Johns Hopkins

[mosquito0016]

Johns Hopkins has been discussed a little here in the past, but the opinions are conflicting. I've heard it described as "theory intensive" and "very traditional, oriented towards close reading." Well, which is it? Both? In general, does anyone have anything to share about Johns Hopkins? What's it like? The department is so tiny. I'm very worried about that. What about admissions statistics? Any idea how many apps they get and what their admit rate is? They're considered a "top program" correct?

[ratiocinator]

Gah, double post. Sorry.

Edited March 5, 2010 by ratiocinator

[ratiocinator]

(I'm assuming that this post means you are considering Hopkins as well—in which case, I look forward to meeting you this week!)

I've asked these questions of my academic advisers and talked it over with my mentor, who earned her PhD there. My sense is that it's rigorous in terms of theory, but that there are a variety of theoretical interests, and you'll probably find at least one professor who shares your methodology. Based on what my advisers have said, Hopkins is very well-regarded, and it seems like their job placement is hard to beat. In a way, this means that the small size is a plus: they can afford to devote a lot of time and energy to each student. Personally, I'm really excited about how small the program is. I enjoy working in small, intense groups, and I think that it encourages more thematic work, instead of letting students stay within their centuries or geographic areas.

However, this is all largely second-hand, and I'd love to hear the thoughts and opinions of people with more immediate knowledge.