This week is NACAC week (that’s the National Association for College Admission Counseling), and this year’s conference is being held in Baltimore, MD!
Follow along as I visit some beautiful college campuses in Washington, DC, and Baltimore this week. I just wrapped up Georgetown, American, and, GW, and now I’m headed up to Baltimore for my final stop:
Johns Hopkins University
Hopkins’s beautiful shaded campus boasts lots of classic brick buildings and covered outdoor walkways.
Why is this school awesome?
Olivia: Three words: Research. Diversity. Flexibility.
What I love most about Hopkins is how integrated and interdisciplinary the school is despite its heavy focus on research and pre-professional experiences. Students can take classes across all the Hopkins schools and divisions, even graduate classes in areas like medicine, nursing, and public health. They can also conduct research with professors from any school or division, like our tour guide Bria who is currently assisting a professor at the medical campus with his cardiology research.
Hopkins is also one of the most diverse colleges in the country, and you really feel that walking around campus. It’s a place where ambitious students from all walks of life can truly come together and grow.
Favorite spot on campus?
Olivia: Probably the quad, just because it became such a hub of activity partway through our tour as many classes let out. The energy of students wandering, greeting each other, and even having class outside was great to see. It’s also a big hub for campus activities and events.
The main quad at Johns Hopkins, with Milton Library on the far side.
5 words to describe campus?
Olivia: Shady, red-brick, traditional, lively, integrated
Most of Hopkins’ buildings and walkways are red brick, which creates a beautiful contrast with the green quads and trees.
The "typical student" is...
Olivia: Ambitious, deeply engaged in the campus community (and the city of Baltimore), and wanting to make an impact. Johns Hopkins is the nation’s first research university and is consistently ranked in the top 5 of US universities for undergraduate research, so naturally lots of students—from science and engineering to business and the humanities—are engaged in research either on or off campus. But on the flip side, Hopkins also boasts top programs in film, dance, music, and the arts in which students thrive. It really seems like no two Hopkins students are alike!
International perspective?
Olivia: Hopkins is an awesome place to attend as an international student! Their campus is super diverse, as is the city of Baltimore, so students of all backgrounds can find their niche and feel right at home. Hopkins is also definitely not a “bubble”, and it’s common for students to venture throughout the city on a regular basis and to really feel like residents of Baltimore rather than just Johns Hopkins.
The school doesn’t put as much emphasis on study abroad as some of their peer institutions (due to the intense focus on research and internships instead), but they still offer a wide variety of programs that about 33% of students take advantage of.
Students traditionally step on the seal inside Gilman Hall when they’re about to graduate—it’s bad luck to do it any sooner!
Special programs/offerings applicants should consider?
Olivia: As far as degree programs go, the Double Degree Program with the Peabody Conservatory is a really exciting option for students who want a classic conservatory experience for music or dance as well as a traditional major within the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences or Whiting School of Engineering. It’s a 5-year program where applicants must apply and be accepted separately to both Hopkins and Peabody.
Other exciting initiatives include FastForward U, the business entrepreneurship lab; the Agora Institute, focused on civic engagement and political dialogue; the AI-X Foundry for AI research; the expanded Film & Media Studies Center, which provides world-class mentorship and internships in NY and LA; and 555 Penn, the brand-new home of the School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC, to foster community, collaboration, and networking opportunities in the nation’s capital.
Hopkins also offers two Direct Matriculation/Accelerated Masters Programs in International Relations (5 years) and Global Health Studies (5-6 years), and a 3+1 Program in Biomedical Engineering that students can apply for after starting at the university.
There is also an archaeological museum housed in the basement of Gilman Hall.
Tips for the application process?
Olivia: The Hopkins Admissions Office is very clear in what they’re looking for: students who embody academic character (intellectual curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking, innovative ideas, etc.), impact & initiative (investing in your interests and communities), and an overall alignment with the university’s mission:
“To educate its students and cultivate their capacity for lifelong learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.”
When you apply, discuss your experiences and goals in such a way that shows the Admissions Office how you strive to be a lifelong learner, an inquisitive researcher, and a global citizen.
Logistically, Hopkins currently admits 60% of its class through either ED1 or ED2, so consider applying ED if Hopkins is your top choice. They rarely defer students unless they’re really excited about their application, so if you get deferred to the RD round, don’t lose hope!
Also, you may have the perception that in order to be a strong candidate at Hopkins you have to be conducting research already as a high school student. I asked three different students whether they had done any research in high school, and all of them said no! So don’t worry if you haven’t done research yet and focus on highlighting the importance of everything you have done.
The Director of Admissions shared the three most important elements of the admission decision process.
Fun facts?
Olivia: Hopkins athletes compete as the Blue Jays, and you wouldn’t believe it but their mascot’s name is Jay!
I got a picture with Jay the Blue Jay outside the athletic center!
Thanks for tuning in to learn more about just a few of the many incredible universities in the DC and Baltimore areas! Check back in soon for more application tips and insights from this year’s NACAC conference.