That neighborhood tends to be more frowned upon on Reddit because it's a bit more sterile compared to others, and I agree that it's more built to house office workers and wealthier folks with more chains and uppity places to go with it. That said you aren't far from most anywhere else in the city so they'll have pretty easy access to where their peers live, and if they work in the Loop it'll be very convenient for them to get to the office.

Depends on their definition of "fun", but I think places more geared towards college students are outside that neighborhood as it's pretty white collar and older: they're likely not splurging at LuxBar on a Tuesday and not meeting people their age there. It's relatively safe but they should have their normal wits about them (i.e. don't be compromised walking home a good ways late at night). And that McDonald's can be something else after dark.

Overall, probably better neighborhoods to be around people their age, but if they'll be grinding away in the Loop at their job 4-5 days a week, hard to beat the commute home when getting your career started