Hi there! My daughter is considering Loyola… we are from Texas and I have a few questions I was hoping current students would answer!
Dorms... she is looking for the suite dorms so no community bathrooms. She was advised on Simpson. We couldn't get a tour of any dorms so kinda clueless... any preference? We heard some you had to share a closet? LOL!!! And how hard is it to get the dorm you want since it is lottery?
Sororities... all campuses have sorority reputations...any stand outs?
Weather.. This is a funny one.. anyone from a warmer part and had a hard time with the long winter? We were told its all about the clothes...any advice?
Transportation.... Train- safe? Also how do you get to and from soccer field? Is it pretty much walking only?
Culture... keep reading about the gender gap and also the girls dress up everyday to school? Any truth?
If you could answer any from your current experience it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
The best dorms are Regis, San Fran, and de Nobili from what I have heard. I know Regis does not have communal bathrooms, cannot speak for the other ones, though. I am currently in Campion, which is home to the Honors Program. Campion and Mertz are definitely the least modern of all freshman dorm options. With the lottery system, there really is no good way to predict if you’ll get what you want. Just put in your request as early as possible and hope for the best.
We have sororities, but they don’t have a huge presence. Because we’re Jesuit, they can’t have houses on campus. They’re there if you want the community and they do some wonderful charity events, but also if you’re not interested you won’t be missing out as there are plenty of things to get involved in.
I’m from Chicago so can’t speak to it, but I will say the wind can be a bit gusty in the city all the time, so it’s not a bad idea to have a lighter jacket in early fall/spring and a warm, heavier coat for the winter.
The trains here are fairly safe. As with any big city, there are things that happen, but not really at the Loyola stop. It’s just about being aware of your surroundings and not traveling by yourself, especially at night. There is no direct transportation to the soccer field, so walking or taking the CTA buses is usually the best option.
For me the gender gap is definitely noticeable in my residence hall. There’s 3 floors and 2.5 are female. I am a neuroscience major and it is not as noticeable in the classes. And no, girls do not dress up everyday. It’s really up to you. There are people in my classes that come in sweatpants and others come in skirts. However you’re most comfortable.
Hope that helps and feel free to message me with any more questions!
My daughter is a freshman nursing student. I happen to be FaceTiming her right now and told her about your question. She wanted to answer. Note: for some reason, only the first part of her answer posted.
Hi there!! I am not able to see it but would LOVE to hear what she has to say!!! Thank you for relaying these questions! I would love to hear more opinions!! Thanks so much!
Regis is the only dorm with private bathrooms (one in each room). However, right now it’s mostly sophomores, some freshmen. Simpson is suite style as well, and there are some suites in San Francisco, which to the best of my knowledge are highly, highly sought after. Freshman housing isn’t really a lottery—you fill out the app with your preferences and you get what you get.
There aren’t many sororities, and no Greek housing. There is a presence, but not a huge one and it is definitely not party centric. There’s a fair amount of philanthropy with Greek though.
I’m from the north, but I hate winter. It’s definitely slightly more tolerable in Chicago than where I’m from, but nonetheless is not the most fun. But if you bundle up, you’ll be fine.
CTA in general is pretty safe. I have pepper spray on my keychain, and I’m always aware of my surroundings. I try to ride the front car of the train, especially alone/at night. The train area around Loyola (and most of the city) is absolutely fine, but the southernmost parts of the red and green lines and the green line West is not great.
Gender gap is very true but it’s not something that you notice unless you’re really paying attention. I don’t feel like girls dress up particularly for class; actually, I’ve never heard that as a stereotype/rumor about LUC.
Hope that helps!