Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011 - (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 29 students who major(ed)in: biological sciences (3), chemistry (1), computer science (2), criminology, law & society (1), ecology & evolutionary biology (1), economics (1), English (2), European studies (1), French (2), German studies (1), history (3), history & philosophy of science (2), linguistics (1), materials science engineering (1), mechanical engineering (1), neurobiology (1), philosophy (1), physics (3), psychology (2), psychology & social behavior (4), and social behavior & social ecology (1). (The number of majors exceeds 29 because several reviewers had double majors.) Reviewers’ comments appear within quotation marks. “Biological Sciences is a very strong The university of California, Irvine thoroughly enjoyed my experience “I at UCI, in large part due to my participation in the CHP. The courses and research opportunities provided a great opportunity to learn from and interact with faculty and other high-achieving students across the campus. It also offered many social events and leadership development activities that created a strong support network.” classes were all extremely interest“My ing. The quarter system is 10 weeks, so the classes move quickly. UCI was a perfect size for me—large enough to have excellent resources, but small enough to not be overwhelming.” is a world-renowned research insti“UCI tution, and students have many opportunities to work alongside professors conducting significant research. Many students write theses and present their work at UCI’s annual Undergraduate research Symposium.” UCI education can range from excel“A lent to mediocre depending on whether you are the type to push yourself and utilize available resources or the type to take the path of least resistance. opportunities to do serious research abound here and are available in a wide range of areas. Advanced students can also take graduatelevel courses.” Quality of Academic Instruction for undergraduates Founded in 1965, UCI is one of the youngest major universities in the country, yet US News ranks it ahead of such prestigious state institutions as the University of TexasAustin and the University of Wisconsin. Undergraduates can study at 10 schools: Arts, Biological Sciences, Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Information & Computer Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Ecology, and Social Sciences. Reviewers praised the education offered by UCI. quality of instruction at UCI was “The very high. I was a part of the Campuswide Honors Program (CHP), which has special Honors core courses that create a small liberal arts college feel within the larger university. Honors classes were challenging and taught by distinguished and passionate faculty, and class sizes were smaller than average. The CHP provided great resources, counseling, and a sense of community.” department. It offers eight different majors, and I think this really helps students decide what path they want to take after college. I chose the ecology & evolutionary Biology major, and the talented and supportive professors really helped me make the transition to graduate school.” is a fantastic place to study psy“UCI chology. It has some of the top researchers in the country, and offers a range of majors: Neurobiology (in the School of Biological Sciences), Psychology & Cognitive Science (in the School of Social Sciences), and Psychology & Social Behavior and Criminology, law & Society (in the School of Social ecology). Students can also do research in the Psychiatry department at the Medical School. I was able to focus on the aspects of psychology that interested me most throughout my education. The faculty encourage undergraduate participation in research. every professor I worked with had a passion that was contagious, and each one helped me along in such an encouraging way.” UCI, you can actually major in “At Computer Game Science! The Information & Computer Sciences program is strong, with amazing research opportunities, from ubiquitous computing to medical informatics to green IT.” Photo By: steveN LeDwIth Social Life All reviewers were very happy with life at UCI. campus social life is vibrant “The and offers a wide range of activities and experiences. The location is good: close to the coast, with weather that allows for year-round recreation, such as swimming, surfing, hiking, and outdoor sports; and close to los Angeles and San Diego, with their many entertainments, but not so close as to be a distraction when you need to study.” “Student housing is all within walking distance (and is really nice—it’s won 42 imagine May/Jun 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011
Contents
Big Picture
In My Own Words
App Quest
Become a Citizen Scientist with Your Cell Phone
Media Arts and Technology at the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
The Accidental Animator
The New Media Explorers
Learning by Design
A Generation of Criminals
Digital Storytelling
Drama and Duct Tape
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
One Step Ahead
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Creative Minds Imagine
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011