Accepted UMDCP & Loyola and leaning Loyola for advising, smaller class sizes and community. Merit aid makes it comparable in-state. Anyone's DC facing similar choice? Have other acceptances as well, these two coming in at top...

What other schools are higher on the list?

NP here and we are visiting soon for admitted students day. DC is accepted but it is lower on their list, but we as parents would like them to consider it for all the reasons mentioned above.

I think instead DC is going to chose a larger more "rah rah" state school, but I like the sound of a Jesuit education (educating the whole person), the smaller class sizes, the distance (we're in Virginia) and the job outcomes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeffery Selingo praises Loyola MD in his new book Dream School as having a great ROI with great post graduation outcomes.

+1 It’s a hidden gem!

More impressively, Loyola University Maryland is ranked 19th in the nation in The Wall Street Journal's 2026 Best Colleges list

Anonymous wrote:How is housing outside campus?

Most students live on campus all four years. It’s one of the pros of the school. There is a website that has off campus listings but not many are within walking distance so students would need cars.

Anonymous wrote:How is housing outside campus?

I am not certain but thought most live on campus all four years?

Anonymous wrote:Jeffery Selingo praises Loyola MD in his new book Dream School as having a great ROI with great post graduation outcomes.

+1 It’s a hidden gem!

How is housing outside campus?

10,999-11,999

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Anonymous wrote:We toured Towson and Loyola with DS the same day, and he loved Towson (it's now his first choice) and hated Loyola. It is a pretty campus, but the surrounding area is pretty run-down. The Loyola admissions person was great, and it was interesting to see how many other students said hi to our tour guide as we went around campus. It definitely had a smaller, more intimate vibe than big school Towson. It seemed like a place that would be great for the right student, it's just that my child is not that student.

Curious if your kid goes to a large HS? Ours are at large public HS with 1,500 students. I think the idea of a college that isn't much bigger is a turnoff. I wish this wasn't the case because I really think they could thrive at a smaller school.

Not PP your question was addressing but our HS is a hair under 3000 students and my kid wants a mid-size school for sure. Anything under 5-6k feels too much like high school for her.

She'll still apply though. We lived it.

Hoping my kid will like it. not 100% sure but I thought when I looked that some of the other Jesuit schools were closer to 6k students but like the nearby option.

loyola chicago and marquette are 11-12,000 students if you don't mind the cold

How many students are there if you do mind the cold?

To answer a few questions-

It’s a small D1 school- lacrosse and soccer are the best teams. Basketball struggles but has made the tournament twice. Lots of fun campus activities.

Awesome campus. Innovative programs.

If interested in business school, you should look. This is historically the biggest and strongest program.

Interfaith students would feel welcome- just make sure you are okay being at a catholic college- there will be crucifixes in the classrooms, jesuits who teach, required theology classes.

It’s surrounded on 3 sides by nice neighborhoods and on one side a neighborhood with less wealth. This is city life. They partner with the neighborhood for community service. This is part of going to a Jesuit school.

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. Thank you all so much for the helpful information. Sounds like it is worth a visit for my DS. Although sounds like he might not get enough merit aid with the 3.2.

Is there any chance they are coming from a Catholic HS?

They look at community service and also, whether or not the child is a 1st generation college student. We got some $$ b/c our careers are in service, and because we had another student in college.

A thing that held my kid back was the lack of a football team (played FB in HS) but the BANK where the Ravens play is 10 miles away, do we got some tickets for a few games and pointed out the stadium is closer than the apt. to stadium distance for friends at South Caroline, Georgia & VT.

The lack of Greek life is also a money saving, not just on dues but on extras like a million formals and outfits and trips.

There are groups and cliques and things, but it isn't based on Greek letters. It is also possible to be in multiple friend groups.

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Anonymous wrote:We’ve only heard great things about this school over the years, including their generosity with merit money.

One question: Our family is Jewish, and we feel that Jesuit values are compatible with our religion in so many ways. Curious, though, what families with first-hand experience with LM think. How is the school experience for non-Catholic students? Are we correct that it’s a welcoming place?

We’ve only visited but I’d note Loyola has a lot of interfaith a nod ecumenical programs, including an interfaith worship space and Jewish Student Association.

https://www.loyola.edu/department/campus-ministry/interfaith/interfaith-ecumenical-worship.html

Thanks! This seems consistent with other Jesuit schools, which we love. Mostly curious to hear from non-Catholic families about their kids' experiences there. I'm hoping it's as welcoming and inclusive as it seems.

This is old info, but I went there and my roommate was Jewish.
My child attends now.

While we are a pretty Catholic family, I know that my kid does not attend Mass, and I respect this he needs to make his own choices.
At events in the Church that involved prayer (not Mass, itself) they has multiple readers who were of other faiths.

It is a pretty welcoming place. I am sorry I can't represent what a Jewish parent would say, but my roommate would send her kid there if they wanted it. That area of Baltimore and little bit more NW also = lots of people who settled into Jewish communities.

My niece graduated a few years ago. She was an A-/B+ student in high school. She really found a home there with a great group of friends who she has stayed very close to post-graduation. She's not a partier and really needed a small, supportive school with a sense of community. She made good use of Baltimore with internships and went on to an ivy league grad school. She is muslim and felt totally comfortable there.