A lush, idyllic campus populated by stunning buildings and passionate students, Loyola University Maryland maintains a real sense of community. This Baltimore university offers 35 degrees to its 4,100 undergraduates, as well as countless opportunities to get involved in research, internships, study abroad, community services, and much more. Here are some of the experiences that may come your way as a Loyola student:

Your first-year academic will be unique. All freshmen participate in the Loyola Messina program where students take two thematically-linked seminars – one each semester – with the same group of students. Students in the same cluster also live in the same dorms, making for a vibrant living-learning community.

Loyola students prioritize giving back. Eighty percent of students do service, though it is not required. The Center for Community Service and Justice is devoted to helping students find opportunities and partners with 140 organizations in Baltimore alone.

The Core Curriculum allows you to find your academic niche: The 17-course Core Curriculum is designed to allow students to study what interests them – and often these courses count towards your major!

Classes are small and dynamic. The student: faculty ratio is 11:1 and the average class size is just 20. Seminar-style teaching, field trips and service-learning play a big part in most courses!

There are plenty of sports to play (or watch!). A member of the Patriot League, Loyola has 16 Division I teams, and many more club and intramural options. This campus heavily emphasizes academic rigor and social integration of student-athletes.

There are over 170 student groups ranging from Campus Ministry to Improv and Ukele club.

Any major can study abroad. With more than two-thirds of the student body choosing to study abroad, Loyola has 19 sponsored programs (alongside other Loyola students) but will assist students in finding and applying to non-sponsored programs, from Copenhagen to Cape Town. To learn more about students’ experiences, check out the blog.

For religious students? There are several masses held daily on campus, as well as a Saturday evening “Pop Culture Mass” held in an informal setting in a residence hall.

And business majors? The building hosting the business major – which is shaped like Noah’s Ark and was designed by the man who designed Bill Gates’ home, houses a business lab and a real-time stock market ticker projected on the wall.

What about dorm life? 98 % of freshmen live in campus, mostly as doubles in either a suite-style or dorm-style rooms. Students may state preferences, but housing is a lottery system.

You can use your student card to call an Uber? Students can upload money onto their student ID, which they can use at CVS, the nearby bagel shop and, yes, even Uber!

The campus traditions are outstanding. LoyolaPalooza (the spring fair), (free) weekly Midnight Breakfast, Winter Formal at the Baltimore Aquarium, are only a few of the experiences to be had at Loyola!

Loyola is generous with financial aid. 82% of undergraduates receive some form of aid, 74% of which is in grants or scholarship. Students do not need to complete a separate application to be considered for merit scholarships.

Loyola is a test-optional school. Students who choose not to submit scores must submit either a secondary essay or an additional teacher recommendation.

*Notable alumni include NBA Coach Michael Malone, author Tom Clancy, US Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, State Delegate Jill P. Carter, and astronaut Timothy Creamer.