<p>I've read in a college guidebook that Hopkins is really intense and competitive. How bad is it? Are students...unhappy? Is the competition worse in the sciences? I'm planning to major in the humanities or social sciences.</p>
<p>It’s more of the student’s perspective. If you manage your time well and study hard, then no it’s not going to be bad. If you don’t then yeah it is going to be bad. As with all colleges, some people are going to see it as hard and others see it as easy.</p>
<p>In my opinion (and it is just opinion, I have no scientific study to back it up), the way one views the academic atmosphere at Hopkins depends a lot on where you went to high school. Based upon discussions with a lot of students over a lot of years, it is my observation that those who attended top-rated high schools, which tend to be very challenging if not competitive, for the most part have no difficulty transitioning to Hopkins’ academic expectations. Most of them developed good study habits in high school, and are used to a competitive yet cooperative atmosphere such as exists at Hopkins. Both of my kids went to such a high school before Hopkins. Each reported that the degree of difficulty, in terms of study hours and effort, was consistent with their high school experience, and their grades at Hopkins were remarkably consistent with those they achieved in high school. </p>
<p>Conversely, those who find Hopkins to be difficult often went to less challenging and less competitive high schools–where they were able to be high achievers without the necessity of working hard and developing good study habits. Some of these people are shocked when they find out that they are no longer “king of the hill” when they arrive at Hopkins. I don’t mean to suggest that it is necessary to graduate from a top high school to make it at Hopkins; those who rise to the challenge, work hard, and develop the habits they never had to in high school, tend to do fine. But there are always some who are unwilling or unable to change–and they sometimes find Hopkins overwhelming. These are the people who perpetuate the “cutthroat” myth–where cutthroat means that there are students willing to work harder then they are to achieve their objectives.</p>
<p>I agree with bonanza, it really doepends on how you had your experienced with high school. If you took a lot of AP’s and IB’s (7-8) and challenged yourself, your college experience will be a lot easier than people who took few APs (3-4)</p>
<p>Is it cutthroat with unsupportive professors?</p>
<p>I read somewhere that this University is just as academically rigorous as Ivies, but the downside is that there is no grade inflation. This would be a problem when applying for further education such as med school.</p>
<p>If you talk to students, you will find that most find the vast majority of the faculty are considered to be very supportive. Of course, you will find (at Hopkins and everywhere else) the occasional jerk. And no one wants to have their time wasted–so a student who repeatedly asks basic questions of a world-class professor when the question would better be put to a TA may find themselves being cut off. But there is a tremendous amount of academic support available to undergraduates–you just have to ask. </p>
<p>In general–Hopkins is not as academically rigorous as the Ivies, it is more so (with Cornell being the exception). Students at most Ivies take 4 classes per semester; at Hopkins, 5-6 is the norm. And you are correct that there has been less grade inflation at Hopkins than exists at some of its peer institutions. But students are not disadvantaged by this. Medical schools (and other graduate and professional schools) are well acquainted with Hopkins–and appropriate adjustments are made–just like colleges don’t view every high school the same. Schools that tolerate or encourage grade inflation do an injustice to their better students who have difficulty differentiating themselves from the mediocre ones.</p>
<p>So, are you saying that Hopkins is more rigorous than Harvard?</p>
<p>Whenever I read about the atmosphere of Hopkins, I always get the notion that it is incredibly stressful. I want to go to a challenging yet enjoyable school, and every time I read a discussion about Hopkins, it strays me further and further away from applying there.</p>
<p>Don’t rely on third-hand information, even from me. Talk to current students. If you don’t know any, or can’t visit the campus, address questions to current students on Hopkins Interactive, or on social networking sites. I believe that you will find that the majority of Hopkins students love their time at the University, and a minority do not. By the way, you will get the same results if you talk to Harvard students. </p>
<p>Is Hopkins more challenging than Harvard? Interesting question. In terms of workload, the answer is probably yes because Harvard students normally take only 4 courses a semester. I suspect that the relative difficulty of the courses is comparable. Anecdotally, I can tell you that my daughter (who is now a graduate student at Harvard) believes that her courses at Hopkins were harder.</p>
<p>Just wanted to add that from the point-of-view of a Hopkins student, bonanza is spot on with his/her postings</p>
<p>As for the more difficult than Harvard, I can tell you this: my department (math) uses the same textbooks in courses such as honors calculus, complex analysis, real analysis, topology, algebra,… as in those courses at MIT, Caltech, Cornell, Chicago,… And the problems are very similar/same and the exam questions of the same difficulty. In other words, my friends and I could do them and earn the same grades we get here. So our work is the same as, if not more difficult than those schools.</p>
<p>And most of the professors are very supportive. Again, I can attest only to the math department, but those professors are among the nicest and most helpful people at the whole school.</p>
<p>It’s so ****ing intense we type only in caps!</p>
<p>It’s as intense as camping…</p>
<p>Oh darn it, they de-capitalized my text… it was supposed to look funny.</p>
<p>Key phrase missed by most responders " I’m planning to major in the humanities or social sciences." You are planning to attend the “other” Johns Hopkins. See my post here <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/273875-other-johns-hopkins-no-final-exams.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/273875-other-johns-hopkins-no-final-exams.html</a></p>
<p>Depends which social science. Economics definitely has exams and most humanities classes have plenty of papers (my knowledge of humanities and social sciences is fairly limited to econ and a few other courses).</p>