Loyola University Maryland

I'm transferring. I love the school and it's such a shame because it really is beautiful, but there are two major factors why it isn't for me, and most likely isn't for you. One, if you choose Loyola because you want to attend a city school, don't. Loyola may be technically in Baltimore but the city of Baltimore is largely inaccessible, dangerous, and separate from campus. If what Loyola is surrounded in is Baltimore, then it must be the absolute worst part. You can't walk down the street at night without getting mugged or put in some other dangerous situation - we receive emails about incidents that occur on York road daily from campus police. And that leads into my second reason - Loyola has virtually no concept of a social life apart from going to the bars. This is a bar school to the definition, and if you don't like to drink on tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday and saturday nights with the occasional monday night, you won't feel comfortable here. I bought a fake i.d. because I thought that was my golden ticket to a social life but really it just gets you in to crappy places and a slew of boring, predictable nights. Loyola kids have to be smart because it is a hard school to get into, but they don't show it when completely smashed, which they are seventy percent of the time. Community service? I've been here two months and haven't heard a word about it. But back to my main point - the social life. It is not in any way "low key." There are no dorm parties, forcing kids to go off campus to Johns Hopkins frats - big mistake. You will waste your money away on taxis everywhere, and the frats at JH are maddddd sketchy. They are downright dangerous, there is a hazing ritual that pledges have to sleep with a Loyola girl and steal her "swipe" meaning her key to get around the school which contains all her money. The scene here is so not a good time. It just isn't. The people are fake, very much the same, wear the same things, stay up all night (I swear my roommate is a vampire) and judge everyone, all the time, immediately. It is a social hierarchy here and I've made friends, been told I am a nice person, and still I want desperately to get out. There is such an air of effort, of trying too hard, that the girls can't go out at night without wearing club outfits, freezing in December. If you want to attend a school where you are expected to be social every night of the week, and by be social I mean drink until you are blackout drunk, and still keep up with your massive amounts of work, and if you want to attend a school where the surface is much more important than what's inside, and everyone is the same (rich, white, preppy and judgmental) then come here. I've been on this site many times and I know I read disgruntled negative comments and think to myself, "well this person was obviously just unpopular and didn't fit in," but I promise you this is not the case. I'm dreading telling the VERY FEW friends I have made here that I'm leaving, but I just can't envision four years here. All the things I thought I came to Loyola for are not here now that I am here, and I regret choosing this school. Don't say I didn't warn you.

1st Year Female -- Class 2009

Campus Aesthetics: A+, Surrounding City: F