Johns Hopkins University Top Questions

Hopkins is known to be full of extremely competitive students who steal each other's notes and spend all of their time in the library. NOT TRUE. Students here are really dedicated to their success, but that certainly does not mean that they would compromise their peers' education! Students are actually relatively relaxed!

When high school students think of Johns Hopkins University, their minds tend to picture a bunch of nerdy students who live in the library and never see the sun. They picture students who study 24/7 and do not socialize with other students. This is a huge rumor that tends to be the stereotype of our school. So many students at JHU are involved in a plethora of activities, sports teams, and fraternities/sororities. Everyone at Hopkins finds friends who they can connect with, whether they are fellow teammates, classmates, or roommates. If you're worried about the social life stereotype, no need to be. You can make friends by simply joining a student group, an intramural sport, or Greek Life. You can be a student that attends all the frat parties or be a member of the chess club, or both!

There are many different stereotypes when it comes to Johns Hopkins University students. They range depending on different variables including major, gender, year, etc. The main stereotype which usually pertains to all students, however, is that everyone is super competitive and that no one looks out for anyone else. For instance, people aren't too keen on studying in groups or helping out with homework. Everyone just looks out for themselves. Some people even say that when in class, some people will not even lend you a pen or a calculator because they want to do whatever they can to stay ahead of you. The truth about this stereotype is similar to many other stereotypes in the world - it depends on the person. Truthfully, I have come across those people that will act as though they haven't completed their homework as yet so they "cannot help you" with yours or they haven't started to study for a certain exam so they do not want to "study together." But at the same time, I have come across other students that are more than willing to help with homework, studying, and anything else you need help with. Of course everyone is really focused and really busy with homework, exams, work, research, internships, etc. so it cannot be expected for people to bend over backwards for another. Fortunately, the students who refuse to ever help allow you to find the nicer bunch who aren't out only for themselves.

Most people think that Hopkins is a school full of nerds who don't have social lives and are incredibly competitive. I believed these stereotypes when I was applying, too. From personal experience, though, I can safely say that this isn't really the case. Yes, you will find students who do fit this stereotype, but they're not the majority here and, to be real, you're going to find that at any college, not just at Hopkins. And if anyone has any doubts about the social scene here, well – they shouldn't. A bunch of Loyola and Towson kids come to Hopkins parties every weekend, not the other way around. On campus, there are more than plenty of things to do, and that's not including all of the places in the Inner Harbor and Mount Vernon that are just a cab ride away!

Stereotype of students at Hopkins is nerdy med students who study too much and take life a little bit too seriously. Although there are a lot of pre-med students at Hopkins who live in the library you would be surprised by the number of humanities majors on campus (and some engineers and pre-meds) who are involved in student activities and venture out of the library to have some fun! Even those who live in the library emerge on the weekends :)

When I hear people talking about Hopkins, the image that comes to their heads is of competitive pre-med students who spend most of their nights and weekends at the library. And considering that many people also see Baltimore as a dangerous city, that factor gives students more reason to stay secluded in the Hopkins bubble, right? Wrong. I don't think I have pulled a single all-nighter here at Hopkins, and I'm now a senior. Most of my friends, and many of the students I know, have learned how to prioritize their studies, and still have time to go out to dinner at the Harbor, or watch a movie at Towson, or participate in community fairs and festivals throughout Baltimore. I do not doubt that you can find some students who are interested in studying alone, but I have not met any. Since my freshman year, I have studied with friends, classmates, and colleagues in our common rooms, the hallways, the cafeterias, and the quad. You learn to build a community, and when you're around intellectual people like yourself, you learn very quickly that it is much more valuable to socialize with them and learn something new, than purely from a textbook.

Not true at all. Only around 20{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of campus is pre-med, and students are not cut-throat. Granted, academics here are very strong and students do not take them lightly. However, if you are ever struggling in a class people are very friendly and willing to help you out-- I have even been offered a set of notes to help me review for an exam by a complete stranger! We also have great humanities programs (for example, writing seminars) and lots of students are involved in the arts. One of my favorite things to do on campus is actually to go see the numerous a-capella groups perform (check out www.octopodes.org to hear the Octopodes, one of the many a-capella groups).

Hopkins students are known for leading a heavy library life. Expect to work hard and to work long hours, but to enjoy it if you enjoy learning. The professors and other students will challenge you to think and to defend your views, so don't think of coming to class unprepared unless you're prepared to keep quiet!