2014 PhD Applicants USA - Interview/Rejection/Acceptance

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jerkball

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Hi All! I've finally submitted all of my applications and been verified via SOPHAS, so now it is time to wait/obsess/stress. I'd love to hear as each person submits and receives news of their applications.

Details about me:

Undergrad GPA: 3.69 (Honors Psychology/Chemistry)
MPH GPA: 3.87 (Health Behavior)
GRE: 163V/156Q/4.5W
Related experience: Research experience since undergrad. Since graduation, 4 years as a research assistant at my University with 2 first author publications. Also started and am president of a non-profit working in my field of interest.
Applied to: Tulane Epi, Columbia Epi, UMinnesota Epi, UPittsburgh Epi, UTexas Epi, Colorado Community and Behavioral Health DrPH

So far I've received generic "thanks for your application" emails from Minnesota and Tulane, and an invitation to a prospective student visit day at Colorado. Gah!

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Me also--I am currently in a PhD program and applied twice so if anyone has any questions feel free to ask. I got my MPH and am getting my PhD in Health Behavior/Community Health
 
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Wow, I feel behind now... I am planning on submitting for Dec. 1 Deadlines by the end of next week, about Nov.15...
 
Wow, I feel behind now... I am planning on submitting for Dec. 1 Deadlines by the end of next week, about Nov.15...
Well I decided I was going to apply in January and started working on my applications then, so I was just waiting for SOPHAS to open and for my recommendation letters to come in. Waiting, and then waiting, and then waiting...it has been a tough year!

Anyone know when we'll start hearing back from schools about interviews and such? I imagine it won't be until January, so I'll continue to be tortured for a while.
 
Hey everyone, I'm a 2nd year MPH student and currently applying for PhD programs in environmental health sciences. >.< I hope I have a ghost of a chance

Undergrad Institution: UC-Riverside
Undergrad GPA: 3.017 Major Biological Sciences (pre-med) and Environmental Sciences minor
MPH GPA: 3.78 (hopefully 3.84 by graduation) Environmental Health
GRE: 152V/157Q/4.0W, December 2011

Related experience:
Undergrad
-
Lab assistant for almost 2 years in microbiology/botany; mostly PCR preparation
-Mission volunteer trip to a children's health clinic in El Salvador

Grad
-
Measuring particulate matter and black carbon levels from environmental tobacco smoke in downtown San Diego nightlife
-Thesis on measuring ambient air particulate matter and black carbon and source apportionment in Santiago, Chile.
-Graduate Assistant (GA) for graduate course environmental determinants of health

Extracurricular
-
Research intern for American Lung Association, working on measuring indoor exposure to particulate matter from environmental tobacco smoke in multi-housing units.

Applying to: Emory and UC-Irvine

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Best of luck everyone!
 
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Update! I have an interview with a professor from UT Austin I'm interested in working with this coming Tuesday, November 18.
 
Hi all. I was wondering, suppose you are admitted and for some unforeseen reason, you cannot attend a program the year you originally applied for? Do any schools allow you to defer for a year or maybe even two? I have been trying to call the admissions departments to ask about this, but none of the programs or admissions offices are answering their phones. I guess there are too many mundane questions, such as this one :0, and they are trying to avoid personal appeals from applicants. Haha!

I ask because I have now submitted all my applications, but I had been job hunting prior so I could work for a year and get more experience before starting the PhD after my MPH. I did not expect this place to call me at this point and certainly did not expect the interview to go so swimmingly :) I haven't really applied for anything in a while b/c it would be not good to start a job then leave in 8 months or something. This particular place I interviewed wants at least 2-3 years since it takes 6 months to train you in their proprietary software. So, assuming I get an offer, suppose I want to take this job; would I possibly be able to defer anywhere if I got in?

I'm applying to Tulane, Brown, University of Miami, Pitt, Hopkins, Columbia and Yale. Thanks for any insight on this.

I feel like I'm in limbo here now.
 
Hi all. I was wondering, suppose you are admitted and for some unforeseen reason, you cannot attend a program the year you originally applied for? Do any schools allow you to defer for a year or maybe even two? I have been trying to call the admissions departments to ask about this, but none of the programs or admissions offices are answering their phones. I guess there are too many mundane questions, such as this one :0, and they are trying to avoid personal appeals from applicants. Haha!

I ask because I have now submitted all my applications, but I had been job hunting prior so I could work for a year and get more experience before starting the PhD after my MPH. I did not expect this place to call me at this point and certainly did not expect the interview to go so swimmingly :) I haven't really applied for anything in a while b/c it would be not good to start a job then leave in 8 months or something. This particular place I interviewed wants at least 2-3 years since it takes 6 months to train you in their proprietary software. So, assuming I get an offer, suppose I want to take this job; would I possibly be able to defer anywhere if I got in?

I'm applying to Tulane, Brown, University of Miami, Pitt, Hopkins, Columbia and Yale. Thanks for any insight on this.

I feel like I'm in limbo here now.

I think it really varies by school. From my personal experience, the few schools I inquired do not offer deferred admission. (Sorry, don't remember which ones)
 
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Submitted my apps to sophas, anxious about the days to come!

International applicant.
Undergrad GPA 3.66 (Bangladesh)
MPH GPA 3.75 (Australia)
GRE 156V/150Q/4.5W
IELTS 8
Leading public health projects on communicable diseases in Bangladesh for 3 years
1 year health equity fellowship in a US university
Applied to Tulane Trop Med/Harvard Epi/UNC Chapel Hill epi/ Drexel Epi/UT Houston epi

I am a bit surprised to learn that jerkball got an interview already! I sent my applications about a week back. When can I expect an interview, if any? Thanks!
 
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Submitted my apps to sophas, anxious about the days to come!

International applicant.
Undergrad GPA 3.66 (Bangladesh)
MPH GPA 3.75 (Australia)
GRE 156V/150Q/4.5W
IELTS 8
Leading public health projects on communicable diseases in Bangladesh for 3 years
1 year health equity fellowship in a US university
Applied to Tulane Trop Med/Harvard Epi/UNC Chapel Hill epi/ Drexel Epi/UT Houston epi

I am a bit surprised to learn that jerkball got an interview already! I sent my applications about a week back. When can I expect an interview, if any? Thanks!

I'm not sure what exactly constitutes an interview, but my phone call didn't seem particularly official. I was contacted by the school to see if I was interested in setting up a call with a professor I was interested in working with. It lasted about 30 minutes. He said the purpose was to get an idea of why I wanted to go for a PhD, and to see if our interests were compatible. I'm not even sure if he will be on the committee to decide acceptances or not, or if he will have input.
But I've been agonizing over everything for so long, I'm calling it an interview just so I feel like progress is being made :)
 
Note that I spoke with a professor at Tulane who I would like to work with, but I initiated that conversation. I'd say it's definitely worth attempting to contact the professors you are interested in, so if nothing else they might recognize your name later if they are involved in acceptance decisions.
 
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Just got an acceptance email to UTexas, Austin campus!! I'm in shock. No word on funding yet, but am very hopeful for lots and lots of money :p
 
Just got an acceptance email to UTexas, Austin campus!! I'm in shock. No word on funding yet, but am very hopeful for lots and lots of money :p
Ahh! Congrats jerkball! That's awesome! Let's hear it for the first acceptance! Hoping you get lots of money! :)
 
congrats jerkball! I just submitted to UT Houston for environmental health PhD. I hope I hear back as soon as you did!
 
Thanks guys!! I'm super excited, now that the shock has worn off. Haven't heard a peep from any other schools, so still very much in the waiting game.
 
...Do any schools allow you to defer for a year or maybe even two?...

If you got any funding, it would be difficult for them to defer that because departments wouldn't really want to hold that money aside for a few years. In most cases, your funding would go to another admitted student, and you would have to re-compete for funding against the accepted class of the year that you choose to start. Same goes for professors' training grants - they may or may not have them when you start and they probably want to fund a student right away. Depending on how you stack up, this could be a bad thing.
 
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Thanks, Stories and MolBio. I thought it might be a stretch for schools to hold on to funding for a deferred acceptance. In the same vein, it would be highly unlikely that a department would offer deferred admission since the ratio of applications to available spots is so high.

As of yet (it's been two weeks since I interviewed) I haven't heard anything from this company. Well, what is meant to be will be and I'll just have to see what happens with my grad school apps.

I'll be posting my stats soon; I have two more apps to finish up, but my SOPHAS apps were mailed today (although schools were notifying me via e-mail that they had received my application and it was under review before SOPHAS "mailed" them...hmm...interesting...)
 
Me also--I am currently in a PhD program and applied twice so if anyone has any questions feel free to ask. I got my MPH and am getting my PhD in Health Behavior/Community Health

Hi, in your experience how do you think the programs rate an applicant without any first authored publication? Also, do you think developing country research experience is a huge plus?
 
Just got an acceptance email to UTexas, Austin campus!! I'm in shock. No word on funding yet, but am very hopeful for lots and lots of money :p
Congrats! I think you are a very strong candidate for any school. What's your preferred school though?
 
Update: I just got an acceptance from UTSPH Houston! Again, no word on funding. I just hope they offer me a generous funding!
 
Update: I just got an acceptance from UTSPH Houston! Again, no word on funding. I just hope they offer me a generous funding!
Congrats! Which program? When did you send in your SOPHAS application? That's my #1 choice; tied with Emory =) I can't wait to hear back from UT Houston
 
Update: I just got an acceptance from UTSPH Houston! Again, no word on funding. I just hope they offer me a generous funding!
Congratulations! Did you apply for the Houston campus?
 
Congratulations! Did you apply for the Houston campus?
Yes, when I applied to sophas I selected houston; but now I'm a bit confused as the email came from utsph and no mention of Houston! What about you?
 
Yes, when I applied to sophas I selected houston; but now I'm a bit confused as the email came from utsph and no mention of Houston! What about you?
I applied for the Austin campus, because the professor I wanted to work with was there, so I received two acceptance emails - one specifically from Austin, and then one from UTSPH that did not specify which campus. From what I was told, the school is in Houston, with satellite campuses. No mater your physical location, you're still technically a student of UTSPH at Houston. Confusing for sure!
 
Did you ask about funding? What about your professor? Did he comment on this at this point? Any insight into utsph funding for phd in general?
 
I did ask about funding, but did not get any clear official response. I spoke with a current student and she said they have to cobble together a few different fund to get tuition covered and for a stiepend. Like, you get a scholarship for your tuition, and then have to get a traineeship off a grant or something like that for a wage/stipend. I haven't pressed the issue, since I've not yet heard back from other schools.
 
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Makes a lot of sense! Thanks. At least they try to get the tuition covered. I'm also waiting to hear back from other schools.
 
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I guess, UT was ultra fast; any clue on which other uni responds quickly? I hv Drexel, unc, Harvard and Tulane to respond....
 
I guess, UT was ultra fast; any clue on which other uni responds quickly? I hv Drexel, unc, Harvard and Tulane to respond....

This was the message I received from Tulane when I inquired...

"Your application is with faculty for review. We hope to have a decision by late January, early February."
 
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Also, regarding Tulane and funding for the Epi program, I was told they only take a handfull of students each year (like 3 or 4), but they are all fully funded with a stipend.
 
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Thanks! I believe most would release results at the end of January... I'm astonished to know that at utsph, out of state residents require about 50k per year for tuition and living!!
 
UPDATE: So, Harvard sent out a financial Aid application instruction to me today. Wait, no, I was not accepted in their program (sigh)! They require ALL "prospective applicant" to apply for scholarships/fellowships/aids BEFORE they even find out if they were accepted or not! That sounded very awkward to my "international' ears- I am sure my American friends will be able to tell if this is considered a normal proceeding for US universities. None the less, in a span of 20 seconds my jubilation of "being accepted" turned into a sigh of "not quite".....
 
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got accepted to UT Houston as well! Environmental health sciences PhD! :)
 
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Awesome, congrats kumo21!!

Received an invitation to interview for Emory's Environmental Health Sciences PhD in Feb. Anyone else going?
 
So far, utsph has 100% acceptance in this forum... interesting!
 
Awesome, congrats kumo21!!

Received an invitation to interview for Emory's Environmental Health Sciences PhD in Feb. Anyone else going?
One of my colleagues also got an invitation to interview for Emory's Environmental Health Sciences PhD. His will be on the 4th Feb...
 
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Thanks! Ahh I haven't heard from Emory yet but it's okay since UT is like my #1 pick =)
 
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Hi All,

Happy to see all the preliminary good news here!

I'm applying to a lot of the popular schools as well for Epi. I'm feeling a bit down lately b/c I feel like the majority of applicants have much better stats and much more substantive experience. I just finished my MPH in Epi this summer and I just want to get the PhD out of the way b/c I know I need it for the type of work I want to do, which is research in a global health context, primarily with infectious diseases and methods of prevention. Although, I am really feeling like I am waiting for rejections here, but here are the schools I'm applying to...

Tulane, UNC, Pitt, Hopkins (Epi and Int'l Health for Global Disease Epi), Brown, Columbia, U of Miami, UAB, Univ of South Carolina.

Does anyone know anything about the University of Miami program in addition to what's on their website? I know it's very small so not many people are familiar with it. That would be the best climate to study in, though! Aside from hurricanes, of course :)

Best of luck to all!
 
Do applicants (I'm an int'l physician) without a prior MPH get admitted into a PhD program?

Good luck to all of you!
MPH is not a must for PhD admission; it certainly helps to have one though. The admission committee will love to see a lot of research experience in your CV. If you have published paper as first author, that's a huge plus. But my guess is, without research experience and an MPH it would be tough to get in...
 
Hi everyone! I've been stalking this forum for a while now, so I figured I'd join and post my stats and where I've applied! I applied to only one school for a Ph.D. last year (University of Maryland, College Park) in Behavioral and Community Health and was accepted. However, I deferred my admission for one year so I could work at my job helping to implement the Affordable Care Act. Anyway, here's my stats!

Undergrad GPA: 3.0 (Biology)
MPH GPA: 3.89 (Community Health/ Health Administration)
GRE: 157V/159Q/5.5W
Related experience: I'm a career changer. Public health-wise, I have worked as an intern for SOPHE and as a program intern for a community health project in West Baltimore City. Altogether, I have about 3 years experience in the field.
Applied to: Harvard SBS, Columbia SMS, Hopkins SBS, UTSPH Behavioral Sciences, Brown SBS

Excited to hear about everyone's good news!
 
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Got invited to PhD Recruitment Day at Brown!
 
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