Johns Hopkins University Top Questions

Academics are rigorous. There is a lot of work and you will need to put forth a lot of effort to maintain a good GPA. You will have to make a choice about which GPA is acceptable depending on how many other parts of the college experience you want to incorporate.

Starting answering!Hopkins is definitely known for being strong in the natural sciences, but it’s very strong in other areas as well. I am an International Studies, East Asian studies, and Economics triple major, and my experience in humanities and social sciences classes has been very good. The system of distribution requirements in place of core curriculum is also very convenient, as it gives students a great deal of freedom in choosing their courses and makes double, or even triple majoring, very easy. The professors are great, and in most cases very approachable. Professors in my departments are generally committed to the success of their students. One of my professors in particular gives students a lot of help in finding research grants and emails us every time she hears about an internship or research opportunity. Contrary to many rumors about Hopkins, the professors are not solely focused on their graduate students and research, but do care about the success of their undergrads. Classes do expect a lot from their students, but the work load is not too unmanageable. I also feel that the assignments genuinely give me a better understanding of the material in lectures. Still, because of the work load, it is difficult to get through the semester without pulling at least one all-nighter (or many, in my case). Many days students will spend upwards of 6 hours in the library. There are a lot of large lecture classes (100-200 students), but most upper level classes are smaller (around 10 students. I have had good experiences in both kinds of classes. Overall, I feel that while the academics are demanding, most students believe it’s worth coming to Hopkins for.

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Academics are rigorous--don't expect grade inflation. Professors and generally available outside of lecture for outside help and enjoy getting to know their students. Since this is a research university, many of the studies you learn about actually came from a lab right here in Baltimore. One of my psych professors showed us a video of a study that she did, with her own child. I really enjoy that there aren't any classes that everyone is required to take--individual majors assign distribution credits. A few fond memories I have are with my fellow Applied Math majors, sitting around a dorm common room, laughing from delirium at 4:00 a.m. trying to figure out how to do homework that's due the next day.

Academics are super important at Johns Hopkins. Students take their studies extremely seriously and study all the time. To prove this, JHU is building an extension to the library rather than a student center which we do not have. Students are super competitive and some will even refuse to help another with something as simple as homework. Everyone tries to get ahead. There are a variety of different types of classes. There are big ones and small ones ranging from 8 students all the way to 400. Because of these different sizes, there are lectures, seminars, sections, labs, etc. Some professors are nicer than others. Some take the time to get to know you and others do not. Class participation is important only in some classes but I always make an effort to say something every class. My favorite class has been the Italian Language classes I've taken since Freshman year. They are really small and concentrated and the professors take the time to really get to know you and your strengths and weaknesses when learning the language. The most unique class I have taken, however, was an Intersession class about photography and Baltimore titled "Charm City Through the Lens." It took students out to Baltimore and had them explore the city and express it through photographs. I'm majoring in International Studies and the department has been super helpful in all of my endeavors. They give their honest opinion without a second thought. Besides the fact that the competitiveness can get to you and stress you out, education at Hopkins is super challenging and takes a certain amount of self motivation and determination but is definitely proving to be worth it when venturing into the outside world.

Hopkins is definitely intense, but in the best way. It's a place for independent learners. The school won't hold your hand, but they trust you to pursue your own interests, self-motivate, take your studies and run with them. Because of this, you can do individual research, internships and projects. You can personalize your degree to a greater extent than I've seen at a similar-caliber school. Students often take graduate-level classes, engage in internships, pursue research, and study abroad to pursue their academic interests. I

Hopkins isn't easy. However, to get used to the college workload, freshmen take all classes pass/fail during their first semester. Also, classes tend to be pretty small - they tend to cap seminars at around 15 people. In my experience the professors are very personable and very willing to help if you take the time to go to their office hours and show that you really care about their class. The school's academic requirements are very flexible - Hopkins has no "core curriculum." Instead, students must take x amount of science classes, x amount of humanities classes, etc. This way, students take a broad range of subjects but can choose only classes that interest them.

Hopkins is a hard school and I wouldn't suggest coming here if you don't like to work. However, if you want to go to a school that challenges you and makes you learn more everyday than you learn in a week in high school, then Hopkins is a good school for you. I like that Hopkins doesn't have a core curriculum; I love humanities (so it's not that I don't want to take classes outside of my major), but I especially love french. I wouldn't be able to get a french minor at any school that has a core curriculum. Students are competitive, but cooperative. Students are driven (and all nerds at heart), so it's not uncommon to have conversations about politics, current events, or other intellectual subjects. Professors are brilliant (and for the most part, pretty good) although there are some bad ones. All of them are approachable and some of them are better in a smaller setting. The school is more focused for grad school/med school in the sciences. Although I want to get a job, I enjoy getting a theoretical background.

Hopkins is a hard school and I wouldn't suggest coming here if you don't like to work. However, if you want to go to a school that challenges you and makes you learn more everyday than you learn in a week in high school, then Hopkins is a good school for you. I like that Hopkins doesn't have a core curriculum; I love humanities (so it's not that I don't want to take classes outside of my major), but I especially love french. I wouldn't be able to get a french minor at any school that has a core curriculum. Students are competitive, but cooperative. Students are driven (and all nerds at heart), so it's not uncommon to have conversations about politics, current events, or other intellectual subjects. Professors are brilliant (and for the most part, pretty good) although there are some bad ones. All of them are approachable and some of them are better in a smaller setting. The school is more focused for grad school/med school in the sciences. Although I want to get a job, I enjoy getting a theoretical background.

The academics really challenge you and you have to be committed to what you're doing, but it has proven to be rewarding again and again.