<p>I just wanted to ask people about the differences between Hopkins and Bucknell, as I am really struggling with this decision. I have been offered a Presidential Fellowship from Bucknell (only 20 out of over 8000 people who apply to the university), which is making the decision harder. It seems like they really WANT me there, whereas Hopkins could care less if I came or not. But, I like Baltimore a lot and am attracted to the prestige and increased research opportunities. However, you can really get to know your professors well at Bucknell and the ChemE students I've talked with say that they really collaborate and care for each other. I fear that at a place like Hopkins people will be uber-competitive and I will end up having very limited time to enjoy myself. I also fear that the professors will care more about their research and graduate students than their undergraduate teaching. Sorry to rant on, but I just wanted to know what everyone thought about the predicament I'm in: be a bigger fish at a smaller pond at Bucknell, or go to Hopkins and be a smaller fish in a bigger pond. Would you take the opportunity to go to Hopkins or would you choose the academic scholarship at Bucknell? Also, if you could state what your affiiation with the universities are that would be much appreciated. I have about 5 days to decide the next 4 years of my life...
Thanks everyone.</p>
<p>It seems like a lot of your impressions of Hopkins are based on third-hand information. Have you had a chance to visit campus? I know that the Open Houses have already passed, but if you haven’t already visited, I would strongly encourage you to make a trip to Baltimore to get a better feel for the campus and student body. I think that visiting will help dispel the myths about Hopkins. You’ll find that while there is friendly competition between students - everyone wants to do well in class - it’s never at the expense of other students. You’ll also find that most faculty really enjoy teaching undergrads. I’ve only took one class in the ChemE department, so my experience in the department is limited, but the professor for that class was fantastic - she provided her notes for every lecture, held review sessions and took the outside of class to meet with anyone who wanted help. I’ve had friends who were ChemE majors who really liked the department, and I’ve heard the AIChE/SBE group runs a lot of events specifically for the ChemE undergrads.</p>
<p>I don’t really know much about Bucknell and I’m not going to try to convince you that Hopkins is far superior to Bucknell but I just want to make sure that you don’t make your decision based on rumors or speculation about Hopkins. Ultimately, I think “fit” is really important when you pick a college, and if you don’t “feel” at home when you visit Bucknell or Hopkins, there’s a good chance you won’t be happy there.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>