<p>I am very decisive, and I have been puzzling over this decision for what seems like a decade...so I need your help in deciding between these two schools. I will describe what I am looking for and the pros/cons that I perceive below:</p>
<p>I am looking for...
-strong academics
-engaging teachers
-small class sizes
-research opportunities
-collaborative atmosphere
-good food/nice dorms
-suburban, safe surrounding area with nice shops and restaurants nearby
-a balance between social life and academics (I am not into drinking or the frat/sor scene though. But I still want to have fun.)</p>
<p>JOHNS HOPKINS
Pros:
-good reputation and strong biomedical engineering program
-lots of research opportunities
-no core requirements (I will just have to take some writing intensive courses.)
-lots of extracurricular options
-near the Inner Harbor. has some good shops/restaurants nearby and a shuttle to take you there.
-having so many motivated students around me will probably keep me focused
-more diverse student body geographically
-intersession (free academic classes for three weeks during vacation, also an opportunity to do research)
-teachers are well respected in their fields
-tons of resources
-might be more job recruiters, not sure
-5 year masters program (not sure how hard it is to get in and complete though)
-covered first semester grades
-add/drop period can be used to sample classes
-newly rennovated dining areas with supposedly much better food</p>
<p>Cons:
-more expensive (I'm getting tons of financial aid this year, but our financial situation was particularly bad this year. I am not sure how much we will get in the future. I am guessing that the average cost will be $35,000 per year.)
-The introductory classes will be large and have TAs.
-A lot of construction is going on. This means The Hut will be closed for my sophomore and junior years. Boo hoo
-farther from home (still only 3 hours)
-rumors of it being too competitive and work-heavy
-not enough housing. I will probably be stuck living in the sketchy neighborhood nearby as an upperclassman.
-too many aspiring doctors there?
-I will no longer be near the top of my class. I might struggle a lot and get frustrated with the grade deflation. This might also hurt my chances for going to grad school or getting a good job after graduation.
-teachers might be more concerned with their research than teaching.</p>
<p>THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY
Pros:
-I got a $6,500 scholarship. So, it will only cost roughly $15,000 per year.
-All of the classes are really small. This probably means more interaction with professors.
-It's close to home (only one hour away).
-They have practically every major choice.
-I get guaranteed housing for all four years as part of my scholarship.
-focus on undergrads
-I can fulfill most of their distribution requirements with my AP exams. I will just have to take a few more classes to fill the English distribution reqs.</p>
<p>Cons:
-Not many people outside of New Jersey have heard of it.
-I'm not sure how many research opportunities there are. It seems like the profs do research, but the students don't participate in it much. However, this might mean a lot of uncovered opps are available.
-Not sure if they have strong departments in what I am interested in
-They don't have as many extracurricular activities as I would like (debate team, etc.)
-Town doesn't have much nearby.
-Most of the students will be instate. Not much geographic diversity.
-I hear about 50% of students come home on weekends. I don't want to go to a commuter school.
-fewer resources available
-maybe less job recruiters, not sure though
-I might have to take a second language as part of their degree requirements</p>
<p>Please help me. I will appreciate it ever so much. Thanks!!!</p>