the companies where Loyola students intern, providing the perfect opportunity to network and scope out potential internships.

This hors d’oeuvres and cocktail hour was held at our Water Tower Campus on the 15th floor of the Corboy Law Center. This venue provides breathtaking views of the city and exactly the right atmosphere for the occasion.

I had the opportunity to chat with several of my professors and two Loyola alum who now work in the city, who I’m looking forward to getting to know. Next semester I’ll be looking for an internship, so hopefully these connections can help get me on the right track!

Friday marked the beginning of Loyola’s Weekend of Excellence, and my second chance for a free meal. I was honored to attend the SOC Honors Ceremony and Student Showcase on Friday afternoon. This ceremony involved a formal presentation of several awards and recognition for different student honors. The awards presented included, Outstanding Major Awards (a winning student was selected from each major within the School of Communication), Top Original Student Work and and an SOC Teaching Award. Students were then honored for graduating from the university’s honors program, for receiving scholarships and new members to the Beta Rho Honors Society were inducted into the organization (that’s were I came in).

Students within the School of Communication are truly producing some incredible work and I’m excited to be a part of a school that is pushing their students toward such excellence.

A huge congratulations to all who were honored during this ceremony and to all the students and faculty who will be celebrated during this Weekend of Excellence! (Where I’m sure there will be plenty more excellent free food.)

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!