<p>Hey vast abyss.
Long time reader, first time posting.
I was accepted (yay) to Tufts (fa unknown until Mon), Jhop (27,500/yr Hodson Trust), American University (Honors Program/Presidential Scholarship of 27000/yr) and George Washington U (honors and Pres. Scholarship of 20000/yr)
My intended major is International Affairs.
I'm currently struggling to figure out where the best place for me is. I'm confused as to whether a more prestigious school like Tufts or Jhop can offer me more/the same opportunities as AU and GW despite their locations.
If anyone has insights into a. Student life at any of these 4 institutions; b. opportunities available at these institutions or c. Tufts' typical financial aid, I would be incredibly appreciative. </p>
<p>(I apologize for the diction and syntax of this post. I've got a wicked ovarian cyst today and am not in the mood to be coherent.)
-Hima.</p>
<p>Tufts. It’s a great atmosphere/campus + amazing IR program.</p>
<p>There are a lot of opportunities for serious students, including research and international IR. For example, there was a recent program in Chile, working on actual policy, which a friend of mine absolutely loved.</p>
<p>Kam do you know if applicants receive a decent amount of aid?
I’m really stressing monday. When I toured tufts I -loved- it but I can’t put my parents/my credit score through full tuition.</p>
<p>The biggest major at Hopkins is international relations and I know that they have opportunities to spend a semester in D.C. I might go with Hopkins.</p>
<p>Hopkins will give you WAY more options at graduation. </p>
<p>GW and AU are second tier compared to Hopkins and to a lesser extent, Tufts.</p>
<p>Hopkins all the way.</p>
<p>You’ll know about aid Monday. Till then, any comparisons are premature.</p>
<p>If Tufts gives you good aid, then I’d unequivocally go there. Otherwise, it’s a tougher choice.</p>
<p>Thanks Guys!
Hey Wealth, I was browsing some other pages and you seem really into JHU. Are you a student/alumni/parent of a jhopper?</p>
<p>I am very familiar with all four schools. Frankly, based on the information you gave–it is not even a close call. </p>
<p>If money were not an issue–the order would be Hopkins, Tufts, GW and AU. I’m not going to knock GW and AU–each are reasonable choices for international studies but, as universities go, they are simply not in the same league as JHU and Tufts. Hopkins and Tufts are a much closer comparison–although Hopkins is generally considered superior. The only edge Tufts has is Boston over Baltimore–although Baltimore’s proximity to DC is a plus and then there is that whole inferiority complex at Tufts because of its proximity to Harvard and MIT.</p>
<p>But with a Hodson scholarship at Hopkins (which is very prestigious by the way, congratulations!), why would you consider going anywhere else ? Besides, if you can gain admittance to the 5 year BA/MA program at SAIS–you arguably will be in the finest program of its type in the world. Sorry, but I can’t see this as a tough choice.</p>
<p>Hopkins no doubt, my cousin entered the IA field there and said its an AMAZING opportunity and wouldn’t change it at all!</p>
<p>Is it true Hopkins is hypercompetitive?
The ratings for professors at JHOP seem really low, as do to quality of life ratings.</p>
<p>That’s a subjective thing but, no, I would not call Hopkins “hypercompetive.”</p>
<p>Hopkins has a lot of pre meds, and pre med anywhere is very competitive. Because of the steller reputation of Hopkins Med and Hopkins Hospital, the percentage of undergraduates who consider themselves pre med is higher than most of its peers. In my opinion, that is why Hopkins still has, after all these years, the reputation of being very competitive. </p>
<p>If you are majoring in international studies at Hopkins, you won’t find the competition any different than at any other top college.</p>