<p>Okay so I'm going to be going to Johns Hopkins for pre-med and biomedical engineering (they rank #1 for both) but all these people that I know keep bragging about how they're going to Duke, UChicago, Columbia, Northwestern, and Brown. I lookat the rankings and these schools only out rank mine by a couple and JHU out ranks brown and northwestern. And for what I'm going into it outranks all of them. But people tell me that it's about the overall academic experience and the core curriculum that teaches you the basics and prepares students for the real world along with philosophy and perspective on life. Such as the base core curriculum UChicago has which I am having a MAJOR loss on. Is this true or a bunch of BS, and will it truly affect my overall intellect both in the short-run and long-run? Should I be proud going to JHU, or feel the pessimism of not getting into a better on? I'm not bragging here but it's really brought me down....Thanks for you help in advance all.</p>
<p>Dude what's wrong with you? are you serious? get more self confidence man, your going to a great school, be a man and stop whining</p>
<p>you shouldnt put so much weight on the rankings. JHU isnt better or worse than Brown or Chicago or any other school. It is just different. Think of JHU's curriculum as a positive because it is so open and it allows you more choice. Be happy! You are going to college!</p>
<p>In terms of the core, I think different people have different opinions about it. I know people at UChicago who love it. On the other hand, I know quite a lots of people here at Hopkins who are glad we don't have a core curriculum. Just to clarify, the fact that we don't have a core doesn't mean that we don't take classes outside of our majors - we have a system of distribution requirements wherein as a BME major, I have to take 18 credits of any Humanities or Social Sciences classes. The best part of this is that I get the freedom to pick what classes I want to take. I've used a good chunk of my 18 credits towards an Economics Minor, and I've also taken classes in PoliSci, Business and English.</p>
<p>I JHU is glad we don't have a core major, then how come UChicago students love it?</p>
<p>Different people have different interests. That's one reason people may choose Chicago and Columbia over Hopkins and Brown, or why people may choose the other way around. My friend at Columbia likes having a core. Personally, I would hate it and that is why I am at JHU.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that if you really like the idea of a broad, general curriculum emphasizing humanities, social sciences and natural science to ensure you are a well educated person (which is what a core curriculum is) ---you can do exactly that at Hopkins (and, frankly, almost anywhere you choose to go) by taking an appropriate array of courses. You can even do the equivalent of a "great books" curriculum (a la St John College) by enrolling in the appropriate classics, English, and Philosophy courses. You can easily work out these type of equivalent curricula with your advisor or simply by studying the catalog. The only difference between doing that and a core curriculum is that those core-type courses are not required for everyone.</p>
<p>Just tell your friends that your freshman class is the smallest of Duke, UChicago, Columbia, Northwestern, and Brown - and JHU can kick all their butts in Lacrosse (INCLUDING DUKE!!!). </p>
<p>Hopkins rules - you know it, now you just have to own it. :)</p>
<p>As Wealth pointed out, you'll be pretty glad when your professors know your name. All of my first semester professors new me by name.</p>
<p>I don't think any of my professors know my name... but then again, when you're in a class of 150+, it's hard to make yourself stand out without being really annoying or persistent.</p>
<p>live in fear</p>
<p>As JHUery suggested, your profs won't know you if you're taking Orgo, General Physics I, and Calc III. But if you're taking smaller classes in smaller departments, they will.</p>