Author Topic: Why I Chose To Attend Hopkins? (Read 22897 times)

JHU_Rob · « **Reply #25 on:** November 06, 2007, 12:10 AM »

1) Location- Baltimore is such a great city and Hopkins is in a great location. There is tons to do immediately off campus. Plus, its a pretty good distance away from my home so I feel like I am growing up, a little bit.

2) Mixture of Natural Sciences and Social Sciences- A lot of you are either die hard natural science people or social science people, but I am pretty much in the middle. I needed a school that could offer me a top education in both fields. Hopkins has one of the best IR programs in the country, as well as top notch scientists.

3) Financial Aid- Hopkins gave me a great package and I am paying much less than my mom ever imagined.

4) Campus- Sometime I walk around in amazement, the campus is truly one of a kind. My mom was just here for parents weekend and it was nice to show her what I have been talking about for the past few months.

5) People- I have met so many interesting people with diverse backgrounds. I find that I not only learn from my professors, but also from my peers who have experienced first hand a lot of what we discuss in my classes.

I applied ED, so I didn't really have to chose between schools. It was kind of love at first sight.

JHU_Mandy · « **Reply #26 on:** November 06, 2007, 02:17 PM »

Mine aren't in any particular order...

1. Baltimore...like so many others said, it's a great city. But I first found Hopkins way back before real college searching started because it just so happens to share the same hometown as the Orioles. Sad but true.

2. Distance from home: it's a six hour drive, 45 minute flight. Just far enough that Mom and Dad won't spontaneously show up, but close enough that they can come for a weekend or I can go home often.

3. Neuroscience: I sat in on an upper level neuroscience class on my visit and fell in love with the school all over again. After the lecture, the professor took me to see the neuroscience lab which was just amazing.

4. the challenge: I'm from a suburb in North Carolina so being in a big city brings all new challenges. There are also the challenges of insanely hard courses (orgo) and that sort of thing. I love to challenge myself and feel that it's the only real way to ever grow, and this environment challenges me in so many ways.

5. the people: The people here are amazing. My friends coined the term "hopawk" (Hopkins + awkward) to describe some of the quirky characters, but it's just so wonderful to be surrounded by people who are driven to succeed and have goals similar to yours. It provides a certain challenge while allowing you to have very different relationships with people since you have some of your most fundamental values in common.

JHU_Lauren · « **Reply #27 on:** November 06, 2007, 10:13 PM »

This is kind of cheating, lol ... but here is what I wrote in my Meet Me thread. :) These are the main things that brought me to Hopkins!

First, it's Johns Hopkins - its reputation and my preconceived idea about the school was so positive that I felt proud to be able to represent that. I would be learning among some of the brightest students in the world, would be taught by professors who are among the best in their fields. I would be attending a school that had produced an almost unbelievable amount successful, intelligent, well-rounded students. It was an amazing opportunity that I just could not pass up.

Second, the angels in heaven struck me with money luck: I was given the Bloomberg Scholarship along with a few other fantastic scholarships and grants that actually made my enrollment possible: without them, there is no way I could have ever even thought about coming here.

And third, as soon as I visited campus for the first time, I felt at home. It is a beautiful campus and, at the same time, isn't uptight like many other schools that have been in existance for so long and have so much to boast about. Every person I met when I came here for my visit was friendly and welcoming and, when they told me about their experiences and answered my questions, they made me feel like they sincerely wanted me to enroll. It just felt comfortable - it was easy to imagine spending the next four years here. So that's where I ended up!!

Just to add to that, Baltimore itself really appealed to me. I have a lot of extended family that moved down from the Philadelphia area to here to get jobs and have families a long time ago, so I knew that the area would be comfortable and would offer a lot. I've found already that that is true - it's beautiful, even in its "worst" areas, there are fantastic places to go in your free time {museums, restaurants, general sights}, and it is extremely friendly. :D

JHU_Jessica · « **Reply #28 on:** November 07, 2007, 12:16 AM »

So why did I chose to attend Hopkins?

I was in love with it, and as a result applied early decision.

Why was I love with it?

1-CAMPUS
The campus, as everyone has said, is absolutely gorgeous. I visited 28 schools [yes my mother and I are psycho and went on lot of adventures...but I really didn't know what I want]. Some other schools that I visited were ugly, I stepped on campus and knew I would not be able to live in rundown buildings while viewing an ugly parking lot. I also, after my visits to the "big city colleges" knew I needed a centralized campus.

2-VIBE
The vibe I got from just visiting a prestigious school. This probably sounds weird, but I knew that being at a challenging and prestigious school would make me push myself. I love being around people that are focussed on their studies and around incredible professors.

3-INVOLVEMENT
I knew it would be easy to get involved. Early on I had an idea of doing track here, so I had that opportunity open for me. When I got here though I realized that it's SO easy to get involved, there are so many things, so many amazing things that I have decided to put track on the side for now.

4-WEATHER
The weather. Although I'm from New Jersey, I hate the cold. I knew I couldn't move north. I wanted anything but colder temperatures and more snow...yuck!

5-SIZE
Also, I couldn't decide if I wanted a really small school. I looked at small liberal arts schools and although it felt maybe a little too much like high school, I also liked that feeling. I definitely knew I didn't want huge. Johns Hopkins is not a huge school, but it also isn't high school-sized.

BONUS-haha, I can't limit myself-FINAL DECIDING FACTORS
I was really torn about schools for a while. By the end of it I liked Georgetown and Vassar. What made me chose Hopkins, at the end of it, was the diversity at Hopkins; there really isn't a typical Hopkins student. And lastly that it had a city around it and I wouldn't only have to see college students for four years.

I hope this helped!

JHU_Joe · « **Reply #29 on:** October 13, 2009, 10:59 PM »

1. Campus Atmosphere - Ever since I came to the campus for the first time in November of 2007, I've always been impressed by how nice everyone is on the campus. From the admissions officers, to student volunteers, to the faculty, to the employees in the dining hall, everyone was always so nice to me and willing to help me if I had any questions.

2. Major Availability - Hopkins is one of few places which offers a Neuroscience major and even though I didn't want to major in Neuroscience until earlier this year this was always something that I kept in mind. Neuroscience was such an interesting topic to me and I wanted to have the ability to study this if I ever chose to.

3. Location - I've always loved Baltimore, especially Inner Harbor, and when I was here for the Summer University program in 2008 my RA showed me some of the best places to go for fun stuff. I learned from him that there is so much more to do in Baltimore than people think. Also Hopkins is very close to Washington DC and Towson so there always something for you to do on the weekends if you're bored.

4. Research Opportunities - I was told that if I came to Hopkins I would be able to start with research my freshman year. There were very few schools I was looking at aside from Hopkins that offered this. I also knew that since Hopkins was linked with the medical school and the hospital if I ever chose to do medical research of my own I would be able to use these affiliations to my advantage. Also I now know that even as a freshman you can volunteer with research that happens on the medical campus.

5. Reputation - Since I want to apply to medical school the reputation of my undergraduate school is most definitely going to affect how medical schools see me as an applicant. Hopkins has an outstanding reputation with medical schools, they understand how tough our curriculum is and how well prepared we are for medical school.

Other random reasons include how amazing the campus is, how small the school is compared to most colleges, and how people from all over the world are students here.

JHU_Miranda · « **Reply #30 on:** October 21, 2009, 10:20 PM »

I applied to Hopkins early decision because it was the school I would have chosen to attend had I gotten into every school I was interested in. Why was it my first choice?

1) No core curriculum. This was actually something I hadn’t thought about until I attended the Hopkins presentation in LA. When the admissions rep mentioned that we got to choose all our classes and that there were just distribution requirements, that sounded pretty good to me. High school had been one assigned schedule after another and I was ready for a change. However, this isn’t for everyone. I have friends at schools with huge core curriculums who love it all, since they think that the college does a good job of deciding what I need to know. Call me self-centered, but I think that one of the best judges of your needs is you. That’s why I like choosing my own classes.
2) Location. When I first started looking at colleges, I knew I wanted east coast. Apart from that, I had no idea about location. However, touring schools in western Massachusetts let me realize that I’ve lived in a major city too long for that sort of remote location. Just because I want to be in a city doesn’t mean that I don’t want a real campus either. For me, Hopkins provided the best of both options. The Homewood campus is contained enough to feel like a “real college,” while Baltimore (and DC!) provide options for city life. There’s also the issue of how far from home you want to be. While I know I wanted to escape the west coast for college, I have family on the east coast. While I have my independence, I also know I have relatives in the same time zone.
3) I could see myself attending classes and living here. It sounds cliché, but it’s honestly one of the easiest ways to tell if a place is right for you. In the dining hall, could you see yourself eating this food and sitting down with the people there? Could you see yourself living in these dorms? Walking to classes? Working in the library? If you can see yourself as a student here, maybe that’s for a reason!

JHU_Keith · « **Reply #31 on:** October 23, 2009, 01:07 AM »

Why I chose to become a Bluejay:

1. Close to home - Baltimore is close enough to Ocean City that I can drive home at a moment's notice if my family needs me (or if I'm just in serious need of some home-cooked food), yet far enough away that Mom doesn't drop in every weekend to make sure I'm keeping my room clean.

2. Strong prep for medical school - Hopkins does everything in its power to get its pre-med students into med school: pre-health advisors, personal statement writing workshops, medical tutorials at Hopkins Hospital, and (of course) rigorous academics in the natural sciences. Being pre-med is not easy, so it's good to know that the Hop's got my back.

3. Financial aid - Hopkins is surprisingly generous with grant aid. The other schools I was considering "met 100% of demonstrated need" that just so happened to be a third of what JHU offered. Yes, an investment in knowledge pays the best interest, but at the end of the day, less loans = less to worry about after graduation. This is especially true considering the $250,000 price tag of medical school.

4. People - Hopkins has the most unique, driven, interesting people you will ever meet. I know a guy who can juggle fire, a girl who can talk with her mouth closed intelligibly, and a trilingual girl from Brazil who can do a perfect impression of Mary Kate & Ashley. Apart from these random abilities, they also perform amazingly in the classroom, lead student groups, and make time for their friends. I've found that just about all the kids at JHU are fascinating, driven, and have found a balance between work and play.

Other enticing factors include: COVERED GRADES, awesome dorms, beautiful campus, lots of greenspace despite being in the city, lots of majors to choose from, and an awesome school crest/motto.

JHU_Dominique · « **Reply #32 on:** October 23, 2009, 01:43 AM »

Hmm I coulda sworn I posted in this thread before...guess not!

Um...

1.) Baltimore Scholars...full tuition for all 4 years! Money was/is a hugeeeeeee deal for me.

2.) Public Health--I fell in love with the major because it had a mix of science and social science, and I knew I didn't want to be either/or.

3.) Dual programs! I could get a Masters of Public Health, enroll in the school of nursing, or do a program with the school of education--Hopkins had a ton of things I was interested in and I felt I'd be covered whichever path I took.
4.) I admit, at first I wasn't really digging the campus. I hated the architecture. But after a while it grew on me. While I'm still not the hugest fan of Georgian Architecture, the landscaping here is incredible, and it's fall...so it is extra gorgeous.

5.) I kind of like being close to home. Makes things easier on me and my mom in terms of finances and whatnot. Some people may interpret me as baby-ish for preferring to stay close to home, but it's just what works best for us.

6.) Baltimore has a lot of issues, yes (as any major city does). But this means more opportunities for me to try to make a difference! It's a great place to study public health, or to begin a teaching career, and so much more.

7.) Yea...it's THE Johns Hopkins University. :)

JHU_Peter · « **Reply #33 on:** April 11, 2010, 04:21 PM »

Why I decided to come to Hopkins

1) The Campus. When I saw it I realized how beautiful and amazing it was and I knew I wanted to go here.

2) Connections. Hopkins is well known around the globe, even if it is for Medicine. People have heard of the school before, and that's a major plus

3) Varied education. You can take a bunch of different classes here, and I felt like I wasn't binding myself to any set major from the get-go.

4) You're in a city. I love city life, and I want to live in the city after college as well. Baltimore is a unique city, and it's amazing.

5) You can sing "Good Morning Baltimore" to your friends. :)

JHU_LaurenB · « **Reply #34 on:** April 11, 2010, 04:58 PM »

Hopkins wasn't my first choice when I applied to colleges, but it became my first choice once I learned more about the university. Some of my favorite things about Hopkins include....

1. The Public Health Program: Hopkins has a very strong PH program, which actually allows you to take classes at the Bloomberg graduate school as well, which is currently the best school of its kind in the world. You get a ton of individual attention, your professors are incredibly experienced in the field, and there are amazing opportunities for outside of the classroom learning and experience.

2. It's been said before but, the campus. It's gorgeous, and combined everything I wanted from a college campus--I wanted a city, a pretty campus, green space, and some peace and quiet. Hopkins has all of these things, and is honestly one of the most beautiful campuses I've seen.

3. The strength of all the other academic programs. I came here knowing I wanted to study Public Health, but it was reassuring to know that if I changed my mind I would have a wealth of other opportunities to study equally strong subjects. I wouldn't be at a disadvantage at all.

4. The People. Come here and see for yourself, but the people I met at Hopkins really finalized my decision to come here! Everyone is different, people are friendly, passionate, incredibly intelligent, and so motivated. I knew it was the right place for me when I came to campus.

Also, check out everyone else's reasons for coming here in our "Why Hopkins" video...

http://www.vimeo.com/10526123

JHU_Sarah · « **Reply #35 on:** April 11, 2010, 11:50 PM »

1) The campus - you won't find too many urban campuses that are as gorgeous as Hopkins. If I didn't walk across the street to go to Starbucks/ Charles Street Market so frequently, I'd probably forget that I was in the middle of a city.

2) Faculty - Hopkins professors are brilliant people and continue to amaze me every day. They also make it a priority to include undergrads in their lab work, so you'll get the chance to work on some very cutting edge research if you take advantage of the opportunities.

3) Baltimore - The great thing about being in a city is there is so much to do around here. Baltimore offers plenty of off-campus attractions like restaurants, malls, movie theaters, the Inner Harbor, the Aquarium, and the ESPN zone, but it also offers a lot of opportunities for community service and internships with medical organizations, homeless shelters, public schools, and more.

4) academic freedom - As long as you have a certain number of credits in the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, etc, then you can take whatever classes you want!

JHU_Sydney · « **Reply #36 on:** April 24, 2011, 05:40 PM »

Why Hopkins:
1. Best BME program. BAM. :)
2. Beautifulllllll campus. I wanted to go somewhere with red brick (that was actually one of my requirements...lol).
3. Soooo many resources. From Homewood to the medical campus, there is no cap on what an undergraduate can do, and that is the way it should be.
4. The people. I feel like I fit here because I am with a lot of like-minded people. We are all dedicated to our studies but don't neglect the social aspect of our lives.
5. No core classes. (goodbyeeeee history classes! helloooooo theater classes! woohooo!)
:)

JHU_Greco · « **Reply #37 on:** April 24, 2011, 11:23 PM »

1. Awesome research opportunities,
2. Reputation
3. City setting
4. Small campus
5. Challenging courses!

JHU_KateT · « **Reply #38 on:** May 04, 2011, 11:12 AM »

Why Hopkins:
1). The people.
I'll admit when I first admitted Hopkins I didn't love it; my dad did. My parents told me to apply and as soon as I visited, I feel in love with the school. I really love all the students and professors here; they are all awesome people!
2). A strong ChemBE program with amazing research opportunities
The ChemBE had tissue engineering and cancer research which is what I find really interesting along with alternative energy.
3). A strong French department
We have also really awesome French classes like Slang French and Teaching French in Public Schools.
4). International Feel
I really want to live abroad one day; the campus has lots of international students, faculty, and even campuses.
5). In a City
I only applied to schools in a city because I was sick of the rural life! I really liked that I had the best of both worlds and I am also very close to DC!

JHU_Allysa · « **Reply #39 on:** May 04, 2011, 03:32 PM »

1. The people. I've met such a great group of people that I've come to call my best friends, close friends, boyfriend, classmates. I've seen such passion and drive to learn in the students here. It's pretty amazing.
2. The campus. It's beautiful!! Check out Hopkins Interactive's flickr here - Hopkins Interactive Flickr.
3. Support services. Because I'm deaf, the quality of the disability office is extremely important to me and I've found that they've done far more than they've had to for me, and that sealed the deal for me. Additionally, other support services like tutoring, the Learning Den, etc have been phenomenal and have helped students significantly.
4. Research opportunities. Well, Hopkins is the country's first research university, so there are obviously many opportunities here!! Several of my friends have taken advantage of the opportunities and it's been amazing to see what they've done so far.
5. Again, the people.

JHU_Kaitlyn · « **Reply #40 on:** November 29, 2011, 11:15 AM »

1. Breadth and Depth: Academics coming first, I knew that I wanted a research-oriented university that was extremely strong across the departments. As I delved into the Hopkins literature regarding the multitude of classes offered, the flexibility in department requirements, student to faculty ratios, and faculty renown, I realized that I could choose to do almost anything at Hopkins and be a part of an amazing department.
2. Location: I love how Baltimore is in such a prime location on the East Coast. Washington D.C., New York, and Philadelphia are all just a short train ride away. You can read more about my thoughts on location here --> http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/2015/2011/10/location-location-location/
3. Tennis Team: Because my academics have always come before tennis, I decided that division three tennis was the right choice for me. Being division three, the Hopkins tennis team stuck out to me as a team where I could succeed academically and still play competitively. You can read more about my experiences on the tennis team here --> http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/2015/2011/10/lets-go-hop/
4. The Students: When I made my second “unofficial” recruiting visit back in early October, the students at Hopkins are what stood out to me the most. I got such a lasting impression from the students at the end of my visit when my host had to run to an early morning class. Entering the freshmen cafeteria alone, a girl from the “Cook for Love” club that I had visited the previous day waved me over to her table. By the end of breakfast, I was talking with at least eight other Hopkins students, all giving me advice about the college application process and telling me how I should definitely commit to the Hopkins tennis team. Experiencing how down to earth and friendly the students were at Hopkins affected my decision tremendously- how could I not want to go to school with such well-adjusted, intelligent students? I could easily check off all of my academic, extracurricular, and athletic requirements after my Hopkins visit, but I found that I kept going back to the students as to why I could picture myself so easily at JHU.

JHU_Ian · « **Reply #41 on:** November 30, 2011, 11:39 PM »

The ability to get involved in research: even as a freshman, I will be doing research in a medical nanotechnology laboratory with the opportunity to publish my own paper before I graduate
The academic rigor: Hopkins is a strong school academically with a good reputation worldwide. JHU is a recognized and well-respected school and I enjoy the intellectual challenges that it brings with it.
The bright and friendly student body: Students here are welcoming and very intelligent.
Diversity: With students hailing from all over the world, I felt that I would be more-accepted here as an international student.
Flexibility:The lack of a core curriculum lets you take so many classes outside of your major. My favorite class was actually an anthropology of media class I took first semester freshman year!
Campus Location:I really needed a campus near a city but not too far from the countryside so that I could benefit from the best of both worlds, and JHU readily provided that for me.

JHU_Ruthie · « **Reply #42 on:** December 02, 2011, 01:22 AM »

(Note: These aren't in any particular order.)

1. Research opportunities – Hopkins is, as I'm sure you've heard if you've visited/taken a tour, the nation's first true research university. On campus, this is definitely true. The majority of students are involved in research on and off campus, and the school makes enormous efforts to make those opportunities as readily available to students as possible. One example of this is the Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship, which allows me to work with any faculty member on any topic in any field, something that I would not have been able to do with as much freedom at any other school.

2. The people – I've met some truly amazing people here, and the friendships I've made this semester are ones that I know I'll keep for my next four years and beyond. When I visited during SOHOP (the Spring Open House Program for Admitted Students – DEFINITELY GO if you have a chance!), the current students were so open and friendly and everyone seemed so content and comfortable on campus that they made me want to be a part of it, too.

3. Financial Aid – I lucked out in that I was offered the Bloomberg Scholarship, which significantly reduced tuition costs for my family. Even as I was applying to Hopkins and other out-of-state schools, I knew that, unless I received a fairly generous financial aid package, going to a school in another state would be next to impossible. The scholarship definitely relieved those worries and the financial burden on my family, so much so that it ended up being less expensive for me to go to Hopkins that it would have been for me to stay in-state!

4. Fit – This has probably been said a thousand times before, but I'm going to say it again: I can't picture myself anywhere else. I love that the size of the student body allows me to make connections with so many new and different people. I love the little unofficial "traditions" like getting subs at 2 a.m. from UniMini (University Market), or Sterling Brunch at the FFC (freshman dining hall). I love the "work hard, play hard" atmosphere. I honestly think that being at Hopkins is allowing me to have the best possible college experience. I have friends who are at schools that aren't a good fit for them in terms of size, traditions, students, etc., and even though they've gotten involved and made friends, they're not as excited about being there as they want to be.

JHU_Jacqueline · « **Reply #43 on:** December 06, 2011, 07:17 AM »

First off, the location cannot be beat for students looking for internships and jobs in government, especially international studies. I knew early on when applying to colleges that, no matter how good the school claimed to be, if it was in the middle of nowhere it would be very difficult for me to have any exciting adventures off-campus. Second, the warmth of the student body is very visible here. While attending SOHOP this April, I was able to sit in on an Arabic class, and after class was over the girl sitting next to me began talking to me, asking me how I liked the school, did I need directions anywhere, did I have someone to sit with me at lunch? Finally, the professors are world-renowned, and seem to be very fair to students. I knew if I wanted an easy school I could go to a university ten minutes from my house, but Hopkins professors seem to do their best to make learning interesting.

Being a part of the debate and mock trial teams, I've been to a dozen other colleges all over the East Coast, and I can honestly say that there has been no campus I've walked onto and gotten that "wow" that I felt at Hopkins. Each campus has been too big, or too small, or too urban, or too rural, etc. It's like a Goldilocks and the Three Bears College Edition: you go hunting around a lot of places until you find one that is neither too hot, nor too cold, not too big or small, but just right.

JHU_Zoe · « **Reply #44 on:** December 15, 2011, 02:13 PM »

I chose to attend Hopkins because the feeling was right, but now that I am here I can give you three concrete reasons why Hopkins is a great school:

Location: Hopkins is very close to my house and old high school, which may be a turn-off for some people. Truthfully, in the beginning it was a turn-off for me too. However, I got over this fact when I realized how great and unique Hopkins is because of its homey-campus inside a bustling city. When you're feeling reflective and studious, you can walk through the green quads surrounded by beautiful and historic buildings. At the same time, when you feel like you want a night out or a taste of something new, Baltimore has something fun and exciting to offer around every corner.

Academic Opportunities: Hopkins allows you to be an independent student by not requiring you to take any specific classes. In your first years here, you have the flexibility to explore different areas of study if you are not sure what you want to do. However, if you're one of those people who knew they wanted to be a dentist forever, no one is stopping you from just diving in and getting it done.

The People: People at Hopkins are different than the people you meet in high school in the most glorious of ways. I am a funny and quirky person, and within my first week of Hopkins I met people who understood my idiosyncrasies and had their own bunch to accompany mine. Not only are we wonderfully weird, but students here work hard and are some of the smartest people you will ever meet. If you are open to the experience, you will make some great friends that you will undoubtably have for the rest of your life!

JHU_Kevin · « **Reply #45 on:** December 15, 2011, 03:44 PM »

I was an Early Decision applicant to Hopkins, and there were a few clear-cut reasons why.
First up, Location. As an incoming International Studies major (who then switched to Political science/french cultural studies), being close to DC was important for me. The more I learned about Hopkins, the more I found out that Hopkins could deliver - a train ride to DC is only 40 minutes and 7 dollars! Moreover, there is a program called the Aitcheson fellowship in which students spend a semester of full politics immersion in DC - live there, study there, intern there. That's pretty great and I plan on doing it.

Next up was the campus vibe. It sounds tacky, but when I stepped on campus, I knew that there was something special about this school. When I got here, I toured around campus, ate lunch at the dining hall, picked up a copy of the black and blue jay (our humor newspaper) went to the bookstore, and even felt comfortable enough to put up a small poster on a bulletin board! (I knew that wouldn't be the last time I saw that campus, and I wanted to leave a mark.) The people I met seemed motivated, nice, and funny (one girl sensed we were lost outside of the bookstore and we ended up chatting for about 10 minutes about all things hopkins) and the campus itself was just beautiful and inviting. I knew that I could spend 4 happy years here.

Finally of course, I was drawn by the strong academics here at Hopkins. Here we have incredible professors, a top-ranked IS program, the oldest french program in the country (with some wonderful programs to prove it, like a "teaching french in public school" course/internship!) and students all surrounding you who are equally as motivated and high-achieving. But more than that, even the way academics are structured is wonderful. We have no core classes, like english 101s that a lot of my friends at other colleges were forced through. We instead have distribution requirements, which is a very liberating system. Also having covered grades the first semester, meaning that your first semester grades don't show up on your transcript and don't factor into your GPA is really nice - and for those of you who want to work hard and be recognized for that work, don't worry! If you make Dean's list then even though your grades won't show up, it will say you made deans list, which tells grad schools and the like a lot.

JHU_Purna · « **Reply #46 on:** December 15, 2011, 04:33 PM »

1. Academic rigor-- I wanted to go to a school that offered me the best academic exposure both inside and outside the classroom. As a pre-med student, Hopkins is definitely known to be one of the best when it comes to natural sciences (and after being a student here for only a semester, I can concur!) In addition, the research opportunities are endless and not limited to a certain number of students. Any number of students can get involved with research and at any point in their college career (I know students who have gotten involved with research as early as in their freshman year!)

2. Visual Arts-- I love drawing and painting! In high school, I was very much involved with the visual arts through a variety of programs. Here at Hopkins, I am able to continue with my involvement through the Homewood workshops, independent studies, and even MICA (The Maryland Institute College of Art allows Hopkins students to take one of their courses each year during the spring semester for up to 3 credits!)

3. Baltimore!-- This city is subtly a very artsy place (surprising, I know. But it's true!) Every corner you turn, you will find tons of murals and interesting architecture. It's really fun to go thrift shopping in Hampden Village or listen to live music in Towson Circle! It's just a really interesting place to go to school, overall:)

JHU_Erica · « **Reply #47 on:** December 15, 2011, 09:43 PM »

I chose Hopkins for so many reasons it's so difficult to articulate why I love it here so much!

I instantly fell in love with the campus. The campus visit was vital for me to decide which college I would be attending. I visited other colleges that were in amazing cities with beautiful campuses, but nothing compared to Hopkins and the immediate feeling I got when I first stepped onto Homewood campus. It felt incredibly right and I officially accepted four hours after my campus tour.

SOHOP (the spring open house for admitted students) definitely sealed the deal for me. I was able to meet other rising college freshman who could potentially be my fellow classmates in the fall and I got a feel of what it's like to be on campus living in the dorms. I met so many people through the overnight program, including my sophomore host that I'm still friends with! I highly recommend attending SOHOP in April if you can!

I also love that Hopkins has all the amenities of an incredible city, while campus itself doesn't feel urban at all. It's the perfect mix! On campus I don't feel overwhelmed by a buzzing city rich with distractions, but I know I can always step off campus for that urban feel when I need it!

I absolutely love Hopkins and am absolutely certain it is the right place for me. There are amazing opportunities available to Hopkins students, and I love the proximity to DC and New York! I couldn't be happier with my decision to attend Hopkins and I'm thankful for all the amazing friends I've made so far!

JHU_Joseph · « **Reply #48 on:** December 18, 2011, 06:45 PM »

Program in Museums and Society- While most schools offer a program in art history, Hopkins' minor focused on museum studies set the school apart for me. I'll be able to get practical museum experience and, since the minor brings together students from all different interests and not solely art history, I've found new perspectives on the issues that come up in museum work.

Baltimore- Baltimore is such an amazing city and the sense of local community that surrounds that art and food scene is one of my favorite things about it. The BMA next to campus has events that draw the public to appreciate local art, the farmer's market, which is just blocks from campus, brings local vendors together which the community (and their stomachs, mine included) are eager to support, and, as an avid restaurant junkie, there are tons of quirky but refined places to eat all around the city.

Maryland Institute College of Art- The opportunity to take specialized art classes at MICA, an extremely respected art school, starting my sophomore year was really important to me when I chose Hopkins, and I can't wait to take advantage of their classes combining critical thinking and visual art.

Lack of a Core Curriculum- Since there are no required classes, only a set amount of credits that must be taken outside of the area which your major covers, it will be easy to pursue a major and double minor all inside of the humanities. It also allows me to pick a majority of classes each semester that interest me as opposed to required classes.

JHU_Noah · « **Reply #49 on:** December 28, 2011, 09:58 AM »

Charm City: I needed to be in a city. I knew that if I were really happy with my campus, I would rarely have much cause to leave it outside of special occasions. But I also knew that this life-long city boy would go crazy without easy access to a major metropolitan center. Hopkins and Baltimore fit the bill perfectly.

No Core Curriculum: I didn’t want to be suffocated by an officious and overbearing core curriculum. All I wanted from my university was the guidance to help me determine for myself exactly what it was that I wanted to pursue, and the resources to pursue it fervently and unconditionally. There is no core curriculum at Hopkins. Certain prerequisite classes are required for certain majors, but even in that respect there is a huge amount of freedom. For breadth’s sake, JHU instituted the Distribution Requirements, 30 credits taken in academic areas different than that of your major.

Research Opportunities: Undergraduate research is at the very core of the Hopkins experience. I wanted to get involved early and significantly, and the opportunities to do so at JHU were evident from the first conversation I ever had with a then-current student. A year and a half after enrolling, I'm about a month away from my name being on a Neuroscience paper. Talk about Hopkins surpassing my expectations (read: wildest dreams).

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Author Topic: Why I Chose To Attend Hopkins? (Read 22897 times)