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.

Classes are tough, and there's no grade inflation. Students study a lot, and learn a ton. The workload is more than at other schools. It's normal to take 5 classes a semester. Professors care about their work and want you to go to office hours. No core curriculum, which is awesome.

Academics are challenging for sure, but everything is within reason. If you put the effort into it you'll get good grades. Whether or not a professor knows your name depends on a lot, such as the size of the class and how active you are in it. Students study a lot, and often work in groups to better understand a topic. Many out of class discussions are intellectually themed, and many are inspired by in class discussions. No core curriculum is very nice, as it is one less thing to worry about completing before graduation.

Academics at Johns Hopkins University are incredibly rigorous. The course work is heavy, and teachers expect you to not only keep up with assignments and attend every lecture, but also expand your knowledge through readings and other recommended activities. Students tend to study a lot at Hopkins, and the library is always full. Because of Hopkins' reputation as such a prestigious university, and because of the difficulty level of the classes, students are very competitive. Many are willing to do whatever necessary to get ahead and stand out from their peers, even if it sometimes requires questionable activities. The classes I have taken thus far have been mainly large lectures, so participation is limited, but other professors make participation a big part of the overall class experience. Despite the difficulty, Hopkins students generally feel a sense of pride with their schoolwork, and take it very seriously. It is not uncommon to hear a conversation about quantum physics or macroeconomics taking place in the cafeteria. It is this passion for learning that makes Hopkins stand out from other universities, and why students at this school tend to be better prepared for life outside of college.

The best thing about academics is that there are no core classes. I hate history, and I never have to take it again! I also really like how open the professors are. Due to the amount of office hours they hold, I know my professors personally. They teach me how to learn for the sake of knowledge, not for the sake of getting a grade.

This is where many of the stereotypes are right on. Academics are hard here, but that's what people should expect from any top 20 school. Fortunately, first semester freshmen have covered grades meaning as long as one gets a C- she receives a Satisfactory on her transcript. When employers or graduate schools look at the transcript, all that will appear is whether the student passed or not. This is a nice way to transition incoming freshmen into a more difficult learning environment. There is also no lack of learning aids -- we have the Writing Center, the Learning Den, and countless TA sessions.

Your personal academic experience at Hopkins really depends on what you study. I started out at Hopkins focusing on pre-medical studies (like many young undergrads at Hopkins), and I found all of my classes to be very large (200-300+). The quality of the professor also ranged from the cliche "focused on research and couldn't care less about students", to "truly dedicated and helpful professors that will do anything to assist you". In general however, I have found many students share a similar sentiment that it feels like most Hopkins professors do everything in their power to give you the lowest grade possible and make your academic success as difficult to achieve as possible. Students must assert themselves in order to develop a relationship with the professor and to make themselves known so that the professor might give them an easier time. Other departments have much smaller class sizes, and therefore more intimate (bad word choice?) relationships with their professors. For example, an extremely popular among freshman writing credit course offers a maximum class size of around 15 or so even though hundreds take the course each semester. Therefore class size also depends on what department the course is in. One of my majors is a new major offered by Hopkins, and one that I believe to be a relatively unique course of study. The Global Environmental Change & Sustainability (GECS) major is a multidisciplinary major that incorporates courses in political science, economics, living and non-living earth sciences and environmental science with a 'green' approach, preparing graduates for a generation that will surely revolve around ideas of sustainability and energy conservation. Matched with my other major, Economics, I hope to have a broad knowledge base to enter the world of commerce prepared to deal with the new sustainable and green business ventures that are sure to dominate the 21st century.

The simple answer is that it is Hopkins. The academics are, of course, going to be excellent. Apart from that, even from first semester freshman year you have access to your professors and can take small classes. I had three classes of less than 20 people my first semester here, while friends going to other colleges seem to have nothing but large introductory lectures where the professors don't even know your name. Even in my larger classes, our TA sections are capped at 25 people each, so you really get to know the people teaching you.

Academics are, of course, very rigorous, and professors definitely expect students to come to class prepared. That being said, there are still a wide variety of classes that include some introductory levels that are not as demanding. Students do study quite often; the general guideline is to spend at least 1 hour studying for every hour of lecture. Yet, this is really an aspect of the school that is as much as you make of it. Professors are always willing to make the time to meet with you to discuss anything, ranging from class material to your future plans. However, it's up to you to take the initiative to contact your professors. My major, chemical and biomolecular engineering, is regarded as one of the tougher, if not toughest, major. The average graduating GPA is very low (although I don't know if this is the major GPA, or overall GPA). The coursework for this major is, as expected, challenging. However, I think the training that you get, the problem-solving mindset that is instilled, is definitely worth the work you put in.

The workload, depending on your major, is definitely intense. However, it is very manageable and professors are more than willing to help you out!

Johns Hopkins has arguably some of the smartest professors in the country. We are the number one research institution, meaning our school gives more money to students to perform research than any other school in the country. Over half of the undergraduate students here are involved in some form of research before they graduate. Classes here are great, and are very interactive. Only 5{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of classes are over 100 students, which is very rare for a college! 60{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of classes are under 20 students, which gives students a real chance to participate and engage in classes. My favorite class so far was Introduction to Social Psychology with Professor Drigotas. Not only is he funny as ever, but he really makes psychology easy to learn and understand through his personal stories that really helped me remember difficult psychology terms. Classes like Social Psych really make me love my classes here!