<p>What's the program like? Is it ridiculously challenging? I'm sort of worried going in to it because I'm not sure if I'll fit in as an engineering student. I do well in math/science but I don't really know if I'm the sort of technical whiz kid type of student (and I've only taken Calc AB if that counts for anything).</p>
<p>Does the program leave kids with little to no spare time? JHU is sort of notorious for being super cutthroat (although this rumor is dispelled a lot) and difficult (at least people concede to the "difficult" part) and I really don't want to have to kill myself to keep a solid GPA (one look at the urbandictionary entry for "johns hopkins" is very very scary). As much as I like science and math, I'm not one-dimensionally obsessed with academics and I want to go to a school where I can play sports, go to concerts, etc., and be able to relax here and there while still keeping a very solid GPA; is this possible in ChemBE at JHU?</p>
<p>My other choices are UCLA and Georgetown, and at both I would be studying bio/chem without engineering. I prefer the atmospheres at these schools but I would love to study engineering (moreso than a hard science without engineering) and I like the job/internship opportunities that a JHU ChemBE would provide.</p>
<p>The reality is that you’ll work hard at Hopkins and you’ll be with students who love to engage in academic topics. You’ll learn an incredible amount in four years during your time in Baltimore and your professors will be incredibly passionate about their teachings. </p>
<p>It’s very natural to feel intimidated by a place like Hopkins but if you have the chance to go and visit, you’ll see that it’s such a supportive environment where the students really do care about each other and help each other through the academic part, but also engage in a lively social life in music, bars and nightclubs in Baltimore, tons of restaurants among other things. </p>
<p>The other thing to note is that a lot of engineering students major in humanities or social science courses so you can be very well-rounded academically even if you major in engineering. The school admitted you because they figured you, over hundreds of thousands of other applicants, were a great fit for the university. </p>
<p>I can’t say Hopkins was an “easy” experience, but what I can say is that it was a meaningful and profound college experience. I have found that anything worth doing in my life was challenging and if it was challenging and interesting, it became more meaningful over time. If you can just glide through your classes doing the minimum and not pushing yourself, the whole college experience is kind of worthless and a big waste of money and time. </p>
<p>If you choose Hopkins, you’ll have great times, hard times, learn a lot and make great friends that you’ll most likely keep for life. I did.</p>
<p>I agree with what WealthofInformation posted above.</p>
<p>But to specifically answer your question, when I was a student (2005-2008), ChemBE was described as one of the most difficult majors at Hopkins. I have even had BME friends describe ChemBE as being extremely challenging, especially once you reach some of the upper level courses around your sophomore year. If you decide to attend JHU, it might be worth talking to some Sophomores/Juniors about their experiences with the ChemBE courses to gauge whether or not you want to continue that route. </p>
<p>I think your intuition is serving you well here. If you aren’t confident that you are going to excel without working your butt off to an undesirable degree, you might be right. By the way, kudos to you for recognizing this now. There are some students out there who try to force themselves to work through the major even though it is extremely challenging for them, and they end up making themselves miserable while in school. </p>
<p>Hopkins has a ton of excellent majors with a good science/humanities/workload balance to choose from. I’m just not sure ChemBE would be one of them unless you have that magical mix of hard work ethics and problem-solving savviness. Engineering in general is going to be difficult for many people, regardless of the kind of engineering and where you study it. </p>
<p>I’ve heard many positive things about biology at JHU, if you were thinking about studying that at UCLA or Georgetown anyway. Neuroscience is also top-notch here, and might arguably be even more exciting than biology (!). Thus, the alternatives to engineering at JHU definitely aren’t shabby. But who knows - maybe you’ll come here and find that you’re in love with engineering and will do well in it anyway, then this wont even be an issue. :)</p>
<p>Thank you, I appreciate both of your responses. I understand that the major is difficult yet rewarding – would you say moreso (on either count) than the same major at similar schools? My other option for ChemE is UCLA, and I get the impression that it might be slightly less of a pressure cooker there.</p>
<p>I can’t answer that question because I don’t know what the programs are like at the other schools. I can say that UCLA and Georgetown are very top-notch schools, and I <em>personally believe</em> that the caliber of students found at these institutions can be similar to those found at JHU; they are all very, very bright students. Therefore, I would guess that the “pressure cooker” effect you’re talking about would be pretty similar between these schools. I think the difference might depend on the faculty teaching the courses. Either way, it appears that engineering is so difficult anywhere you go that might be hard to tell the difference. Again, these are just my personal opinions. It might be worth asking other engineering majors at JHU.</p>