Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - September/October 2010 - (Page 42)

students review The Students Review series is intended to aid prospective college students in their search by offering insiders’ views of selected colleges and universities, as expressed by current undergraduates or recent graduates who have high academic ability. Note that the number of reviewers is small. Consider their personal perspectives as only one factor as you gather information and impressions from many sources. Our reviewers include 22 students who major(ed)in: art history (1), biology (1), biomedical engineering (1), brain & cognitive sciences (1), classics (1), computer science (3), economics (2), education (1), electrical & computer engineering (1), English (1), French (1), genetics (1), history (4), linguistics (1), mathematics (4), music (1), physics (2), political science (1), psychology (4), and religion (1). (The number of majors exceeds 22 because several students had double majors.) Reviewers’ comments appear within quotation marks. The University of Rochester Quality of Academic Instruction for Undergraduates Reviewers praised the quality and flexibility of the education at the University of Rochester (UR), especially the School of Arts, Sciences, & Engineering’s unusual system of distribution requirements. got a world-class education at UR. “I The university promotes and fosters close connections between faculty and motivated students. Professors are incredibly downto-earth and approachable. Class sizes are never overwhelming, and the libraries and other study areas are perfect for any kind of studying personality.” of the best things about studying “One at UR is the ‘Rochester Curriculum.’ In place of traditional distribution requirements, students complete clusters of related courses in each of three divisions: Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities. All students complete a major in one of those areas, and a cluster of three or more related classes in each of the other two areas. For example, my computer science major covers my natural science requirement, my linguistics minor covers my social science requirement, and an American Sign Language cluster covers my humanities requirement.” “Going into college, I was not sure what I wanted to study. UR gave me the freedom to figure that out. The fact that the engineering program is fully integrated with Arts & Sciences was very important to me. It gave me the confidence to ‘try’ engineering with the full knowledge that, if it was not for me, I could simply switch into a non-engineering major without having to change schools. UR has lots of interesting majors to choose from, and dual or selfconstructed majors are highly encouraged.” had so much flexibility to try out “I different areas of study, to figure out what I liked and didn’t like. I changed majors and minors more than five times and was still able to graduate with a double major and spend a semester studying abroad. At first, the lack of requirements is scary, but you emerge from your education knowing more about yourself and more confident in your decisions.” renowned Eastman School of Music “The is part of UR. While it has its own campus and admissions, all UR students can take private music lessons there. I took lessons from an upper-level doctoral student in violin performance. It was a great experience!” has an amazing program called “UR Take Five: every year, 50 to 70 students are awarded an extra semester or year of study—tuition free—in an area outside their major. Students apply for Take Five and explain what they would use the year to study, and how it would complement their other areas of interest and learning.” Take Five program gives motivated “The students with diverse academic interests the opportunity to really round out their undergraduate education. It is a unique scholarship among universities, and speaks to the dedication of the school to its undergraduates and their education. It was an invaluable part of my education.” UNivERSitY oF RocHEStER Social Life social life was one of my favorite “The things about UR. The school is small enough that you feel part of a close-knit community but large enough that you continue to meet new people throughout your college career. Housing is good and fosters quick bonds, with a variety of options including suites, special interest floors, and off-campus housing. There are a ton of official and unofficial clubs and Greek organizations to choose from. Parties definitely happen, but you can go as much or as little as you like; there is no pressure either way. The students are, for the most part, friendly, helpful, and open-minded.” location is really nice. The campus “The is self-contained and gorgeous for that real collegiate experience. It’s within city limits, but you never notice it because we are surrounded by parks and waterways. When 42 imagine Sept/Oct 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - September/October 2010

Imagine Magazine - John Hopkins - September/October 2010
Contents
Big Questions
Big Picture
In My Own Words
Biotechnology is
A Survival Guide for the Biotech Revolution
The Indiana Jones of Biotech
Stemming the Monster
Transgenic Animals
Building a Better Hydrogel
Immortal Cells & Bioethics
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Nights at the Museum
One Step Ahead
Middle Ground
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Creative Minds Imagine
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - September/October 2010