BU additional information requested?

[vaidyascurse]

I'm with you there swaffles. I didn't get this e-mail from BU and am starting to wonder why.

I wonder why BU sent the email out on Valentine's Day? I'm not from the US, but I've lived here long enough to know that Valentine's Day is celebrated here. Sounds like a not-so-subtle message to applicants to have them write the school a "love letter"? If I didn't know better I would think that it is a practical joke or something.

Because the request is outside of SOPHAS, . . . I wonder if it is "legal" in terms of the application process and who they send it to? Meaning that it sounds unfair that some folks perhaps get a chance to express their desire to attend the school while others are stuck in the dark.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mmcintyr]

I also got the request for addl information, last night (a Sunday night). Today I heard I was accepted to my two top choices, but BU would still be a contender in my mind if I got a decent financial award. But I am guessing I am not a top candidate for those if I got this letter. Too bad!

 

[Epi2013]

What were your two top choices?

 

[mmcintyr]

Unc & uw.

what were your two top choices?

 

[vaidyascurse]

I also got the request for addl information, last night (a Sunday night). Today I heard I was accepted to my two top choices, but BU would still be a contender in my mind if I got a decent financial award. But I am guessing I am not a top candidate for those if I got this letter. Too bad!

It sounds like if you got the email for "additional information", then they are doubting your commitment to the school, . . . that can't be good! I wonder if they use it to scare off some applicants, sort of like "we're calling your bluff, tell us if you really love us or not . . ." Though it seems that a lot of strong candidates who were seriously considering the school were turned off by the odd request.

 

[aaftmb]

You could be a strong applicant and be seriously considering the school but not have that message come across.

I got accepted with 12k merit award without the additional info. :-\. don't fret if you didnt get it.

or even if you did, they wouldnt be asking u for more info if they didnt think u were academically qualified enough. and here's an opportunity to really talk about BU and convince them to take you (if u rlly want it).

It sounds like if you got the email for "additional information", then they are doubting your commitment to the school, . . . that can't be good! I wonder if they use it to scare off some applicants, sort of like "we're calling your bluff, tell us if you really love us or not . . ." Though it seems that a lot of strong candidates who were seriously considering the school were turned off by the odd request.

 

[vhelms]

..

 

[Epi2013]

I got the BU financial aid email too. I don't think it really means anything since I haven't been accepted or rejected yet. Some schools seem to want you to apply for aid before they even decide if they want you.

 

[Awapi]

EDIT: I found out that the email I had written had not sent but had saved in my drafts, that's why they sent me these emails, my application had not yet been withdrawn. This was my bad, not BUs!

 

[Globalhealth85]

I applied a long time ago, and I have not received an email concerning financial aid, additional information, OR a decision. Does that indicate anything? It seems like everyone has been asked for either additional info or gotten an email concerning registering for financial aid at this point regardless of their admissions status, but I have heard literally nothing from the school at all!

 

[vaidyascurse]

I got the financial aide email yesterday as well and another separate email about setting up a BU account...and I pulled my application a couple of weeks ago (I think many of you have read my 12 hour ride with the chicken email to BU).

Or do you guys think that, because of the length of the email, they thought that was my "additional info" submission? I can't wait to see if I get in or not (insert sarcasm indicator).

I think those emails might not be a real indicator of anything at this point.

I guess they didn't email you back after you explained the difficulties you had with their admissions process? You would think for the reputation of the school that somebody would contact you to see what they could do better next time, or at least apologize. Sort of a slap in the face, (or at least pure apathy) to keep on sending emails like nothing happened!

Does anybody know how many applicants BU gets? I still don't understand this whole deal of asking for additional information per se.

If the opposite of love is actually apathy (as opposed to pure hate), then I guess BU has the exact opposite of love for its applicants!

 

[vaidyascurse]

mphhopeful, you are a better person than I am...I pared mine down some, but couldn't manage to keep all of the bitterness out of it...but it felt kind of good anyway

Email to BU:

"When I began my application process for a Master of Public Health in September of 2010 Boston University was my top choice program. I spoke to my Peace Corps Country Director and Regional Manager about this fact on more than one occasion. I shared the information with a visiting Returned Peace Corps Volunteer/now graduate student from Senegal. I was excited and nervous about the application process and looking forward to the possibilities of a future at BU.

Around this time I completed my SOPHAS application, Boston University was the only school to which I applied that required a resume. The only internet connection within two hours of my Peace Corps site was not strong enough to allow me to upload that resume. I took a day from my precious vacation days and spent over a weeks worth of my meager living allowance to travel 6 hours to the capital for the sole reason of uploading my resume for Boston University. Due to further technical difficulties inherent to a developing country I was forced by time and money constraints to submit my SOPHAS application without the resume attached. I emailed Boston University with a copy of my resume and an explanation as to why it was not attached to my SOPHAS application. Much to my surprise and dismay I received a very condescending email reply chastising me for not having it attached to my SOPHAS information.

I feel as though I have shown my desire to attend BU, through my actions and through the words in my statement of purpose already provided to the committee for review. I would be curious to know if there were any other applicants who sacrificed a weeks pay and rode for 12 hours round-trip in sweltering heat on a wooden bench seat carrying a neighbor's chicken one way in order to submit one form for Boston University.

I am disappointed to say that this is just a small portion of the negative experience I have had throughout the application process with BU. However, on the other hand, I am proud to say that I have been accepted into all the other programs to which I have applied and have been greeted with warmth and excitement from their admissions departments, faculty, staff, and representative students. At this point I feel it necessary to withdraw my application for admittance to BU as I will be attending another institution for my MPH. Thank you."

Maybe they didn't read the whole thing as the first part explicitly describes why you want to go to bu above other programs, but I doubt it. They dropped the ball, and then maybe didn't care to apologize/explain?

Congratulations on getting into Emory, (as it seems you will be going there?), it has a great reputation, >>> bu IMHO

The part about the chicken is epic, and should be in the list of the top 100 posts of SDN if there is such a thing!

 

[Globalhealth85]

I guess they didn't email you back after you explained the difficulties you had with their admissions process? You would think for the reputation of the school that somebody would contact you to see what they could do better next time, or at least apologize. Sort of a slap in the face, (or at least pure apathy) to keep on sending emails like nothing happened!

Does anybody know how many applicants BU gets? I still don't understand this whole deal of asking for additional information per se.

If the opposite of love is actually apathy (as opposed to pure hate), then I guess BU has the exact opposite of love for its applicants!

I emailed BU asking why I had not heard anything from them in 10 weeks, and they apologized and said that they receive more applications than any other school on SOPHAS. Here was their response:Thank you for your email and continued interest in BUSPH. At this time we do not have a final decision for you. All I can offer is my apologies for giving you an estimate of time that was not accurate. For better or for worse, we are the school receiving the most number of applications through SOPHAS. We are working as fast as we can to deliver final decisions while still adhering to our holistic admissions review process. We will not sacrifice a full and fair review for any applicant in order to expedite decisions. We hope to have a decision for you soon. Thank you for your patience.

 

[vaidyascurse]

I emailed BU asking why I had not heard anything from them in 10 weeks, and they apologized and said that they receive more applications than any other school on SOPHAS. Here was their response:Thank you for your email and continued interest in BUSPH. At this time we do not have a final decision for you. All I can offer is my apologies for giving you an estimate of time that was not accurate. For better or for worse, we are the school receiving the most number of applications through SOPHAS. We are working as fast as we can to deliver final decisions while still adhering to our holistic admissions review process. We will not sacrifice a full and fair review for any applicant in order to expedite decisions. We hope to have a decision for you soon. Thank you for your patience.

I think the problem is that a lot of applicants treat BU as a safety school, so a lot of folks apply and they hold their BU acceptance while waiting on other schools. Necessarily, BU must wait for a bulk of the other public health schools to make their decisions. Actually, there are probably a lot of applicants who were accepted to BU who are sitting on their acceptances while they wait to hear back from Emory and such.

This must be why they asked for the additional essay so late in the game, they don't want to offer an acceptance to somebody who will just sit on it. Can't think of any other reason.

Though BU may have a high number of applicants, how close is the number 2 and 3? Probably pretty close. I'm sure they already have some sort of rank list for students, they just want to whittle it down.

Oddly, if they are "swamped" with SOPHAS applications, (and are really reviewing applications), then why do they have the time to play games with applicants by asking for additional essays, from some and not others? Something fishy about the BU email as it doesn't jiv with the request for the additional essays.

Come to think of it, if BU has already accepted some applicants, then wouldn't they have given the "full and fair review" to everybody? Meaning, if GlobalHealth85's application is still awaiting a fair reivew, then why were folks accepted ahead of him or her?

I think the bu email is misleading, making it look like they are still reviewing everybody's SOPHAS!

 

[toooooz]

I didn't read all of the responses but it seems like all of them are about the application process to BU. But I would like to comment on the really high cost of the program, the quality of education, and overall experience.

I don't think it is worth it! This program has no real reason for costing as much as it does. Right now our country is in severe need of making some serious changes when it comes to public health. In this field you can do really interesting fulfilling work but for most people you wont get rich doing it.

Even if you aren't worried about the salary you will make afterward in relation to the high amount of debt you will have, I am sorry to admit that the quality of education isn't really that good. In comparison to the vastness of topics we covered in my undergraduate education and the depth we took everything, BU doesn't compare. I still don't know what it is I'm paying so much for.

I have friends who have no MPH doing some of the most effective and innovative public health work I know of today, as well as friends who have gone to other programs who have much less debt and seem to have had a much richer masters experience. The school seems a little out of touch with the community, not everyone in the staff/faculty is eager to help students with questions or career development advising.

My opinion is don't go there unless you have a full time job with them and they are paying for your education. If you work full time BU is probably a really good option. I'm saying this not just because of the cost but also for the experience you will have. The education seems to be catered towards those who work with most classes offered in the evenings.

But in general for an MPH if you weren't admitted to an affordable school or if you do not have funding I think it is wise to consider other options. Maybe with another year of solid paid/volunteer work experience you will either find you can get the job you want without that expensive masters or you will get into a better ranked school who offers you money.

As a gateway to medical school I think the biomedical program at Tufts or some of the other postbac programs out there are much more appropriate. If you are going to gain this much additional debt for it why not do a program where your classes are more directly geared towards medicine.

I do know someone who has gone to BU for medical school after their MPH at BU, but I also know a lot of other people where this MPH didn't seem to help their application much, regardless of their GPA, when applying to med school.

 

[Epi2013]

I don't know if anyone else submitted the additional information, but I talked to BU today and they said those who have already submitted it would be hearing next week. I hope that doesn't mean they'll mail it next Friday and we won't get responses until the week after.

 

[Awapi]

.

 

[vaidyascurse]

According to this report from the ASPH from last year http://www.asph.org/UserFiles/Data%20Report%202009.pdf (page 15 and 16), BU received almost 200 less applications than Emory, over 1,000 fewer applications than Johns Hopkins, and less than 100 more than Harvard or UNC. I know that Hopkins isn't on Sophas, but I sort of feel like this is another example of BU being slightly misleading (they make it sound like they receive more applications than any other school, but by throwing "on SOPHAS" in there they exclude a school like JHU, they also make it seem like they are receiving a lot more applications than any other school when it's more probable that they are receiving about the same number as several other popular schools).

Excellent points, the email from BU sounds like a big guilt trip heaped on somebody politely asking about their application status:

1. They imply that GlobalHealth85 is somehow trying to get an expedited review which will sacrifice their "hollistic admissions process." Really!?!

2. They whine and complain about how they have way too many applications.

Great analysis Awapi and good job getting the stats from last year!

I don't believe that BU is still refining their "hollistic application process" to be fair to applicants, rather they aren't evaluating applicants suitability for global health/mph per se, . . . but rather using additional forms to try to figure out who will quickly accept to save time?

They messed up their timeline by playing this game this year with applicants, but they don't really acknowledge that.

They may be experiencing a statistical fluke and got a large number of applicants and now think that they can treat applicants however they like. They shouldn't send misleading emails as prospective MPH students, not uncommonly known for their statistical analysis skills, can smoke them out!

Question: Is this data for 2010 even available yet?

Maybe they also think they are really worth their tuition!

 

[vaidyascurse]

I got accepted with 12k merit award without the additional info. :-\. don't fret if you didnt get it.

It seems like there are a couple of paths to an acceptance:

1. No additional essay required.

2. Asked for an additional essay on Feb. 14. Maybe accepted later?

3. Asked for an additional essay at the end of Feb. Maybe accepted later?

Say that I write the additional essay, the ad com doesn't like it, and I don't get in. But what about the chap who didn't write the additional essay and was accepted? I could legitimately file a lawsuit in court due to a perhaps discriminatory admissions process, yes? Or in other words, I could say that I was evaluated much differently than some applicants who jumped through fewer hoops?

I could see how it would be bragging rights for people who got accepted without writing an additional essay, . . . if anybody cared to bring it up in the upcoming class!

There should be a uniform admissions process which is standardized and fair for everybody.

Somethings rotten in Boston and its not the fish!

 

[parapluie]

I applied a long time ago, and I have not received an email concerning financial aid, additional information, OR a decision. Does that indicate anything? It seems like everyone has been asked for either additional info or gotten an email concerning registering for financial aid at this point regardless of their admissions status, but I have heard literally nothing from the school at all!

Don't worry, you're definitely not alone!! I've heard nothing from them either, and I received a confirmation e-mail back in early January, stating I should be hearing back from them in 4-6 weeks LOL! Oh well...

 

[PH2011327]

Even applying for BU's financial aid is a hassle. They require ALL of your W2s, signed 2010 Federal 1040, BU's financial aid application (which is insanely detailed) and the FAFSA...out of all the schools i've applied to this is a little overdone. Do they really need all of this information? Does this mean they give out amazing financial aid packages since they are requesting so much information from the students?

 

[swaffles]

Even applying for BU's financial aid is a hassle. They require ALL of your W2s, signed 2010 Federal 1040, BU's financial aid application (which is insanely detailed) and the FAFSA...out of all the schools i've applied to this is a little overdone. Do they really need all of this information? Does this mean they give out amazing financial aid packages since they are requesting so much information from the students?

I believe this is only another obstacle within the Boston U Temple of Doooooom. Only the Alphas with the stamina get through to the end!

I'm assuming they don't need all this info since most other colleges do without. But we will never know until someone calls them up and asks them directly.

 

[Epi2013]

While it's been frustrating waiting for BU and trying to interpret what they're doing, their deadline was really only 2 weeks ago so maybe they're a little overwhelmed at the moment. I'm not trying to justify differences in what people have been told, but BU is a good school and I'm sure it doesn't treat its students as poorly as some have suggested. I'm still looking forward to hearing from them. Try to be patient.

 

[iridatomiraggio]

I didn't read all of the responses but it seems like all of them are about the application process to BU. But I would like to comment on the really high cost of the program, the quality of education, and overall experience.

I don't think it is worth it! This program has no real reason for costing as much as it does. Right now our country is in severe need of making some serious changes when it comes to public health. In this field you can do really interesting fulfilling work but for most people you wont get rich doing it.

Even if you aren't worried about the salary you will make afterward in relation to the high amount of debt you will have, I am sorry to admit that the quality of education isn't really that good. In comparison to the vastness of topics we covered in my undergraduate education and the depth we took everything, BU doesn't compare. I still don't know what it is I'm paying so much for.

Totally agree!

I have the exact same perception, that BU is overpriced and that compared to my undergraduate university (which was public), the education isn't nearly as good in terms of comprehensiveness and how relavent the material is.

If you went to a good university for undergrad then BU will be a let down.

What BU offers for the overpriced tuition is NOT a stellar education, but rather a diploma with M.P.H. on it. This used to be enough, but the job market is becoming more competitive and an M.P.H. from any old school isn't enough to cut it, you need to have a better education AND have faculty support for career development and in depth projects. Something which you won't necessarily get at BU due to the gargantuan size of the class (but I'm sure they are happy to collect all the tuition dollars!)

Don't get me wrong, you might easily find a job after going to BU or another middle of the road school, but the high tuition is a problem considering the current job market.

100% agree that you should do the program only if you are getting a good financial discount. Yes, you can pay the tuition off, but wouldn't you feel better about your education if you didn't feel like you were being taken advantage of? Schools that offer a lot of students merit discounts, or have much lower tuition, often times respect the student for what he/she brings to the school. The attitude at BU is very much different. Remember that once you finish the MPH having a small amount of loans will enable you to work on what types of projects interest you, in addition to a volunteer project if that interests you.

If the tuition, or concern about quality of the education, is a problem then I would 100% agree that you should volunteer for a year and go to a better place for your education.

I really agree with the above poster, and he/she sort of confirms my concerns about the school.

 

[jaya88]

Epi2013, I hope you hear some good news soon. You have definetely been patient!

 

[Epi2013]

Thanks jaya88!! Congrats on your acceptances!

 

[Stories]

To everyone wondering the reason for BU's tuition costs: the location of the University. All the schools that are comparable to BU (eg. private universities) cost similar amounts because of the cost of being located in Boston.

All tuition costs are almost 100% linked to the location of a school. Why is Emory so much cheaper? Because the cost of being located in Atlanta is substantially cheaper than being in Boston, plus the way that Emory spreads it out over 4 full-time semesters ($25k; the 3-semester option ($33.6k) is closer to BU or Columbia's cost).

Harvard expects most SM2 students to be full-time enrolled for two full-time years ($35k/yr) whereas at BU and Columbia it'll usually be three full-time semesters (and then change). Again, Harvard being located in Boston, has a large cost of enrollment as a result.

Yale, being in Connecticut is substantially cheaper than New York or Boston, and tuition is cheaper as a result (~$32k/yr). This number should be compared more to Harvard's number (~$35k) because, like Harvard, students are enrolled for four full-time semesters unlike BU or Columbia.

 

[Epi2013]

Jaya, I think you must be a fortune teller or something. When I got home today and I had an acceptance envelope from BU with a 12,000 merit scholarship!!! As you guys already know, I was asked for additional information and provided it. I had a handwritten note from one of the admissions officers in my packet. I'm not sure if anyone else did.

This makes it even harder to decide where to go now.

 

[chasincam]

It would be hilarious though if you did get in.

I got the financial aide email yesterday as well and another separate email about setting up a BU account...and I pulled my application a couple of weeks ago (I think many of you have read my 12 hour ride with the chicken email to BU).

Or do you guys think that, because of the length of the email, they thought that was my "additional info" submission? I can't wait to see if I get in or not (insert sarcasm indicator).

I think those emails might not be a real indicator of anything at this point.

 

[jaya88]

When I got home today and I had an acceptance envelope from BU with a 12,000 merit scholarship!!! As you guys already know, I was asked for additional information and provided it. I had a handwritten note from one of the admissions officers in my packet. I'm not sure if anyone else did.

Epi2013, CONGRATULATIONS ! Way to go!

 

[SealFan]

To everyone wondering the reason for BU's tuition costs: the location of the University. All the schools that are comparable to BU (eg. private universities) cost similar amounts because of the cost of being located in Boston.

I don't believe this is true at all, in that the location of being in Boston doesn't necessarily make it more expensive to throw up a Power Point. I doubt that the property taxes for an educational institution are that much worse in Boston. In fact, because apartment rent is much higher in Boston BU should try to help mitigate their sky high tuition.

Boston University, at the college level, is super expensive---to the point that they basically gouge their students. Typically BU justifies their high tuition as being in line with other (better) colleges such as MIT, Harvard etc . . . but obviously BU is not Harvard!

I would agree that northeastern private schools generally overcharge tuition, sometimes by multiples, but realize that the cost of running a public health school is probably pretty similar nationwide.

But why shoot yourself in the foot financially to freeze in Boston while getting a middle of the road education? Work hard and get into a much cheaper MPH program and you will thank yourself, unless you are lucky enough to get financial assistance. Kudos to Epi2013, but know that BU won't teach you everything you need to know and that you may need to network more than at other schools.

Let me get this straight:

1. Emory/many other public health schools = lower tuition, much better public health school and great opportunities.

2. BU = sky high tuition, average to below average educational experience (international health not very good there), and you pay thousands more just to be in Boston??

If BU really wanted to compete then they would lower the tuition (I know I used to work there and they have *tons* of funds to do this), but they don't. Don't go unless you have a lot of financial assistance from the school or work there! At major public health related conferences there are usually just a smattering of folks from BU, . . . bit time players like Emory, JHU, Harvard, and even others such as Tulane are often more heavily represented, BU simply doesn't have the reputation and education to justify their high tuition.

 

[Stories]

Boston University, at the college level, is super expensive---to the point that they basically gouge their students. Typically BU justifies their high tuition as being in line with other (better) colleges such as MIT, Harvard etc . . . but obviously BU is not Harvard!

I would agree that northeastern private schools generally overcharge tuition, sometimes by multiples, but realize that the cost of running a public health school is probably pretty similar nationwide.

You single out BU as if they're the only ones guilty of being expensive in this area, here are the tuition costs of all three of the Tier 1 universities (full-time tuition undergrad costs, grad programs full-time are roughly the same at all schools):

Northeastern University: $36,360
Boston College: $39,880
Boston University: $39,314
Harvard University: $36,992
Massachusetts Institute of Technology: $39,212

This topic has been established over and over and over again: tuition $ does not equate to the education you receive. All research universities are the same: the professors live and die by their grants (this is how all research universities determine if a professor is promoted and receives tenure).

As another comparison, take all the Ivy League schools. They are generally considered to be some of the best schools in the country and are roughly comparable in terms of prestige. Most have similar traits: all private universities located in the northeast, being located in urban areas except for three (Cornell, Dartmouth, and Princeton), however, the general costs of living are only significantly cheaper in NH (which would classify is rural, whereas Cornell and Princeton are more suburban). We also note the most expensive is Columbia which is in the most expensive city, New York. Yes, it's not perfect, but I think it helps to solidify the message that costs aren't directly related to education prestige but more to location (in this case: urbanism).

Brown University (Providence, RI): $39,928
Columbia University (New York, NY): $41,160
Cornell University (Ithica, NY): $39,450
Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH): $26,652
Harvard University (Cambridge, MA): $36,992
University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA): $37,620
Princeton University (Princeton, NJ): $36,640
Yale University (New Haven, CT): $33,500

 

[SealFan]

You single out BU as if they're the only ones guilty of being expensive in this area, here are the tuition costs of all three of the Tier 1 universities (full-time tuition undergrad costs, grad programs full-time are roughly the same at all schools):

Northeastern University: $36,360
Boston College: $39,880
Boston University: $39,314
Harvard University: $36,992
Massachusetts Institute of Technology: $39,212

Ah, . . . yeah, private colleges in the northeast are uber-expensive, but let's maybe refocus the conversation on public health schools. The way I look it is that you want a relatively moderate (to low) tuition and a good public health education, . . . BU has a very high tuition for a public health school, and their education is mediocre.

Public health professionals in general won't make a lot of money, and the competitive candidates tend to gravitate to schools with lower tuition (and living in a geographic area with lower cost of living is part of the package) and which have a good reputation. BU is sort of in a grey zone.

Anyway, . . . You haven't given any proof that geography per se hikes up tuition, I tend to think that northeastern institutions feel they are worth more and some have markedly increased their tuition. There are plenty of public health schools in "urban areas" where the tuition is not overly expensive.

Can you give me any real details as to why BU's public health school is so expensive?? You can't because I worked there and know that the school has tons of cash saved up, they ain't going broke! They could give out more scholarships if they cared to.

Not to mix in this undergrad debate, but BU increased their undergrad tuition by about 3.7%, the lowest in 40 years said the dean proudly! That is more than inflation, so yes, I think that northeastern schools do unfairly have high tuitions. In terms of skyrocketting tuition rates BU (undergrad and possibly public health) is definitely at the front of the pack, many grads say that the tuition cost did NOT give you a better education, and that by several different measures BU is falling behind.

A correlation isn't evidence of causation: you can't cherry pick some schools and say that urbanization = high tuition, case solved. Please.

 

[Stories]

Ah, . . . yeah, private colleges in the northeast are uber-expensive, but let's maybe refocus the conversation on public health schools. The way I look it is that you want a relatively moderate (to low) tuition and a good public health education, . . . BU has a very high tuition for a public health school, and their education is mediocre.

Public health professionals in general won't make a lot of money, and the competitive candidates tend to gravitate to schools with lower tuition (and living in a geographic area with lower cost of living is part of the package) and which have a good reputation. BU is sort of in a grey zone.

Anyway, . . . You haven't given any proof that geography per se hikes up tuition, I tend to think that northeastern institutions feel they are worth more and some have markedly increased their tuition. There are plenty of public health schools in "urban areas" where the tuition is not overly expensive.

Can you give me any real details as to why BU's public health school is so expensive?? You can't because I worked there and know that the school has tons of cash saved up, they ain't going broke! They could give out more scholarships if they cared to.

Not to mix in this undergrad debate, but BU increased their undergrad tuition by about 3.7%, the lowest in 40 years said the dean proudly! That is more than inflation, so yes, I think that northeastern schools do unfairly have high tuitions. In terms of skyrocketting tuition rates BU (undergrad and possibly public health) is definitely at the front of the pack, many grads say that the tuition cost did NOT give you a better education, and that by several different measures BU is falling behind.

A correlation isn't evidence of causation: you can't cherry pick some schools and say that urbanization = high tuition, case solved. Please.

I did say in my example (one grouping of schools) that it was just a trend I noted.

Sounds like you're hostile towards BU for some reason. You keep on saying that BU is subpar, which I think very few people would agree with. BU may not have the prestige of Harvard, but I think few people would actually say it's as awful as you describe.

As a former BU student, I have overwhelmingly positive things to say about the education I received. And several of my friends that also received their MPHs and ScDs from BU can also vouch for the solid education they received. There are drawbacks of going to BU, as would anyone going to any school, and the financial aspect is something to certainly consider. However, many people who are considering BU are also considering similarly expensive schools such as Harvard, Hopkins, Yale, and Columbia (for the most part, schools that cost $35k+/year in tuition). Then again, your criteria for what is a solid education is likely different than mine.

To fit the criteria you're describing (moderate priced), you'd primarily be looking at public universities to which you are a resident. The unfortunate part is that many states do not have a valid public health school to go for their education, so that option isn't available. The other option is going to another expensive school with a good reputation, which admittedly doesn't solve the issue you've pointed out in expense.

Additionally, tuition costs and scholarship funds do not come from the same place, nor are the allocated in a similar fashion. While I do not have all the details, I can tell you with certainty that scholarships are not a common award at a master's level education. The fact that BU gives out as many partial scholarships as they do is commendable. Universities are still tied down by economics and they have to operate in the black. Otherwise their endowments take a large hit, which is not good for anybody involved. Comparatively speaking, BU's endowment is much smaller (ie. margin of safety) compared to a Harvard, Columbia, or Yale, for instance. But now I'm getting into other issues that are a bit tangential.

In summary, I don't think BU is any more egregiously expensive compared to other private universities that have public health as an option for education. All the other schools cost around the same amount (Harvard $36k, Hopkins $40k, Tulane $41k, Columbia $1200/credit-45 credits-3 semesters, Yale $33k).

Let's stop derailing this thread.

 

[SealFan]

In summary, I don't think BU is any more egregiously expensive compared to other private universities that have public health as an option for education. All the other schools cost around the same amount (Harvard $36k, Hopkins $40k, Tulane $41k, Columbia $1200/credit-45 credits-3 semesters, Yale $33k).

I didn't mean to sound "hostile" to BU, but there certainly is room for improvement, and it seems like they have had a very erratic and unpredictable application process this year. I guess I'm a little ticked that they were rude/inflexible with a PCV who was applying, a story I have heard before! I guess I wish the school would improve the curriculum, which isn't up to par IMHO.

Of the schools you listed, I applied for Harvard, Hopkins and Tulane in the past (Columbia is a good choice too), and would have been thrilled to go to any one of them! I think that for them the tuition is high, yet you get a great education, let's just say BU needs to improve a lot if they want to climb up in the rankings.

My issue with BU is that while they take in a lot of tuition money (to pad their endowment?!?), they could improve courses and offerings for students, not much of the tuition sees its way back to students.

 

[milosavljevic]

Does anyone know how BU awards their merit scholarships? I find it odd that they can somehow give, for example, person A a $10,000 merit scholarship, and person B a $12,000 merit scholarship. I understand that schools have the freedom to give out merit scholarships however they want, but where does that extra $2,000 come from? Was there some formula they used that said, if you have X amount of something on your resume/personal statement, we'll give you a certain amount of money? Or maybe it has to do with GRE scores/GPA?

 

[Epi2013]

Sealfan: You keep saying that the education at BU isn't very good. Could you elaborate a bit? I just got into BU and am seriously considering it. It makes me a little nervous that you seem to dislike it so much.

 

[MPH4life]

Epi2013, how long was the turn around time for when you submitted the additional information to BU and received a decision?
I didn't get the exact same request as you, but about a week ago I was asked to write about myself, including "what makes me tick"...i thought that was a little strange lol but oh well

 

[Epi2013]

Epi2013, how long was the turn around time for when you submitted the additional information to BU and received a decision?
I didn't get the exact same request as you, but about a week ago I was asked to write about myself, including "what makes me tick"...i thought that was a little strange lol but oh well

That is different from what I got. I received the request on 2/14/11. I submitted my additional info on 2/16/11, but at night so they probably didn't see it until the next day. On 2/23/11, I got an email thanking me for sending the info. Yesterday I got my acceptance packet dated 3/3/11.

Is BU one of your top choices MPH4life? I may visit it next weekend to see what it's like, but some of the posts on this forum are making me wonder about the school.

 

[MPH4life]

It was one of my top choices, haha until this thread!
To be honest, I received a pretty good offer from U of M that would be pretty hard for any school to beat. However, I did my undergrad here and while I LOVE it and love the public health program, I really want to see what my options are out of state.
Depending on how much BU offers me I would definitely seriously consider the school, but finances will really play a huge role in this :/

 

[Epi2013]

As a current BU student, would you be able to comment on the academic quality of the public health program? The above comments suggest that it is not comparable in quality to other public health schools and I feel like I won't be able to get that sense just from visiting. Thanks!

 

[MPH4life]

Oh sorry! I meant I'm a current U of M student, not BU!

 

[Epi2013]

Is that Michigan or Minnesota?

 

[MPH4life]

Michigan

 

[intlhealth2010]

It was one of my top choices, haha until this thread!
To be honest, I received a pretty good offer from U of M that would be pretty hard for any school to beat. However, I did my undergrad here and while I LOVE it and love the public health program, I really want to see what my options are out of state.
Depending on how much BU offers me I would definitely seriously consider the school, but finances will really play a huge role in this :/

I did not apply to Michigan but students I recently emailed at Harvard's School of Public Health had lots of positive things to say about Michigan and UNC in particular when I asked what other schools they were choosing between when they applied.

Out of all the former public health student's i've spoken to schools like: Harvard, Hopkins, UNC, U Mich, UW have garnered favorable reactions. Yale & Columbia too a few times. But, not once has any student/faculty/professional mentioned to me that BU was a school of interest for them. Take this as you will, it's just hearsay I suppose, but UM is a good school. I would choose it over BU, even if BU offered financial assistance.

 

[MPH4life]

Thanks intlhealth2010, thats definitely good information to know. I think honestly Michigan will be where I end up going, I'm just still playing with the idea that I'll be able to get out of this state...haha wishful thinking!

 

[SealFan]

Sealfan: You keep saying that the education at BU isn't very good. Could you elaborate a bit? I just got into BU and am seriously considering it. It makes me a little nervous that you seem to dislike it so much.

Everybody has a different impression of the school. Certainly BUSPH has a large population of MPH students, so it is easy to get lost in the flash flood. I like a small close knit community, and better student mentoring than what BU tries to provide, and more indepth resources. Although I don't like to generalize, I would say that many BU professors overly simplify course material and leave out important stuff. The view inside of BUSPH is somewhat myopic in that they don't have as strong connections with other institutions as many public health schools do.

That is great that you got a scholarship from BU, but realize that you really, really, need to expand your connections outside of BU and work through several mentors before you find someone to help you with your career goals. Not every professor is helpful.

If you want a watered down curriculum, must live in Boston, and don't really want to be highly involved in your public health school (such as in the case that you already have outside contacts/experiences in public health) then BU might be for you. If you are new to public health and need the proverbial "garden to grow" and explore your interests, then BU isn't for you, IMHO. This is basically because they don't treat their applicants and students very well, meaning that they can be rude and dismissive a good chunk of the time.

That's my two cents, your mileage may vary. Good Luck wherever you decide to go, I hope this information was helpful.

 

[ReproHlthPlz]

Arg, so just got this email.

"Thank you for applying to the Boston University School of Public Health. We are in the process of reviewing a record number of applications and are enthusiastic about your candidacy.

We are striving to build a class with a variety of talents, interests, and personalities and would find it helpful if, in addition to your application, you could briefly summarize what it is about you that would make you a terrific member of our community. We are not looking for a specific answer here, just more insight into who you are, what you enjoy, and what makes you tick.

I hope that answering this simple request will be enjoyable for you and can be accomplished in a paragraph or two. Please email your statement directly to me at -------- within three weeks from the date of this correspondence and be sure to include your full name and your SOPHAS ID number in the subject line of the email. I look forward to your response."


These people have some nerve. I don't care about your "record number of applicants" this season. Really? Many other schools have larger numbers and seem to do just freaking fine. I've already gotten into Emory and UPitt... Boston was at the bottom of my list anyway.

 

[SealFan]

Arg, so just got this email.

"Thank you for applying to the Boston University School of Public Health. We are in the process of reviewing a record number of applications and are enthusiastic about your candidacy.

We are striving to build a class with a variety of talents, interests, and personalities and would find it helpful if, in addition to your application, you could briefly summarize what it is about you that would make you a terrific member of our community. We are not looking for a specific answer here, just more insight into who you are, what you enjoy, and what makes you tick.

I hope that answering this simple request will be enjoyable for you and can be accomplished in a paragraph or two. Please email your statement directly to me at -------- within three weeks from the date of this correspondence and be sure to include your full name and your SOPHAS ID number in the subject line of the email. I look forward to your response."


These people have some nerve.

This is a meaningless request as they just want to see if people are serious about going to BU, not that they really care what you are saying, but more if you show the proper amount of coerced enthusiasm expected of a semi-indentured servant.

Here is how I would respond:

Dear BU,

Thank you very much for the opportunity to further allow me to talk about myself (something I love to do). I hope to be able to share my life experiences running the first McDonald's at the North Pole and dealing with a lifelong struggle with an innate (I believe) desire to verbally abuse monkeys at the zoo. . . I believe I suffer from a rare form of Zoologically Initiated Profanity Syndrome (ZIPS), which my psychiatrist disagrees with though saying I am simply "ill tempered" when around monkeys, and have emotional baggage having been partly raised by some in the wild.

I know ZIPS exists! (Despite the fact that the internet says it doesn't, can you believe?)

Despite being diagnosed with ZIPS, I was able to gain public health experience by conducting a personally double blinded stealth research study by determining if it is possible to survive in an enclosed space for a prolonged period of time by using a portable air conditioning condenser to "recycle" my own bodily waste products. My friends said that I shouldn't have lived in a cave for one week eating my own, . . . well you know what.

But the knowledge I learned in that cave soaked with bat feces is truly priceless as it will help me digest what is being taught at your school.

I like how you were nasty to the Peace Corps volunteer who spent a whole day dutifully trying to get a form to you, you put her in her place, your school sure is . . . different.

As a practicing member of the Southeastern Orthodoxian Church of Scientology, I hope to able to bring the science and art of public health to the indigenous populations of Venus and Mars. Although by law I am unable to get within 100 yards of the monkey enclosure at the Franklin Zoo, (in addition to several ex-boyfriends), I look forward to basking in the warm glow of learnin' with your faculty and students at BU.

Although I am not prepared to worship BU as a true deity yet, and offer lifelong loyalty despite what may come, I am not adverse to animal sacrifices if done in a thoughtful manner.

May my acceptance unfold as in accordance with the prophecy and thank you for the crazy email asking me to pledge allegiance to your demented school.

 

[ebp]

This is a meaningless request as they just want to see if people are serious about going to BU, not that they really care what you are saying, but more if you show the proper amount of coerced enthusiasm expected of a semi-indentured servant.

Here is how I would respond:

Dear BU,

Thank you very much for the opportunity to further allow me to talk about myself (something I love to do). I hope to be able to share my life experiences running the first McDonald's at the North Pole and dealing with a lifelong struggle with an innate (I believe) desire to verbally abuse monkeys at the zoo. . . I believe I suffer from a rare form of Zoologically Initiated Profanity Syndrome (ZIPS), which my psychiatrist disagrees with though saying I am simply "ill tempered" when around monkeys, and have emotional baggage having been partly raised by some in the wild.

I know ZIPS exists! (Despite the fact that the internet says it doesn't, can you believe?)

Despite being diagnosed with ZIPS, I was able to gain public health experience by conducting a personally double blinded stealth research study by determining if it is possible to survive in an enclosed space for a prolonged period of time by using a portable air conditioning condenser to "recycle" my own bodily waste products. My friends said that I shouldn't have lived in a cave for one week eating my own, . . . well you know what.

But the knowledge I learned in that cave soaked with bat feces is truly priceless as it will help me digest what is being taught at your school.

I like how you were nasty to the Peace Corps volunteer who spent a whole day dutifully trying to get a form to you, you put her in her place, your school sure is . . . different.

As a practicing member of the Southeastern Orthodoxian Church of Scientology, I hope to able to bring the science and art of public health to the indigenous populations of Venus and Mars. Although by law I am unable to get within 100 yards of the monkey enclosure at the Franklin Zoo, (in addition to several ex-boyfriends), I look forward to basking in the warm glow of learnin' with your faculty and students at BU.

Although I am not prepared to worship BU as a true deity yet, and offer lifelong loyalty despite what may come, I am not adverse to animal sacrifices if done in a thoughtful manner.

May my acceptance unfold as in accordance with the prophecy and thank you for the crazy email asking me to pledge allegiance to your demented school.

Sealfan, maybe you're right, and BU is not worth the money. I do doubt it's the horribly mediocre school you claim it to be, and I do think you have a huge chip on your shoulder about them (I don't need to know why). Maybe you could give the BU bashing a rest? You may not like the school, but some people are seriously considering it. Also, some people who go to the school/have graduated from BU probably enjoy/enjoyed their program and may not appreciate your deprecating their degree.