Liberal Arts Schools and Close-knit Communities

NixonDenier
Mon, 26 Oct 2015 16:40:31 +0000

Having “survived” the JHU premed experience and having taken all the notorious premed classes (biochemistry, organic chemistry, neuroanatomy (for my program)), I can tell you in absolute confidence that I neither observed cutthroat antics nor heard of any student complaining of them while at Hopkins. Either that culture died out decades ago (since even students I’ve talked to from the late 90s couldn’t recall anything like that and med school has only become more competitive) or, what I more likely suspect, these rumors were just made up by individuals who never attended the institution. Even saying the competition was “fierce” I think mischaracterizes the school and the students. I found it to be very collaborative where group projects were often a component of intro-level and upper-level courses. Furthermore, when you’re attending such a small school (1200 students in a graduating class) such behaviors just won’t be tolerated and would definitely hurt the saboteur (or what have you) in the long run. By all means ask other posters on CC about their experiences at JHU (or Harvard and Princeton), and I highly doubt their responses would differ (definitely never saw anyone from JHU promote this cutthroat or fierce competition rumor).

As for searching for a tight-knit community, it all depends on your personality and the people who eventually form your friend circle. Unless you truly plan on going to such a small school (less than 300 in a graduating class?) where you can truly know everyone, ultimately the 50 or so people you interact with on a weekly basis will determine the community feeling of your school. I ended up studying with other students for every exam I had, etc. because I was able to find the right group of students whose personalities and interests clicked (or foiled well) with mine. It always helps if the school does a good job creating the right atmosphere by promoting community-building events that students want to attend, and I believe most top level schools like the ones OP listed all have the resources and the support to do this well (and I’m sure they do). But still, a community doesn’t just happen, it isn’t some contrived thing that administration can just will into being, it depends on the students - and they change every year! Unfortunately the weight of the task is mostly going to fall on you proactively meeting a lot of people the first few months you’re at school (wherever you end up going). Make sure you go to as many of the social events as you can early on to meet people when they too are more receptive to making new friendships, because many people naturally close the door or clam up after the first few months (unless they are always so bubbly and outgoing and not just forcing it out of terror of spending the next four years alone in a dark room studying).