“What Are You Waiting For?”: Toughing It Out on the Hopkins Wait-List
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Posted by: Hopkins Insider | 
December 8 2011 | 
Comments (2)
Name: Julia Allen
Year: Class of 2015
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Majors: Economics, International Studies
Minor: History
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About a year ago I was right in the middle of the college application process and everything seemed overwhelming. Sifting through the mountains of information about all the different universities as well as the advice on how to get into these schools was just as exciting as it was exhausting. I spent weeks perfecting my essays for the Common Application supplements, months meeting with my college counselor, and years working my hardest in high school to get the grades I would need for the application process. I’m sure this sounds familiar to most of you who are currently battling through the world of college admissions right now, and the good news is that it will eventually be over and hopefully you will find yourself at a school that’s right for you. What might not sound as familiar to you guys is the wait-listing process, which I had to go through this past summer. This is what I would like to share because even if you are not placed on the wait-list (fingers crossed!), I think you might be able to learn from my experience.
The essays were tough, the standardized testing was tough, and the paper work was tough, but for me, the most difficult part of the college process came after all of my friends had come to terms with their rejection letters, celebrated their admittance letters, and committed to a school of their choice. I had been accepted to Boston University (which was definitely one of the top schools on my list), but I was also informed that I would be put on the Johns Hopkins wait-list. At first I was excited because I was not rejected, but the wait-list status put me in a state of limbo that made the end of my senior year and first half of my summer really stressful. On one hand I knew that I should focus on getting myself excited about all the opportunities at BU, but on the other hand I knew that I still had a chance to get into Hopkins and I wanted to do everything I could to make it happen. It was hard to get myself pumped for a year at BU while at the same time I was writing essays and crossing my fingers for a chance to get into my #1 choice.
In the end it was worth the wait and the extra work because I got a call from my college counselor in the middle of June saying that I had been offered a spot in the Johns Hopkins Class of 2015! I was really surprised because I didn’t think that they would take anyone off the wait-list that late into the summer, but, needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to enroll in the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. At the time when I found out about the good news I was at the lake with all of my friends from high school. Many of us had committed to schools in the Boston area for college so it was a little bit scary to leave that all behind after I had gotten myself so pumped about BU, but Johns Hopkins had everything I wanted academically and I wasn’t about to let that opportunity go out the door. I committed to Johns Hopkins the next day without hesitation because the International Studies program fit perfectly with my interests. I really wanted the opportunity to focus in Security Studies and even apply for the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) during my sophomore year, so I gathered up some courage, called the Admissions Office, and committed to four years away from the friends that I had known for basically my entire life.
Now that I think about it, I am incredibly lucky. Having never visited campus or looked into the social life here before committing, I realize that I could have been unpleasantly surprised if it were any other school. I came here because I am passionate about Security Studies and International Politics, but now I realize I have a lot more to love about Hopkins than just the academic life. One of the most surprising aspects of Hopkins for me when I first arrived was the campus. I was expecting a very scattered, dangerous, urban campus but I was surprised to find that this is not the case. The grassy quads and the Beach are some of my favorite places to chill outside with my friends! The brick buildings are beautiful and the security here makes walking around campus safe even after an all-nighter in “Club MSE” (also known as the one and only Milton S. Eisenhower Library where SAAB superstar Ruthie C. is known to party all night long! It’s BYOB… bring your own books, duh).
Since I have been here, I have had the chance to get involved in some great clubs around campus. I just became a staff writer for the JHU Politik (click here if you want to check out some of the stuff we do! http://jhupolitik.org/), which has been a great experience for me. I also had fun trying out field hockey for the first time this semester with the girls’ club team, and I am in the process of signing up to volunteer at the Veteran’s Center with the Support Our Troops club. Reaching out and making friends has also been a big part of my first semester here at Hopkins, and the social scene here makes it easy to meet new people. Whether you are looking to get involved in Greek life or you want to do your own thing (As of now, I am not certain what I will end up doing), there are plenty of ways to have a good time with the friends you make here.
My advice to all of you who are considering applying to Hopkins is to come visit the campus and take a tour to get a feel of this place. There is so much more here than just academics, and maybe if you have a chance to see how beautiful the campus is and how passionate and fun the people are, your decision will be easier. The wait-listing process was tough, but 100% worth the time spent in limbo, writing essays, and wringing my hands. The chances that any of you guys find yourselves in the same position that I was in last summer are slim to none, but hopefully you can take away some of the reasons why I chose to come to Hopkins and why I love it here.
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By Ruthie C., December 9, 2011 @ 3:47 PM
YAYAYAYY FIRST COMMENT EVAA!
i love this, and you! i’m so glad that i aggressively introduced myself to you in the common room on the second day here, otherwise my semester would have kind of sucked. you are wonderful and i’m SO PROUD OF YOU!
By Ruthie C., December 9, 2011 @ 3:47 PM
ps i love how anne isn’t looking in the picture of us…classic