<p>Very well stated JHUery. There is a difference in a school being competitive versus cut-throat and your post definitely explains that difference. </p>
<p>The one thing I would emphasize is the fact that students considering applying to Johns Hopkins or any of our peer institutions are looking for a competitive environment. They should be looking for a school where “the majority of your classmates will work just as hard as you.” Students who look at schools like Hopkins, or the Ivy League, or any of the top schools in the country are looking for the challenge of being with other intellectual peers who they can learn from. </p>
<p>Most of our applicants have been the “big intellectual fish” in their high school and now are looking for a learning environment with peers on the same intellectual platform. If they want to remain that big fish in the small pond, then they should look for a less competitive / challenging environment. </p>
<p>Hope that makes sense.</p>