Ask a Current Freshman

Colleges and Universities A-Z Johns Hopkins University
1

<p>Hi everyone! First of all, congratulations on your acceptances to Johns Hopkins University! You made a fantastic choice having Hopkins as your #1 - you definitely won't regret it.</p>

<p>I thought I'd start this thread just in case you guys had questions about anything related to life at Hopkins - academics, athletics, social scene, etc. Don't be afraid to get down to the nitty gritty with me!</p>

<p>A little background about myself: I just finished up my first semester at Hopkins; I am planning to major in English, although I'm fulfilling pre-med requirements as well. Even though I haven't been at Hopkins for long, I feel like I have a pretty strong sense about what the school is like, and I definitely know what to expect freshman year.</p>

<p>Hit me with any questions you've got!</p>

<p>P.S. I'm not going to "chance" anyone.</p>

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<p>top 10 % of graduating class. In NJ. 710 math, 650 cr, 670 writing.
gpa 3.443 uw, weighted 3.713. a lot of AP’s and Honors. AP Statistics. AP Calculus, AP Physics B, AP Chemistry, Honors BIO, Honors Chem, Multivariable Calculus and LInear Algebra. AP European HIstory. Other AP"S and HOnors. PHysics C self study. Calc BC self study. College English Composition. Lot of volunteering, Academic Clubs, 4 years of TRack and FIeld. what do you think. is JOHNS HOPKINS COMPUTER SCIENCE or COMPUTER ENGINEERING DIFFICULT TO GET INTO?</p>

3

<p>Hey I was just curious… is there a freshman orientation in the summer prior to the start of the first semester or is it in the fall or what? Oh, and how was the orientation?
I want to visit Hopkins as soon as possible. Maybe in the spring but it depends on finances… I’m keeping my fingers crossed (:</p>

4

<p>Hi ayjaytee! First of all, congratulations on your acceptance! Hopefully this answers your questions…</p>

<p>Freshman orientation takes place the week before classes begin in the fall. O-week is actually pretty fun. You will get a nice booklet of all the different activities and events going on specifically for freshmen. To be honest, some (but definitely not all) of the events aren’t much fun - so there’s always frat parties and other things to do if that’s more your style. </p>

<p>O-week is awesome though because you make a ton of friends. Everyone is in the same position as you are (many people don’t already know others going to Hopkins) so everyone just gets along! You definitely form some of your closest friends during that time. If you live in the AMRs, you will probably become good friends with the people in your house, and if you’re in Wolman, A/B or McCoy, you will probably become close with the people on your floor.</p>

<p>Also, there are Open Houses for admitted students in April that I would suggest you attend if you have the chance. You have the opportunity to stay overnight with another student, so you will be able to meet current students and your future classmates. I didn’t have the opportunity to spend the night, but everyone I’ve talked to that did do the overnight absolutely loved it. </p>

<p>Congrats again! Just let me know if you have anymore questions… I’ll be checking this site every so often.</p>

5

<p>Are new students(Freshmen) required to live on campus? If so, can you describe the housing(how it’s like, rooms, eating, etc.)?
What about the future years?</p>

<p>Also, is the campus small as compared to… say college park?
I have seen current students’ interviews on JHU with majority of the students saying that they don’t like Hopkins. What do you like about hopkins?</p>

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<p>Hey, I just got admitted into BME, what kindof laptop you would recommend I get for my major…</p>

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<p>Hi C0mputer5cience… this is in response to your question about dorm life: </p>

<p>Freshmen and sophomores are required to live in dorms, but after that, people usually get their own apartments, houses, or live in frats. As a freshman, you have 4 housing options: AMRs, Buildings A/B, Wolman, and McCoy. I’ll briefly explain each, but here’s a link that goes more in detail: [Oncampus:</a> Buildings](<a href=“http://www.jhu.edu/hds/oncampus/buildings.html]Oncampus:”>http://www.jhu.edu/hds/oncampus/buildings.html)</p>

<p>AMRs: These are the “traditional” dorms on campus. Many people choose to live here because it has a very friendly atmosphere… most people leave their doors open during the day and there are communal, same-sex showers on each floor. They (AMR I and AMR II) do not have any air conditioning, which is kind of a bummer during the first and last months of the school year, but they do have heat for the winter. These dorms are located on campus in the freshman quad, close the Fresh Food Cafe (aka the FFC - the freshman dining hall). </p>

<p>Buildings A/B: These are arranged more suite-style; basically, you share a suite with your roommate and then another pair of roommates. These are located above the FFC in the freshman quad. Honestly, I’ve never been in Building A or B, so I can’t give you much detail about them. I do know, however, that they have AC and heat. </p>

<p>Wolman: This dorm is located off-campus directly across from the main entrance of campus (literally like 20 steps from campus). I currently live here, and I must say I love it. These are also arranged suite-style, so me, my roommate, and my suitemates all share a kitchenette and a bathroom. You get to bond with your entire floor and it’s really easy to visit other people as well. Also, you get to control your own AC/heat in your room. Since this dorm isn’t on campus, it’s about a 5 minute walk to the FFC. However, it is located directly above the Charles Street Market (CharMar) which is a mini-mart that also contains an Einsteins. I’m slightly addicted to CharMar, haha. </p>

<p>McCoy: This is a predominantly sophomore dorm, but one level (Terrace Level) is dedicated to freshman. I have never been in their either, so I really don’t know much about it. It is located directly across from Wolman Hall. </p>

<p>Also, if you want to see videos of each dorm and the rooms in them, check out Hopkins Interactive’s Cribs: [Hopkins</a> Interactive | Cribs](<a href=“http://www.hopkins-interactive.com/cribs/]Hopkins”>http://www.hopkins-interactive.com/cribs/)</p>

<p>Let me know if I missed anything or if you have any more questions!</p>

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<p>…now on to the second part of your question, C0mputer5cience! </p>

<p>I have never been to College Park, but I would probably say Hopkins is smaller. You can definitely walk to all of your classes with ease. I would say it probably takes about 10-15 minutes to walk from one end of campus to the other, but that’s just an estimate. It’s a fairly small campus, and none of the buildings are integrated in the “city,” they’re all in one location.</p>

<p>Where are these interviews?! I absolutely love Hopkins and so has everyone else I’ve talked to! I honestly have no complaints about the school, except for trivial stuff, like the FFC doesn’t have Late Night (dining from 9pm-midnight) on Fridays and Saturdays. </p>

<p>I love that Hopkins doesn’t have a core curriculum. Basically, not every student has to take Calc I or Bio or Expository Writing if they don’t want to. You are required to take the classes necessary for your major as well as distribution requirements, but Hopkins doesn’t specify any mandatory classes for all students.</p>

<p>I love that freshmen have covered grades first semester. This means that all of your grades are pass/fail (you pass if you get a C- or above) and do not factor into your GPA. It really allows you to adjust to the college atmosphere and experiment with balancing your academic and social lives. Also, most grad/law/med schools can’t see you letter grades…EVER. I think there are 3 schools or something that can, but most don’t. </p>

<p>I love intersession. Intersession is the time between first and second term where you have the opportunity take a pass/fail 1 or 2 credit class for three weeks. You have the chance to study abroad during this time as well. However, you don’t even have to do intersession if you don’t want to. I’m taking an intersession class this year and I’m really excited for it. If you’re interested, check it out, here: [Intersession</a> Programs at Johns Hopkins](<a href=“http://www.jhu.edu/intersession/]Intersession”>http://www.jhu.edu/intersession/)</p>

<p>Okay, I could go on, but I think you get the point ;). If you want to see other student perspectives, check out Hopkins Interactive blogs: [Hopkins</a> Interactive | Current Student Blogs](<a href=“http://www.hopkins-interactive.com/current-blogs/]Hopkins”>http://www.hopkins-interactive.com/current-blogs/) I believe there is a shared blog for the freshman class if you want to look at their perspective. </p>

<p>Again, let me know if you have any more questions!</p>

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<p>Do you remember getting accepted? What was that like?</p>

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<p>Hi nickbellow - congratulations on your acceptance! BME is a great program at Hopkins - I know a bunch of kids who are BME majors and they get to do some really cool stuff (like going to Six Flags for some project!). </p>

<p>To answer your specific question: I’m not really sure. Some of the kids I know in BME have a Mac and some have a PC. You could try checking out this resource: [PC</a> vs MAC](<a href=“http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/563385/1/]PC”>http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/563385/1/) and posting there, or you could try posting a question on the Class of 2015 Facebook group… I remember there being a similar question on the Class of 2014 group.</p>

<p>Congrats again, and sorry I don’t have a specific answer for you!</p>

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<p>Thanks hopkid (:</p>

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<p>Ahaha yes, WealthOfInformation, I remember my acceptance very clearly…I was playing a varsity volleyball match and I would frantically check my blackberry in between games…I saw the “Congratulations from Johns Hopkins University” on my phone, flipped out, and ran to tell my parents in the bleachers. </p>

<p>Hopkins initially wasn’t my first choice (in fact, it was the last school I applied to), but now I can’t imagine myself being anywhere else. After I toured all the schools I got accepted to, Hopkins was my absolute favorite. The different classes, the students, the lack of a core curriculum, the campus…all amazing!</p>

13

<p>I’ve heard that JHU students tend to be overly competitive and cut-throat. Is this true, or is it just a stereotype?</p>

14

<p>iforgot37: Thank you for asking this! Somehow Hopkins got this reputation, but I have no idea why. It is definitely a very false stereotype.</p>

<p>At Hopkins are the people are competitive? Yes. Everyone wants to get good grades - that’s why you’re at one of the best universities in the world. However, it is definitely not cut-throat or even “overly competitive.” The students are very friendly, always helping one another out in classes, sharing notes, studying together… it’s actually a rather collaborative atmosphere. In my experience, no one has ever been cut-throat. Everyone just wants to do well and get good grades, so we all help each other out!</p>

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<p>@ hopkid-
lol thanks. I saw the interviews on Youtube… like this for example:
“well hopkins is good, I guess. campus is OK.” (doesn’t this sounds boring to you?)
[YouTube</a> - Johns Hopkins University: Jack Z.](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>

<p>anyway, thanks for clearing the confusion up. I still have some Qs… and will continue to do so since I want to benefit from your amazing experience at hopkins… as I am a 1st gen student & naturally am confused.</p>

<p>do ONLY freshmen get covered grades? is it ONLY during first semester? also when grad schools look at the grades, do you mean they cannot look at the letter grades of the freshmen year but can look at other years(sophomore, junior, etc.)? wouldn’t that form a suspicion in their mind? that we are trying to <em>hide</em> our B- or a C+ that we got during the freshmen year (even though, as you say, we can pass w/ those grades)</p>

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<p>Those interviews definitely do not give Hopkins a great impression… it’s a shame to see that. I don’t think it gives an accurate view of the school, but to each his own, I guess. </p>

<p>No problem! I’m happy to answer any questions.</p>

<p>Yes, only freshmen get covered grades during their first semester. Graduate schools will see all of your letter grades (A, A-, B+, B, B-, etc.) from your second semester freshman year onwards. They will not, however, see your first semester freshman year grades (they will only see an S for satisfactory/pass or a U for unsatisfactory/fail). </p>

<p>I can see where you’re coming from about the question of suspicion, but I don’t think graduate schools really mind. They have 7 other semesters to look at to get a good idea of your academic performance, so even if you did get a C+ your first semester freshman year, I don’t think it would impact their decision to accept/reject you. </p>

<p>Also, students cannot uncover their grades or make them count for their GPA. You can see your letter grades once the term is finished, but you cannot uncover them permanently. You don’t have a choice - Hopkins won’t let you. I was upset to find this out because I did very well this term, but it does put everyone on an even playing field. However, if you make dean’s list (3.5 gpa or above), you will still get a notation on your official transcript. </p>

<p>Here’s an interesting thread where students debate whether or not Hopkins should keep the covered grade policy for first semester freshmen (and it will give you some more information as well): <a href=“http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/563292/1/[/url]”>http://forums.hopkins-interactive.com/topic/563292/1/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Hope I made this clear enough!</p>

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<p>Hey thanks for the quick response earlier,
Also, what are some of your favorite things to do outside of class? Like do you go to the city, are you in any clubs?</p>

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<p>All the related ones to that video are really positive. The BME student talks about BME and bio/health sciences, and the rest of them talk about the stellar academics in general.</p>

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<p>Don’t want to hijack your thread, but just wanted to jump in with an answer for nickbello re: PC vs Mac for BME. The one main software package that you’ll use as a BME major, Matlab, is available for both PC and Mac. That said, it’s pretty expensive, so while some students are willing to put down a few hundred bucks, or acquire it less-than-legally, many others just used one of the main computer labs on campus to do programming-related homework. I can’t really think of anything that we did that was PC specific, so you should be fine with either a PC or a Mac, whatever your personal preference is. (I’m a '09 BME Alum) </p>

<p>Also C0mputer5cience, while only 1st semester freshmen get “covered” grades, every semester after that, you’re allowed to take one class as “Pass/Fail”. This has to be a class that’s not a major/minor requirement, since those have to be taken for a grade, but it’s a good way to explore a random field without “risking” it affecting your GPA. I applied to med school with 1 or 2 P/F classes and never had an issue with them</p>

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<p>No problem, tanman… it’s hard to remember everything! Feel free to jump in whenever :)</p>

<p>You’re welcome, nickbello! There’s a lot to do outside of class. You have a TON of free time, so you will definitely be able to participate in a lot of activities. There are always events happening on campus, which is neat; there’s also the huge Student Activities Fair in the beginning of the year which lets you sign up for anything and everything you’re interested in. I’m in a few clubs and I give campus tours and host prospective students during the open houses in April.</p>

<p>I’ve also been to the Inner Harbor and Fell’s Point (especially for Halloween!) quite a few times - the city is great. Baltimore has a pretty bad rep, but it’s actually quite safe if you go to the right areas (aka going to East Baltimore alone at night probably wouldn’t be the best idea?). There is also the CollegeTown Shuttle (which is free) that takes you a lot of places in Baltimore (other college campuses, the Towson Mall, etc.) so it’s really accessible and safe to get around.</p>