An Overview of Student Life at Loyola University Chicago

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Emily Pacheco in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info. 

 

What’s Covered:

• Experiencing Chicago
• Study Abroad Opportunities at Loyola Chicago
• Transitioning To Loyola from High School

 

 

In this article, we will discuss student life at Loyola University Chicago, from the Chicago experience to study-abroad opportunities and the transition from high school to Loyola.

 

Experiencing Chicago

 

Loyola University is located in Chicago and with two campuses―the Lake Shore campus on Lake Michigan and the Water Tower campus in downtown Chicago―students have plenty of opportunities to experience what the city has to offer. As far as cities go, Chicago has everything that big, cosmopolitan cities have but without as much crowding and with more green spaces and parks. While Chicago is about the same size geographically as New York City, it has half the population, although it is still the third-largest city in the United States. 

 

Additionally, Chicago is located along the coast of Lake Michigan, and Loyola Chicago’s main campus is situated on the lakeside. Lake Michigan and its beaches are awesome spaces for people to play beach volleyball and participate in other recreational activities. Students often find these activities throughout Chicagoland as there is a wonderful mix between the city and nature.

 

Study Abroad Opportunities at Loyola Chicago

 

Students at Loyola don’t only stay in Chicago, many of them also study abroad. Loyola Chicago has a campus in Rome, which is one of the great study-abroad options available to students. The Rome campus is like a small version of Loyola—classes are held in English, and it has classroom space, dorm rooms, and a cafe. 

 

In addition to the program in Rome, Loyola Chicago has many other study-abroad programs available, including a center in Vietnam. At Loyola, it is possible to do a short-term summer program, a semester, or even an entire year studying in another country, depending on what you are interested in.

 

While there’s no shortage of study-abroad opportunities at Loyola, it is important to prioritize studying abroad and plan ahead. Interested students should make sure that they are completing all the necessary steps at the right times to plan for a semester, year, or summer abroad.

 

Transitioning To Loyola From High School

 

Orientation and Welcome Week

 

At Loyola Chicago, the school community has several programs to support students in the transition from high school to college. Before students move onto campus and start classes, they participate in Loyola’s orientation, which takes place in the summer. At orientation, students stay for two days where they get to have their first experience in the dorms, get their ID card, register for classes, and ensure that they’re ready for Welcome Week. 

 

Welcome Week happens the week before classes begin and is a whole week when freshmen move on to campus early and participate in fun activities meant to get them out of the dorms and engaged with the Loyola community.

 

Support During the First Semester

 

In addition to the initial transition to campus, there are also activities and programs that go on throughout the semester to support new students, such as tutoring. The academic transition to Loyola can be challenging, and students may need support in adapting to the new system of studying expected in college. 

 

Loyola Chicago requires all new freshmen to take a weekly, one-credit, course called UNIV 101. In this course, students systematically go over all of the on-campus resources and learn what it takes to be a successful student. The class is typically taught by the student’s academic advisor, so it’s also a great opportunity to get important questions answered, and to map out an academic plan for the next four years.