Another 'my chances' post HELP

[zippytippy]

Long time viewer of the threads first time poster. I've been interested in public health for a long time and want to apply for fall 2010...I'm just nervous as to if I'm going to have a shot anywhere.

Graduated last year with a degree in biology did a lot of community service in college and lots of leadership...one semester of HIV research. Since graduation I've worked as a program manager with an NGO in kenya promoting HIV awareness in rural villages (1 year) this next year I'll be an office assistant in a women and children homeless center.

GPA 2.9 Don't expect the GRE to be too high either unfortunately maybe the 1100-1200 range.

I'll have strong letters of rec from profs and the ngo. Want to go in to maternal and child health/international health.

My big question...Do I have a chance of getting in ANYWHERE?

In an ideal world I would like to go to GWU, Columbia, NYU but realistically looking more at SDSU, LLU, etc...

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[FreeRadical]

If you're interested in public health work internationally, you should check out Tulane. I've heard they tend to value more well-rounded people in the selection process, and their academic program is #13 in the rankings (not at all bad). In the end I decided to go elsewhere for various reasons, but I hear the atmosphere at Tulane is great for anyone with international aspirations. Best of luck!

 

[Stories]

Apply liberally. That's the moral of any application story. You never know until you apply. Who'd a thunk you could get into an ivy for a PhD? Certainly not me... yet here I am!

Apply everywhere you wanna go and just cross the fingers. You never know

 

[drashleypaige]

Don't know if you'd be interested in coming down south but I attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham and graduated in May with my Masters. I was in the same boat as you. I took the gre right before the application deadline, so I barely scraped by with an 1100. I loved my program (Health Behavior) and I am now working as a Research Specialist on a Traumatic Brain Injury grant. Moral of the story: You DO have a chance of getting in somewhere. Good luck

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Long time viewer of the threads first time poster. I've been interested in public health for a long time and want to apply for fall 2010...I'm just nervous as to if I'm going to have a shot anywhere.

Graduated last year with a degree in biology did a lot of community service in college and lots of leadership...one semester of HIV research. Since graduation I've worked as a program manager with an NGO in kenya promoting HIV awareness in rural villages (1 year) this next year I'll be an office assistant in a women and children homeless center.

GPA 2.9 Don't expect the GRE to be too high either unfortunately maybe the 1100-1200 range.

I'll have strong letters of rec from profs and the ngo. Want to go in to maternal and child health/international health.

My big question...Do I have a chance of getting in ANYWHERE?

In an ideal world I would like to go to GWU, Columbia, NYU but realistically looking more at SDSU, LLU, etc...

rock out your GRE. take a class. the GPA won't kill you i think.. i had a 3.17 uGPA and got into columbia, likely on the strength of my MCAT. best of luck to you.

 

[ucnative]

The main thing you should pull from reading the scores of "my chances" posts on this MPH forum is that you shouldn't withhold your application from any school you want to attend out of fear that you won't be accepted. Tout your experience and recommendations if your grades/GRE aren't stellar, and make sure your personal statement(s) is the best you can muster.

MPH admissions committees don't have a strict calculus for their decisions. Commitment to the field and a solid idea of why you're pursuing the degree count for more than you'd think.

Apply to EVERY school you want to attend.