Johns Hopkins University Top Questions

Definitely challenging, but definitely worth it. Since I'm a humanities major, my workload consists more of readings and papers than problem sets or lab reports. There have been a couple of "hell weeks," not just for me but for pretty much everyone, where the work just piles up and seems next to impossible. But I find that my classes are so interesting and overlap in so many unexpected ways that the stress is worth it. The professors definitely know what they're talking about, and even go out of their way to hold extra review sessions or meet outside of class, even in lower level courses.

Academics are difficult. But it really depends on what major and classes you decide to take. You should really talk to upperclassmen or look at reviews of classes before you take them because there are many lower and upper level distribution requirements that are amazing and you can do well in you just need to find the right ones. The science classes are challenging, so if you are coming here for pre-med it's not going to be easy. People are very competitive in those specific majors. For the humanities majors it seems like the professors are there because they love their subject matter which is really awesome. Whereas for the science and math majors it seems like the professors are more there to do research and many of them are hard to understand because English is not their first language. When people say Hopkins is a research university, they weren't kidding. There are soooo many opportunities to do world-class research here so if that's what you're interested in, don't go anywhere else. My favorite class has been Baltimore and the Wire: a focus on major urban issues. It's a class that focuses on the urban issues present in Baltimore and how we can solve them and connects it back to the TV show - the wire. I'm a Sociology Major and I really love it, the department is well organized and esteemed. The teachers are passionate and helpful and the classes are interested and flexible!

You can't expect to do well at a school like this, and not study. But you never have to study alone. Professors and TAs encourage group work and study sessions, and more so, they hope you speak with them during office hours. I have created close relationships with some of my professors; I even text some of them! Professors here want you to succeed, and will be more than happy to mentor you while you figure out how to succeed. The classroom setting, coupled with the one-on-one sessions that students take advantage of with their professors, teach you critical thinking skills, public speaking skills, as well as how to solve a problem, many times in an interdisciplinary field or from a multidimensional perspective. Hopkins prepares you on how to make the best of your educational opportunities, and how to enjoy working late because you sculpt your major, your courses, and your responsibilities according to your interests.

You can't expect to do well at a school like this, and not study. But you never have to study alone. Professors and TAs encourage group work and study sessions, and more so, they hope you speak with them during office hours. I have created close relationships with some of my professors; I even text some of them! Professors here want you to succeed, and will be more than happy to mentor you while you figure out how to succeed. The classroom setting, coupled with the one-on-one sessions that students take advantage of with their professors, teach you critical thinking skills, public speaking skills, as well as how to solve a problem, many times in an interdisciplinary field or from a multidimensional perspective. Hopkins prepares you on how to make the best of your educational opportunities, and how to enjoy working late because you sculpt your major, your courses, and your responsibilities according to your interests.

The academics are strong and professors definitely want to get to know you. Despite the fact that one of my introductory classes is 300 people, the professor knows my name and enjoys (sometimes to my dismay) calling on me in class. Students here study hard and the classes are often very challenging, but it is definitely worth the time. I really enjoy going to the office hours my professors hold; it allows me to have 1-on-1 time with my professors and really get to know them as people. The lack of a core curriculum is one of the best things about this school because it allows you to explore fields outside of your own, and really opens your eyes to the world around you. Whether you want to graduate and get a job or go to graduate/medical/law school, Hopkins will prepare you well. Lastly, students are not as competitive as they are stereotyped to be. People are friendly and willing to help you out if you are struggling in a class.

It really depends on the classes you take, whether you start right off taking something like Organic Chemistry or intro classes. I would say that all of the classes are challenging to some extent, depending on the material and your strengths. In the past, I've found that some classes have been difficult. However, there is so much support to find at Hopkins - the TAs are extremely helpful (sometimes more than the professors) and there's a Learning Den (individual and group tutoring) and the Writing Center (to get help on papers). But the most help I've gotten from have been my classmates and friends.

It really depends on the classes you take, whether you start right off taking something like Organic Chemistry or intro classes. I would say that all of the classes are challenging to some extent, depending on the material and your strengths. In the past, I've found that some classes have been difficult. However, there is so much support to find at Hopkins - the TAs are extremely helpful (sometimes more than the professors) and there's a Learning Den (individual and group tutoring) and the Writing Center (to get help on papers). But the most help I've gotten from have been my classmates and friends.

It really depends on the classes you take, whether you start right off taking something like Organic Chemistry or intro classes. I would say that all of the classes are challenging to some extent, depending on the material and your strengths. In the past, I've found that some classes have been difficult. However, there is so much support to find at Hopkins - the TAs are extremely helpful (sometimes more than the professors) and there's a Learning Den (individual and group tutoring) and the Writing Center (to get help on papers). But the most help I've gotten from have been my classmates and friends.

Classes are amazing. There is no core, and the requirements really aren't bad. Besides for major/minor requirements, you have to take 12 credits of science-y stuff and 12 credits of W (writing intensive) classes. My favorite class so far has been History of Africa from 1800 to Present. Dr. Sara Berry is amazing. In general, I've found that in the humanities, people are taking classes for the sake of learning, not for the career, which I definitely agree with.

Some of my favorite classes were in international politics and taught by SAIS professors visiting the undergrad campus. The level of energy and impressive caliber of the international relations department as well as its recognition around the world were major factors in my choosing it as a major in my junior year. Education at JHU is geared towards finding what interests you. For the students who really want to find that passion, the opportunities are there.