Dubuque, IA: You received your ACT score and it’s in the range you had hoped for. Now, after basking in the glory of your achievement, it’s time to choose which college will be lucky enough to host you for the next four years. This has to be the hardest decision of your life, but hark! There’s Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa presented to you on a silver platter.

Loras is surrounded by a quaint historic town, with Clarke College and the University of Dubuque as neighbors, so there are always new people to meet. Speaking of neighbors, Loras is also located on the border of Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois, so in ten minutes you could be in a whole different state. Location is key when choosing a college and Loras is in the perfect spot.

Scholastically, Loras is all about making sure its students get the best education and have the upper hand when it comes to job opportunities. Recently, Loras cut its general education requirements (English and math classes) to half as many as some other colleges, which allows students to double major with a minor or even do a triple major within four years. To help with the workload, Loras gives each incoming freshman a laptop. I find these minor details help when making this “major” decision.

Along with location and scholastics, atmosphere plays a big part in choosing a college. Is it fun? Are the people nice? Do I really want to live in the dorms? The students at Loras are welcoming and make you feel like your being there will complete their college experience. The campus is beautiful and full of friendly faces all there to learn while having an enjoyable experience. And as far as being a Loras Duhawk, I think everyone looks good in purple and gold.

Deciding which college to go to is stressful and life-altering, but just remember you could be in the sea of gold and purple singing “Hail to the Duhawks” your first college semester. See more at loras.edu.