<p>i got into bme at jhu and i wanna go to med school (even if i go, i definitely wouldn't do bme!!)
but i've heard SO MANY bad things about the environment at jhu</p>
<p>how hard is it to get a 4.0 at jhu (as a neuroscience major for example)?
i got a full scholarship to umd so i could just go there and get a 4.0 easy but idk if i'd be making a mistake</p>
<p>does going to jhu give me an edge in getting into med school?</p>
<p>1) You are asking the wrong question. The right question is whether you will get a better education at JHU–and the answer is yes. If you are going to be obsessed with grades–than perhaps JHU is not the best place for you. You do have to work harder at JHU to get top grades–but there is a benefit to that hard work. You actually will learn more. If learning is your highest priority–then I know of no better place than Hopkins. If on the other hand, you are primarily interested in the easiest route to medical school, there are many easier places to go.</p>
<p>2) Don’t obsess about what some people say about the environment. There are plenty of ■■■■■■ out there and, yes, some students at Hopkins second guess their decision to attend (btw, this happens everywhere). On the other hand, you will also find plenty of students (the vast majority) who love their time at Hopkins. The thing is that you need to form your own opinion–not just listen to the opinions of others. Spend some time on campus, talk to students and faculty, and determine if it feels right for you. That’s all that matters.</p>
<p>To emphasize on bonanza’s #2 - 97% of freshmen return for their following year…so they obviously like it.</p>
<p>I am with bonanza.</p>
<p>Also I think you are very wrong about the UMD 4.0 thing. Is UMD University of Maryland? If so I know a few people who go there and it is NOT a walk in the pre med park! At all! Maybe JHU is harder…but that school is tough and pre meds there have the same issues as premeds here. Please do not think that UMD will be an easy 4.0 because it won’t be. Talk to some pre meddies there and I am sure they will say the same.</p>
<p>You do not need to go to JHU to get into medical school. You can go anywhere and go to medical school. JHU has a rigorous pre med program but that does not necessarily means it will give you an edge. Med school depends on your references, MCATS and shadowing and research and opportunities and what not. </p>
<p>And I worry that you are too grade obsessed. If you just care about your grades then I am with bonanza and you need to re evaluate what you really want from a college, aside from grades. You worry about what people say about the environment but you’re already asking if you can get a 4.0 in neuroscience at JHU, which won’t help the “environment” issue.</p>
<p>I understand this is a confusing time for you (congrats on getting in as BME btw) but you must ask the right questions in choosing a school, or else you’ll just be unhappy. It’s possible to get As here. It’s possible to get Cs here. You have to work harder but it’s fine. Visit and talk to students as I did and make your choice that way. and on your gut feeling.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I agree - if you love learning, go to Hopkins, as the place will absolutely blow your mind, body and soul away with what happens there academically and intellectually.</p>
<p>If you love grades and that is your motivation… don’t go to JHU because you’re in it for the wrong reason and will be surrounded by people who are there for all the right reasons.
Heck, the first semester you don’t even receive final grades. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Goodness haha I feel like I’m almost in the exact same boat!
I reallllly enjoy learning…JHU is perfect for what I want to do lol
But I have been known to be concerned with grades a lot.
I work really hard though so I feel like maybe that won’t be as big of a problem!
I’m from Texas though so I’ll either be going to JHU, which will be obviously more challenging but a completely new environment or Texas A&M which will be fun and a lot less stressful when it comes to keeping up academically…
I’m not really sure yet! I was also worried about the environment and stuff as well because I’ve lived here in Texas my whole life and haven’t been up on the east coast really at all!!!
It would be such a cool place to go. I probably need to get out and live in a brand new place. I would like to go to JHU, but yes of course I am second guessing my decision to attend! haha
What should I do??</p>
<p>guys i asked for real advice
… stop this “i love learning” bs</p>
<p>could somebody answer my question instead of criticizing me?</p>
<p>How hard is it to get a 4.0 at hopkins (neuro)?</p>
<p>Reasonably challenging, depending on effort and talent set. Definitely not impossible. People here typically have a weakness in SOMETHING be it writing courses, math, physics, whatever. The broad liberal arts education you’ll have here thanks to distribution reqs make it hard to get a 4.0 if you have weaknesses. </p>
<p>Once you make it through the the lower level courses, curves are used less (im talking generally about premed classes, not specifically about neuro. Neuro courses are mostly normalized so no curve!!) and normalization is used more so it’s about individual effort. I know a couple of people with a 4.0 in neuroscience. </p>
<p>Dont go to UMD just because you think it will be easier… you are heading there with the wrong mentality. Go if you think it your best option overall. If it is a prestigious scholarship and you are in an honors program, then you may not lose any ‘prestige’ edge gained from going to the Hop. Yes, prestige definitely counts for something in med schools admissions to top schools. Just check how many top med school grads come from ivies/Duke/Hopkins/Stanford, etc. Some med schools like Vandy post this information… I think Hopkins and Michigan do as well but i cant find the links…just check the fb groups or something for admitted students if you doubt me. But yea, doing well at a rigorous institution is looked upon very favorably. Im sure the amazing resources top schools have play a factor as well (as in, you’re probably more likely to have great EC opportunities.) That said, if you are an amazing applicant you’ll have a shot at getting in anywhere.</p>
<p>Also, you are crazy if you think you’d get the same exposure to medicine at Hopkins and Maryland. Maryland’s med school and hospital is actually in downtown Baltimore, not College Park. We have a free shuttle to BOTH med campuses (East Baltimore and Bayview). Hopkins UG has medical tutorials to get you exposed to different fields of Medicine and different aspects (clinical/shadowing, clinical research, bench research…all on the med school campus with leading doctors in their fields) and you get credit for the experience. IF YOU ARE LUCKY YOU MIGHT GET INTO THE INTERSESSION TUTORIALS (intersession is the 3 week between winter break and second semester) THAT ALLOW YOU TO SHADOW 40-80 HOURS IN SURGERY or anesthesia or primary care w/ med students and residents (aka active learning because they’ll be teaching while you shadow)… when you are an upperclassmen. </p>
<p>Also, med deans and associate deans (and even places like NIH looking for researchers) are always coming down to do presentations and recruit. This is helpful for networking, and finding summer jobs or programs. One rep at Penn told me to contact her once I graduate for research gigs if i’m interested in the University. </p>
<p>The advising here is great. They hold class meetings to walk us through the application cycle, and you can sign up for little workshops such for a more intimate experience. You’ll get tons of resources if you are interested in medicine. just check out the preprof web site actually… it’s a taste of how thorough the advising is.</p>
<p>What bad things have you heard about the environment? Most of what I see here on CC is BS. Your experience here is what you make of it. There is plenty to do on campus for fun and personal development (I have done or am doing art, sports, cultural clubs, and mentoring/volunteering), the student body is pretty diverse and interesting, we definitely collaborate and it helps my gpa lol… and there is a lot to do in Baltimore (as in any major city), granted it’s more fun if you have a car :D</p>
<p>I’m sorry that you feel like you’re being criticized. It’s just some food for thought that you may and should find useful in your college decision making process. <em>shrug</em></p>
<p>4.0 in neuro…hard. 4.0 at all at JHU…hard. Possible but hard.</p>
<p>There ya go.</p>
<p>the best option is to be the best at the best school possible. this means that, yeah, if you go to hopkins you’ll have to work harder, but in the end it’ll pay off.</p>
<p>a really big factor in medical school applications is also letters of recommendation. if you get the right recommendations from the right people it will help you so much. the faculty at hopkins is better. don’t think only about the gpa. concentrate also on other opportunities to stand out and make connections.</p>
<p>A 4.0 GPA is pretty much impossible. </p>
<p>You will see when you get to college that getting a 4.0 is a lot harder than it was in high school. Hence why the average GPA of a med school admit from JHU is about a 3.55. </p>
<p>For one, an A- is a 3.7. So if you were to get an A- in EVERY class you took here over four years (which would be phenomenal) your GPA would be a 3.7. To get an honest 4.0 GPA, you would have to get an A (not A-) in every single class you took here, which, to be frank, I have never heard of anyone doing. I’m sure there has to be a few out there, though.</p>
<p>I think the environment to learn, discover, meet different people etc will be great at JHU. A&M you risk being a number and falling into the mix. </p>
<p>I suggest a visit. Good luck - JHU is a great place.</p>
<p>^ Thanks!
Agreed on the A&M stuff. I would definitely be taking courses in their honors program and stuff and well I would be really involved at A&M because I’m just that type of person lol
I was mascot and super involved in my high school and community. So I would definitely love the college experience at A&M. I just haven’t ever been up there before so I don’t know what I would compare it to! I think I will have to give it a visit somehow haha</p>
<p>I’m going to agree with brownisawesome with the ‘i love learning’ bs. </p>
<p>Med schools aren’t gonna care if you loved learning or were impressed intellectually with the environment. You might be able to show that at interviews, but without a high enough GPA, you’ll application will be dead. </p>
<p>Too some of us, grades DO matter, even if we do love the stuff we’re learning.</p>
<p>I don’t think the “love of learning” thing is bs at all. In my experience, those who approach academics for the right reasons (e.g., to become the best you can be) tend to be much more enthusiastic about their studies and that almost invariably effects their grades positively. Faculty notice genuine enthusiasm. Conversely, those who are studying just to get the grade so they can go to medical school and make a lot of money (which, incidentally, hasn’t been true for a while and likely won’t be true under Obamacare) are usually far less happy as students and that often impacts their grades adversely. </p>
<p>The best physicians are those who love their profession, are passionate about helping people, and love doing their best. Those who are in it for the wrong reasons, like prestige or money, are usually miserable. Often, they leave medicine after a while.</p>
<p>I guess the ultimate point is that the places completely attract two different types of students and ultimately, if you love what you do, it’s easier because it feels less like work most times. It’s therefore easier to be motivated and get good grades. :)</p>
<p>Hopkins is such a unique and beautiful place with a strong history and sense of community in and around the university centered on discovery and innovation. Like I said before, I highly suggest a visit before you make a final decision because once you’re on the campus, it’s hard to say know and it’ll be the best four years.</p>
<p>Congrats on getting in btw!!</p>
<p>I’m going to add my opinion here as a parent of a deferred then denied applicant. The time for these deliberations and second guesses is long past over. It’s time to grow up and behave in ways that befit someone with your talents. This isn’t going to the mall on saturday with your chums when selecting a college. There are 17000 plus young people who would donate a vital organ to be in your position with your options. For whatever reason(s) the admissions committee decided you had what it takes. You go there and help make Hopkins a better place. Quit being a spoiled brat looking for someone to tell you what to do. You already made that choice.</p>
<p>Alright, that’s a little harsh…
I wasn’t saying me loving learning is going to get me in anywhere lol
I was saying it will help me succeed wherever I go…</p>
<p>And how am I supposed to make a decision on my own that will affect the rest of my life when I’ve never seen the school…don’t know a lot about it’s traditions and college life (because I’ve never been there!)…and live so far away…
I think you’re just a little upset about the decision you received…I’m far from a spoiled brat; I’m not sure that was directed towards me, but I sure hope it wasn’t.
how dare you even say that.
I’m sorry if I’m asking for a little advice (which would be the smart thing to do) on a decision that will affect the rest of my life…</p>
<p>dillonJay,</p>
<p>You’re fine. I would ignore those other comments. </p>
<p>I think you should try to contact some students there. [Hopkins</a> Interactive](<a href=“Taiga”>http://www.hopkins-interactive.com/) is a great resource I have found about Hopkins and there are some students there who I am sure would chat with you. </p>
<p>I think if you went to Hopkins and didn’t enjoy it (unlikely) you could always transfer to A&M. However, it’s doubtful you could ever transfer to JHU.</p>