On Feb. 14, the University welcomed 242 students to the Class of 2029 through Early Decision II (ED II). The first rounds of Early Decision — Early Decision I (ED I) and QuestBridge admissions — were released in December, admitting 551 students to the University. The numbers are consistent with data from last year’s early decision admissions cycle.
The University reports that approximately 20% of students admitted in the Early Decision cycle were the first in their family to attend college, and over 60% of students in both ED I and ED II also attended public high schools.
Joy Sun, who was admitted in the ED II cohort, described her disbelief regarding her acceptance in an interview with The News-Letter.
“I honestly did not expect to get in at all, Hopkins felt like such a reach and when I opened up my decision I stared at the screen for two minutes straight, unable to believe it,” she wrote.
Of admitted students in ED I and ED II, respectively, 68% and 67% will be matriculating to the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS), and the remainder to the Whiting School of Engineering. Sun is matriculating at KSAS; she noted that she was looking forward to taking advantage of the facilities and laboratories at Hopkins and getting to know her fellow students.
Tate Stearns, who was admitted in the ED I cohort, described his relief after learning of his acceptance to the University in an interview with The News-Letter.
“It was a relief to find out I was accepted to Hopkins,” he wrote. “I had put all my eggs in the JHU basket, and getting accepted felt like a weight off my shoulders.”
Stearns is an incoming baseball student-athlete. In his interview with The News-Letter, he highlighted the factors that motivated him to apply to Hopkins.
“The culture of excellence is what drew me to Hopkins. It seems like everything they do, they do it with a purpose and intent to be the best they possibly can and I wanted to be a part of that,” he wrote.
The QuestBridge National College Match program connects exceptional low-income high school students with a four-year full scholarship to selective universities. This admissions cycle marks Hopkins’ second year participating in the program. Sophia Sim was admitted through the QuestBridge match in December; she described how the program supported her college journey in an interview with The News-Letter.
“I wouldn’t be here without QuestBridge allowing me to pursue my dreams and reach for the unknown, especially as a low-income student,” she wrote. “I find it a large privilege and honor to be able to attend Hopkins next year.”
Sim, a prospective neuroscience major, shared her anticipation to meet new people at Hopkins and highlighted the excitement of exploring a new city.
“I’m mostly excited to meet new friends and explore Baltimore especially since I'm from the state of Oklahoma and will be traveling across the country for college,” she wrote.
Admission decisions from the regular decision cycle will be released in less than a month on March 21.
