Loyola University - Chicago

Warning: Do not go here. Don't even think about it. If I can steer one person away from this place, I will be happy. Again: DO NOT COME HERE.

Where to start? Let's start with the pros:

Good food in the dining halls. You shouldn't select a college because the food is good.
Lake Michigan. The lake is nice to look at and go to the beach, but again, that shouldn't be a hard selling point.

Chicago. This is a pro and a con: I love Chicago, but the city is not the place to spend college. I know that sounds strange, but it stifles the experience: you live among people of many ages and stages in their lives, and with that you lose the beauty that is when you live in a college town where the majority of people are there because the university is the center.

here we go...
Cons:
Classes: They're pointless. They're small which is nice or some, but feels like high school all over again.

Price: You're paying multiple times over what out-of-state tuition is for many MUCH BETTER, MORE FUN, MORE RECOGNIZED institutions.

Rogers park: Rogers park is not the worst neighborhood, but it definitely isn't the nicest. You have an influx of immigrants coupled with a high number of mentally ill homeless everywhere.

Academics: The classes aren't too tough, and there are limited research options. Go to a big public school because you'll have a ton more research opportunities.

Social life: Absolutely horrible!!!! The only *almost* saving grace for me was being an athlete. That was pretty nice because I had a group of friends always and something to do on weekends. I can't imagine how much worse it would have been without that. The campus is dead, there are no fun parties, and most people hole up in their dorms and drink, hoping not to get caught by an RA. How lame. Although I think that sometimes the media exaggerates how crazy the "college experience" is at times at large schools, this place is not even remotely close to that experience. The VAST majority of people who went here regret it immensely, and don't think you'll be the outlier, cause I thought that too and I'm not. Hamilton's is fun for a little while, but it gets lame quick. There are no real frats to foster any sort of party scene, and there are no sports to rally around--no football on the weekends. I know it sounds lame for me to complain about that, but it detracts substantially from the college experience since it is a centerpiece of socializing at larger schools. The school is a ghost town on the weekends. If you want a real college experience, please please listen to my warning: DO NOT GO TO LOYOLA, or any other school in the city for that matter.

Tl;dr-- You'd be paying an absurd amount of money to have a mediocre education at a university which does not offer a "true" college experience. I hope I've saved someone a lot of trouble.

3rd Year Male -- Class 2011

Surrounding City: A-, Individual Value: F

The students are arrogant and full of themselves. Many of them are aggressive and get in your face when you don't agree or don't live like them. Living with roommates is a nightmare; everyone drinks like a fish and has no concept of "enough." People are loud and drunk and obnoxious. They'll harass you if you don't act like a dumb, drunken, pot-head airhead. It's difficult to study and get things done living in this dysfunctional environment. I know some people say this is part of the "college experience," but it just goes too far. Not only do the people here have the emotional maturity of a 13 year old gossipy girl, but I constantly had my roommates friends coming into my room while I was sleeping. It was the most annoying thing I have ever experienced. Girls are really drunk, slutty, and annoying there......and this is coming from a girl. People smoke both cigarettes and pot here.....it's honestly appalling. Avoid Fordham Hall if you plan to attend Loyola; it is the loudest most drunken set of dorm rooms on campus. if you're into that though, go ahead, you'll have fun I guess. Also, try to stick with one roommate, I had three and it was a living hell. One in particular was a short, stupid ditzy girl who kept alcohol in her closet and was drunk 24/7. Aside from drinking, she enjoyed cooking at 2am hungover and singing Disney songs at 90 decibals. As for the financial aspect, the school costs a fortune and it would serve you best to go elsewhere. Tuition gets raised every year, and books are very expensive. Although the school is fairly generous with financial aid, you can go somewhere cheaper and get the same education. The academics are rigorous and do require ample study time, but that's most colleges. In my opinion, there are too many gen ed classes ("core classes."). You have to take freshman English seminar, 2 additional English classes, a math class, two history classes, two science classes, two societal classes, two philosophy classes, an ethics class, a language class, a lab/internship regardless or major (which is a good idea anyways), two theological classes, core "value" classes, etc........It's jut too many classes and it should be cut down so that more students can graduate in 4 years, I have heard horror stories of students being one or two classes away from graduation and having to stay for an extra semester and pay another whole semester of tuition. One good thing is that Loyola raised the maximum amount of credit hours per semester from 18 to 21, so you can take 7 classes instead of 6 or six classes and a lab/elective. If you can handle it, take advantage of that.

2nd Year Female -- Class 2015

Campus Aesthetics: A, Social Life: F