Advice on selecting an MPH program

[URGem621]

Hello All,

I'm an undergrad starting my senior year this fall and I'm trying to narrow down my school choices. I know i need to find a program that is the best fit for me but i was curious how some of you made your decision. I'm planning a few campus visits but how should i go about getting more in depth information about the other schools i won't be able to visit? Should I e-mail professors? current students? Call the admissions office? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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[Stories]

I fell into my MPH. I didn't intend on enrolling immediately after undergrad, but after taking classes my 2nd semester of senior year (one of which was a PH class), I was hooked. I discussed with the dean of admission (at BU, which was also my undergrad) what the school was like and ways I could pay for it.

It all ended up working out as I loved Boston (then and now). Contacting the graduate coordinator of each department you're interested in will help you get a good idea of what kinds of things students study.

 

[Adcadet]

I fell into my MPH. I didn't intend on enrolling immediately after undergrad, but after taking classes my 2nd semester of senior year (one of which was a PH class), I was hooked.

I had a very similar experience, except that I took all of my classes that semester in the school of public health at my local university. My research mentor had suggested looking into public health programs and luckily the courses were only a relatively short bus ride away from my college and after some basic paperwork I could transfer the credits in. I loved the classes and decided that I wanted to do my MPH in Epi. I talked with the head of admissions about my experiences, turned in my app, and was accepted. And the rest, is history.

 

[ucnative]

Should I e-mail professors? current students? Call the admissions office? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, yes, and yes. Take some time to educate yourself on the types of programs available at the schools you might want to attend, then start getting in touch with people. Choose professors who have similar research interests as yours, and they can likely get you in touch with current students who are following the same path.

Check out the School of Public Health Application Service's website, www.sophas.org, for noteworthy dates regarding the schools they cover, like application deadlines and visit days. (Make sure to verify if they cover a school you want to attend, because several prominent schools do not participate in SOPHAS.)

And reading this forum is a good idea...

 

[Music333]

I'm in the same position. I've called admissions offices for the places where I have questions. And then once I narrow down to which schools I want to apply to, I'll probably try to contact professors and students.