Johns Hopkins University
Reviews

Lengthy and Unrewarding Process

This school expects everyone to have the ridiculous amount of money it takes to come here. Unfortunately, not everyone does. Depending on the cost of your on campus housing and meal plan, the cost of attendance can easily reach 55-60k and they don't give you many options for handling the cost. The advisors are rude and unhelpful. Despite 2 retired parents and a second mortgage on our house, the school will be offering me $0 in financial aid next year. They require so much paperwork and proof just to determine that you will be getting no money. This school is cheap and unwilling to work with students in financial hardships.

Safe Haven

Baltimore city is currently suffering from the effects of deindustrializaton, including homelessness, poverty, and crime. However, on campus, there are always patrols, and plenty of emergency stations to report suspicious activity. It is very safe around the hub of campus.

Lots of Research Opportunity

Johns Hopkins has many active faculty members engaged in cutting edge research, and are open to undergraduate lab members. These professors are some of the most knowledgeable in the world, and serve as invaluable mentors to those interested in research in all aspects of the sciences

Great!

There are a ton of off campus options that are nearby! Walking distance, there's Tamber's which is an Indian/American food place that has great food and there's a 10% student discount. There's also Subway & Chipotle which are really cheap and accessible. If you want to take a bus, it takes about 20-30 minutes to get to the Inner Harbor which has a TON of amazing food places! Noodles & Company is really cheap (10 bucks and under usually) and super yummy :)

Computer Technology

As students we have 24/7 access to computers in the library and internet access in all of the dorms, wireless in all of them within the next year. We have internet access on 98% of the campus, too, with a guest network and a student exclusive network. The IT help is great and if your computer breaks we have a campus resource to check out laptops until we get ours fixed. Very pleased

Economics Is Okay

Some of the lecturers are good, others are not so. One major complaint is with the TAs for the department (and this complaint isn't just limited to the Economics department, but also common for Physics, Chemistry, and Math TA's as well) is that they don't speak English very well and are very bad at teaching.

Buses Are the Best Option

JHU offers several free shuttle vans/bus options for students, for example the Blue Jay Shuttle, which has several designated routes, but also available to pick you up within a 2 mile radius of the school. There's also the free JHMI shuttle, which shuttles between the JHU campuses.

Inner Harbor and Federal Hill

Definitely the better restaurants are in Inner Harbor and Federal Hill in Baltimore. Near the Johns Hopkins Campus the food options are terrible, but just 10-20 minutes away you will be faced with so many different choices of restaurants and with each one you will be satisfied! Definitely try Abbey's burgers in Federal Hill, Fogo de Chao in Inner Harbor, and Morton's steakhouse (also in inner harbor). If you haven't left the campus to eat out, make a date and get out!

Amazing Academics

For the two years I've been here, I have had great professors for everything from microeconomics to calculus. Every professor knows his or her curriculum thoroughly and is always available in case anyone needs extra help. The curriculum is very rigorous with assignments due weekly and tests maybe once a month. However with good time management, the curriculum is not as bad as people say it is.

Academics Are Strong

As an International Studies Major, I take a wide variety of classes (History, Political Science, Language, Economics). So far my professors have been brilliant. For the most part they are very accessible, encouraging students to attend their office hours. The workload is intense, but manageable. The work you put in does pay off in a practical sense--I have received little busy work. Within my major, students are friendly and willing to help. Across the board, you get the genuine sense that Hopkins cares about its undergraduates, and I'm confident that the quality of education is top notch.

Unique

People are from all around the world. It is so fun and interesting to hear where they are from and how they live without just reading it from a text book and not knowing how true it is. The professors, for the most part, genuinely care about you and help you if you talk to them about your grade or anything else. This school is also big on helping you get internships and jobs on and off campus. Everyone here really does try to help you so long as you ask for it.

Living at Hop

It's really hit or miss with Hopkins. Wolamn and McCoy Hall are some of the best dorms in the country for freshman, but the AMR's and Buildings A&B could be mistaken for section 8 housing. I would rank the sophomore dorms available rank amongst the best in the country so there's hope even if you get screwed as a freshman. The housing process is super easy.

It's a Roller Coaster Ride

Like any top tier school, JHU is very academically rigorous, sometimes to the point where I feel that people put their grades before anything else. That being said, there are so many different types of people here that you are bound to find a niche that shares your same values and priorities, so while it may be hard at times, you're friends are always a great support system. There's a fair amount of flexibility in what you can pursue at Hopkins, so it's easy to explore all sorts of options both academically and extra-curricularly.

Top of the Line

Top 15 engineering school, all liberal arts programs are ranked, and natural sciences are among the best in the country. Great place for pre-meds, lots of labs and internships available always. Professors are all big in their fields.

Pretty Good

The stuff tastes pretty good, and is real healthy. A decent amount of options, and a cheap grocery store just off campus for upperclassmen. The cafeterias listen to all suggestions

JHU: Grades, and You.

I really enjoy the academics at JHU. The first semester of college is covered grades, so that you really get time to adjust to the caliber that the professors and the school expects. Some professors aren't the best, but overall the academics are great. Registration is relatively easy, although the freshmen do get dead last in the process. Most Hopkins students study in the library, although when it's sunny we hit the front yard of the school or, if you're special, the President's lawn.

Free and Convenient

With Penn Station only ten minutes away by free bus, you can get almost anywhere on the east coast with relative ease. Also, getting to downtown Baltimore is really easy and free as well. The MARC train can get you to DC in under an hour for only $7 on weekdays, and can get you to BWI airport in about 20 minutes for only $4.

Whatever You Are Into

The nightlife is great. If you are into frat parties with beer pong , drinking and rave-like dancefloors, frats are welcoming to all people (even people not affiliated with Greek life). If you prefer relaxing in your dorm jamming out to music, there are plenty of people who do that. If you like movies, the Hop organizes a movie showing every weekend. Whatever you like, there is something for you.

Decent

The guys and girls occupy all ends of the spectrum. There are really unattractive people and really attractive people as well. Let's be honest- if you are going to college just to hookup or get an "Mrs." degree, Johns Hopkins isn't the place for you.

Research Research Research!

The research opportunities here are incredible. I am already investigating the role of nanoparticles in drug delivery and I am only a freshman.

The Wilson Fellowship (which you should absolutely apply for) provides students with $10,000 to spend on whatever kind of research they want. Whether you are into archaeology, biology or art history, there is some way you can get involved in research.

Not Too Prevalent

I haven't really had contact with any drugs since coming to this school. There are people who smoke weed, but they are not the majority. Alcohol is the most popular choice by far and parties occur almost every day.

Alcohol

All you can see is that people get drunk a lot but thats all

And you thought you were smart...

First, the admission percentage for the incoming class at JHU is 18%. I don't know where the 28% came from -- must have been 4 or 5 years ago.

JHU is not the school for everyone but the opportunities here are endless. Research positions are easy to find. Professors are accessible. Social opportunities are ample. The trick is to really have the mindset that to do well and enjoy your time here (which for the most part, go hand in hand), you should be studying when you have the chance. When you stay on top of your studies, you can enjoy visiting speakers, a night out at PJs or a fraternity party, or whatever else there is to do at jhu. If you plan (study) ahead of time, you'll do well and have fun when the best opportunities are there. If you squander your time, you will do poorly initially. Then you'll learn the hard way- but you'll get it in time. Stay motivated. Stay on top of work. College life is better that way at hopkins. The cram sesh all nighter might work at other universities, but not here. Best of luck!

JHU

The size of Hopkins is the happy medium between too big and too small. You're constantly meeting new people that you've never met before, but at the same time you always see people that you know while walking around campus. If you are interested in the medical field, Hopkins is the place to be. The science department is superb with amazing support and many hands on opportunities for research. Hopkins dishes out a rigorous workload, but at the same time there is ALWAYS help for you if/when you need it. The library is always full and there are rooms that offer daily tutoring. Professors are always willing to meet with students and will work with your schedule. There are always things to do during the weekend for students on campus, and there are also many things to do off campus. Inner Harbor is a very popular area that students commonly travel to. There is also free, easy transportation for college students that makes stops at other colleges, the mall, Inner Harbor, and a movie theater.

Not So Shabby

Lacrosse is big at Hopkins. So me being from Texas where football is popular, it makes it very hard to adjust. I do wish there was a little more emphasis on school spirit in athletics.