Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University Introduction

Hopkins was the last stop on my long list of senior year college visits. New Haven, New York, New Jersey—up and down the Turnpike, these cities and the institutions within them each bore witness to the team of my mother’s and my, “positive attitude,” and Polaroid camera respectively in tow. Although a large part of my visit to JHU was given over to an Admissions Office open house program, my decision ultimately hinged on the most quintessential of campus visit options: the overnight stay. Shepherded from a cappellaconcerts and improv comedy to an evening game under the lights and several late-night parties, I found myself mentally bumping Hopkins to unforeseen heights on my college hierarchy. Blame it on the eclectic energy and powerful voices of the Mental Notes, clad in their signature Hawaiian shirts; blame it on the oversized Blue Jay mascot stalking the sidelines. From the words of a winning departmental chair (who sold my mom) to the welcoming wisecracks of upperclassmen (who sold me), conversations with campus personalities radiated a warmth and sincerity far beyond what I expected from one of the nation’s preeminent research universities. I believed it then and I believe it now, nearly six years later: While a Hopkins education may be considered a rarefied experience, the people are what make the place so extraordinary.

If one were to poll the 1,160 students in Johns Hopkins University’s most recently admitted class, virtually every individual would name a different reason for selecting Hopkins. Some would doubtlessly cite top-ranked programs and world-class faculty, while others might offer up the lush campus grounds, the startling variety of activities, or simply the “feel” of the place. Contrary to popular opinion, there isn’t only one select type of student who finds Hopkins fascinating. Similarly, there isn’t only one select type of student for whom Hopkins is an excellent fit. While the university continues to conduct leading work in the field of medicine, budding scientists and future physicians are notthe only intellectuals best served by the undergraduate experience; in fact, prospective students do themselves an injustice by stopping there! With numerous well-respected (and highly ranked) programs in the Humanities, the Social Sciences, and Engineering, a Johns Hopkins education promises excellence in every discipline.

Founded in 1876 by railroad magnate and philanthropist Johns Hopkins, the institution was the first of its kind in the United States. Curiosity and independence were the watchwords for this new establishment, headlining a tradition of exploration and inquiry that continues even more strongly today. Material examples of this educational philosophy are evident in the university’s open curriculum, the availability of undergraduate research opportunity, and the amalgam of student organizations, ever in flux. This philosophy encourages students to take responsibility for their own education in a uniquely powerful way—those who are willing to ask questions and to dig deeply make the most of the Hopkins legacy.

The Campus

Hopkins undergraduates spend the majority of their four years on the Homewood Campus, a 140-acre swath of green in northern Baltimore City. Only three miles from the city center and tourist district, bordered by two busy thoroughfares, Homewood is an accessible, urban campus with a surprisingly rural feel. Georgian structures and fleets of sweeping marble stairs lend a collegial uniformity to the extensive, pedestrian grounds. Dotted with lampposts and a variety of flowering trees, the campus is an aesthetic triumph (and as such, is often a surprise to visitors expecting the raw, the gritty, or the hectic).

Boasting a modest population of approximately 4,400 undergraduates, Homewood houses both the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering. Relatively compact departments and their corresponding faculty cohorts create an intimate learning environment, lending courses the air of a much smaller liberal arts college.

While size wasn’t a factor in my college search, it most likely should have been. Hailing from a small, private high school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I was unprepared for the grand scale of many institutions on my list. In truth, I got lucky with Hopkins; 4,100 undergraduates was the perfect size for me. I was able to maintain a close-knit group of friends throughout all four years, while forming new relationships every single semester. These weren’t the kids who spent all their time in the library; these were social, engaging students with majors and interests similar to my own.

The Hopkins Umbrella

Still, don’t be fooled! New arrivals to Homewood will soon discover what locals have learned long ago: the “Hopkins umbrella” stretches far and wide, encompassing a good deal of Baltimore and the world beyond. Free shuttles run from Homewood to the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and the Bloomberg School of Public Health in East Baltimore, after making a stop at the Peabody Institute Conservatory of Music just south of campus. The Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (also known as SAIS) is based in Washington, D.C., and maintains campuses abroad in China and Italy. Students also have access to the School of Professional Studies in Business and Education (also known as SPSBE) and finally, the Applied Physics Laboratory. Some of these divisions offer specific undergraduate programs, while the remainder provides opportunities for independent research or employment. Ultimately, no interdivisional work is mandatory; however, if a student seeks adventure away from the Homewood quads, the rest of the university and all of its resources are waiting.

At Hopkins, students need not choose between the rural or urban, the small or expansive; the university somehow manages to provide and to be something slightly different for everyone. With that said, be forewarned: Hopkins students don’t view these, or any other defining features, as “compromises.” They fully feel as though the best of all worlds is accessible.

While most alumni would probably agree that Hopkins provided well for them both academically and socially, the university isn’t resting on its laurels. Within the past several years, eight new buildings have been added to campus and several additional initiatives are well underway. From Clark and Hodson Halls to state-of-the-art new chemistry and computational sciences buildings, facilities for research and teaching have grown larger and glossier. Through the construction of the new arts and recreation centers, the rich extracurricular lives of Hopkins students have been not simply acknowledged, but commended and encouraged; their existence makes good on the notion that a Hopkins experience isn’t solely academic. The university has also just completed construction on Charles Commons, a 300,000-square-foot housing, dining, and retail complex. Following almost immediately on its heels, a new quad area, complete with academic facilities and a university visitor center, fleshes out the south end of campus.

All told, these additions are indicative of a reflective, self-evaluative university that doesn’t feel immune to critique. Hopkins embraces change per se, but perhaps more importantly, recognizes the need for an evolution that builds upon distinctive features and existing traditions. As noted by the second president of the university, Ira Remsen, in regard to campus construction, “[o]ur general plan should determine the style of architecture and arrangement of buildings appropriate to the gradual development of the campus so that in years to come the groups…will form a symmetrical whole.” This passage is easily applied to the university at large; in reinventing its various parts, attention to the greater whole—the bigger picture—isn’t just a priority, but a consistent practice.

There has never been a better time to become part of Hopkins. The changes my friends and I have witnessed are dramatic; there are obviously more to come. Still, these aren’t the only reasons why I continue to so strongly support the university and all it has to offer. The resources, the endless opportunity, the collection of peerless faculty, colleagues, and friends with whom I’ve lived and worked combine to produce what can only be called an experience. As a result, I still have a difficult time conceiving of Hopkins as my “alma mater.” The designation has such finality to it, such assurance. Yes, I’ve proudly walked across Homewood Field in Commencement 2003; certainly, I no longer question the validity of my diploma (such a flimsy piece of paper!). Still, “alma mater” connotes a degree of distance that, try as I might, I simply cannot feel. My time at Hopkins remains vibrantly, vividly alive—ever present—in all that I do and all that I am.

Johns Hopkins University Academics

Within the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering, the philosophy of education manifests itself in numerous ways. Students are given the opportunity to both focus and expand their academic interests through traditional coursework, independent research, internships, and study abroad experiences. In and outside of the classroom, within Maryland or overseas, Hopkins students are hard at work fulfilling the mission of JHU’s first president, Daniel Coit Gilman: “[t]he object of the university is to develop character… Its purport is not so much to impart knowledge to the pupils as to whet the appetite, exhibit methods, develop powers, strengthen judgment, and invigorate the intellectual forces.” Once students have gained admission to Hopkins, it’s up to them to best utilize what they’ve earned.

Open Curriculum

At Hopkins, work within the classroom is divided into two loosely defined areas: departmental requirements and distribution credits. Unlike many of its peer institutions, Hopkins doesn’t instate any type of core curriculum. The only “must-take” classes fall within students’ self-selected majors or minors, allowing individuals the opportunity to craft a changeable course of study that meets their needs.

Major and Distribution Credits

With thirty-six majors in Arts and Sciences, thirteen in Engineering, and more than thirty minors ranging from Ancient Law to Writing Seminars, students have a great deal from which to choose; however, due to the absence of a core curriculum, most aren’t limited to one field or one major. More than two-thirds of Hopkins undergraduates complete a double major or minor in four years. It’s also very easy to shift between majors or schools if the need arises. As Hopkins students become accustomed to the wide variety of academic options at their disposal, changes inevitably occur.

One of my good friends began his time at Hopkins with interests in computer science; however, after taking several Chinese language and cultural courses, he decided to add a double major in East Asian Studies. After graduating last May, he accepted a teaching position in Beijing, China, and loves it.

While majors and minors encourage intellectual focus (and occupy the majority of students’ time and energies), part of an average semester is usually given over to “distribution” credits. These courses, taken in areas outside of the major field of study, provide the opportunity to expand and explore. Though technically required, they maintain balance in a curriculum, offering the new, the diverse, and the challenging.

As an English and history of art double major, I was obviously oriented toward the humanities; however, I wasn’t prepared to sacrifice my fascination with the natural sciences as I moved into college. Hopkins allowed me to do both. From “Gen. Bio.” and Biological Anthropology to an engineering course on art historical preservation and conservation, I was able to self-tailor my curriculum to my interests.

Consequently, students do receive a liberal arts education at Hopkins; however, their collective experience is marked by greater freedoms and increased autonomy. The structure is there, but the specifics are up to them.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Another way in which the university encourages academic investigation is through the deeply entrenched and strongly supported system of covered grades.

During the first semester of freshman year, students will register for and participate in courses as they normally would; however, the final grades they receive will be covered, appearing on their transcripts as either “S” or “U,” “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory.”

The rationale for this system is twofold: first and foremost, it encourages freshmen to sample a diverse array of courses without the threat of poor performance as a deterrent. Second, and perhaps more subtly, it supports the notion that college isn’t just academics; it is an all-consuming, holistic experience and it should be treated as such. The first semester of freshman year is filled with stimuli. There are friends to meet, clubs to join, a campus to comprehend, and a city to explore, not to mention a series of rigorous courses with which to grapple. “S/U” gives students a break. It allows them to enjoy the immersion process while slowly, humanely, preparing them for their next seven semesters.

Research

There is little doubt that the average university student could be kept busy with courses alone, yet would class hours, problem sets, exams, and papers really provide enough intellectual fodder for the Hopkins undergraduate? From the look of it, apparently not—more than two-thirds of JHU students will conduct meaningful research by the time they graduate.

Research is the real meat of the undergraduate diet. Substantial, sustaining, it isn’t just theorizing—it is the direct application, the fleshing out, of those theories. With a broadly based definition encompassing classical laboratory work, self-crafted classes, honors theses and capstone projects, internships, and study abroad experiences, an independent research opportunity is one of the university’s signature offerings.

Hopkins undergraduates can become engaged in research as early as freshman year and in every major. Academic advisors, faculty, and departments all help students find topics and projects right for them. While some students choose to contribute to the work of a professor or colleague, others design their own projects with assistance from a faculty mentor.

Many undergraduate research projects are realized with help from fellowships, grants, and additional funding. Incoming freshmen have the opportunity to submit proposals for a Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship when they apply for admission to the university. If selected, students receive a stipend of up to $10,000 to conduct original work. Current scholars benefit from the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Awards, a program that sponsors around fifty students a year and provides grants of up to $3,000. Although these are only two examples, they demonstrate the administration’s serious dedication to undergraduate research, both in theory and in practice.

• Anthropology: Women’s Movement and Reproductive Health in India
• Civil Engineering: The Qualifications of 19th-Century American Truss Bridges as Structural Art
• Film and Media Studies: “2:37 A.M.” A Film
• History of Art: Visions of the Virgin
• Near Eastern Studies: “The Investigation of New Kingdom Occupation at the Temple of Mut in Luxor, Egypt”
• Neuroscience: The Role of Perivascular Cells in HIV Associated Dementia
• Political Science: Thwarting the Terrorist Threat: Lessons from the Israeli-Turkish Experience
• Writing Seminars: “Lost Writers and their Lost Works”

Internships, Study Abroad, and Intersession

Though internships and study abroad experiences aren’t commonly categorized as research, they do incorporate the element of experiential learning so critical to a Hopkins education. By investigating a profession or exploring a city, a country, or a culture, Hopkins students can test what they’ve learned in the classroom through direct, on-site application.

The Office of Academic Advising and the Career Center each provide resources for students interested in pursuing formal internship programs or more casual career exploration. Examples of recent internships include work at Amnesty International, the Brookings Institution, J.P. Morgan Chase, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Public Radio, the United States Congress, and the World Health Organization. Internships can be conducted for university credit, for a salary, or simply, for the experience itself.

Study abroad opportunities, like internships, are easily coordinated and readily available. Hopkins students can work with the Office of Academic Advising or organize something independently; with several campuses abroad and more than 300 students living and working overseas each year, the university maintains a highly respected international presence.

While I didn’t personally choose to study abroad, my junior year was filled with comings and goings as friends traveled to all parts of the globe. Glowing reports of art history in Scotland and robotics in Japan were sent via e-mail; others went rafting in Australia and hiked Machu Picchu in Peru on days when classes weren’t in session. More than simply an academic experience, study abroad fostered a genuine kind of growth and change in those who chose to take it on. Even now, some just can’t let it go—my suitemate who went to Barcelona is still talking about it!

For those students who feel as though adequate time for these options isn’t available during the academic year, Intersession provides an excellent outlet. Similar to the “J-Terms” or “Wintersessions” offered at other institutions, Intersession is a three-week block of time tacked onto the end of mid-year vacation. Students can stay home if they wish; however, a good number choose to return to campus. One- or two-credit classes are offered, allowing students to lighten their course loads for spring; recreational courses are also available, along with time for research, internships, or short study abroad adventures. Popular offerings include a public health course in Cuba, a behavioral biology trip to the Galapagos Islands, and a financial course that culminates in a trip to New York City.

At every stage, on every level, Hopkins students are actively involved in the acquisition of knowledge. I wanted a place where the students were genuinely interested in learning…not just a place for people who were “smart.” Here, professors don’t expect you to [only] know what they taught. They expect you to take what they taught and teach yourself. It’s a place where [people] are only limited by themselves. — Sarah David, 2007, International Studies

Intersession Course Offerings

• Ballroom Dance
• Day on the Street—Seminar in Financial Literacy
• The Nature of Infinity
• The Stand-Up Comic in Society
• Tropical Biology and Ecology in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands
• Wine Appreciation (21 and over)

Johns Hopkins University Admissions

Over the past several years, the number of applications submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions has increased approximately forty percent, making the highly selective process that much more challenging. Still, gaining admission to Hopkins isn’t impossible and numbers aren’t everything. In order to matriculate a highly diverse and well-crafted class each year, Hopkins admissions counselors have the luxury of reviewing each applicant individually. A 4.0 GPA and flawless standardized testing won’t guarantee admission; students must demonstrate a promise of contribution in and outside of the academic arena. From artists and athletes to class leaders and community citizens, students with commitment and passion consistently prove most successful in the application process.

Applying

Prospective students have several application options and submission deadlines from which to choose. Hopkins accepts both its own application and the Common Application; both are available online and in paper form. Similarly, students can choose between an Early Decision and a Regular Decision program with deadlines of November 15 and January 1, respectively. While Regular Decision is much more flexible, Early Decision is binding, and thus best suited to those students who are sure Hopkins is their top choice.

Applications are evaluated using a number of specific components, some more academic and others more extracurricular in nature.

• Within the academic sphere, the transcript will prove the most helpful. Not only will it demonstrate how well a student has done, but also (and perhaps more importantly), it will indicate how challenging that student’s course load has been. Raw grades and class rank don’t tell the whole story; an assessment of rigor, or difficulty, in a curriculum demonstrates that student’s investment in the act of learning.
• Standardized testing is also considered an academic component. Though by no means the final word on a student’s intellect or abilities, the SATs and ACTs provide some consistency between applicants.
• The summation of extracurricular involvement is weighed very significantly in the selection process. While some students choose to use the space allotted in the application to detail their activities, others enclose a resume or extended list. Regardless of the method used, this description of involvement is an essential indicator of contribution at the collegiate level. The admission committee is looking for variety and diversity of activity, but also for leadership and commitment.
• Required essays, of late, have taken on a creative bent. The most recent offering is the following: “If you had a full day with no commitments, no homework, no home responsibilities, and only the money in your pocket, what would you do?” While this topic is certain to be exchanged for another eventually, the focus on originality and creativity will remain. Essays are the best opportunity to share something new or something unique that may not be readily available in other parts of the application. While admissions counselors hope to see strong writing, they are most concerned with content.
• Two recommendations are required, one from a teacher or instructor and one from a guidance counselor. These should supplement the essay in detailing the character of the applicant.

Keep in mind that the admissions committee takes great care to understand the differences between schools, towns, states, and regions. Not every student has access to the same opportunities; all the committee asks is that an individual has delved deeply in that which is available.

Johns Hopkins University Financial Aid

Though a Hopkins education could hardly be called inexpensive, the Office of Student Financial Services seeks to make the experience affordable for students and their families. Forty-eight percent of all undergraduates receive some kind of financial assistance. The university is committed to funding as much of a family’s “demonstrated need” as possible, a figure determined using national and institutional criteria. Although the majority of aid offered is need-based in nature, limited merit scholarships are available. Approximately twenty Hodson Trust Scholarships of $23,000 are offered each year, along with two full-tuition Westgate Scholarships for engineering students. The university has also recently partnered with Baltimore City public schools in offering full tuition scholarships to eligible city students admitted to the university who are also city residents.

Johns Hopkins University Students

Clubs and Organizations

With more than 350 clubs and organizations from which to choose, students are provided with everything and anything extracurricular. Offerings range from publications to political organizations and from cultural and religious groups to club sports teams and community service. Like their varying memberships, these activities reflect the diversity of the Hopkins community.

Founded, led, and governed by students, these organizations, not surprisingly, retain a great deal of autonomy. While there should be something for everyone, in the event that there isn’t, any group of students, large or small, can obtain funding to begin a club of their own. As a result, the greater body of extracurricular activities is ever evolving. Introduced at an expansive, open-air fair that traditionally follows the week of freshman orientation, student groups vie for the attention of new members.

I don’t believe I’ll ever forget my first activities fair. As I browsed up and down the rows of folding tables, sense and sensibility were assaulted—literally! Back issues of The News-Letter were thrust into my arms, already filled with flyers from the Outdoors Club, Student Council, and the Admissions Office. Dodging the oars extending from the crew team’s table, I offered up my contact information in exchange for handfuls of Lifesavers or Tootsie Rolls, along with promises for fun times in the future. Though I probably signed up for too much, I soon became convinced that at Hopkins, there was rarely a dull moment.

Arts and Music

With Peabody Institute just down the road and the Mattin Student Arts Center located right on campus, students are surrounded with opportunities for the fine arts at Hopkins. Although Peabody does offer several options for undergraduate degrees, interested students are able to pursue coursework, ensemble participation, and private lessons in a more informal way. Membership in the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra, the JHU Band, the assortment of a cappella groups, and other music organizations on campus is a popular pursuit and generally available by audition. In addition, concerts given at Peabody and at Homewood are available for Hopkins students free of charge. The Mattin Center, which opened in 2001, provides an assortment of art and dance studios, a black-box theater, darkrooms, a digital media lab, music practice rooms, and multipurpose meeting space for student groups. From the Hopkins Studio Players and Witness Theater, to the Gospel Choir and the Indian Cultural Dance Club, the variety of organizations dedicated to the arts fosters Homewood’s collective creativity.

Campus Events

On several occasions throughout the academic year, Hopkins students convene as a community to learn, to listen, and on many occasions, to kick back and relax. On balmy days in the fall and spring, “the Beach,” an extended, grassy space between the library and North Charles Street, is packed with students. Armed with blankets, books, radios, and Frisbees, groups convene to soak up the sun en masse. The Hopkins Organization for Programming, or the HOP, brings comedians and other performers to campus, while coordinating with Student Council to organize casino nights, club nights downtown, and concerts. Friday Night Films shows movies, often working in conjunction with the JHU Film Society.

Incoming students and upperclassmen alike anticipate Orientation, a week-long affair that precedes classes. Organized by a large executive staff and several hundred volunteers, its academic sessions and social events are well attended by all. The fall semester also witnesses a weekend-long Fall Festival, plus Culturefest and the Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium. Culturefest, a week-long series of lectures, discussions, and social activities, seeks to promote appreciation for diversity and tolerance, while the M.S.E. Symposium, the longest student-run lecture series in the country, increases campus and community awareness of national issues. Recent topics have included: “Changing Times: Who Are We? An Introspective Look at American Identity in the 21st Century”; “The Great American Experiment: A Juxtaposition of Capitalism and Democracy”; and “Rebuilding America: Peace and Prosperity at What Price?” Past speakers have included Maya Angelou, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, Ann Coulter, Charlton Heston, Patricia Ireland, Spike Lee, Nelson Mandela, Bobby McFerrin, Michael Moore, Kurt Vonnegut, and Tom Wolfe.

The second semester at Hopkins is equally full as activities capitalize on Baltimore’s temperate climes. Students enjoy socializing at Spring Fair, an enormous student-run carnival complete with rides, “fair food,” craft booths, and live entertainment. The complexity of the event’s many components requires assistance from a staff of sixty coordinators and more than 200 student volunteers. Traditionally following Fair weekend, Homecoming brings generations of alumni back to Homewood. Convening for brunches, luncheons, the big game, and a good dose of nostalgia, families and friends mingle with current students in celebrating Hopkins.

Greek Life

I came to Hopkins thoroughly ambivalent toward anything “Greek.” With a mother who served as the president of her sorority years ago, I felt as though my own collegiate experience would be perfectly satisfying without the influence of sorority life. Though this mindset did follow me through to graduation, I was pleasantly surprised to find a much less intense, much more welcoming group of organizations than originally expected.

With eleven fraternities and twelve sororities, the Hopkins Greek System and its process of rushing and pledging is much more of a “match to be made” rather than a means of establishing one’s social status. Events are usually open to everyone; weekend fraternity parties and community service activities include members and nonmembers alike. While naturally these groups attract different types of students and boast varying campus reputations, all seek to serve their members through academic, social, and community-minded outlets. As such, they provide well for those students seeking a Greek system; however, rarely is being “Greek” all that one is or all by which one will be defined.

Residences

For a student’s first two years at Hopkins, on-campus housing is required and guaranteed. As a result, social activities tend to revolve around, or at least stem from, life in the dorms. Students are able to select their preferred living arrangements from a series of options: basic doubles, singles, and suite-style rooms are available during the first year, while larger apartments supplement the second year’s offerings. During this time, individuals live, dine, study, and relax together; lasting friendships are made, strong social networks are formed, and commonalities are discovered, even between the most disparate of personalities. With the advent of junior year, most students move off campus to apartments or row houses with friends. Though university-owned housing is available, the Off-Campus Housing Office is accessible to assist students. Few residences are more than two or three blocks from Homewood, encouraging continued involvement in club meetings, concerts, sporting events, and parties. Still, the move off campus will have many upperclassmen looking increasingly toward greater Baltimore for the weekend’s social activity.

Johns Hopkins University Athletics

With varsity, club, and intramural options available at two interconnected facilities on the north end of campus, athletics are a priority for more than three-quarters of the students at Hopkins. Twelve varsity teams for women and fourteen for men compete at the Division III level, while both men’s and women’s lacrosse contend in Division I. Despite excellent performances from many of its Division III teams, few Hopkins sports fans would argue with the fact that men’s lacrosse, a perennial powerhouse, is the great love of the institution. From the opener straight through to Homecoming and the season’s end, the Blue Jays pack the stadium; thousands upon thousands of pennant-waving, sign-wielding, blue-painted students, faculty, staff, and alumni fill the stands, ready to cheer their team to victory.

For the more casual participant, club and intramural teams offer numerous ways to get in shape or to stay active. With both traditional and more eclectic options available (wallyball and inner tube water polo come immediately to mind), competition is friendly and open to all. A de factohome base for these groups, the Ralph S. O’Connor Recreation Center offers basketball, volleyball, racquetball, and squash courts, weight and fitness rooms, several studios of various sizes, and a two-story climbing wall. Varsity and nonvarsity athletes alike have so embraced the space that it seems always to have been part of campus, despite its recent completion in 2002.

Johns Hopkins University Traditions

Johnny Hop, the Hop, JHU…University nicknames are plentiful and prominent in campus-speak. Though most are viewed with a certain degree of fondness, the oft-maligned “John Hopkins” instills more ire (and more mockery) than any other. Why the extra “S” you ask? The university was named after Johns Hopkins, a young man blessed at birth with two last names. (“Johns” was actually the maiden name of his great-grandmother, Margaret Johns.) A favorite local fact, the source of the university’s eclectic moniker will win you points with any campus tour guide!

Johns Hopkins University Local Community

Charles Village and Baltimore

Campus and all of its facilities are located in Charles Village, one of the many small neighborhoods that compose Baltimore City. Consisting of several main roads intersected by residential streets, the area caters to college students and local residents alike. Restaurants and small shops supply ready stomping grounds for those eager to grab a bite or a cup of coffee. The Baltimore Museum of Art, or the BMA, is adjacent to campus; with free admission for Hopkins students, there’s really no good excuse for missing the latest exhibition.

Students also have access to greater Baltimore, an extensive yet easily navigable city. From the northern suburbs’ malls and movie theaters to the historic neighborhoods near the harbor, students quickly learn what to do and where to go. Just south of campus, Mt. Vernon and the arts district house Peabody, the Meyerhoff Symphony, the Lyric Opera, and the Walters Art Museum. Further south, the Inner Harbor and tourist district lie within easy walking distance of Camden Yards, home of the Orioles, and M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Ravens. Canton, Federal Hill, and Fell’s Point are favorite haunts of the fun-loving, each offering slightly different hybrids of the bar/club/restaurant mix. Finally, for the truly ambitious, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City are only brief train rides away!

Johns Hopkins University Alumni

Life after college isn’t as terrifying a thing as it might appear; after years of working and living independently, most Hopkins students are more than prepared to meet postgraduation challenges. Assisted by the Office of Academic Advising, the Career Center, and the Pre-Professional Advising Office, students who know what they’re looking for (and students who don’t) are provided extensive resources to help them along.

The Hopkins emphasis on lifelong learning isn’t a fiction; more than eighty percent of Hopkins students continue on to earn graduate or professional degrees within ten years of graduation, the highest percentage in the nation. Similarly, for students interested in professional institutions, the rate of acceptance is equally impressive. Approximately ninety percent of medical school applicants who participate in the premed advising process are accepted, which is more than twice the national average; similarly, ninety-two percent of those who apply to law school are accepted.

The Alumni Association for the Johns Hopkins Institutions provides numerous resources for the recent graduate. With career networking and professional development opportunities, social activities, and events for young alumni, the association is the tie that binds hundreds of thousands of members in more than thirty-five United States chapters and more than twenty international clubs. Wherever they go, wherever they find themselves, Hopkins alumni can always rely on support from their own. Indeed, as the T-shirts given out by the athletic association proudly read, each graduate is “forever a Blue Jay.”

Prominent Grads

• Woodrow Wilson, Ph.D., 28th President of the United States
• John Astin, actor, Most Notably of The Addams Family (TV)
• Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City; President and CEO of Bloomberg Financial Network
• Rafael Hernandez-Colon, Former Governor of Puerto Rico
• Russell Baker, New York Times Columnist and host of Masterpiece Theatre
• Antonia C. Novella, Former Surgeon General of the United States
• Wesley Craven, Director of Nightmare on Elm Street and the Scream films
• Jody Williams, 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner
• Corbin Gwaltney, Founder-President of The Chronicle of Higher Education

Carnegie Foundation Classification

Research Universities (very high research activity)

General Characteristics

Highest offering	Doctoral degree
Calendar System	Semester
Years of college work required	N/A
Variable Tuition

Special Learning Opportunities

Distance Learning
ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force	— / /
Study Abroad
Weekend College
Teacher Certification