I do think the ratio of Female to Male students is like 60/40 or more so that’s a turn off for my DD.

A neighbor went there and hated it. Had a tough time making friends. She said it was much easier for boys due to the fact that there are so few of them that they had no choice but to hang out together. Turns out she wanted football weekends.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a kid here that can share their experience? Kid is a B+ student, MCPS, probably will have 3-4 APs at most but tests well. Rising junior and thinking about medium sized schools that give merit aid.

Mine is at Loyola Maryland and they give great merit aid.

One of the nice things about Loyola Chicago - caveat, I don't know if they still do this - is that they had rolling admissions. Apply early and get an answer on the early side.

Anonymous wrote:The city of Chicago is the best!

I used to teach a few courses there, when I was in graduate school in Chicago a long time ago. The kids back then were great - mostly from Chicago, solid students, kind and friendly. I remember looking at the school as an 18 year old myself, actually... and deciding not to apply even though the campus was so cool and urban, because the dorm room I toured was so tiny.

I just met an older man wearing a Loyola Chicago t-shirt in Bethesda, and asked him if he taught there, or what his connection was to the school. He said his granddaughter - from Berkeley, CA! - goes there and is very, very happy. So it does skew regional, but there are for sure kids there from outside of Chicago, and I just met one of them!

I love Chicago, and Loyola looks good lately (they did some work to their campus a few years ago).

Loyola Chicago is solid. It's kinda regional and there will be kids who go home some weekends. It's mostly midwestern kids who stay in the area after graduation. But ... not all, at all. And that wouldn't hold me back. I actually think Chicago is a great city for new grads. Livable, reasonable.

I would pursue merit, even for a B+ kid. They have it to give.

It has a lot to offer. Apply early to be considered for merit.

It's a lovely campus!

My DD has a friend heading there this fall! She sounds like your kid ... B+ student, with lots to offer. She loves the city and is a bit artsy. Seems like a good fit!

FWIW, my MCPS kid was offered $23K/year in merit for Loyola Chicago two years ago. But she was a straight A student with more APs. Just in case you're trying to get a sense of how much merit might be offered. I have a rising HS junior too and am going to suggest it for them as well (older kid went elsewhere, and we never got to visit).

The city of Chicago is the best!

The podcast, Your College Bound Kid, did an in-depth episode on Loyola Chicago: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/2023/07/03/loyola-chicago-university-il/

Anyone have a kid here that can share their experience? Kid is a B+ student, MCPS, probably will have 3-4 APs at most but tests well. Rising junior and thinking about medium sized schools that give merit aid.