Curse You Johns Hopkins!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
1

<p>OK, I’m a 17 year old male from Westchester, NY. I recently, like many of you, got my Brown acceptance (after being deferred) and was absolutely ecstatic. I was so happy, everything was all set. Brown was my first choice and nothing could prevent me from going.</p>

<p>Couple days later though, I find that Johns Hopkins (probably my second choice) has not only accepted me as well, but offered me this uber rare scholarship (they only give 18) worth $86,000 over four years. Holy crap! I was just hoping to get in. I now have to seriously consider the possibility of not going to Brown. Let me clarify though, my family does not really need the money. We’re pretty well off and I’m very thankful for that. There’s no way I’ll be getting any financial aid. So the scholarship money, if I take it, will go to me when I graduate to help me get started in the real world. </p>

<p>There are several key factors that are going to go into this decision</p>

<p>1) Brown appealed to me mainly because of the combination of top-notch academics with that oh-so-famous laid back atmosphere that everybody loves. If there’s one thing I don’t want in a college it’s cut-throat competitiveness. Some say I’ll find this at Hopkins. Is Brown really as laid back as they say?</p>

<p>2) I’m a math/physics guy with a side interest in music (composition). I’ve been beginning to doubt Brown’s prowess in these fields (ignore the music). Everybody seems to be posting about being Pre-med or an English or History student? Can anyone tell me how good the math/physics departments are?</p>

<p>3) The money is not the biggest factor in this decision but it does matter. In the long run, I realize that an extra $86,000 isn’t going to let me live a better life, but it seems like it would be pretty spiffy to have when I need a car and an apartment after I graduate. How helpful would it be to have the money after college?</p>

<p>4) 45/55 M/F ratio sounds a lot better to be than 60/40. I hate to sound superficial, but seriously, it does.</p>

<p>As of now, Brown is my first choice as it always has been, but these questions are gnawing away at me and I’m really starting to have doubts. I’d really appreciate any help I can get to answer them.</p>

2

<p>Go where you want to go.</p>

<p>**** money.</p>

3

<p>I'm debating between Case Western and Brown. Brown is far better on the Liberal Arts size, but I am getting the impression that Case may be as good a school for science. Unfortunately, my main interests lie on both ends of the spectrum. Brown was my first choice, and I was not expecting to get in.</p>

<p>Here is the issue-- I really like both schools. Case gave me a $19,400 a year scholarship, which as you all know is a ton. But I see myself getting tired with science, completely burnt out kind of thing...</p>

<p>It's driving me nuts.</p>

4

<p>Sounds like we're in kinda the same situation. Is Brown really weak in math/physics or just not really noted for it?</p>

5

<p>check out the parents' forum, someone with a similar dilemma (Duke vs. JHU scholarship) . . .
Check out the senior theses in the Brown physics department website for a taste of what the students do . . .</p>

6

<p>here some info about Brown's physics department
<a href="http://www.physics.brown.edu/undergrad/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.physics.brown.edu/undergrad/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>here is the link for theses
<a href="http://www.physics.brown.edu/undergrad/detail.asp?id=10%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.physics.brown.edu/undergrad/detail.asp?id=10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

7

<p>JHU is ranked #20, and Brown is ranked #28 - 7th among the 8 Ivies - behind Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, Columbia, Yale and Penn, but ahead of Dartmouth.</p>

8

<p>,,, Brown also ranks #7 among the 8 Ivies, but is #21 overall, ahead of JHU at #26.</p>

9

<p>I blieve those US news rankings are for Grad Schools Byerly, which is different than Undergrad. I could be wrong. Also, the keane, brown is NOT 60/40 male/female, its approaching 60/40 FEMALE/MALE (not quite 60/40 though). the accepted 2009 class is actually 52/48 F/M. Not sure where you got your stats.</p>

10

<p>Do you think Brown and other schools have <em>separate</em> faculties to teach physics and math to grads and undergrads? I hate to break it to you, but it doesn't work that way.</p>

11

<p>That's true, they don't have separate faculties, but when there is a focus on undergraduate education, less money is often granted for research (because less is going on due to having fewer graduate students), less papers are therefore published, and well, you get the picture. It's the resources and "efficiency" that is measured, where resources include facilities (both number and quality) and grant money and efficiency is the number of publications the department has, the number of honors that faculty has been awarded, etc.</p>

<p>Now, often, and especially when the school is balanced in terms of Grad/Undergrad or even Grad heavy, the graduate school ranking is indicative of the education you will receive in that department. But when the focus is by-in-large undergraduate education, even if that's speculated on a purely population basis, then grad ratings are practically inapplicable. There are other factors than the quality of teaching that go into grad school rankings that are GREATLY affected by the university's focus.</p>

12

<p>60/40 is the M/F ratio at Hopkins, not at Brown. Brown's is 45/55, which I prefer. Both these numbers came from the 2005 Fiske Guide</p>

13

<p>do u guys know where I can get those rankings from usnews?</p>

14

<p>Congratulations on your dilemma. What a wonderful choice you have. As a parent I would say the most important thing is which environment is the best for you. The department, the academics, when you are comparing schools that are so like in the ratings is not that important. Considering the number of schools in this country, the difference between any two schools in the top 25 is not worth debating. But there is a world of difference in the feel of the student body and environment between Brown and JHU and if you're family is comfortable enough financially that the money is not a factor, that is where the focus should be as this will be your home for the next 4 years and part of your life story.</p>

<p>If it is really a close situation, the $86K can buy you an awful lot of extras in the way of experiences. That certainly is something to consider. Your family would have to make nearly twice that to give that kind of cash to you outright. I do not believe you are tied into any subject or major at Hopkins with the Hodson so you can change your mind in the field of study, another reason that it is not so important to rate the current planned major as kids often change their minds. One big advantage that the award does have is that it does put some special opportunities for research right on the table for you whereas at a school where you walk in with everyone else, you will have to work your way to the point of comparing opportunities and not necessarily be first in line for them. It is nice to be wanted that way which is why some schools have such scholar designations without the money to attract students, so money aside, the honor has some priviliges that you may want to examine. I suggest you got to the Hodson Day next week and see what is being offered and get a good look at Homewood campus while it is in session. Those things are far more relevant than any rankings are going to be in yor situation.</p>

15

<p>Guys, choosing on major is silly. For getting into grad school, the overall reputation of the school wins. JHU quality of life is worse than brown, there is no doubt. I wouldnt even consider Case if it weren't for the money. I know a lot of unhappy students there.</p>

16

<p>I have heard pretty horrible things about the quality of life at Case. </p>

<p>Def. do overnights at JHU and Brown.</p>

17

<p>I didn't know the Hodson Program carried any sort of privileges along with it. Why did they have to go and make me such a good offer?</p>

<p>I am going to the Hodson Reception and have overnights scheduled at both places. I guess I'll know when I'm done with them.</p>

18

<p>go to JHU.</p>

19

<p>Call the admissions office. This is what I was told when I visited. I also saw some admission stats for the past 5 years. JHU's class of 2008 was 46% women (compared to 40% for the JHU class of 2001). I know JHU has close to a third in Engineering (while Brown has less than one tenth majoring in Engineering). JHU has more females than males in Arts & Sciences to help its overall M/F balance.</p>

<p>Furthermore, a PHYSICS professor (he had an Italian last name...) at Johns Hopkins was recently awarded a Nobel Prize and a Presidential Science Award...</p>

<p>Give us better reasons for turning down JHU's Hodson Trust Scholarship to attend Brown. You know JHU is pass/fail so don't even talk about pressure. Why would you think a science or math course at Brown would be so much easier?</p>

<p>Something makes me think you didn't get a scholarship from JHU. If you did, you wouldn't entitle your post "curse you Johns Hopkins"</p>

20

<p>JHU is only pass/fail first semester.</p>

<p>And I think he did get a scholarship, that's why he doesnt know where to go.</p>

<p>btw, be glad you stayed on the hopkins acceptance list, I was bumped from accepted to waitlisted on march 29th.</p>