Loyola recognized as “dream school”

Loyola University Maryland is one of 75 colleges and universities included on a list of the “new” dream schools in Jeffrey Selingo’s new book, Dream School, Finding the College That’s Right for You. The book—which hits shelves Sept. 9, 2025—shifts the focus from how colleges select students to how students can choose the right college.

“We’re proud to be recognized as a ‘new’ dream school for our strong outcomes and immersive student experience,” said Eric Nichols, vice president for enrollment management. “It’s refreshing to see attention shift beyond the usual suspects to highlight schools that measure success not by how many students they turn away, but by the incredible value they deliver and the sense of belonging they create. This recognition affirms our commitment to helping students thrive.”

To write Dream School and create the list of “new” dream schools, Selingo partnered with several external experts and organizations to examine various existing datasets from 2023 and 2024, while also commissioning new research and analysis. This included an “eye-opening” survey of more than 3,000 parents. 

The list of “new” dream schools highlights institutions with strong outcomes, accessible admissions, and dynamic student experiences. Selingo focused on a variety of factors when compiling the list, including affordability, financial health, student engagement, geographic diversity, and career outcomes.

The book identifies as distinguishing factors:

• Loyola’s “approach to Jesuit education,” including Messina, Loyola’s first-year living and learning program for allowing students “to explore academic, spiritual, and social growth in small cohorts”
• The emphasis on personalized instruction throughout the undergraduate years, with an average class size of 20 students, “all of whom must tackle a 17-course core curriculum in addition to the requirements of their majors”
• The strong recruiting pipelines built by the Sellinger School of Business and Management to firms like T. Rowe Price, M&T Bank, McCormick & Company, and Stanley Black & Decker
• The exceptional placement rates of the University's pre-professional programs, with nearly 90% of Loyola law school applicants and some 70% of medical school applicants being accepted.

For Selingo, Loyola’s “standout factor” was the University’s No. 23 ranking on The Wall Street Journal’s 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. list. Loyola—which was also No. 1 among Jesuit institutions and Maryland schools ranked by The Wall Street Journal—was recognized for excellence in career preparation, student experience, and impact on graduate salaries.

A New York Times bestselling author of three books, Selingo has written about colleges and universities for more than 25 years. Dream School is a follow-up and companion book to his 2020 bestseller, Who Gets In and Why. He is a regular contributor to The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, and previously worked as the top editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education. 

Learn more about this and other prestigious rankings and notable accolades that Loyola University Maryland has earned from major national, international, and regional reports, studies, and surveys.