UVA vs. Rice vs. JHU

Shuester
Tue, 10 Apr 2018 02:52:01 +0000

I’m a JHU student, and I wouldn’t say that cutthroat is an accurate description of the student body here. The students are very hardworking and get homework and essays done, absolutely. But cutthroat? Not really. It’s an extremely collaborative environment. The library is built to accommodate large and small study groups, in addition to having silent floors. Nearly all freshman dorms have common study areas. Several courses that are known to be demanding have organized study groups that meet once a week, led by upperclassmen. Professors and TAs have office hours and some even have extra review sessions before big exams. The students here may be competitive when it comes to not knowing who you’re competing against. But if you’re sitting in a study lounge and recognize someone from class, it’s totally normal to ask them for help with a problem set or reading. I made a few friends this way. Most people here want to truly help each other succeed.

Of course, it still may be true that the other schools are better fits for you. Good luck with your decision, and congrats!