Loyola University Chicago

Residence Life

Research Shows...

Living-Learning Communities are considered a High-Impact Educational Practice by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, because they increase student engagement, retention, and persistence.

Research shows that students who participate in a Loyola Living-Learning Community report significantly higher ratings in:

  • Intent to stay at Loyola

  • Making friends and feeling connected to other students

  • Overall learning in the residence halls

  • Overall satisfaction with their residential experience

  • Connection to faculty

  • Access to peer role models and professional mentors

  • Learning-focused conversations

  • Leadership skills

(Sources: Residence Life Survey 2019, 2018, 20217, EBI Survey 2016-17, Survey of Integrated Living-Learning Programs 2016-17)

Additionally, peer-reviewed published research shows that students who participate in a Learning Community:

  • Report higher overall engagement

  • Graduate at higher rates

  • Drink alcohol at lower rates and engage less in high-risk drinking

  • Show higher gains in intellectual and social development

  • Have more social interaction with peers

  • Show increased gains in critical thinking and reading comprehension

  • Have more interaction with faculty

(Selected Sources: Zhao and Kuh (2004), Brower, Golde, and Allen (2003), McCabe et al. (2008), Tinto (1999))