BU Hopefuls

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Has anyone who was asked for additional info heard back so far? This is getting insane...
 
Stories said:
Does having a famous school on your resume or CV help? It certainly does a little bit. But I'm not sure it's anywhere to the level you're probably thinking if that's the main reason you'd like to go to school A versus B. Attending one school versus another will not dramatically alter how you are as a worker and skills.
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Overall you seem to be saying that brand recognition helps only a little bit and that the specific school you go to doesn't matter in terms of what you learn and how efficient/productive you are? 😕

If that's the case, then applicants wouldn't be very selective at all, but we know this not to be the case. Certainly, how you spend your time earning the MPH will impact your future career trajectory and outlook, independent of "how you are as a worker." Outside of just plain "skills" you also learn, implicitly or otherwise, a school-specific paradigm which colors your thinking, and which varies from school to school.

Is it possible that sometimes weaker schools promulgate the idea that it doesn't matter where you go out of the hopes that strong applicants will overlook a less than stellar school reputation? Not so sure that an Emory/UNC person would necessarily be talking up how it doesn't matter where applicants go, I think that the truly good/unique schools have something upbeat to say about their school.

A lot of people feel that having a good fit between the school and the student is important, and doubtlessly the high achieving/motivated students want to surround themselves with like minded people, and have a diverse range of opportunities suited to their tastes. The more competitive applicants are often the most discriminating when it comes to public health schools.

Enrollment at public health schools has skyrocketed in recent years, and many schools seem to be quite a bit of $ off of the increase in enrollment, of course often without a commensurate increase in faculty numbers/mentors.
 
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I'm getting really nervous now =/

I really like BU but people are getting accepted who submitted way after me. Oh well, might be first rejection :scared:
 
kateosee said:
I'm getting really nervous now =/

I really like BU but people are getting accepted who submitted way after me. Oh well, might be first rejection :scared:
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Congraulations on some great acceptances such as Tulane and Emory.

You seem to be a strong applicant, not that BU doesn't take strong applicants, but they are targeting applicants who will be mostly likely to attend BU, versus those who are just very promising in terms of making a real contribution to public health.

Each year only about 30% of BUSPH applicants actually decide to attend the school after being accepted. BU is happy to turn down the Peace Corps applicant with extensive experience and great grades over the applicant with the less stellar application out of the hope that they will actually attend the school. I've personally known excellent candidates who applied to BU, in addition to a lot of other schools, and were treated very rudely by admissions almost as if they resent the fact that such a good applicant was applying to their school.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that it is definitely their loss and not yours.
 
H20Propre said:
Congraulations on some great acceptances such as Tulane and Emory.

You seem to be a strong applicant, not that BU doesn't take strong applicants, but they are targeting applicants who will be mostly likely to attend BU, versus those who are just very promising in terms of making a real contribution to public health.

Each year only about 30% of BUSPH applicants actually decide to attend the school after being accepted. BU is happy to turn down the Peace Corps applicant with extensive experience and great grades over the applicant with the less stellar application out of the hope that they will actually attend the school. I've personally known excellent candidates who applied to BU, in addition to a lot of other schools, and were treated very rudely by admissions almost as if they resent the fact that such a good applicant was applying to their school.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that it is definitely their loss and not yours.
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Thanks. I sent them an email asking about the status of my app and expressing interest. I was hopeful for BU as I haven't gotten any merit aid anywhere. Getting into schools has been great but the massive debt waiting for me is not.

I haven't even gotten the supplemental essay or whatever request.
 
kateosee said:
Thanks. I sent them an email asking about the status of my app and expressing interest. I was hopeful for BU as I haven't gotten any merit aid anywhere. Getting into schools has been great but the massive debt waiting for me is not.

I haven't even gotten the supplemental essay or whatever request.
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Sorry to hear about your situation, its a tough spot to be in for sure, having to choose the school based upon the tuition.

I have to think that the number crunchers at BU think it looks better if they don't send the good candidates the supplemental essay because then they won't be rejected by them. Either that or they just have a fixed amount of time to read a fixed amount of supplemental essays and they randomly throw half the applications in the circular file.
 
...and so the railing against BU continues. It's like an annual right of passage around here, isn't it - the insults against BU, its students, and its applicants.
 
porkbunsrule said:
...and so the railing against BU continues. It's like an annual right of passage around here, isn't it - the insults against BU, its students, and its applicants.
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...Well, it seems like H2OPropre is the one doing most of the 'BU bashing' . I'd place a lot more credence on his/her opinion if ALL their posts over the last couple years hadn't been anti-BU, to be honest. Personal vendetta,perhaps? 🙂
 
Maroonlove said:
...Well, it seems like H2OPropre is the one doing most of the 'BU bashing' . I'd place a lot more credence on his/her opinion if ALL their posts over the last couple years hadn't been anti-BU, to be honest. Personal vendetta,perhaps? 🙂
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Yeah, seriously. I'm very curious what the story is with that, because I remember him from last year. (Porkbunsrule is right, it seems like an (irritating) tradition.)
 
porkbunsrule said:
...and so the railing against BU continues. It's like an annual right of passage around here, isn't it - the insults against BU, its students, and its applicants.
Click to expand...

Maroonlove said:
...Well, it seems like H2OPropre is the one doing most of the 'BU bashing' . I'd place a lot more credence on his/her opinion if ALL their posts over the last couple years hadn't been anti-BU, to be honest. Personal vendetta,perhaps? 🙂
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Jamiefrances said:
Yeah, seriously. I'm very curious what the story is with that, because I remember him from last year. (Porkbunsrule is right, it seems like an (irritating) tradition.)
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The ignore button may be a useful tool in this case.

H20Propre. Keep it in check. Some of this conservation you are putting out and antagonizing is getting on some user's nerves.
 
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H20Propre said:
Overall you seem to be saying that brand recognition helps only a little bit and that the specific school you go to doesn't matter in terms of what you learn and how efficient/productive you are? 😕

If that's the case, then applicants wouldn't be very selective at all, but we know this not to be the case. Certainly, how you spend your time earning the MPH will impact your future career trajectory and outlook, independent of "how you are as a worker." Outside of just plain "skills" you also learn, implicitly or otherwise, a school-specific paradigm which colors your thinking, and which varies from school to school.

Is it possible that sometimes weaker schools promulgate the idea that it doesn't matter where you go out of the hopes that strong applicants will overlook a less than stellar school reputation? Not so sure that an Emory/UNC person would necessarily be talking up how it doesn't matter where applicants go, I think that the truly good/unique schools have something upbeat to say about their school.

A lot of people feel that having a good fit between the school and the student is important, and doubtlessly the high achieving/motivated students want to surround themselves with like minded people, and have a diverse range of opportunities suited to their tastes. The more competitive applicants are often the most discriminating when it comes to public health schools.

Enrollment at public health schools has skyrocketed in recent years, and many schools seem to be quite a bit of $ off of the increase in enrollment, of course often without a commensurate increase in faculty numbers/mentors.
Click to expand...

School reputation is a proxy in most cases for ambition level. Here's what I mean by this, most students looking at the highly selective schools are a self-selected group of people who are highly motivated, competitive, and see themselves as highly capable. This is somewhat obvious when you're at a master's level education and this becomes even more obvious at a doctoral-level. People who choose the most competitive programs and pursue competitive degrees (such as a PhD or MD) tend to be people with personality traits that are very competitive. That work ethic and drive to improve is already there. Most people will not have a world changing experience or personality molding education in grad school in their mid-20's because most of these people's work ethics and dedication is already present.
 
BU emailed me back and said I wouldn't get a decision until mid March. I submitted early January 🙁
 
kateosee said:
BU emailed me back and said I wouldn't get a decision until mid March. I submitted early January 🙁
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Their timing seems so random! Which program did you apply to? I submitted early December for Epi, and they told me they would let me know in the next couple of weeks after I submitted my additional info.
 
I applied to international health. I thought I was a strong candidate. No request for additional info or whatever.
 
kateosee said:
I applied to international health. I thought I was a strong candidate. No request for additional info or whatever.
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Well, you've got some solid acceptances already!
 
Epi12345 said:
Well, you've got some solid acceptances already!
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Thank you 🙂.

I really liked BU's program though because my undergrad minor is in Bioethics and would love to do courses in bioethics and human rights while there. Plus, they offer merit which is something I haven't secured anywhere else.

I legitimately really like BU so fingers crossed 🙂. And a huge congrats to everyone who's gotten in 😀
 
:wtf::wtf:Got a reply from BU today. Its a bad news. I am really shocked!
 
Suf12 said:
my top listed are JHU and michigan. I am not just prepared for this rejection.
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Did you get into either of those? If so, turn that frown upside down! Just because you get rejected doesn't mean a school thinks you're stupid. There are plenty of other possible reasons.
 
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what987 said:
Did you get into either of those? If so, turn that frown upside down! Just because you get rejected doesn't mean a school thinks you're stupid. There are plenty of other possible reasons.
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I have got my acceptance from JHU, Michigan, But yet its Boston. Who doesnt want to be a part of it!!
 
Suf12 said:
I have got my acceptance from JHU, Michigan, But yet its Boston. Who doesnt want to be a part of it!!
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Well, I'm not sure why you are upset if you got into two of your top choice schools. Why does it matter if Boston rejected you if you didn't want to go there? Treating school acceptances as badges of honor isn't going to lead to happiness or satisfaction.
 
Stories said:
School reputation is a proxy in most cases for ambition level.

. . .

Most people will not have a world changing experience or personality molding education in grad school in their mid-20's because most of these people's work ethics and dedication is already present.
Click to expand...

I don't believe we're talking about the plasticity of personality (which incidentally is not quite as static as you believe per new research), but rather we're talking about how different schools offer different opportunities for growth, and even post-graduation opportunities.

Many public health students will have a "life changing experience" in public health school/grad school in that what they learn, and new experiences, in many cases significantly affect their career trajectory. Most applicants are hoping/wanting to be inspired by their public health education, and to have meaningful experiences.

I think that some faculty at the degree mill institutions might hold your view, that of the public health school as an inactive participant in the student's education, and that nothing is "special" about their school per se. I would wager that the educators at the more prestigious schools are a little more ambitious when it comes to designing and implementing an innovative and educational curriculum, and with playing an active role in the educational process.

Stories said:
Does having a famous school on your resume or CV help? It certainly does a little bit. But I'm not sure it's anywhere to the level you're probably thinking if that's the main reason you'd like to go to school A versus B. Attending one school versus another will not dramatically alter how you are as a worker and skills.
Click to expand...

I think you're in error when you state that the quality of education afforded at different public health schools has no bearing on the "skills" you learn. Certainly students who go to school x known for have an excellent concentration in y will come away with a different skill set if they go to another school, perhaps one with a watered down concentration y.

Of course, going to a top ten school may provide the graduate with a broader range of career opportunities, and the more you're challenged the more you learn and continue to develop your skill set.
 
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H20Propre said:
I don't believe we're talking about the plasticity of personality (which incidentally is not quite as static as you believe per new research), but rather we're talking about how different schools offer different opportunities for growth, and even post-graduation opportunities.

Many public health students will have a "life changing experience" in public health school/grad school in that what they learn, and new experiences, in many cases significantly affect their career trajectory. Most applicants are hoping/wanting to be inspired by their public health education, and to have meaningful experiences.

I think that some faculty at the degree mill institutions might hold your view, that of the public health school as an inactive participant in the student's education, and that nothing is "special" about their school per se. I would wager that the educators at the more prestigious schools are a little more ambitious when it comes to designing and implementing an innovative and educational curriculum, and with playing an active role in the educational process.



I think you're in error when you state that the quality of education afforded at different public health schools has no bearing on the "skills" you learn. Certainly students who go to school x known for have an excellent concentration in y will come away with a different skill set if they go to another school, perhaps one with a watered down concentration y.

Of course, going to a top ten school may provide the graduate with a broader range of career opportunities, and the more you're challenged the more you learn and continue to develop your skill set.
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If you really insist on having this argument, which clearly you do, please take it to a different thread. It is completely irrelevant to this thread.
 
H20Propre said:
I don't believe we're talking about the plasticity of personality (which incidentally is not quite as static as you believe per new research), but rather we're talking about how different schools offer different opportunities for growth, and even post-graduation opportunities.

Many public health students will have a "life changing experience" in public health school/grad school in that what they learn, and new experiences, in many cases significantly affect their career trajectory. Most applicants are hoping/wanting to be inspired by their public health education, and to have meaningful experiences.

I think that some faculty at the degree mill institutions might hold your view, that of the public health school as an inactive participant in the student's education, and that nothing is "special" about their school per se. I would wager that the educators at the more prestigious schools are a little more ambitious when it comes to designing and implementing an innovative and educational curriculum, and with playing an active role in the educational process.



I think you're in error when you state that the quality of education afforded at different public health schools has no bearing on the "skills" you learn. Certainly students who go to school x known for have an excellent concentration in y will come away with a different skill set if they go to another school, perhaps one with a watered down concentration y.

Of course, going to a top ten school may provide the graduate with a broader range of career opportunities, and the more you're challenged the more you learn and continue to develop your skill set.
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Stop trolling.

Believe what you'd like to believe, and if you've had some soured experience with BU int he past, that's unfortunate. However, as a graduate of the BU MPH program, I'm here to tell everyone that BU is not this type of institution that you currently describe. I had a very high quality education at BU and I could whole heartedly recommend it to anyone interested in getting a well rounded public health education. Especially if gaining practical public health tools is the goal.
 
Soooo is it safe to assume at this point that BU is either going to reject me or waitlist me? I really liked BU (I really, really wanted to continue my study of bioethics... sigh) but I don't like being strung along =/. By their 8 week time frame, I should've had a decision a few weeks ago. In an email, they said I'd know by mid-March at the latest.
 
I am STILL waiting on BU...ready to take them off my list completely at this point. I should have heard weeks ago according to their schedule, and when I called a few days ago, they told me it would still be another 3 weeks. That's putting it way too close to the 4/15 deadline for me.
 
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Member201259 said:
I am STILL waiting on BU...ready to take them off my list completely at this point. I should have heard weeks ago according to their schedule, and when I called a few days ago, they told me it would still be another 3 weeks. That's putting it way too close to the 4/15 deadline for me.
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When did you submit? I submitted 1/5.

It's crazy that it's taking them so long to make a decision. I really think that if you submit by the deadline (and I submitted almost a month before the deadline), they should be able to make a decision with enough time to give you some time to decide. It just seems courteous. If you don't have enough time, move up the deadline!
 
Oh nevermind, I emailed and asked. Apparently they sent a letter this week which means I'm either rejected or waitlisted.

Looks like I'm heading to Michigan 🙂.
 
Glad to hear your story has a happy ending after all! Congrats on Michigan!
 
I was officially waitlisted at BU.

I do have to wonder if the accusations against BU of them waitlisting high-stats candidates in order to protect their yield is true.

I have NOTHING against BU. I'm not bitter about being waitlisted or anything of the sort (I made my decision before even hearing back from BU). Just looking through BU threads on here over the last couple of years makes me wonder.
 
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