Tristan
Classes at JHU are very rigorous. Unlike the Ivy Schools, there is no grade inflation. People really have to work hard for an A and strive to achieve a good GPA. Nevertheless, the classes are manageable and are not that much work. While some people say certain majors are much easier than others, there is the unanimous agreement that Organic Chemistry is not an easy or enjoyable class. Some of the introductory political science classes such as Contemporary International Politics and International Politics, are among student favorites, despite the fact that the large lecture is full with around 300 students. Just as the introductory science classes draw huge crowds, so too do the introductory economics classes.
These large classes can be intimidating-- especially if you want to talk to the professor. The good thing is, when you have such a large class you also have a section that is basically a review of lecture taught by the TA (teaching assistant). Sections can vary in size from as small as 5 people to as large as twenty. Having the teaching assistant can be very helpful as a liasion, and rather then ask the professor questions you can first ask the teaching assistant and if your question cannot be answered it can be referred to the professor. The professors are all very knowledgeable and are experts in their fields. This too may be intimidating, but if you ask questions most are very understanding and nice. However, you typically do not see professors outside of class, with the exception of a few special campus events or at lectures in related fields. Some professors may be more geared to teaching than others. For example, in one of my higher level economics classes we played a class wide game where the winning groups won ten dollars each. There was another time in class when my professor auctioned off old CD's to demonstrate the different types of auctions. While the introductory classes may be boring, they also can be particularly interesting. Classes in archaeology, english, and bioethics draw people from all types of majors. Freshmen year, is likely to be filled with introductory classes, but by the time you are a second semester sophomore, you are highly likely to get into the classes you want to take including the smaller, more intimate classes.
JHU is a great combination of job-orientated classes and classes for the sake of intellectual enlightenment. While a business school was recently founded, students have had the opportunity to take more buisness-like classes for the last couple of years with a minor being offered in Entreprenuership and Management. This minor offers classes in law, finance, and communications and is a great option for people who want to get an idea of the different careers they may want to puruse after college. Besides the pre-med classes and this entreprenuership minor, most of the classes are geared towards learning for its own sake and pure intellectual enlightenment.
Outside of class, it is not uncommon to hear people discuss concepts learned in class. In fact, in some of my philosophy classes it is almost laughable to hear the conversations people have. The discussions are so abstract and may sound pretentious, but this enthusiasm for knowledge can be very refreshing. In fact, a large percentage of students do research off-campus and puruse their own intellectual pursuits at the hospital, public health school, or at other organizations in the city. Students at JHU love to learn, and are open about their opinions and views.