<p>Right now I'm in sort of in between Johns Hopkins, University of Michigan, and USC. I know Michigan has one of the best engineering programs in the nation along with USC only a couple schools down (based on rankings), but I feel like I would get a better overall education at Hopkins, and which also has no core curriculum and the class size would be much smaller. I'm looking to study computer engineering but I don't want to base my decision solely on rankings. In terms of social aspects and school pride I think that Michigan has a lot more to offer, and a better balance between extra curricular/social activities with academic work. At USC, I've heard the engineers work way too much compared to everyone else, but there's a good social scene also. At Hopkins, from what I've read, it's competitive and students tend to spend much more time on academics. Another thing I liked about Michigan is that it has the largest alumni network in the world, so if i do decide to go work in another country(Brazil- my home), I think it'll be easier to get a job. Although, since Hopkins is in a city, there are many opportunities for me while at school. USC is in LA which I have lived there and I'm not too big of a fan of the city even though there are many opportunities. So these are some pros and cons of each that I'll have to think about. I would like to know different people's perspectives on these schools. If you attend one of them, convince me to go there! haha....Thank you!</p>
<p>I think JHU will have the strongest research opportunities in your major (maybe UMich has a bigger program with more faculty, but I bet JHU has far fewer undergrads in CE). It is also the most highly regarded of these three schools. </p>
<p>Have u been convinced?</p>
<p>ha thanks al6200, that’s one thing also that makes hopkins stand out for me- the small class sizes and lots of research opportunities</p>
<p>if you’re worried about getting a job after graduating from Hopkins, don’t. I’d narrow down the choices to UMich and JHU for engineering. USC’s inflated gamed rankings(see here <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/727030-ranking-rigging-usc.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/727030-ranking-rigging-usc.html</a>) belies its true reputation. These so called alumni networks (in particular, the Trojan network) are often very regionalized. At the end of the day, alumni will still not hire fellow alumni unless the job candidate is very technically qualified for the position. A degree from Hopkins will get your foot in the door and prepare you for what comes after (it’s a place that teaches you to think creatively and originally through research and group design projects) if that’s what you are worried about. I went to Hopkins for undergrad and am about to receive my Ph.D. from Stanford in the next few months (Hell, I got paid to do it by a huge Stanford fellowship given to 10 students a year (I did well at Hopkins but didn’t have to graduate at the top of my class like some of my classmates in graduate school who went to state schools). It’s pretty amazing how well respected Hopkins is for engineering by the Stanford faculty and in the silicon valley area.) I absolutely loved my time at Hopkins (met some of my life long best friends and fiance there after graduating recently). Don’t pass up this opportunity.</p>
<p>Lots of people are concerned about the college experience. And I will say that the social life at Hopkins and other well regarded private schools cannot rival that of a huge state school (that’s not to say it sucks, but you won’t be attending big time football games in a rocking stadium.) But what little you might sacrifice in college social life, you will gain exponentially after graduation through the connections that will be afforded to you at Hopkins. The personalized attention you will receive from faculty that wish to work with you, along with smart classmates that will help you grow socially and intellectually at a smaller school like Hopkins, is not something that should be undervalued.</p>
<p>thanks Blah2009…that helped a lot, especially by getting a view from someone who graduated from hopkins and is now at a great grad school like stanford</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins, as long as they meet your financial needs.</p>
<p>Blah, which program are you in at Stanford?</p>
<p>One of the benefits of a small department is that it’s very easy to become close with faculty members. In a department with 100 students, it’s sort of difficult to stand out. However, in a small department, if you make an effort to talk to your professors, they will get to know you and enjoy talking to you. This really helps when it comes to grad school applications. Just from my graduating class this year, here are some grad school results from the “smaller” programs:
-Physics: friend who will likely be attending MIT (will turn down Stanford and Caltech), another staying at Hopkins; another person is likely going to Columbia, and another to Harvard
-Philosophy: I know someone deciding between Stanford and a few other places
-French: friend going to Princeton (after turning down Duke)
-Computer Science: friend choosing between Penn and Duke (among others)
-Econ: I’m choosing between Princeton and Stanford
Come to Hopkins.</p>
<p>There is a real advantage to going to a smaller school and majoring in a smallish department. Both of my kids went to Hopkins and both got into top graduate programs in their respective fields. I am convinced (and so are they) that one of the reasons they got into the programs they did was because, in each case, their faculty “mentor” at Hopkins picked up the phone and called faculty they knew to help get them placed. Now I’m not saying that that couldn’t have happened at a big place like Michigan (or a not quite so big place like USC) but I suspect that there is a direct correlation between the likelihood of that happening and the size of the department.</p>
<p>yea the faculty and the small class sizes are two big reasons why jhu is appealing</p>
<p>Once again aerolite23, are you getting the drift of what’s going on here. On the USC boards; USC or UMich. On the JHU boards; JHU or UMich. On the Michigan boards; Why would you go to those other two schools for engineering? ;-)</p>
<p>Every response you get from a forum such as this will be biased. Try to visit the schools to get a feel. You’ll then be able to find out the truth of whether or not Hopkins is competitive, and if Michigan truly has a better social life. Objectively speaking, Michigan has the better graduate engineering program (it’s quite honestly hard to determine undergraduate engineering quality). However, you will find a greater number of accomplished students at a top school like Hopkins. This mattered to me. I had smart friends and classmates who liked to work hard and have fun. It definitely rubbed off on me.</p>
<p>“However, you will find a greater number of accomplished students at a top school like Hopkins”</p>
<p>Complete nonsense. You might find a HIGHER percentage of acomplished students at a school like Hopkins, but certainly no where near the “greater number.” Also in overall engineering, where Michigan is world class, most of your peers will be very accomplished too. Furthermore, I wouldn’t even try to compare the social aspects of the two schools, it woudn’t be fair.</p>
<p>I agree that there are subjective factors, but objectively JHU is the strongest of these three schools. So unless you have a big preference for publics or greatly like the social life of USC, I would go with JHU.</p>
<p>Based on academic credentials, UMich’s student body is substantially less accomplished as a whole relative to Hopkins. But you are right, If we take the TOP students from Michigan, Hopkins, and other schools, you will not find a difference in academic credentials.</p>
<p>For Engineering the median gpa/act for UM was 3.9/31 in '09, and this includes a class consisting of ~2/3 in-staters. If you look at oos’ers and internationals, they will on average will have even higher stats. Factor that in with Michigan switching to the common app this year - applications increased by a little over 20% - which will drive up its median stats again this year, there is definitely not a ‘noticeable’ or, lol, ^‘substantial’ difference between the student body’s if at all. On an absolute basis, you will find more top kids at CoE, with the ‘average’ student being no slacker either. On the issue of size, while it is true that CoE has a larger program, 72 graduating CE’s last year, it is in no way impersonal when comparing the two; a program that has its CE kids making things like Google and the iPod can’t be that alienating : )</p>
<p>What it really comes down to is fit. If feasible, I would try and visit each campus.</p>
<p>Nice try. The differences ARE substantial. </p>
<p>The ACT is 31 for engineering ADMITTED students:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.engin.umich.edu/about/facts.html[/url]”>http://www.engin.umich.edu/about/facts.html</a></p>
<p>You can bet the Umichigan engineering enrolled students average around 29, the lower 25th percentile of ALL enrolled students at Hopkins. What do you think Hopkins engineers average?</p>
<p>Sounds reassuring that the OP has to hang out with engineers only at Umich to get classmates semi-comparable academically to those at Hopkins. Guess he can ignore the rest of the student body.</p>
<p>Wowwzerz. Want to show me any JHU Engineering figures. Want to show me any evidence that the average ‘enrolled’ student has a 29. thanks.</p>
<p>Again, you are citing admitted data for Umich compared to enrolled data for JHU. Try this for ENROLLED students:</p>
<p>[College</a> Search - University of Michigan - U of M - SAT®, AP®, CLEP®](<a href=“College Search - BigFuture | College Board”>College Search - BigFuture | College Board)</p>
<p>Michigan ACT = 27 to 31</p>
<p><a href=“College Search - BigFuture | College Board”>College Search - BigFuture | College Board;
<p>JHU ACT: 29 - 33</p>
<p>And considering engineers at JHU are on the high end of this, no the student bodies are not comparable.</p>
<p>Back to Engineering… JHU does not have a ‘substantially’ better student body. If you want to compare the whole universities, sure, when you include LSA, being the size that it is, having a wider, more diverse student body and as a top public doesn’t sell itself in the same way that JHU does as a private. The differences above, a two point difference on both ends - which will prob become either 1/0 this year (look back a year previous where the ENROLLED was 28-32) - is still not substantial; when you consider the fact that the OP is interested in Engineering - which is notably harder to get into - which Michigan dominates ranking-wise, especially in CE, the differences are minimal.</p>
<p>The ACT’s for the most recent enrolled class for Umich and JHU for 2010-2011 admissions remained the same (29 to 33 vs. 27 to 31 despite JHU and UMich becoming more selective with JHU acceping 20% while Umich selected 37% compared to 27% to 51% the year before). So no, the difference will not <em>magically</em> become 1 or 0. If anything JHU is getting even more selective than ever, and the ACT gap is likely to increase by 1 or 2. Spin it anyway you want. Maybe you 'll even compare the honors portion of LSA to JHU. Yes, the OP is interested in engineering. But don’t you think he cares about being around smart classmates in all areas of study? Unless he wants to be quarantined in an engineering lab.</p>
<p>Fact is JHU for the most part will compete with the ivies, Duke, Stanford, MIT for students. Umich competes with Ohio State, Purdue, and Case Western. Different targets.</p>