LUC – College Admission at Loyola

Are You Sure I’m Almost a Senior?

By | April 28, 2016

I promise you that just last year I was moving into a college dorm for the first time, trying to decide on a major and making new friends.

Or maybe I was back for round two, just starting to get the hang of things, making some really good friends and even spending a semester abroad at Loyola’s John Felice Rome Center.

Okay, Okay then I’ve only just begun year three, finally getting to move off-campus, am excited about my major and am embracing being an upperclassman.

But there’s no way I’m almost a senior.

Then again…

For the past three years I’ve been calling Chicago and Loyola home. These years have felt like some of the fastest of my life. As they say, ‘Time flies when you’re having fun!’ Which I would say has been exactly the case for me. Sure, I’ve faced my fair share of stresses and hardships during my college experience, but honestly I wouldn’t take any of it back.

My junior year has been especially good to me. I’ve finally chosen a major that I’m excited about in Public Relations and am looking forward to another year of classes at the School of Communication. And thanks to some inspiration from a favorite Loyola professor of mine, I’ve also added a Marketing minor. My classes this year have pushed me academically, made me a better writer and helped shape my worldview.

I’ve gotten to live with some incredible girls during my time at LUC and this year has been no exception. I’ve loved having the chance to live in an apartment off-campus where I get to be more connected to the Rogers Park community. This year I got much better about getting out and exploring the city and hope to continue doing so over the next year. (One of my new favorite foods is Spanish tapas–which are especially good at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba in Lincoln Park!)

This year I’ve experienced the most personal growth yet, academically, spiritually and in my relationships, for which I am truly grateful.

My college experience has been completely different than what my freshman-self would have expected and everything my (almost) senior-self could hope for. I’m not sure what this next year will bring or what will follow, but I think I’ll have a hard time topping my junior year at LUC.

So I guess that after looking back on it all again, it does seem like it’s time for me to be a senior. Even if I’m not quite ready to admit it.

Spring (and so much more) has Sprung on Campus

By | April 3, 2016

Spring on a college campus brings with it a little more than a change of seasons. To name a few…

Campus tours. Come springtime campus is flooded again with loads of wide-eyed high school students and their parents. Don’t worry about your parents asking embarrassing college questions on the tours. We’ve all been there and really they just have your best interests at heart.

Frisbee games on the quad. We can all finally take a break from being trapped inside, so outdoor quad activity is back in full swing. Frisbee, football or just sitting in the grass (because good news there is grass), we’re down for whatever involves a little fresh air.

Loyola’s incredible grounds staff has the campus bursting with beautiful blooms. I don’t think that the gardeners at LUC get enough credit for all the work they put into to maintaining our beautiful campus. The blooming daffodils make me smile every time I walk past.

Unpredictable weather. Spring in Chicago doesn’t necessarily mean warmer weather and rain showers. A few days have been warm and pleasant, allowing the grass to green and for students to embrace the outdoors. But, it snowed on April 2nd, not even a little flurry in the morning. A sporadic, all-day, on-again off-again blizzard-y, occasionally sunny, spring, Chicago day.

Initial excitement, quickly followed by end of semester stress. My gut reaction to the onset of spring is to get super excited for summer, since now it’s just around the corner. But I think I speak for most of my classmates when I say that our summer excitement is shortly overcome by the realization that the five hardest weeks of the semester are standing in the way of our summer break.

Senioritis is in full swing. As I look around at the class ahead of me the symptoms of Senioritis are evident. They are prepping for the next steps in their lives and itching to graduate. Their excitement is also mixed with a sense of worry as they step outside the world of undergrad to embrace something new.

As you can see, spring on a college campus is a bit different than elsewhere. Even so, it’s still easily one of the best times of the year.

Decision Time

By | March 27, 2016

You’ve made it. You’re nearly finished with your senior year of high school and you can’t wait to take the next steps toward your future in college.

College…that’s the tough part isn’t it? By this point you’re probably dizzy from all the campuses you’ve toured and the pile of acceptance letters at you’ve accumulated. Now that you’ve seen the scholarship options from these schools you’ve probably nailed it down to a top two or three. And by this point you just want to make a decision so that you have a concrete answer to the dreaded “What are your plans for next year?” question.

When it comes down to it here’s a few questions to ask when making your college decision:

1. Does the school offer the major you’re interested in? (And a variety of others in case you change your mind?) Students change their majors much more often than you may think, so even if you can’t predict what you might change your major too, at least look for schools that offer a variety of programs that appeal to you.
2. Are you comfortable with the distance from home? Whether you want to go to school across the country or in your hometown, be sure to think about if you’re comfortable with the distance from home. Consider how often you’ll be able to make the trip home (and how worried your mom will be if you go too far away).
3. Were you offered any grants or scholarships that will make paying for school manageable? College is expensive, which means that schools that don’t offer you large enough scholarships will probably have to be thrown off the list. Don’t forget to look for outside scholarships that can certainly help you pay your way.
4. Do you like the campus? It’s layout, the way it looks, the residence and dining halls? Even if you like everything else, if you don’t like the way a campus looks or feels then you probably won’t end up loving the school. These are the buildings you’ll be taking classes, studying, eating and living in for the next four years—liking them is important.
5. What are the major pros and cons of coming to school here? Go ahead and write it out, when you’re able to see your likes and dislikes in front of you may be able to better understand what is most important to you.
6. Will you be happy calling this school home for the next four years? Loving everything about the college you choose may be impossible, but if this is a place where you can be happy, see yourself grow and ultimately become a better person, then without a doubt, that is the school for you.

Now I must admit that the college decision was much easier for me than it is for most people. In fact, I did exactly what all admissions counselors tell you not to do and only applied to one school. Thankfully, Loyola wanted me and offered me a generous scholarship. For me, LUC checked off all the boxes I needed: plenty of majors, a beautiful campus, academics that would challenge me, Chicago (enough said), opportunities to study abroad and ultimately a place where I could be transformed.

Life at Loyola

By Meredith Simmons | January 22, 2016

Hello to anyone reading this! I’m Meredith Simmons and I’m a Freshman here at Loyola, this is my first post as a LUC admissions blogger so introductions are necessary. I am a marketing major and I grew up in Northwest Indiana about an hour outside the city. I love reading, music and exploring the city. I chose Loyola because I love Chicago and wanted to go to school in the city.

As we enter the second semester of the school year I want to reflect upon my first semester as a Loyola student, and really as a college student! It’s so hard to judge what life is going to be like as a college student. I think that everyone has a preconceived idea of what college will be. Some imagine the classic University from the movies, others imagine fast paced city living, for me I was really unsure of where I wanted to be after high school. I was torn between the fear of missing out on a “normal” college experience if I didn’t go to a big state school and the fear of missing out on the opportunities and excitement of living in the city. I found the perfect balance here at Loyola.

I didn’t know, of course, when I first applied to Loyola, that I would end up loving it as much as I now do (or even that I would end up a Loyola student at all). The decision was difficult, but Loyola became the best option for me. Though, I knew that I would be fine where ever I ended up, my decision to go to school in the city was the best decision I had made in a while. The first semester absolutely flew by, and I know everyone says that, but it’s true.

The adjustment to college classes took me a few weeks. I was truly scared that I wouldn’t adapt well to my new schedule, I think that’s a common fear for anyone starting college, but it didn’t take long for me to find the right balance of fun and work. Going into second semester I have already formed my study habits and found my favorite study spots. You can find me doing homework at Metropolis Coffee Co. or the second floor of Damen any weekend.

Overall I am very happy with my choice to come to Loyola. Everyday I find new reasons to be happy, whether it be with the amazing friends I’ve made or discovering new parts of the city. If you’re a senior in high school considering Loyola, I urge you to visit and take some time to get a feel for the amazing community and location that Loyola has to offer in addition to the phenomenal academic opportunities.

I can’t wait to continue sharing my journey as a Loyola student and am so grateful for the opportunity to write about it for you! See you next time!

-Mere

By Stephanie Rodriguez | January 18, 2015

Hello, everyone! I know that I am late on this, but let’s just get to the point: how amazingly, delicious is Protein Bar? I am from the suburbs, and I NEVER knew it existed. It wasn’t until recently that I found myself walking down Dearborn that I came across it. Since I am trying to eat healthier, and I had forgotten to pack my lunch, I had limited food places I could go. Luckily, my internship allowed me to get a 45 minute break in which I got to devour this delicious, yet healthy, bowl. It consists of spinach, quinoa, black beans, flex seeds, and pesto chicken. It almost tasted like a Chipotle bowl, but the healthier version. I really, really, really want to try their salad next time I go; they come in a cute, large bowl! I loved this place because it gives you the amount of carbohydrate, protein and fiber in each order. This made it so easy for my daily track of protein and carbs! Whether you are trying to eat healthy or not, you need to try this place out! So far, I have only tried this bowl and the original burrito and that was as delicious! The burrito was made with whole wheat grain, and I was stuffed. I have to admit that I’m going to purposely forget my lunch on the days I go to my internship because this is so good. This is also a great alternative for some late night studying snack! Yummmmm.

Bulls game

By Stephanie Rodriguez | December 15, 2014

I really wanted to share with all my fabulous experience at the Bulls game. Last Saturday, they played against Golden State. I bought these tickets for my boyfriend and I. The pictures show how close we were, row 6! Yes, the tickets were expensive, but so worth it! However, you can find cheaper tickets and be up higher. I’ve done this, but it’s still so much fun. There were so many people from Loyola University Chicago! I saw many friends. This is definitely the place to be, whether you’re a Bulls fan or not. The environment is amazing. I didn’t get to snap a picture of the one and only Scottie Pippen who was there, too! Now that finals are almost over…relax and have some fun! It is right off the Western stop. Enjoy!

Latin American Student Organization

By Stephanie Rodriguez | November 16, 2014

Did you know that Hispanics are the largest minority at Loyola University Chicago? Among Loyola’s diverse campus, the student body consists of so many cultures that you’d be surprised! Freshman year, I was lucky enough to live in the international floor (by luck), and I met so many students from all over the world. This encouraged me to search for more people of my culture, and so I decided to become part of an organization that reminded me a little bit more of home.

I joined the Latin American Student Organization (a.k.a. LASO) my freshman year. It was very relieving to joke around and listen to some music that made me feel more at home. My absolute favorite activity was and continues to be the Poetry Jam! It’s a great atmosphere and people from Northwestern, UIC, and other universities and colleges come to recite their poems. Also, I love how on certain occasions we would take trips to nearby Mexican Restaurants and order a bunch of tacos…yum!

I can ramble (no pun intended) about LASO FOREVER! However, actions speak louder than words, so you just have to check it out for yourself. Again, I owe LASO a lot for allowing me to meet some of my closest friends. If you’re of Hispanic decent, and even if you’re not, you have to check out this organization! If you’re interested check out the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/lasoluc.

They just had the annual Latin Ball which was SO much fun! For more pictures, click on the link above.