<p>As a parent, I can tell you that there will be alcohol on all campuses. Having two in college, I can also tell you that the foundations that you've instilled in your child will guide him/her when they are away and begin forging their own path. I can understand your concern and it's a legitimate concern. I found the following website very helpful when research college. You type in the name of the college you're researching and then click on the bottom of the page (arrests, etc.). </p>
<p><a href="http://www.securityoncampus.org/%5B/url%5D">http://www.securityoncampus.org/</a></p>
<p>bln_1975,
corrected web link to checking security/arrests/drinking offenses on college campuses. go to the link, click "crime stats" on the left side of page, type name of college (type loyola if that's what you want to look up), click search, click on the specific loyola campus you want, then click "arrests" on the bottom of the page. The statistics will come up. You can check out any college campus on this security site. When I used this site, I compared the stats with the number of students attending. I hope this helps.</p>
<p>i have read a lot of comments about needing a fake id if you go to loyola. if you want to be socially active do you need to have one?/ do a majority of freshman go to bars using the id?</p>
<p>I have been on this site for three years and you and Silverman are the only ones that I can remember bringing up fake IDs which makes me question your motivation and sincerity in asking about them. Obviously I know nothing about this and I wonder if you aren't trying to get the Loyola parents upset and cause trouble in this site. I see that you have been accepted at several Colleges and I don't get the impression that Loyola is your first choice. If acquiring a fake ID is the most important concern for the next four years you need to reconsider your priorities no matter where you choose to go. Good Luck and Congratulations!</p>
<p>The problem is, Loyola does have a reputation as a "bar school". Mostly because it has a "dry" campus, so to speak. They are not very tolerate of alcohol on campus from what I heard. Which then forces the parties to be moved off campus and into bars (for the most part).</p>
<p>My D went on an athletic official visit last year. She stayed overnight and hung out with the team. I later found out that they got her a fake id and they went to a bar (I had also warned her about drinking at all while on officials, you are being judged/tested). The same also happened to her teammate on her official to Binghamton. It happens everywhere. </p>
<p>I don't think anyone is trying to disparage Loyola's reputation. It has a great reputation, my D was accepted and very well may attend, but it also has the bar reputation to go with it. Unfortunately, the reality is drinking is everywhere at every school at every level. You just have to talk to your child realistically and hopefully you will have given them good guidance and good judgement. Good luck to all!</p>
<p>Actually bRavens, Loyola happens to be one of my first choices, and the reason i am asking about fake id's is NOT because i am seeking to get one if i attend Loyola. </p>
<p>I do not drink, and what worries me after reading comments online and in books, and actually hearing it from a Loyola transfer(who now attends American) is that loyola happens to be a so called "bar school." </p>
<p>Now I understand that there are a multiple of options for those students who do not drink on campus, and i was merely posing a question as to whether or not a large majority of students possess a false id. I understand that it is a college, and students drink, and students go out, but If the comments about loyola and drinking are true, such as students spending a majority of their cash at bars, then no, Loyola may NOT be the place for me. </p>
<p>But i believe that Loyola offers more than just the bars on falls road, and this is just a minuscule factor that has been blown up to make perspectives students question, I know it will be a haven for my intelligence to be nurtured, and a place to meet new people to connect with, and that far surpasses bars and drinking.</p>
<p>I appreciate your concern bRavens, as you believe drinking happens to be a priority of mine and Loyola would not suit me. But in all actuality, i know loyola is the best fit for me, more than any of the other schools i have been accepted. I understand that some students do base their attendnence to such schools on the "party scene," but neither me, nor my parents would ever consider such a factor.</p>
<p>By no means am i "trying to upset parents, or cause trouble on this site" i am trying to do as much research as i can so that when i arrive at college in late august, i will know what to expect.</p>
<p>And to any of the parents or students that I have scared by my question, i apologize, but im sure that you can understand why i want to ask and verify as many questions i can before making my final decision.</p>
<p>nysmile,</p>
<p>Thank you. It is very helpful!</p>
<p>bln_1975,
You're quite welcome! More parents should check it out. The colleges must report this information and this is the site to find it. It's the only way to really find out the truth. Also, make sure you compare the stats to the student population in order to get a true perspective. Good luck on your search.</p>
<p>nysmile,</p>
<p>I agree. My D has checked this site to get the data for herself. Now is "the decision" time for her: She has been accepted to every college that she applied:</p>
<p>Loyola (full tuition scholarship)
Villanova ($25,000/year scholarship)
Virginia Commonwealth U. (honors, Biomedical Engineering, full ride)
Virginia Tech (honors/bio/premed; scholarship TBA)
College of William & Mary (VA)
University of Virginia (likely letter)</p>
<p>She is very happy, but the decision is hard!</p>
<p>Advice for her, anyone ? Your inputs are appreciated.</p>
<p>bln_1975,</p>
<p>My opinion,
Stay away from Virginia Commonwealth--it's in the city of Richmond and Richmond is crime-ridden, Villanova and Loyola (check out the campus security and you'll see why I'm not keen on them), University of Virginia is terrific.</p>
<p>nysmile,</p>
<p>Thank you for your input.</p>
<p>My D has eliminated Villanova (too cold for her!) and Virginia Tech (Blacksburg is rather isolated!). </p>
<p>She plans to go to medical school after her BA/BS, therefore she thinks:</p>
<p>(1) VCU has a guaranteed admission to medical school that she can apply in the second years (only honors students can apply and she is accepted to the honors college); VCU's medical school is a good one.</p>
<p>(2) UVA and W&M are excellent, but graduating with a GPA high enough for medical schools is tough (it's possible tho).</p>
<p>(3) Loyola rank #2 in the North (Master University category) (and she gets full tuition scholarship). She thinks that she can graduate with a GPA high enough that would send her to a medical school.</p>
<p>She is still undecided because it's tough for her to drop UVA or W&M for Loyola. I will take her to re-visit all 4 colleges to help her make decision.</p>
<p>bln, good luck to your daughter in making her decision. My D had a similar choice last year--full tuition to Loyola, vs. W&M and Tech; she didn't apply to UVA because of size and preppy rep (which is also the reason she eventually decided not to attend Loyola). Applied to Tech, which is so huge, because she is pre-vet and Tech has the Vet school, plus she was invited into honors housing with several perks. Chose W&M for several reasons, and it's working out well. Bottom line...your D's four choices are very different schools. Her "gut" may tell her what will work best for her college experience. By applying herself, she could be successful getting into med school at any of them.</p>
<p>bln_1975, Happy Easter. As the above post says, the schools are quite different and she might have to go with her gut feeling when she revisits the campuses. Of all of the schools she's looking at, I would put VCU at the bottom of the list. Good luck.</p>
<p>Smdur1970 and nysmile,</p>
<p>Thank you very much and happy Easter to all!</p>
<p>Smdur1970 and nysmile,</p>
<p>Thank you very much and happy Easter to all!</p>
<p>My own opinion: UVA and W&M are both excellent. I would be happy with either one. However, I leave it for my D to decide because it's her college. She is a very motivated and dedicated student. She always plans ahead everything that we wants to achieve. </p>
<p>Her thinking is that: She tries to get as much information as possible about these schools and she will pick the one that most likely to send her to a medical school after her BA/BS (not prestige or anything else). She told me that she would not drop VCU without further research because of its guaranteed admission to the Virginia Medical College. If she gets that she just has to maintain a GPA of 3.5, which she is confident to achieve at VCU (no MCAT, essays, interview and all). I can see her point because it is extremely difficult to get in a medical school through a normal process (i.e., applying after obtaining a BA or BS). </p>
<p>On the other hand, she also realizes that if she does well at UVA or M&M she would be able to get accepted to a medical school, but it is not guaranteed (just like nobody can be sure if she/he gets accepted to HYPS!). </p>
<p>As for Loyola, she thinks that she would be able to obtain a higher GPA, better letters of recommendation from professors (relative to UVA or W&M), which are very important for her application to medical schools.</p>
<p>Anyway, she still has plenty of time to make her decision. But I can see it's tough though!</p>
<p>Again, thank you very much for your inputs.</p>
<p>smdur1970,</p>
<p>Is it true that "W&M is known for grade deflation" (compared to UVA)? Has your daughter mentioned it ?</p>
<p>Yes, I believe W&M is known for grade deflation, compared to the other publics in VA. Supposedly only a small few seniors graduate with 4.0's. I'm not sure freshman classes are the best indicators. D has done well in courses requiring writing, which is a surprise since that's not her strong point. Large lecture classes where tests are multiple choice also offer opportunities for good grades, if one studies and goes to class. The one exception is biology, which loads of freshman and sophomore take, including many with AP credit. Even though the tests are multiple choice, they are very hard because they require application and analysis, not just memorization. She's told grading is even tougher in more advanced courses.
Supposedly grad schools, and perhaps some employers, are aware of the deflation. I've been told that at Davidson, which has been known for grade deflation for some time but now might be better known for beating Georgetown at the NCAA, students with 3.4, 3.5 get into med school at a great rate.</p>
<p>Smdur1970,</p>
<p>Thank you for your info. My D will major in Biology/ Premed. She told me that medical schools do not like to see a C in science courses. My D is an IB diploma hs graduate, I think she would be able to handle it, but it seems rather tough!</p>
<p>When I went on a visit to Loyola, someone told me they only do a musical theatre production every other year. Do you know if this is true?</p>
<p>nysmile,</p>
<p>You are right! I took my D to visit VCU and spent a whole day there . She did not want to spend 4 to 10 years there (undergraduate & med school). She is not impressed with the campus. </p>
<p>We'll visit Loyola on 4/12,
UVA on 4/18 and W&M after that.</p>