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Johns Hopkins University Visit Report by amandakayak
Visit to Johns Hopkins University in May 2013 by amandakayak (Parent of Student)
(Member since December 30 2009 with 1235 posts)
6 of 7 people found this visit report helpful
Visit Activities:
Information Session: Yes - Was there for Hopkins Preview - summer visit program with 2 hr info session - presentations from admissions, couple faculty, student panel.
Campus Tour: Yes
Campus:
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Campus Visit Notes for Johns Hopkins University
Visit Description:
Really disappointing visit. First off, this was a "Hopkins Preview" event. Parking was super convenient and there were alot of signs directing us to the hall where the info session would take place. They gave out drawstring sports-bags with a folder with a single piece of literature in it - it was a nice gesture to give out the bag but really there were no tables with any other literature - we weren't in admissions either, so you couldn't just pick up something. There were about (literally no exaggertion) 1000 people in that auditorium and the info session was 2 hrs long. That is too long for that many people. Before they started, there was a short and dated video about how JHU - it was "you will find friends, you will find love, you will find your passion." The presentations were from admissions, a couple faculty reps and a student panel with Q&As. One critical pt made by the engineering rep was that students who intend on majoring in biomedical engineering are evaluated seperately by admissions and that this particular major is controlled for size. That freaks out my dd who is an intended BME. Anyway, after those TWO LONG HOURS WITHOUT A BREAK, we got our campus tour. If you can imagine, the groups were large, some too large for one quiet guide to handle and we kept getting backed up at the pts of interest, waiting for another group to move on. We did see the insides of an renovated classroom building which has a classic old entry and then some modern reading areas/quiet study spaces built off the back. With groups this large, we didn't tour dorm rooms or larger classrooms or lab areas. We did see the library and gym. Our tour guide was asked what he didn't like about JHU and he said he wished there was a student union bldg with gathering areas - which there isn't. I asked him about where jrs/srs move off campus since there is only a housing guarantee for 2 yrs - because I had heard Balt. has sketchy neighborhoods but I don't know the city at all - and don't know how close "sketchy" is. He gave me the PC response that upperclassment apts are often right across the street and never much farther than a few blocks. But a mom pulled me aside and told me, yes, that is a concern because sketchy is closer to campus than they would like. After the tour was done, we decided to go to a zagat recommended restaurant downtown and headed out via GPS, through some very sketchy neighborhoods which were just a few blocks south of campus. We ended up driving right past and got back on the highway. I really didn't get a warm fuzzy the entire visit so JHU is off my dds list - it wasn't just the security issues, I just can't put my finger on it, it was something about how questions were answered with pollyanna "everything is wonderful" responses. It just didn't feel as genuine as other visits I have done (and I have done about 12)
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
Parking in south lot is very convenient.
