Loyola versus other Baltimore privates

[Anonymous]

For a boy, naturally.

Loyola is a well regarded school with a history of solid academics and does have a college placement record that takes in both elite and local schools. Just out of curiosity, what would be the advantages of picking a different Baltimore private over Loyola given that Loyola is about 12k cheaper? I'm not looking for dirt or gossip, but just getting a sense of the virtues of spending the extra $12k on another private when, from a casual perspective, there's not a whole lot to differ other than personalities, and sometimes not even that! Are class sizes bigger? Are facilities not as nice?

[Anonymous]

There are a lot more boys at both Loyola and Calvert Hall than the other boy’s schools. This will impact class sizes and ability to join athletic teams. College matriculations are not as good as Mcdonogh and Gilman.

[Anonymous]

Loyola Blakefield is a great school with a lot of devoted alums. If you love it and your son loves it, why would you even worry about what other schools offer?

[Anonymous]

Class sizes are bigger. It’s Catholic, which might be a turnoff for some people. A good fit for people whose sons intend to stay in Baltimore after college

[Anonymous]

Great for the fancy Catholic families in Baltimore. Beautiful facilities. Very Catholic.
College matriculations not quite as strong as other schools, but that should not be the be all and end all. Lots of boys are very happy there.

[Anonymous]

How long have you lived in Baltimore op? For the vast majority of families at Loyola, no other school would have been considered, either because of the Catholic aspect, the family history of attendance, or both.

[Anonymous]

Just commenting that Loyola's website says 10:1 student to faculty ratio. Who knows what that means in real life.

College list 2022-23 isn't bad: https://loyolablakefield.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/869/download/download_2082878.pdf

I glanced at BL (2023 matriculation available) and Gilman (2019-2014) and while I can see Gilman looks stronger, there's plenty of overlap with Loyola matriculations as well as plenty of Gilman grads going to weaker schools. And Loyola does have Ivy-bound students and I know enough that no school is going to turn a B student into Harvard material and Gilman's advantage has to do with having more high performing kids from high performing families in the first place. And I know Baltimore well enough to know that plenty of Gilman grads end up living in Baltimore

Leaving aside the Jesuit/secular differences, can a compelling case be made that the teaching at Gilman is stronger? Is Loyola really that much more provincial?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just commenting that Loyola's website says 10:1 student to faculty ratio. Who knows what that means in real life.

College list 2022-23 isn't bad: https://loyolablakefield.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/869/download/download_2082878.pdf

I glanced at BL (2023 matriculation available) and Gilman (2019-2014) and while I can see Gilman looks stronger, there's plenty of overlap with Loyola matriculations as well as plenty of Gilman grads going to weaker schools. And Loyola does have Ivy-bound students and I know enough that no school is going to turn a B student into Harvard material and Gilman's advantage has to do with having more high performing kids from high performing families in the first place. And I know Baltimore well enough to know that plenty of Gilman grads end up living in Baltimore

Leaving aside the Jesuit/secular differences, can a compelling case be made that the teaching at Gilman is stronger? Is Loyola really that much more provincial?

First of, let me say, I think Loyola is a terrific option, especially given it’s cost. Its alumni are extremely loyal which speaks well of their experience. 75 percent of its students receive aid, which is tremendous. Gilman provides aid to only around 25 percent of students, which is typical of a Baltimore independent school.

think you are looking at the college matriculations with rose colored glasses. Here’s some of the Loyola matriculations that you won’t find at Gilman:

Belmont Abbey
Baltimore County community college
East Tennessee
Flagler
Hartford Community College
Penn State Harrisburg
Nazareth
Regis
Rider, etc. . .
I only look at where kids are attending for both schools. In addition, a little more than three percent of the class at Loyola doesn’t attend college after graduation. Not sure what schools from the Gilman list are “weaker” than this. Loyola’s list combines 2022 and 2023 acceptances. If you look by individual year (I.e. class insta accounts),you’ll see that Gilman places more kids at the top schools each year despite having a significantly smaller class, especially when looking beyond sports recruits.

This year, Gilman had 8 national merit semi finalists, Loyola had none. Park had 2, Mcdonogh 4, Bryn Mawr 2.

Gilman offers coed classes in upper school, Loyola does not. Loyola requires religion classes, Gilman does not. Gilman has a very strong classics program, offering five years of Latin and four of Greek. Loyola doesn’t appear to offer either. Generally the Loyola course catalog fits on one chart in the link you attached, Gilman offers many more options across subjects.

[Anonymous]

I'm not too concerned by college placements because any school that places a decent number of graduates into top colleges is an excellent school. Gilman still sends kids to Towson and UMBC as well as minor LACs and regional state universities that take anyone who can pay the tuition, but that doesn't mean it's a weak school. The Gilman matriculation list is skewed a bit by including five years (2019-2023) versus two at Loyola. It's clear Loyola takes in a bigger range of boys that that is reflected in the college matriculations.

I am more interested in seeing the difference in academic offerings and the comment about classics offering is a good difference. On the opposite end of the academic spectrum, any insights into the math/science offerings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not too concerned by college placements because any school that places a decent number of graduates into top colleges is an excellent school. Gilman still sends kids to Towson and UMBC as well as minor LACs and regional state universities that take anyone who can pay the tuition, but that doesn't mean it's a weak school. The Gilman matriculation list is skewed a bit by including five years (2019-2023) versus two at Loyola. It's clear Loyola takes in a bigger range of boys that that is reflected in the college matriculations.

I am more interested in seeing the difference in academic offerings and the comment about classics offering is a good difference. On the opposite end of the academic spectrum, any insights into the math/science offerings?

Gilman's course catalogue is on the public portion of its website.

[Anonymous]

I have a kid at Gilman, but I can tell you that the friend of mine who went to LB is a super smart guy who had a good experience there. He is also really, really Catholic. I did not consider it for my Jewish kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at Gilman, but I can tell you that the friend of mine who went to LB is a super smart guy who had a good experience there. He is also really, really Catholic. I did not consider it for my Jewish kid.

That is perhaps the most useful comment made so far. Growing up with many Jewish friends and neighbors, that a Loyola kid wouldn't have Jewish classmates does make me pause. Something to consider.

[Anonymous]

I mentioned this in an earlier comment. The vast majority of families at Loyola are there because it is a Catholic school. For them the only choice is maybe Loyola or Calvert Hall, though many will only consider one or the other because their family has attended for generations. The families that fit this mold are very cliquey. There are obviously also folks attending who aren’t in this mold, but it is the dominant culture.
My husband did attend Gilman, but there are less than 10 kids, maybe less than 6 boys total in my son’s upper school class at Gilman who are the sons of alumni.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in the area. Loyola kids/families typically have long ties to Baltimore and stick around Baltimore. I think the diversity in community at a Gilman (in terms of where parents are from, what they do for work, how they view kids' achievement) is a bit differnet than Loyola

[Anonymous]

I would Send my son to Loyola in a heartbeat if our family was Catholic. The college matriculation data for the top students at any school In Baltimore is pretty similar, if your son is a top student, going to Loyola vs gilman isn't going to hurt his chances. but the community at Loyola is leaps and bounds better than any of the other boys schools. Most Of the other boys schools in balto are just a$$hole factories, but not Loyola. That school produces good humans.