<p>I have been debating whether I should attend LMU or SMC. Which school is better would you say?</p>
<p>Are you an admitted student for class of 2016? Both are terrific schools, but obviously in very different areas. What are you planning on majoring in? Have you visited the schools? Admit Day for LMU is next weekend, so it would be a good chance to see everything first hand. Are the aid packages different? How about the “religious” focus–Jesuits are LMU and St. Mary’s Lasallian. In terms of rankings, LMU is 4th in regional universities in the west; St. Mary’s is 12th. St. Mary’s is much smaller, which means less program options. LMU def. is more difficult to get into and it has a greater balance of men/women.</p>
<p>DD and i visited St. Marys and HATED it - didn’t even stay for the tour. Two funny things happened though that we still laugh about. First, when we arrived, there was a student checking people in. Another student came up to him (she was a junior according to her tag) and said “Hey. I ain’t got a pen.” I almost burst out laughing, as did DD. We would pay HOW MUCH, and you can’t use proper English in front of a group of parents??? A few minutes later, as the tour guide was saying “We take security very seriously at this school” over his shoulder and visible to the entire group except him was a student climbing through a first floor window. Oops.</p>
<p>Yes, i’ve been accepted to both schools. LMU is offering me a much better financial aid package than SMC, but SMC is closer to home.</p>
<p>Loyola Marymount by a wiiiiiiiiide margin. Much better alumni support, which will matter when you need a job - CRITICAL!</p>