Johns Hopkins MSPH 2015

[ilovehippos]

I went to the Admitted Student Day last Friday for MSPH in Health Policy - pretty much went from 80% sure to 90% sure so that's great! If you have questions about it, let me know too!

I got into a different program (International Health - MSPH/RD), but when you attended, did you happen to get a sense of what the camaraderie is like between all the students at Bloomberg? My program is super small so it'd be great to be able to know more people.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[issjlo]

Hi, I couldn't find a Facebook group for JHSPH MSPH class of 2017. From the Master's virtual session, it sounded like the school wasn't going to create one and was somewhat encouraging us to create our own.

I just made a Facebook group for the MSPH International Health program and would love for you to join me! Seems like the group has to be at least 10 members big before anyone could find us using Facebook search. Feel free to invite anyone else who is in the program! Cheers!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/989999657679751/#

 

[crayola_deville]

i went to admitted students day at Hopkins this past weekend and completely fell in love with the city and prospective students and faculty!! everyone was super excited to be there; it was all very inspiring. however, the financial burden wasn't something people really addressed--and when i brought it up everyone seemed curt. like, "yea, we just took out all loans, so what? you're here for the experience and connections, it's not like this is an MBA program". meanwhile I'm like, "so you're all just walking around with 75k+ in debt and you're okay with this; not concerned at all????"
They were just like, "yea, f**k it, whatever"

I thought that was a little strange--especially coming from Emory's visit day where the attitude was a bit more understanding of the financial risk students were taking, offering some assistance, and encouraging students to make the best decision for them--even if it meant not attending Emory.

I would love to go to Hopkins and be in Baltimore, but I don't know if I can handle that amount of debt :/ So, I'm still torn between these two schools....

 

[issjlo]

Which program are you in? Are you eligible for the 75% off your second year tuition? If so, shouldn't the total degree cost be the same for both schools? Also, who knows, maybe you will be able to find a paid practicum experience. That can help lighten the financial burden as well. Though not substantially..

 

[ilovehippos]

It was great! Very well organized and informative. The department specific break out session was my favorite. I am intl. health and we got to hear from the director and then split into our concentrations.

There was also a session where we spoke with current students without any faculty present. This is where we were able to ask the downfalls of the program (which there weren't many) and hear an insider perspective. I asked about accessibility of professors to Masters students (which is my biggest concern) and I was happy to hear that it is easy to just go to office hours, knock on their door and get help in whatever way is needed.

I went to Columbia's admitted student day and I thought Hopkins's was much better. I paid my admissions deposit once I got back to my hotel room so clearly they achieved their goal of selling me on the program!

Let me know if you have any specific questions about it. Happy to give you my take on it all.

Asking some questions since I wasn't able to attend Admitted Students Day! So what are some downsides that current students mentioned? Since I heard MSPH programs at Hopkins are pretty intense the first year, I'm wondering if there will be enough time to do outside stuff like volunteering, teaching, etc.

Also, my friend who goes to JH undergrad said she heard Bloomberg students have happy hour every week and that there's good camaraderie between everyone. Did you get that when you visited?

Thanks!!

 

[crayola_deville]

The camaraderie was palpable. Most of the MSPH students I spoke with said they had some time for outside volunteering, but not much because of the intense coursework. Some held small jobs during off days of the week, etc. They anticipated having more room for that kind of stuff the second year. The happy hour thing is true too!

 

[crayola_deville]

Which program are you in? Are you eligible for the 75% off your second year tuition? If so, shouldn't the total degree cost be the same for both schools? Also, who knows, maybe you will be able to find a paid practicum experience. That can help lighten the financial burden as well. Though not substantially..

Perhaps! I mean, i live in atlanta with my family, so Emory would automatically be cheaper because I could eliminate the cost of living. Really, the thing keeping me from hopkins at this point is having to take out so much extra in loans to live there. :/

 

[kimt08]

i went to admitted students day at Hopkins this past weekend and completely fell in love with the city and prospective students and faculty!! everyone was super excited to be there; it was all very inspiring. however, the financial burden wasn't something people really addressed--and when i brought it up everyone seemed curt. like, "yea, we just took out all loans, so what? you're here for the experience and connections, it's not like this is an MBA program". meanwhile I'm like, "so you're all just walking around with 75k+ in debt and you're okay with this; not concerned at all????"
They were just like, "yea, f**k it, whatever"

I thought that was a little strange--especially coming from Emory's visit day where the attitude was a bit more understanding of the financial risk students were taking, offering some assistance, and encouraging students to make the best decision for them--even if it meant not attending Emory.

I would love to go to Hopkins and be in Baltimore, but I don't know if I can handle that amount of debt :/ So, I'm still torn between these two schools....

I'm very concerned with the financial situation, too. I guess the school itself acknowledges this because they didn't mention it at all during the Admitted Students Day -.-...BUT I just think about the second year master's scholarship, full-time job prospects, and how the name Johns Hopkins will carry me far in life. That's how I decided on Hopkins.

 

[coconutcaravan]

I got out of the waitlist for the MSPH degree in the Department of Health, Behavior & Society! I am very thrilled and can't believe it! Just enrolled yesterday and have so many questions. Whoever is in the Health, Behavior & Society department, is there a Facebook group for our class?

 

[SagiMaggi]

I got out of the waitlist for the MSPH degree in the Department of Health, Behavior & Society! I am very thrilled and can't believe it! Just enrolled yesterday and have so many questions. Whoever is in the Health, Behavior & Society department, is there a Facebook group for our class?

Hey! Not sure is there is a separate group. But there is a International health group so if you are in the dept of International health and subdivision SBI, join the FB group else ask questions here

 

[biscuitbitty]

has anyone heard back from hopkins environmental health department? when i initially submitted my application to one of their MSPH program, they gave me an admissions decision timeline of 2-6 weeks. Its been 10 weeks. I emailed the coordinator who said they were having some restructuring issues within the department and just havent released any decisions yet but with other schools requiring deposits/commitments, its kind of putting me in a tough spot.

 

[ToTravelIsToLive]

I got out of the waitlist for the MSPH degree in the Department of Health, Behavior & Society! I am very thrilled and can't believe it! Just enrolled yesterday and have so many questions. Whoever is in the Health, Behavior & Society department, is there a Facebook group for our class?

I don't think there is... so you can go ahead and make one and try to find people and if through that process, someone will let you know if one already exists!

 

[emilydavis616]

Random question- What type of computer are you guys going to be using? My MacBook Pro from college has seen better days and I am thinking about trading it in for the new MacBook. Do you have any idea whether a PC would be preferred over Mac? Thanks for your help in advance!

 

[srs110]

Hey! Congrats to all of you who've been accepted!

To those of you who are familiar with the neighborhood, can you answer some of my housing queries?

1. When do you think is a good time to start looking for housing?

2. What/ how much do you think I should be prepared to pay for rent? What is a realistic/ budget?

I did my undergraduate in Ann Arbor, MI and currently live in Chicago ( Hyde Park) and have never forked out more than $600/ mth ( including all utilities) for rent for my own private room.

I don't mind living with large groups of people (I've lived with 8-15 people in the past. 2 of which were housing co-operatives: ICC and Qumbya)

Ideally I am hoping to spend less than $500 ( not more than $600) for rent. Realistic? Hmmm.. I feel some heads shaking..

I also would like to bike to class/work. So a neighborhood that is within 20 minutes max of the Bloomberg SPH.

3. What neighborhoods should I be looking at if I want a place that is within 20 min bike ride of Bloomberg SPH?

4. What websites should I check out to look for houses/ room mates? I am beginning my preliminary search using the off-campus Hopkins medicine site (https://offcampushousing.hopkinsmedicine.org) and will try browsing through Craigslist. Any other site suggestions?


Any suggestions/ advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks all and congrats on all of your acceptances!!

Hi!

I am very familiar with the neighborhood as I did my undergrad here. You should start looking for apartments ASAP as the best buildings have a waitlist and they start to fill up pretty quickly. Rent can run anywhere from $600 - $1200, depending on the type of place (row house, apartment building) and if you share with others. If you don't mind living with a lot of people, then you might be able to get it down to $600. I doubt you can get it below $500 unless you don't mind living in a broke down place. I highly recommend paying more to live in a safer neighborhood such as Mt Vernon. Ever since the Freddy Gray riots, police presence has declined and crime has increased. Thus, you have to prioritize safety!

20 minutes max of Bloomberg - you could live around campus (which I don't recommend due to safety issues) or Fells Point. I highly recommend the Mt Vernon area as I've found it to be the safest. Even during the state of emergency and during the riots, Mt Vernon and Charles Village were calm and safe.

You should use craigslist to find apartments. My friend just advertised her apartment there. Check it out. http://baltimore.craigslist.org/apa/5089028348.html

 

[srs110]

Hi guys, I have been torn trying to comprehend how to fund MSPH degree at Hopkins without any funding other than 75% 2nd year scholarship granted to all students. I am an international student and have been accepted into MSPH Health Systems for fall 2015. I have few questions, hopefully, some of the experienced students here can guide me:

1. Is it realistically possible to work during the 1st year of MSPH? I keep on hearing how grueling each terms may be.

2. What are the chances MSPH students actually get assistantship position inside Health Systems department? When I spoke with Cristina, she said, you won't get any opportunity until you finish initial Biostat and Epi classes 1st and 2nd term. How true is that?

3. If I pass the comprehensive exam, during the following summer, do students generally take Paid internship at Baltimore or DC Metro area? Or, do we have to immediately have to start practicum experience that summer?

4. Generally, what is the pay range of summer internship for Health Systems students?

5. During the practicum period, at school or abroad, do students earn anything? I know, if we decide abroad practicum, we will be funded for travel and living expenses, but will there be additional stipend? How much should be expect?

6. And finally, after graduation what kind of placement should we expect? Yearly income range? Does the department offer career services to MSPH students?

I know, these are a lot of questions, but the clock has been ticking and I am still torn as to which program to choose. For now, it all depends on funding situation. Another most cheap option I have right now is, The EuroPubHealth program by Erasmus Mundus at U of Copenhagen and U of Sheffield, which costs only Euro 18,000 (tuition only). For, JHSPH degree, I have calculated to be around USD 68,000 (excluding living expenses) if I do not get any kind of extra funding opportunity during the degree (which seems to be reality right now). Investing, USD 68K vs USD 20K for the same degree, I have been really indecisive. Other programs that I have been accepted into are U of South Florida, Tulane, BU, Columbia, U of C Berkeley, Colorado, U of Illinois Chicago, and U of Houston.

Any input or opinions will be very much appreciated!!! Thanks guys.

Hi!

1. It is realistic to work during the 1st year of MSPH. You'll be swamped but people do it.

6. JHSPH collects graduating students' data through an end of the year survey. However, they do not report it! I believe this is because it's not very impressive. Your starting salary will depend on your number of years of experience, if you're a quant, and the type of organization you want to work at (NGO, private, govt). I'm not sure if your department offers career services, but the school has a pretty good career services office. They organize career fairs, look over your resume and cover letters, and help prepare you for interviews and salary negotiation. You can use them for the rest of your life.

 

[srs110]

i went to admitted students day at Hopkins this past weekend and completely fell in love with the city and prospective students and faculty!! everyone was super excited to be there; it was all very inspiring. however, the financial burden wasn't something people really addressed--and when i brought it up everyone seemed curt. like, "yea, we just took out all loans, so what? you're here for the experience and connections, it's not like this is an MBA program". meanwhile I'm like, "so you're all just walking around with 75k+ in debt and you're okay with this; not concerned at all????"
They were just like, "yea, f**k it, whatever"

I thought that was a little strange--especially coming from Emory's visit day where the attitude was a bit more understanding of the financial risk students were taking, offering some assistance, and encouraging students to make the best decision for them--even if it meant not attending Emory.

I would love to go to Hopkins and be in Baltimore, but I don't know if I can handle that amount of debt :/ So, I'm still torn between these two schools....

I don't know which department you got into but I wanted to give you some insider information. There are many awards that people advertised to me when I started here. Professors and department chairs reassured us masters students that we can apply for so many awards. But in the end, I saw that most of these awards went to doctoral students. As someone who just graduated and got a job, I've learned that the Hopkins name means less. My skills, what I can do for companies matters much more. If you go to a no name school but get amazing biostats and quant skills, you're much more valuable to a company than a Hopkins grad who only knows how to do literature reviews. Though I love Hopkins, I wouldn't have gone here if it meant that I would have any debt.