Loyola University Chicago Top Questions

Strong academics.

Loyola is a school that is challenging but with tremendous amounts to gain through the challenges. Studying is a big thing at Loyola. Like typical college students, we "cram" before midterms and finals, but we study regularly to make sure we are well-versed in any subject. Class participation is also a big thing. It is rare that a class is simply just lecture. Student input is highly valued at Loyola. That being said, students are most definitely competitive. It is a competitive world, so it is only natural that college would also be competitive, even among friends. Education at Loyola is definitely on a pragmatic application. You don't just learn useless information for trivia games. You learn what you need to know to be successful at whatever you chose to do in life.

The academics at Loyola seem comparable to the academics at other colleges my friends go to, both public and private. Compared to high school, I do a lot more reading for my classes and find that there are less small assignments, and most of our grade comes from papers, midterms, and finals. So far I have liked all my professors for my core classes. They all had accessible office hours that I took full advantage of and they were very helpful. I am a theatre major and I love everyone in the department. Many of them know my name and are always willing to help me outside the classroom with auditions or other outside projects I am working on. They are geared towards getting us hired in the theatre world at large.

Professors are usually very easy to talk to and always willing to help out in one shape or another. Most of them have offices where students can reach them one on one.

The classes vary greatly at Loyola and it is all dependent upon the teacher you receive. A great teacher can make any subject fun and exciting to learn. Loyola does have a few of these teachers if you are lucky enough to have them. Besides that the classes are pretty standard when the teachers aren't as impressive. Mostly tests and essays.

Classes are pretty small, ranging from 10 people (specialized classes) to 60 people (100 level - intro classes) So, it really feels like you get to know people, and the professors all make sure to know your name. You might hate this if you don't like showing up to class, but a lot of times we get participation credit, so it helps! It's also great not to have TAs. Professors are always available during their office hours or by private appointment. My favorite classes are the language classes at Loyola. I'm currently taking mid-level Hebrew 103, I've taken Spanish 250 (mid-level grammar course), and I audited French 309 (upper-level literature course). The professors are all amazing, they have all studied in the countries of the language they teach, and they are really passionate about the countries, the language, and teaching. I am in the Business School. I'm double majoring in Finance and International Business. Honestly, Intl Business is like a fluff major. I've taken courses like International Management, Intl Marketing, Intl Finance, Global Logistics, and they've all made me more aware of how different cultures perceive and do business, but the major itself hasn't taught me a skill set. Finance, on the other hand, is an actual skill set. Teachers from both departments are very knowledgeable and very willing to sit down with us one-on-one during office hours. There is also a Career Center both at the main campus and in the Business School. It is very helpful for resume writing, cover letters, finding jobs and internships, and attending professional business events. There are always lots of opportunities! Students at Loyola are not very competitive. In high school i always used to worry about what my peers would think of my answers and of my grades, but it's not like that at all at Loyola. Thank goodness! In the Business School, education is geared toward getting a job, for sure. In the Arts & Sciences School, it's more about learning for its own sake. Students study about 10-20 hours per week for school. We have a great study area called the Information Commons. It's an eco-friendly building right on Lake Michigan with lots of computers and study space. It is also attached to the library.

Classes are pretty small, ranging from 10 people (specialized classes) to 60 people (100 level - intro classes) So, it really feels like you get to know people, and the professors all make sure to know your name. You might hate this if you don't like showing up to class, but a lot of times we get participation credit, so it helps! It's also great not to have TAs. Professors are always available during their office hours or by private appointment. My favorite classes are the language classes at Loyola. I'm currently taking mid-level Hebrew 103, I've taken Spanish 250 (mid-level grammar course), and I audited French 309 (upper-level literature course). The professors are all amazing, they have all studied in the countries of the language they teach, and they are really passionate about the countries, the language, and teaching. I am in the Business School. I'm double majoring in Finance and International Business. Honestly, Intl Business is like a fluff major. I've taken courses like International Management, Intl Marketing, Intl Finance, Global Logistics, and they've all made me more aware of how different cultures perceive and do business, but the major itself hasn't taught me a skill set. Finance, on the other hand, is an actual skill set. Teachers from both departments are very knowledgeable and very willing to sit down with us one-on-one during office hours. There is also a Career Center both at the main campus and in the Business School. It is very helpful for resume writing, cover letters, finding jobs and internships, and attending professional business events. There are always lots of opportunities! Students at Loyola are not very competitive. In high school i always used to worry about what my peers would think of my answers and of my grades, but it's not like that at all at Loyola. Thank goodness! In the Business School, education is geared toward getting a job, for sure. In the Arts & Sciences School, it's more about learning for its own sake. Students study about 10-20 hours per week for school. We have a great study area called the Information Commons. It's an eco-friendly building right on Lake Michigan with lots of computers and study space. It is also attached to the library.

The professors are great! Many of them know my name and would take a great interest if I needed extra help. They are all very interesting and present information in an engaging way, also promoting class participation. I definitely think Loyola helps prepare its students for further schooling, but could perhaps do a little better for those students who desire to get a job straight out of college.

The student to faculty ratio is 15:1. Classes are small enough for professors to not only know your name, but get to know you on a more personal level. Class participation is very common because professors like to hear what students have to say. Students always have intellectual conversations outside of class, and students study all the time! We have an awesome Information Commons connected to the library and located right on the lake. It is the perfect place to study. My major is Social Work with a Psychology minor. I have liked all of my social work classes, but one of my favorites so far was Cultural Diversity in which students were able to teach the class. I think the school's academic requirements are acceptable and appropriate.

I'll be honest...academics are tough here. However, the toughness of studies accounts for Loyola's great reputation and high acceptance rate in grad/professional schools. I am in the nursing program and it's a rigorous program which requires a certain GPA standing to stay in the program; very honorable nonetheless. Classes are usually in the 20-40 range in student capacity, however there are those lecture classes with 80+. Seeing professors outside of the classroom will definitely help in being noticed and come time for a great recommendation letter, ask your new favorite professor!