What We Look For
we want to understand who you’ll be in our community.
Our students celebrate the exchange of perspectives, build on their experiences, and get inspired to try new things. As we review your application, we want to understand how you’ve thrived academically and contributed to your school environment, extracurricular activities, and community. Each part of the application gives us a sense of how your achievements and values align with Hopkins.
Find out more about our review process and what we look for in applicants, so you can craft your strongest application.
How We Review Your Application
We consider many different aspects of your experience, academic achievement, involvements, and personal qualities when deciding if you’re a match for Hopkins.
Your Hopkins Application: What We Consider
Academic Character
How you pursue your academics, contribute to the learning environment, and engage with your interests beyond the classroom. We typically find this in your transcripts, activities list, recommendations, and test scores (optional).
Impact & Initiative
The roles and impact you’ve had in clubs, organizations, jobs and internships, or within your own family and community. We typically find this in your activities list, recommendations, and essays.
Overall Match
Your values, goals, and how they align with the opportunities available at Hopkins. We typically find this in your supplemental essay, personal statement, and overall application.
Preparing for College as a High School Student
Check out our recommendations to make the most of your high school experience and start your journey toward higher education.
Breaking Down Each Part of the Application
Our admissions counselors explain the role of each application section and how we review them in our video series.
ESSAYS THAT WORKED
We share essays from previously admitted students—along with feedback from our admissions committee—so you can understand what made them effective and how to start crafting your own.
Sign Up for an Application Workshop
Our interactive application workshops—led by a member of our admissions committee—are designed to lead you through exercises so you can understand how to best tell your story in your application.
