Academic Highlights

High Standards in the Classroom

Loyola is a strong school academically, and our faculty have high expectations of our students in the classroom. You will find in college that students are required to work more independently. Students actually spend less time in class meetings than they do in high school, but they are required to do much more reading, problem completion and other background work to prepare for each class session. Substantial papers, research assignments and other kinds of projects are often major elements of your coursework in college. Study habits are particularly important at this level because the college workload is much more extensive. Students who have learned to organize their schedules and who are able to study on a consistent basis are best at making the transition to the college level.

A Strong Student Body

Admission to Loyola is selective, and the Loyola student body is talented and accomplished in the classroom. More than 9,000 students apply for admission as first year students for approximately 1,000 spaces. Strong grade performance is particularly emphasized in Loyola’s admission evaluation. Our students typically have achieved a 3.5 average in their high school work and, additionally, have enrolled in many advanced courses. The typical enrolled student has an SAT score between 1120 and 1270 in the Critical Reading and Math sections. Beginning in fall 2009, Loyola will not require SAT and ACT scores as part of the admission application.

Opportunities for Advanced Work

Loyola offers a general college Honors Program, which focuses especially on the humanities (but is open to students in all majors). The business school sponsors the Sellinger Scholars program, which offers special sections of required business courses and special learning experiences as well. In the sciences, Loyola offers the Hauber Fellowship program, an opportunity for selected science students to do major research on fellowship stipends. These are full-time summer projects, usually scheduled between the junior and senior years. The Center for the Humanities also funds undergraduate research and sponsors students as faculty assistants. Students will also find many honors seminars and research projects available within the context of many specific majors.

An Interesting Place to Be

Loyola offers a rich and diverse intellectual and cultural life on campus with an excellent selection of plays, lectures, discussion and reading groups, art exhibitions, debates and many other options. All are designed to create an atmosphere in which community members learn about and explore issues, questions and interests beyond the curriculum. Sometimes, class work is formally tied in to these sorts of presentations to enrich the learning experience.