How to Get Into Johns Hopkins: Strategies and Essays That Worked
/Learn the Johns Hopkins University acceptance rate and admissions strategies, plus a Johns Hopkins essay that worked
LEARN HOW TO GET INTO JOHNS HOPKINS
----
Part 1: Introduction
If your child excels in high school, particularly in the sciences or economics, they might have Johns Hopkins University on their radar. The university is the alma mater of world-renowned scientists, businesspeople, and even a former U.S. president, and it should be considered by any high-performing student.
Johns Hopkins is probably most famous for its elite premed education. The university’s steadfast dedication to health dates back to the institution’s founding; Johns Hopkins University’s eponymous founder was a philanthropist passionate about improving public health and public education. Each year, Johns Hopkins students are accepted to medical school at a far higher rate than the national average—premed graduates today enjoy an 80 percent med school acceptance rate.
While Johns Hopkins is renowned for its reputation in medicine, its other programs should not go overlooked. The Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts & Sciences houses one of the nation’s earliest creative writing programs as well as a host of interdisciplinary programs from Film & Media Studies to Music. Alumni of the Whiting School of Engineering often go on to work at companies like Amazon, Google, or Accenture, or receive prestigious fellowships like Fulbright. Students with an entrepreneurial spirit benefit from Johns Hopkins’ FastForward program, which, through the Pava Center provides funding from $100 up to $100,000 to students working on their own startup.
On that note, if a Johns Hopkins alum says that they are working on a startup, they should be taken seriously. In 2014, Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures was founded to help translate research done within the Johns Hopkins’ ecosystem into the market. Since then, their portfolio has come to include over 130 companies that have collectively raised over $3 billion in venture funding.
No matter what course of study your child pursues, Johns Hopkins is likely a strong choice. According to the Johns Hopkins website, only 9 percent of the most recent class was unemployed or not enrolled in graduate school six months after graduation. Over half the class had joined the workforce, one-third had enrolled directly in grad school, and 5 percent were pursuing nontraditional employment, such as enlisting in the military or entrepreneurship.
As an “Ivy Plus” university with a student-faculty ratio of just 6:1, Johns Hopkins is understandably selective. Read the guide below to learn more about the university and how to be considered a competitive applicant.
Johns Hopkins University rankings
Forbes: 13
Niche: 24
U.S. News & World Report: 9 (tie)
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education: 15 (worldwide)
Where is Johns Hopkins?
Johns Hopkins is located in Baltimore, Maryland. The entire university is spread across four campuses throughout the city, with undergraduates studying in North Baltimore on the Homewood campus. Because they are separated from graduate students and have a campus to call their own, undergraduate students may feel a close-knit sense of community and belonging even amidst a large research institution.
Johns Hopkins student population
Undergraduates: 5,600
Graduate students: 23,550
Johns Hopkins acceptance rate
Let’s review the admissions statistics for Johns Hopkins’ class of 2027:
Applications: 38,294
Acceptances: 2,403
Early Decision: 811
Regular Decision: 1,592
Matriculants: 1,306
Acceptance rate: 6.2%
Here’s what we know so far about the class of 2028:
Applications: Over 38,000
Acceptances: 2,558
Early Decision: 809
Regular Decision: 1,749
Acceptance rate: ~6.2%
Johns Hopkins tuition and scholarships
Johns Hopkins’ 2024–2025 cost of attendance (i.e., tuition, room, board, and fees) is $88,976.
The university vows to meet 100 percent of demonstrated need, and financial aid packages do not include student loans. 54 percent of first-year students receive financial aid. The average grant for first-year students is $60,000.
Who gets into Johns Hopkins?
Each year, Johns Hopkins receives tens of thousands of applications from prospective undergraduates. What can we learn from those who were admitted? Here are some statistics for the class of 2027:
99% of admitted students ranked in the top 10% of their class
Average GPA: 3.9
Average SAT score:
25th percentile: 1530
75th percentile: 1560
Average ACT score:
25th percentile: 34
75th percentile: 35
First-generation college students: 19%
International students: 14%
29% are Asian American, 18% are white, 20% are Hispanic or Latino, 14% are African American or Black, and 2% are Native American, 1% Pacific Islander.
----
Part 2: Johns Hopkins admissions requirements
Johns Hopkins academic requirements
Johns Hopkins doesn’t list any specific coursework that’s required of prospective applicants. However, they do note that they look for qualities such as academic character, impactive and initiative, and personal contribution when reviewing applications (we’ll dig into these qualities further in the next section). They want to see students who are passionate about learning and who will enthusiastically participate and make an impact on JHU and the local Baltimore community.
The university also reports that 98% of incoming students enter with pre-professional experiences. It’s hard to read into this too much, but you might interpret this statistic as an indication that Johns Hopkins is interested in students who apply their education to the real world. If your child is interested in attending Johns Hopkins, encourage them to find a way to put their interests into action, whether by researching in a lab, shadowing a doctor, or immersing in a local business or nonprofit.
Johns Hopkins application requirements
Common Application or the Coalition Application
Johns Hopkin supplemental essay
Optional in 2024–2025: SAT or ACT scores
Two teacher letters of recommendation
Secondary school report including school counselor recommendation, transcript, and high school profile
Midyear report including updated transcript (due in mid-February)
Need inspiration for your Common App personal statement? Click below for instant access to 25 full-length example essays including advanced breakdowns of why they resonate with admissions committees.
Gain instant access to 25 exclusive full-length examples covering all seven prompts, plus comprehensive analyses for each to help you craft stellar essays.
Johns Hopkins’ special programs
When submitting their regular application, your child will also have the opportunity to apply for one of three special programs:
Direct Matriculation Programs
Qualified students can apply to one of two Johns Hopkins Master’s programs (Global Health or International Studies)
Peabody Double Degree
Through this program, students can earn both a Bachelor of Music from the Peabody Institute and a B.A or B.S. from Johns Hopkins.
Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program
This fellowship provides up to $10,000 in funding to B.A. students completing independent research.
----
Part 3: Applying to Johns Hopkins early decision vs. regular decision
Johns Hopkins has an early decision program which requires your child to submit their application materials by either:
November 1st (to receive a decision by December 15th)
January 2nd (to receive a decision by February 16th)
This program is binding, which means your child cannot apply to any other early decision program. Furthermore, you, your child, and your child’s counselor must sign a contract, agreeing for your child to attend Johns Hopkins should they be admitted.
Your child can also apply regular decision by January 2nd.
How do you know if your child should apply to Johns Hopkins early?
Your child should only apply to Johns Hopkins early decision if they are absolutely sure the university is their first choice. If that’s the case, they may be a good early decision candidate if they have strong test scores and grades by the end of junior year.
In recent years, Johns Hopkins has accepted early decision applicants at a rate about three times higher than the university’s overall acceptance rate. However, it’s difficult to truly compare those two rates because students who apply early decision tend to be of the highest caliber; for example, they do not need an additional semester to raise their GPA or retake the SAT.
(Suggested reading: Early Action vs. Early Decision: Pros and Cons and What Your Child Should Do)
----
Part 4: 2024–2025 Johns Hopkins supplemental essay (examples included)
The good news is that Johns Hopkins requires just one supplemental essay. The slightly less good news: the Johns Hopkins supplemental essay is longer than most. So, let’s explore what the university is looking for and how to write a winning essay.
Before we get into the nitty gritty of the essay, it’s important to first understand what qualities Johns Hopkins seeks in its applicants. Again, here are the three things Johns Hopkins is looking for in prospective students:
Academic character: This will be primarily demonstrated through your child’s transcript and test scores. That said, evaluations from teachers can shine light on what the university refers to as “the academic spirit” of your child.
Impact and initiative: The application includes room for your child to list their extracurricular activities, but the essay is another avenue through which your child can demonstrate their resourcefulness and drive.
Personal contributions: Johns Hopkins recognizes that a vital part of the college experience is the network of peers and teachers and mentors that come together to inform your child’s individual experience. They want people who excel individually and those that want to be part of something bigger. Your child gets to really show this off in this year’s supplementary essay.
With that in mind, here’s the Johns Hopkins supplemental essay prompt:
Founded on a spirit of exploration and discovery, Johns Hopkins University encourages students to share their perspectives, develop their interests and pursue new experiences. Use this space to share something you’d like the admissions committee to know about you (your interests, your background, your identity, or your community) and how it has shaped what you want to get out of your college experience at Hopkins. (300-400 words)
This is a relatively open-ended prompt, so your child can approach writing this essay in a variety of ways. They might choose to discuss an aspect of themselves that is not well represented elsewhere in their application materials. On the flip side, they could use the essay to add further nuance and depth to an interest, identity, background, or community that they’ve already mentioned.
Take note that the prompt is asking for your child to share a personal rather than academic aspect of themselves. This isn’t to say that your child shouldn’t discuss academic experiences, which certainly fall under the category of interests, but they should do so in the context of what the experience means to them. Since the admissions committee will have access to plenty of materials that document your child’s accomplishments, the point of this essay is for them to get to know your child better as a person.
Your child can also view this prompt as a variation on the “Why us?” essay that we discuss in our supplemental essays guide. Whatever topic they choose to write about, the key is to link something unique about them to why they want to attend Johns Hopkins.
Gain instant access to essay examples for every supplemental essay prompt from the top universities and BS/MD programs in the United States. Subscribe today to lock in the current investments, which will be increasing in the future for new subscribers.
If your child wants more help with their essay, Johns Hopkins hosts free online workshops to discuss the purpose and impact of the supplementary essay. They also make available essays from past successful applicants.
----
Part 5: Frequently asked questions
Is it hard to get into Johns Hopkins?
With a 6.2% acceptance rate, it’s hard to get into Johns Hopkins. This number puts their selectivity as greater than Cornell but a bit lower than other Ivy League institutions like Brown and Dartmouth. Hopkins is one of the most selective institutions nationally, meaning your child will need stellar grades and extracurriculars to stand out.
What does Johns Hopkins look for in an applicant?
Johns Hopkins looks for intellectually curious individuals with outstanding academic records who will also be a good fit for their programs. With more than 38,000 applicants in each of the last two years, your child will need to demonstrate their fit with the Johns Hopkins campus community and clearly communicate why they want to attend Johns Hopkins.
If your child has a GPA close to or above 3.9, a high SAT or ACT score, and has taken challenging courses in high school (such as IB or AP courses) they stand a good chance of acceptance on paper. However, they will need to showcase their other talents outside of the classroom by activities like participating in clubs or volunteering in a community organization. If these activities allow them to speak to their leadership abilities in their supplemental essays, all the better.
Your child will also need strong letters of recommendation from teachers and to be sure to spend adequate time writing and revising their essays. They should make sure the essays they submit to Johns Hopkins not only speak to their best qualities but specific aspects of Hopkins that excite them as well as what your child will add to the Hopkins community.
Is Johns Hopkins as good as an Ivy?
Johns Hopkins is often considered as good as an Ivy. In fact, it’s usually grouped as one of the Ivy+ schools. This is in part because its standards for academic rigor, world-renowned faculty, small class sizes, research opportunities, and overall prestige put it near the top of many college rankings lists.
Not to mention most graduates have excellent career prospects with a baccalaureate. Furthermore, many go on to exciting careers in fields such as medicine or law.
Whether Hopkins is “as good as an Ivy” is ultimately subjective. However, what’s true is that Ivy or not, at Hopkins, your child will get an exceptional education rivaled by few institutions around the world.
Final thoughts
Johns Hopkins wants to continue to cultivate a campus community that is greater than the sum of its parts. So make sure your child is thinking about their own intellectual passions and how they all fit into a thriving campus community.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on college admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into top programs like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT using his exclusive approach.
THERE'S NO REASON TO STRUGGLE THROUGH THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ALONE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE. SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION TO ENSURE YOU LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE.