<p>We were unable to attend Accepted Student's Day and we're curious to know, from those who did attend, their impression of the school. We've been on campus a couple of times and we were very impressed with the students and the campus/buildings. We've not talked to faculty or administration. For those who attended, or students/parents that attend now, would you share your thoughts?</p>
<p>We attended & were very impressed—they put out major effort to get the Accepted to decide by the end of the day to make their deposits. </p>
<p>This included a ride to the new athletic center on buses to speak with your AO’s who had been stationed here & there around the building, go downstairs to a hall to collect your “gift” (stainless steel water bottle with greyhound emblazoned thereon) and lo & behold the terminals were placed right there for you to connect & make your deposit! Really clever.</p>
<p>They had a breakfast for students who had been accepted with scholarships, which we attended. Each table had a member of the faculty/staff who is associated with such things as the honors program, dean of students, etc. to answer ques. AO director stood up & gave some words and intros of the others, and had 2 students speak about how happy they were to be at L. </p>
<p>Then everyone walked downstairs to the arena where all the other accepted students & their folks were pretty much already seated (the brkf ran over) — when we walked in, the system was playing “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” – and other selections which my D pronounced cool. There were 2 jumbo screens in addition to the people seated on the platform.</p>
<p>Addresses by Pres of U, Dean & others followed, all abt how wonderful L is, prepares them for life, Jesuit ideals, etc, and also how wonderful our children are, & they showed a professionally produced film with those snippets of campus views, students saying how great it is and all those things–but it was a really well produced one. There were coffee/tea urns & granola bars to one side. </p>
<p>Then they dismissed everyone—the kids went off in small groups to panel discusssions where D told us they did ice breakers and students who are currently freshmen (another good idea–closer in age) talked abt their experiences.</p>
<p>Parents stayed in the big arena & they showed a nicely done film about the change in families when your S/D goes to school. You really get the impression they care a great deal about your child as a person. The Dean asked parents to start teaching their offspring to clean their rooms & bathrooms & cook & do laundry! (He is right)</p>
<p>Then the kids came back & everyone was split in 2 groups—half went to the “info fair” and half on a campus tour. The info fair was imo the best part of the day. Another large room with tables set up all around, like vendors do at a conference center— with reps from each academic dept, and also info services, the chaplains office, the food services guy, counseling, the outdoors club, etc. We did get to meet & talk briefly with profs in depts in which she is interested. I was very impressed at the friendliness & genuine concern & interest in the students on the part of all of these people. They all had sheets with info on what is req’d in various depts or the things their offices do if applicable, for take-homes. They were able to ans questions abt “She wants to minor in X…” and those individual things every family has. </p>
<p>The tour was the standard campus tour—the sheet said there wd be emphasis on housing but we only saw the inside of one dorm (they call this style a suite–it had a common room, double BRs, bath, galley kitchen, and was in a garden-apt style bldg I wd say was built in the early 60s or late 50s — very generous with space but of course this one was boys’ & they had not been listening to the Dean on making beds!). It was indeed very nice compared to just abt anything we have seen anywhere else. I forgot to look for sprinklers. </p>
<p>We have done the tour before—I wd really rather have seen several dorm rooms instead!</p>
<p>After that, a late lunch in the arena again where they had set up tables since the morning. The lunch was turkey sandwiches on air buns & soft drinks/coffee & cookies. I know the food services (Sodexo) are the ones who provided it (saw the polo shirts), I guess by contract to the univ—I think they shd be prevailed upon to make the lunch nicer! They are after all trying to sell the parents on the place and giving parents the idea the kids will be eating better than student-stuff helps! ; – ) (Years ago we went to a “parent reception” at Georgetown on their accepted student weekend, and <em>that</em> one had wine, cheese, & fancy canapes! The kids at both schools eat tons of coke & pizza anyway–but doing fancy for parents always helps)</p>
<p>Our group had been running late all day so we got the bus to the sports complex after lunch, and got to glance in the large rooms with weight machines, pool, karate class going on, etc etc and they had AOs stationed here & there. We found ours to say Thank You to.</p>
<p>As mentioned the students collect their “gifts” for having attended by going to a glassed in entry hall & getting the water bottle—when you turn around, there are the computers set up with “DEPOSITS” on a sign above them. By then, our D was ready to sign up. </p>
<p>We laughed all the day about the clever things like the water bottle placement & the music but she really had been most influenced by talking with the other students, and the profs. Us too. </p>
<p>There is one thing I wished they had done that they did not, and that is to have written clearly on the top of the program that the bookstore was only open till 3. We did not get to pick up a sweatshirt for Miss New Loyola Student to proudly wear into high school today. The event ended at 3 so unless you skipped the tour, left one of the sessions early, or bunked lunch, you did not get to go in there & make the needed deposit to Barnes & Noble for your bit of dark green clothing. </p>
<p>Or, they could have twisted the arm of B&N staff to keep the place open later that day. Or, have them set up a table at the athletic complex to sell kids tee shirts right after they had made the deposit! lol</p>
<p>Hope this has been helpful!</p>
<p>Congratulations! you have been very helpful in answering all my questions. Will let you know how we make out on our 1st visit there next month.</p>
<p>JRZMom, </p>
<p>Thank you so very much for your thorough review of Accepted Student’s Day. Your specifics were helpful to hear. It is nice to hear that the administration put an emphasis on how your child will be welcomed into the community and how they care about their students. This community atmosphere is a huge plus, when your child will be far from home.</p>
<p>To hear that your D was impressed enough to make her final decision right there on the spot, shows that the comfort level was strong.</p>
<p>What were your D’s other choices for colleges she was accepted to?</p>
<p>What a huge disappointment to find the bookstore closed before you had a chance to get the right of passage sweatshirt! </p>
<p>Thank you again!</p>
<p>JRZmom hit on everything pretty well. My day was mostly the same, minus a personal interactions and all. </p>
<p>My dad and I left home around 10 to 5 to make it down to Baltimore the morning of. (It was 10 minutes before we saw another car on the road. Creepy.) We went to the scholarship breakfast as well. That was rather nice. (The bacon hit the spot, but the hash browns were kinda eh.) My dad and I ate with Dr. Harris, the head of the honors program and a poli sci professor, and some other prospectives. I’m definitely glad we ended up deciding to come down the hour earlier for it. It was a good experience. JRZ’s description of the rest of that bit is solid enough.</p>
<p>I was pretty spacey during the everybody welcome bit. As far as I could recall, it was a lot of the general stuff that you’d hear emphasized multiple times over the course of the day.</p>
<p>For the first minute of being split up from our parents, it was really odd, at least in my group. Then people started talking it was all good. This probably seems rather non relevant, but it was good to (almost) instantly get that feeling that you’ll find people to click with.</p>
<p>During our student panel, the 4 current students (I believe we had a sophomore, 2 juniors, and a senior) opened the floor for whatever questions we had after having us go around the room introducing ourselves. They threatened us with an actual icebreaker if people didn’t start talking, but it wasn’t needed. Questions were being asked the whole however long period.</p>
<p>After that everyone was sent to different places based on academic interests. That bit was perfectly fine, but not particularly interesting.</p>
<p>We were supposed to go to the info fair after that, and my dad and I did for a few minutes during which we just strolled around. By that time, I was crashing hard from being up so early and lunch wasn’t going to be served for another 45 minutes or something like that, so we ditched the info session and went to the car to grab some snacks. </p>
<p>The tour was pretty general, but apparently it was slightly different from JRZ’s. I know there were a bunch of different upperclassmen dorms being shown. We saw a 4 person suite shared by 4 girls which had 2 nicely sized bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, and dining room. Our tour guide said this was a rather odd one, though, and that almost all of the 4 person suits had 2 bathrooms. When we went back across campus, we were shown a freshman dorm in Flannery O’Connor. </p>
<p>Ate lunch (was okay but nothing special), took the shuttle to the FAC, walked around there (very nice), spoke to our local admissions counselor, and took the shuttle back to the car.</p>
<p>Long day, but I’m glad I took the time to go. Hopefully by Sunday I’ll have made a decision.</p>
<p>Sounds very similar to my day at Loyola New Orleans! Except the book store was open until 6…</p>