New Students

Next Steps Meeting

At this appointment, we will cover your next steps to getting started at Loyola. We will discuss when and how to meet with your advisors, how to enroll in your courses, financial aid and scholarship opportunities, and billing information. New students should attend an appointment within one week of being admitted so they can understand their timeline to be prepared for the start of classes in their first session.

You can register for an upcoming time using this link: https://gpem.luc.edu/portal/SCPSAdmitAppts

If you have any questions about Next Steps Meetings, please contact Jake Mickelson, Coordinator of Recruitment and Retention, at jmickelson2@luc.edu

New Student Welcome Packet

The New Student Welcome Packet offers students an overview of all the important resources and next steps you need to know to start a successful academic career at Loyola University Chicago. Much of this information will also be provided within various emails a new student will receive after admission.

Orientation

SCPS hosts orientation prior to the start of the fall and spring semesters.

Students admitted for Summer, Fall I, and Fall II are invited to attend the fall orientation.
Students admitted for Fall II (after August), and Spring I are invited to attend the spring orientation.

Orientation is held online on a Saturday morning from 9AM to Noon.

Learn more.

Resource Videos

As an additional resource for new students, we've created a number of videos explaining information relevant to new students. Each link will redirect you to the video. This is all information covered within the Next Steps Information Session. Note: When you open the below video links, clicking "contents" to the left of the video, will provide you an outline of the content and the video and also allow you to jump to different places within the video itself.

Overview of Next StepsThis video provides an overview of the next steps many new students need to complete before they start classes. Students should either attend a Next Steps session or review the additional recorded videos to learn more details about each area on the list.

Loyola PlatformsThis video will explain how/when you will use LOCUS, Navigate, Sakai, and your Email and where to find access points. It also covers when you can expect to receive your Loyola ID and temporary password and the Mastering Learning Tools requirement for undergraduate degree-seeking students.

AdvisorsThis video discusses the role of your primary academic advisor and our faculty advisors. It also discusses how to schedule your appointment and which programs require students to complete an advising appointment before they start classes.

Understanding When Your Class StartsThis outlines how to determine when your class starts and meets. This is especially helpful for students completing online classes.

Bursar and Financial Aid OverviewThis video helps you to understand the difference between the Bursar and Financial Aid Office and the types of aid available to you. It also explains how the 8-week sessions fit into the 16-week semester and enrollment requirements for financial aid eligibility.

Billing OverviewThis video discusses the billing process, due dates, payment plans, and employer reimbursement.

ScholarshipsThis video provides a brief overview of scholarships available for undergraduate degree-seeking students. Further information for all students, including graduate and certificate students, can be found here: https://sites.google.com/view/scps-share-site/scps-students/scholarships

Campus and ID CardA brief overview of our campus locations and obtaining your ID card.

Orientation and AmbassadorsThis video outlines when we offer orientation and discusses our Ambassadors, current students and alumni, open to meeting with new students to discuss the student experience and provide you support as you return to school.

The following links will take you to recordings from past orientations: