<p>Hi! I'm not sure if I should apply ED to Penn or Hopkins, I definitely want to do ED because it will increase my chances though. </p>
<p>GPA - 3.8 (UW) 4.2 (W)
SAT: 1920 total (retaking in october)
SAT 2: 700 on USH (2 more in nov. and rushing my scores) </p>
<p>I volunteer 2 hours every week, I have a part-time job, I'm active in my youth group, I am president of a club, secretary of several, editor of lit mag, and I 'm involved with a couple more. I have taken the most rigorous schedule. </p>
<p>The only problems I have with Hopkins is their competitiveness. I'd like to have fun in college and I don't want to feel over worked and stressed the entire time? On the other hand, I'm afraid Penn will just be frat parties all the time. I take iniative in learning and I work pretty hard (I took 6 AP's my junior year). I would want to join a club (or more!!) because I love being involved and meeting new people. </p>
<p>I'd want to go clubbing/party once a week or so. I also like art shows. Which school do you think would allow me to do that? Oh, which school is safer...JHU or Penn?</p>
<p>Thanks CC!!! I know I have slim chances, but if I do not get in ED (which I know is a likely...), I will just apply to more schools on RD!</p>
<p>GPA and SAT are low/meh for those colleges.</p>
<p>I'm a student at Penn and live in MD so I have some experience with Baltimore, have been to Hopkins a few times, and have some friends who go there. Hopkins is only known to be competitive for BME and premed, so if you're not into that I hear it's really not that bad. Penn is pretty competitive, but nothing too difficult.</p>
<p>For fun stuff in the city, both schools are in big cities so you'll have plenty to do off campus. I like Philly more and feel that there is a little more to do. One former Hopkins student I talked to said that off campus stuff was alright, but things like inner harbor and stuff got boring by the end (she still liked her overall experience though). In Philly it just feels like there are nicer restaurants and more places to go, though that just might be because I'm an adult in Philly and much of my time in Baltimore was with parents. Penn is not "just frat parties." There will be several frat parties every weekend if you choose to go to them, but lots of kids don't. There is a lot to do aside from frat and house parties. Penn might be the social Ivy, but it's still and Ivy and a lot of the kids here take studies as their #1 priority (though that doesn't interfere with fun too much). </p>
<p>[qutoe]I'd want to go clubbing/party once a week or so. I also like art shows. Which school do you think would allow me to do that? Oh, which school is safer...JHU or Penn?
[/quote]
Philly has some nice clubs. Not sure about Baltimore, but I hear lots of Hopkins students go to bars near campus. Penn might have more parties and stuff like spring fling is awesome. If you like art shows, Philly has some museums and stuff. You'll probably be able to find some art shows (I have no idea about this stuff though). About safety, both schools are safe enough. I have never felt scared on Penn's campus or in the surrounding areas. I think Penn has the largest or second largest private police force in the US (I think it's between us and UChicago) so you'll have escorts to walk you home if you're afraid and there is at least one Penn guard at block. </p>
<p>that helped so much, thanks!! what do you like to do at penn? and also what did you do at baltimore on weekends? I have visited Baltimore and Philly before, but just with my parents on day-trips. Also, my friend lives in MD and says there is not much to do so I am worried about that. </p>
<p>more questions: about how many hours would you say you spent studying/doing homework at penn? and what do you dislike there? </p>
<p>Aside from concerts in the area I really didnt do much in Baltimore aside from go to inner harbor a few times a year. My friends at Hopkins havn't said much about Baltimore's night life, but then again those guys aren't the most social people in the world to begin with. I live in the DC suburbs so I really dont go to Baltimore all that much compared to Georgetown.</p>
<p>At Penn I try to go downtown to a restaurant at least every other week (more often this year when I'm off the meal plan). I went to a few concerts downtown. I went clubbing a few times, not my thing. Clubbing can get expensive if you're buying drinks though. Some kids from my school go clubbing a lot though, so you'll find someone to go downtown with Wednesday-Saturday. I'll ususally go to frat parties Saturdays if I feel like it. I went on Thursdays too, but that was more first semester. There is a lot to do here.</p>
<p>About studying, I found that I probably didnt' study as much as I should have. The amount of work you need to put in will vary from class to class, but it's really not that bad. I usually spent a few hours each week for each class reading, doing homework/problem sets, reviewing notes and vocab, and that sort of stuff. I would devote a lot more time to a class if I had a midterm or paper to worry about. Chem lab write ups would take forever though (just a lot of stuff they wanted), and my friends in programming classes usually spent a lot of time writing and debugging programs. Pretty much the same stuff at any other school.</p>
<p>I think you could reach a general consensus that Penn and Philly are more fun for college students than Hopkins and Baltimore respectively.</p>
<p>That being said, Penn is not "just frat parties all the time," both in the sense that we DO spend time studying, and when we party, frats are but one of several choices.</p>
<p>thanks, that is what I was looking for. I was just worried that the only thing to do on weekends would be frat parties and I'd probably get bored of that after a while.</p>
<p>I don't think Hopkins is easy for anything - I hear it's a great time once you get there however. Penn is a great time as well. I think it really comes down to what you want.</p>
<p>My senses tell me Hopkins has a great focus on undergraduates where at Penn has a large graduate emphasis. Hopkins is also 1/2 the size (9600 undergrads vs. 4500). I think it's a bit easier to slip through at Penn. </p>
<p>I would visit both and see which you like best.</p>
<p>The stereotypes you mentioned about both schools are wrong. Hopkins is competitive in the sense that most students are serious about their academics and do their best to succeed. But most Hopkins students also lead well balanced lives and have a great time in college. Penn students are essentially the same. Because Penn is quite a bit larger--there undoubtedly are more parties and such than at Hopkins--but overall the experiences will be similar, with Hopkins being somewhat more intimate. Philly is also somewhat larger than Baltimore--but both cities have far more things to do and see than you will ever experience in 4 years. Bottom line: both are great choices.</p>
<p>But applying ED because you think it will increase you chances is the wrong approach. You should only apply ED if it is to a school that you know is your first choice and you will definitely attend. Also, don't apply ED if financial aid is a significant factor because you won't be able to compare packages.</p>
<p>Honestly, if you're asking which school you should ED at... It clearly means you SHOULDN'T do ED at either. ED should be ONLY used if you ABSOLUTELY 100% want to go to that school for the next 4 years (although you can transfer). You shouldn't do ED to a school just because it'll increase your chances. You should do ED to a school because you love it. Nothing more, nothing less.</p>
<p>I have visited both and absolutely loved them. I could easily see myself at either and I had a difficult time deciding between them. Like bonanza said, their students are relatively similar in that they want to succeed yet they can still have a good time. I just wanted a few extra opinions on these two to help finalize my decision. Also, financial aid is not a problem or else I wouldn't be considering ED. I just know I'd be much much happier at either than at my state university hence my reason for applying ED.</p>