Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - September/October 2012 - (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 70 students and alumni who majored in: aerospace engineering (3), art history (1), astrophysics (1), chemical engineering (2), chemistry (2), comparative literature (1), computer science (4), East Asian studies (2), ecology & evolutionary biology (3), economics (7), electrical engineering (5), English (4), financial engineering (3), history (1), international affairs (3), math (11), molecular biology (8), Near Eastern studies (1), physics (8), political economy (1), politics (3), and psychology (1). (The number exceeds 70 because some reviewers had double majors.) Reviewers’ comments appear in quotation marks. Princeton University as the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics (biologists/computer scientists/ physicists) or Center for Information and Technology Policy (computer science/ social sciences/public policy).” Social Life For the first two years, all students live and eat in one of six residential colleges. Later, the majority of students join “eating clubs” and have several residential options. Quality of Academic Instruction for Undergraduates Reviewers used superlatives in praising the faculty for their excellence, accessibility, and dedication to undergraduate education. quality of instruction at Princeton is “The exceptional. The university stakes its name and reputation on undergraduate instruction, and it does not disappoint. The dedication of the faculty to quality undergraduate education is unparalleled in a top-tier research institution.” top-notch faculty includes Nobel and “The Pulitzer Prize winners. Many are the authors of their courses’ textbooks. You can tell they love their material and want you to love it too. You can’t resist an atmosphere like that!” “Despite the inevitable occasional disappointment, Princeton lives up to its reputation for outstanding undergraduate education, challenging even the brightest students. Lectures are fast-paced, insightful, and often entertaining, while weekly preceptorials (discussion sections) allow one to go over material in a more casual small group setting. I also got to know two professors quite well while working 42 imagine under their tutelage on my two Junior Papers.” professors could not be more “The accessible. They reach out to students with an openness that is far beyond the call of duty. I’ve had professors talk with me for hours about what major to choose, or what grad school programs to apply to. The professors at Princeton have been my philosophers, guides, and friends.” “Princeton requires all non-engineers to do independent research during their junior and senior years, the highlight of which is the Senior Thesis. This focus on independent work truly sets our program apart from most universities and forms a crucial part of junior and senior years.” thesis requirement provides students “The with an incredible opportunity to work oneon-one with a faculty member to research basically any topic of their choosing, and it’s a fantastic learning experience. It strengthens the undergraduate focus of the school and the relationships between students and professors, and it fosters an atmosphere of academic rigor and helps students learn beyond the classroom. And it provides a bonding experience for students, since everyone has to go through it.” “Interdisciplinary collaboration is fairly common and welcome at Princeton, both in departments and at nodes such over 100 years, a unique system of “For eating clubs has been central to Princeton’s social life. Most juniors and seniors join one of the eating clubs, which are like fraternities but nicer. Most partying occurs at the eating clubs. Lots of other clubs and activities round out the social life and make it impossible to be bored.” town of Princeton is small and “The very quiet, so the entire life of the university is confined to the campus and the eating clubs. That said, there is always plenty to do on campus. Every night, there is usually at least one eating club on tap and open to all students. Between the eating clubs, residential college activities, and student performances, there isn’t much need for a bustling nightlife in the town.” administration has tried to diminish “The the social hegemony of the eating clubs by introducing four-year residential colleges. Some students have opted out of paying for eating club memberships, while still frequenting the clubs socially on weekends. However, plenty of people choose both an eating club and a four-year residential college!” you want big city culture or ‘real-world’ “If exposure, Princeton is not the place to be. The closest big city is an hour away, which is not a trivial distance on a busy schedule. Before I got there, I thought I would spend a lot of time in New York and Philadelphia; but in four years, I visited those cities only a handful of times during the school year. There was always so much to do on campus.” “Princeton is a blast! The environment is conducive to both social and intellectual Sept/Oct 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - September/October 2012

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - September/October 2012
Big Picture
In My Own Words
The Proper Care and Feeding of the Teenage Brain
Building Brain Power Through the International Brain Bee
CTY Neuroscience
Same and Different
Braingate: Turning Thoughts Into Action
Shedding Light on Schizophrenia
Unraveling the Mysteries of Memory
Through the Looking Glass
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Fencing Lessons
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 - September/October 2012