Columbia SPH

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Hi everyone!

I just thought I'd start a thread on Columbia SPH since they posted their decisions out today (3/10). I got accepted into Columbia MPH Epi, and am now trying to decide between that, Yale (CDE), and UMich (Epi). Still waiting on UCLA...

I do have some questions though--does anybody kno when we find out about financial aid/or was it included in any of your letters? I think I'm really late (opps) in applying for aid...and was just wondering what kind of packages they're providing/whether they are generous (kind of unfamiliar with their aid...)

Oh, and is anybody planning to visit? I'm sure information about the visit day (if there is one coming up...) will come later, but I'm thinking of visiting anyway just to get the feel for the school...

This is going to be hard decision...doesn't help that everytime I see the expenses digits I cringe...
 
I don't see my application decision. Where are they?
 
I don't see my application decision. Where are they?

Right when you log onto your application...underneath where it lists all of your application materials (dates received, etc.)...
The link will be at the bottom of that page.

If you don't see it, I'm sure you could call and ask.
 
I didn't hear anything about financial aid in my letter... but would be really interested to know if anyone has heard or has an idea of when we will hear any news about financial aid.
 
I have no idea, but I would imagine soon. We were supposed to submit our FASFA/financial aid information to the school by Feb 1st....

Does anybody have any opinions on attending Columbia versus a higher ranked school? (especially for health management)...I'm wondering if it's worth attending Columbia considering it's not even ranked in the top 40.
 
I have no idea, but I would imagine soon. We were supposed to submit our FASFA/financial aid information to the school by Feb 1st....

Does anybody have any opinions on attending Columbia versus a higher ranked school? (especially for health management)...I'm wondering if it's worth attending Columbia considering it's not even ranked in the top 40.

Columbia's School of Public Health is highly regarded and is ranked 6th in the nation. Their health management is considered to be part of the Mailman School of Public Health, so it is not considered for independent ranking within health management. If you're looking for health management within the public health field, it's a great program...

School of Public Health Rankings...
1Johns Hopkins University
2Harvard University
2University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill
4University of Washington
5University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
6Columbia University
7Emory University
8University of California--Berkeley
8University of California--Los Angeles
10University of Minnesota--Twin Cities
 
I called them, and they said the visit day is April 3rd for those interested.
 
I got a conditional acceptance from Columbia MPH for Population & Family Health (has anyone ever received a conditional acceptance? has anyone had any success waiting/appealing the conditional acceptance into a normal acceptance?).

The condition is that i need to spend one more year gaining relevant public health work experience. I was also planning to submit a last minute application to Columbia's school of Social Work for a dual MPH/MSW program, but the conditional acceptance doesn't help me make my decision as to whether or not I should cough up an extra $200 to submit the app. It's also hard knowing that I've been accepted to other schools and I DO have the opportunity to start school this Fall...

Is Columbia SPH worth holding off school for another year JUST so I could attend its program?
 
Has anyone heard from Columbia PhD Epi?
 
I made it to Columbia MPH Epi today as well.

👍
 
Right when you log onto your application...underneath where it lists all of your application materials (dates received, etc.)...
The link will be at the bottom of that page.

If you don't see it, I'm sure you could call and ask.

I called and spoke to the very patient woman in the Adm office today, and she said they would be posting the decisions all week and that I should not have a panic attack about me not seeing a link yet. (I think she noticed I was a BIT tense.) She said the links would be posted all week, so you may not see your till Friday. (Not amused. Not patient.) 🙁
 
Hi everyone!

I just thought I'd start a thread on Columbia SPH since they posted their decisions out today (3/10). I got accepted into Columbia MPH Epi, and am now trying to decide between that, Yale (CDE), and UMich (Epi). Still waiting on UCLA...

I do have some questions though--does anybody kno when we find out about financial aid/or was it included in any of your letters? I think I'm really late (opps) in applying for aid...and was just wondering what kind of packages they're providing/whether they are generous (kind of unfamiliar with their aid...)

Oh, and is anybody planning to visit? I'm sure information about the visit day (if there is one coming up...) will come later, but I'm thinking of visiting anyway just to get the feel for the school...

This is going to be hard decision...doesn't help that everytime I see the expenses digits I cringe...


I am also deciding between Columbia MPH in Epi and Johns Hopkins MHA. Those are my top two choices (so far).

I am seriously considering whether or not I want to study Epidemiology...I now wonder if their MPH in Health Policy and Management would have been a better option? I could always change concentrations after a semester, but anyways, the Epi program at Columbia is amazing and the professors are outstanding, but then again, I'm not sure whether or not I want to do hard-core Epi courses.

It is very costly, but your degree will stay with you for the rest of your life so cost would not be my top concern. I would personally go with Columbia out of your choices because of job opportunities and school affiliations. I don't know much about Michigan's program so I can't comment. You could even live outside of NYC and commute from New Jersey (it would take at least an hour).
 
I received my Columbia SPH decision today and I am on the waitlist. No acceptance as of yet, but hopefully soon. So thus far I have been accepted to Yale and Emory for HPM.

Are there any other current Columbia SPH students out there that were previously waitlisted, and if so how long did it take for them to get back to you regarding your acceptance.

Thanks.
 
So, I know that Columbia is considered to be a great school for Public Health. However, if anyone can help me out, I have a few questions...

First, given the size of the school, can anyone speak to how easy to is to get to know faculty, and how available faculty are to masters students?

Also, does anyone know if MPH students often receive RA or TA-ships? I haven't heard of Columbia specifically offering such positions to (many) MPHers.

If anyone is currently in the program or knows people in the program, any additional insight would be great.
 
Hi everyone!

I just thought I'd start a thread on Columbia SPH since they posted their decisions out today (3/10). I got accepted into Columbia MPH Epi, and am now trying to decide between that, Yale (CDE), and UMich (Epi). Still waiting on UCLA...

I do have some questions though--does anybody kno when we find out about financial aid/or was it included in any of your letters? I think I'm really late (opps) in applying for aid...and was just wondering what kind of packages they're providing/whether they are generous (kind of unfamiliar with their aid...)

Oh, and is anybody planning to visit? I'm sure information about the visit day (if there is one coming up...) will come later, but I'm thinking of visiting anyway just to get the feel for the school...

This is going to be hard decision...doesn't help that everytime I see the expenses digits I cringe...

I'm trying to decide between Columbia and UMich as well (maybe Emory too...). I was kind of turned off by Columbia's late decision date and they seem a bit more confused than the other. They were only able to tell me that aid decisions will be made "soon" while Emory and UMich could at least say "by the end of the 2nd week in March." The big killer for me is probably going to be the fact that I didn't qualify for Columbia's International Health Epi track, but got into that program at UMich and Emory. For the record, I've had great experiences with UMich faculty and staff so far - they've been super friendly, and a professor even took about an hour out of his day (on a Sunday no less!) to chat with me about the program since I couldn't attend visit day. In contrast, when I've called Columbia they've been kind of short, and none of the professors or students have even emailed me back. Does anyone think that the strength of Columbia's program is enough to outweigh those negatives? Any current students who love/hate it there?
 
In contrast, when I've called Columbia they've been kind of short, and none of the professors or students have even emailed me back. Does anyone think that the strength of Columbia's program is enough to outweigh those negatives? Any current students who love/hate it there?

I've had the same experience and am wondering how current students feel as well. When I email Columbia, I typically get a short response about a week later. When I call, they don't see too happy to hear from me. In contrast, schools such as Brown and Yale have been more than helpful with emails, phone calls, etc. They always seem more than willing to help or answer questions.
Any thoughts? Any Columbia students out there?
 
Congrats to everyone who got into Columbia! I'm still waiting impatiently for my decision to be posted - anyone else out there who still hasn't heard?

I called Admissions and was told that they will be posting all the way up to the end of the month and are still rendering decisions. Also, they said they don't give decisions over the phone. This could be a problem because Boston's deadline for deciding whether or not to accept the merit scholarship is March 25. Anyone in a similar predicament? If I get into Columbia, I'll go there, because I can go at a very hefty discount due to a family benefit. But if I'm not going to be admitted, I need to tell Boston in time. Wish these schools would synch up better 🙁
 
Hello!

Does anyone have any advice in regards to choosing between Columbia University (MPH-health management) and University of Minnesota (MPH-Health Policy and Management)?

I have been accepted into both programs (Columbia is ranked 6th, U of M is ranked 10th). I have not heard from either regarding funding yet. However, the U seems much accomodating and student focused compared to Columbia so far. Also, there is obviously a pretty significant cost difference between the two schools but will the the career opportunities, education, etc. be worth it?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
 
Columbia faculty are generally pretty accessible. TA-ships are mainly available for smaller departments that lack doctoral students (EHS, HPM) and are therefore rare for EPI. RA-ships depend on the faculty member you wish to work with in terms of whether he/she has space/funding for you. you could also look into work-study stuff if you're not international.

in terms of deciding where to go, figure out what you want to get out of your graduate school experience aside from the degree. look at what each school uniquely offers and pick the one that best fits your needs. don't sweat the petty stuff (admin who are too busy to be friendly). ask for emails of current students with similar interests to help you decide. arrange to meet with faculty on admitted students' day.
 
Columbia faculty are generally pretty accessible. TA-ships are mainly available for smaller departments that lack doctoral students (EHS, HPM) and are therefore rare for EPI. RA-ships depend on the faculty member you wish to work with in terms of whether he/she has space/funding for you. you could also look into work-study stuff if you're not international.

in terms of deciding where to go, figure out what you want to get out of your graduate school experience aside from the degree. look at what each school uniquely offers and pick the one that best fits your needs. don't sweat the petty stuff (admin who are too busy to be friendly). ask for emails of current students with similar interests to help you decide. arrange to meet with faculty on admitted students' day.


Are you a current student at Columbia? If so, I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the school (you can PM me if you're uncomfortable posting publicly). I'd especially like to know about how the Global Health Epi program works. Since TAships are rare for Epi due to the loads of PhD students, would that also make it harder for an MPH student to find a lab space or an RAship? Have you noticed any effect of the current financial crisis on RAship funding/do you think that the massive injection into the NIH will make up for it next year? I can imagine that MPH students would be out-competed fairly quickly, and if Columbia does take a more PhD-centric approach to their Epi department I can see this being a very real concern.

Ya, I know that short-tempered admins and non-responding profs are kind of a petty thing, but due to my grant conditions I'm not able to attend any of the visit days... so I'm forced to rely (perhaps a bit too heavily) on impressions like that.
 
Hello!

Does anyone have any advice in regards to choosing between Columbia University (MPH-health management) and University of Minnesota (MPH-Health Policy and Management)?

I have been accepted into both programs (Columbia is ranked 6th, U of M is ranked 10th). I have not heard from either regarding funding yet. However, the U seems much accomodating and student focused compared to Columbia so far. Also, there is obviously a pretty significant cost difference between the two schools but will the the career opportunities, education, etc. be worth it?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

I wouldn't worry too much about the rankings - those go for the school as a whole and my not apply to individual programs within schools, i.e., HMP could be amazing at UMinn and not so hot at Columbia although Columbia has a higher overall ranking. Unless you are set on going into academia, the name will most likely not prove to be super important in terms of career choices. What will be important is what you learned there and how you used your time. I'd say that if UMinn is a better personal fit for you, go there - I made the mistake of choosing my undergrad based more on name and ranking and did not enjoy it as much as I'd hoped. If you're happier and fit in more you're more likely to get involved and accomplish more.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the rankings - those go for the school as a whole and my not apply to individual programs within schools, i.e., HMP could be amazing at UMinn and not so hot at Columbia although Columbia has a higher overall ranking. Unless you are set on going into academia, the name will most likely not prove to be super important in terms of career choices. What will be important is what you learned there and how you used your time. I'd say that if UMinn is a better personal fit for you, go there - I made the mistake of choosing my undergrad based more on name and ranking and did not enjoy it as much as I'd hoped. If you're happier and fit in more you're more likely to get involved and accomplish more.

Just to weigh in on this topic, I agree that individual departments matter more than the school as a whole. Although, I also think that name is an important thing to note when looking at grad schools in terms of career opps. Columbia has a huge and successful alumni base from which to pull and I think that this is a huge selling point for both the PH School and university as a whole. If you ever end up doing something outside of PH then the Columbia brand is going to be mighty handy...
 
My biggest issue with Mailman would be the limited resources followed by some serious issues with the curriculum and how the Epi program is set up. There are some changes that should be made soon, under the direction of our new dean. I definitely won't see these changes but I'm not sure if the incoming class will. If any of you have specific questions about the MPH Epi program, feel free to PM me.
 
yay! just heard - got in to their Global Health Policy & Mgmt Program!
 
Are you a current student at Columbia? If so, I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the school (you can PM me if you're uncomfortable posting publicly). I'd especially like to know about how the Global Health Epi program works. Since TAships are rare for Epi due to the loads of PhD students, would that also make it harder for an MPH student to find a lab space or an RAship? Have you noticed any effect of the current financial crisis on RAship funding/do you think that the massive injection into the NIH will make up for it next year? I can imagine that MPH students would be out-competed fairly quickly, and if Columbia does take a more PhD-centric approach to their Epi department I can see this being a very real concern.

Ya, I know that short-tempered admins and non-responding profs are kind of a petty thing, but due to my grant conditions I'm not able to attend any of the visit days... so I'm forced to rely (perhaps a bit too heavily) on impressions like that.

The Global Health (GH) programs at Columbia are like the regular one, except you do a 6-month practicum starting in July, which essentially knocks out the second fall term (F2). To make up for that, GH students have to take required F2 courses during the summer right before their practicum and they will also be unable to take F2 courses with prerequisites...unless they wanna do an F3! So whether you go into/stay in GH depends on how badly you want that 6-month international practicum. Some people do some pretty cool international practicums over 2 months. It's a personal choice.

As I said, finding an RAship depends heavily on the faculty member of interest. Email the ones you would like to work with and if they don't have space they'll tell you right away. Funding is always tight but as you said that NIH injection will help things in that regard (everyone is writing grants now). The bigger issue is whether you can demonstrate that you are worthy of them paying you with their precious research funds that could be spent on many other things (including post-docs).

You can look up profs on the CRISP database to see if they have NIH grants.

I wouldn't call Columbia PhD-centric, though other schools are certainly more MPH-centric.

Again, don't sweat the little things (including course selection). All the programs teach the same stuff and MPHs are a dime a dozen (sadly). Make your decision based on unique opportunities offered by the schools you are considering. These will distinguish you when you graduate.
 
Hello Everyone,

I was accepted 3/11/09 to Columbia's Sociomedical science program with a concentration in health promotion. I was also accepted to Yale's Social and Behavior Sciences program and I am trying to decide between the two.

I know Columbia has a higher ranking, but their focus does not seem to be health promotion, with few faculty listing this as a research interest.

Yale has a lower raking, but well known for small class sizes and personal attention from faculty, therefore maybe more research opportunities?

Anyone have any thoughts on Health Promotion at theses two schools?
 
Has anyone received information from Financial Aid yet?

I received my Fin Aid package from them today. They sent me a link to https://admissions.columbia.edu and gave me my Columbia ID. They didn't specify in the email that it was regarding financial aid, but that looked to be the only purpose of the site.

I got the same package as at Yale, which pretty much seals the deal for me.
 
I received my Fin Aid package from them today. They sent me a link to https://admissions.columbia.edu and gave me my Columbia ID. They didn't specify in the email that it was regarding financial aid, but that looked to be the only purpose of the site.

I got the same package as at Yale, which pretty much seals the deal for me.

I received mine today as well. My Yale package was far better.
Columbia offered me $32,000 in loans, $8000 departmental scholarship...and left $20,000 in unmet need.

So, $120K for a Columbia MPH? I knew it was expensive...but, I didn't realize it was that steep.
 
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Hello Everyone,

I was accepted 3/11/09 to Columbia's Sociomedical science program with a concentration in health promotion. I was also accepted to Yale's Social and Behavior Sciences program and I am trying to decide between the two.

I know Columbia has a higher ranking, but their focus does not seem to be health promotion, with few faculty listing this as a research interest.

Yale has a lower raking, but well known for small class sizes and personal attention from faculty, therefore maybe more research opportunities?

Anyone have any thoughts on Health Promotion at theses two schools?

hi violets, looks like i may be facing the exact same decision as you, so i'd be interested in any info you receive on this one!
 
I still haven't heard from Columbia and its Friday the 13th 😱

Any others who are facing the same predicament?
 
Hello!

Does anyone have any advice in regards to choosing between Columbia University (MPH-health management) and University of Minnesota (MPH-Health Policy and Management)?

I have been accepted into both programs (Columbia is ranked 6th, U of M is ranked 10th). I have not heard from either regarding funding yet. However, the U seems much accomodating and student focused compared to Columbia so far. Also, there is obviously a pretty significant cost difference between the two schools but will the the career opportunities, education, etc. be worth it?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

But if you look at ranking for healthcare management - UMinnesota is ranked # 2, while Columbia is not at all because their departments are not independent of the public health school? Does that make sense?

Anyhow - Columbia has great brand value. Forget about any kind of aid here. Its expenseive, but i'll admit that Columbia has more leverage because of their brand.
I'm not sure about UMinnesota's brand value is - but on both accounts - they rank well - # 2 for healthcare management and # 10 for overall public health...
But then again, Columbia is in NY... I'm not sure myself.
I'm considering UMich, UMinnesota, Johns Hopkins and Columbia for health management....
lets see - in the process of weighing out pros and cons
 
I am a 1st year MPH student at Columbia (Epi). I was mainly choosing between this and Hopkins' 11-month intensive MPH program in ID Epi.

Typically I have a love/hate relationship with Mailman -- last semester (my first sem.) I took the 5 core requirements which were LARGE classes, we're talking 200ish. Sure I had 500 people in my Psych 101 class in undergrad, but for grad school at $3600 a pop for a class? However, according to the admit ppl at Hopkins, their required Epi classes were the same sizes. It can be difficult to get ahold of some professors, and others it is easier to develop relationships with them.

I got accepted to Columbia, Hopkins, Yale, Emory, Albany, GWU, & NY Medical College. The first three were my top choices, and all have great programs -- I agonized over whether I was making the right choice, and somedays I wonder. I thought that I would always go to Hopkins if I got in, but when I weighed all the circumstances I thought it wasn't the best fit for me in the end.

I ended up choosing Columbia over Hopkins because I already lived in NY, as did my fiance who attends NYU Law; I thought I would get more out of a two-year program over the 11-month intensive at Hopkins; and they have a very well-established relationship with the DOH in NYC -- for someone who is interested in public health practice career options, rather than research, that was extremely important to me. Because my MPH is very very likely to be my terminal degree, it was also important for me to attend a well-ranked and well-known school.

Here are the pros & cons, in my opinion, on Columbia:

PROS:
-big time name
-big time relationship with the NYCDOHMH
-NYC

CONS:
-with the Med school, PT, & Nursing, MPH programs seem to come in last
-many professors seem to be drawn thin and overly focused on research over teaching (I may be biased, since I'm not into research as much)
-with Epi, not much breathing room for electives
-as I think a previous poster mentioned, the Epi program is moving through some kinks right now with the new dean and hopefully some positive changes will be made



Columbia's reputation has already helped me make a few connections with the DOH -- now I work there part-time and feel like I have a great chance at a full-time position there when the time comes. I'll also have an opportunity for my practicum there which will offer me hands-on data for my thesis. Still somedays I wish the classes were smaller, and wonder if a place like Yale would have been a better choice. Truth is, I'll never know! I'm sure that whether I went to Hopkins, Columbia, Yale, or practically any other school it would work out in the end.

Good luck to all!
 
Rejected last week from Columbia for Population and Family Health 🙄. Wasnt surprised because I didnt have the post-graduate experience they wanted. I was accepted to GWU and UNC for Maternal and Child Health though. I plan on attending the Open House for GWU on March 28.
 
But if you look at ranking for healthcare management - UMinnesota is ranked # 2, while Columbia is not at all because their departments are not independent of the public health school? Does that make sense?

Anyhow - Columbia has great brand value. Forget about any kind of aid here. Its expenseive, but i'll admit that Columbia has more leverage because of their brand.
I'm not sure about UMinnesota's brand value is - but on both accounts - they rank well - # 2 for healthcare management and # 10 for overall public health...
But then again, Columbia is in NY... I'm not sure myself.
I'm considering UMich, UMinnesota, Johns Hopkins and Columbia for health management....
lets see - in the process of weighing out pros and cons


I'm confused by the lack of ranking for Columbia's Health Management Program. BU and Yale have Health Management programs within their SPH's and they are ranked for healthcare management, yet Columbia is not.Can anyone clarify? Is it because Health Management is within HM & Policy? But then these are together at all the schools...
 
maybe columbia isn't ranked because it doesn't offer an MHA?

on a side note, i know there have been some comments about this before, but has anyone else has a really difficult time dealing with the columbia administration?
this might seem silly, but everything seems really unorganized and most of the people i talk to can not get me off the phone fast enough. i know these people are very busy, but i'm concerned that it's a reflection of how the mph program will be run.
 
maybe columbia isn't ranked because it doesn't offer an MHA?

on a side note, i know there have been some comments about this before, but has anyone else has a really difficult time dealing with the columbia administration?
this might seem silly, but everything seems really unorganized and most of the people i talk to can not get me off the phone fast enough. i know these people are very busy, but i'm concerned that it's a reflection of how the mph program will be run.

Hi, I completely agree with you..I have spoken to Columbia Admission's office during the application process and they seemed so uninterested and busy...and I have emailed them and they never have given me a detailed explanation concerning my questions...

also, has anyone looked into housing yet? I'm looking into Bard Haven Towers..but I'm not sure whether I should check out off-campus housing as well...Any suggestions?
 
But if you look at ranking for healthcare management - UMinnesota is ranked # 2, while Columbia is not at all because their departments are not independent of the public health school? Does that make sense?

Anyhow - Columbia has great brand value. Forget about any kind of aid here. Its expenseive, but i'll admit that Columbia has more leverage because of their brand.
I'm not sure about UMinnesota's brand value is - but on both accounts - they rank well - # 2 for healthcare management and # 10 for overall public health...
But then again, Columbia is in NY... I'm not sure myself.
I'm considering UMich, UMinnesota, Johns Hopkins and Columbia for health management....
lets see - in the process of weighing out pros and cons


Hey, have you decided what school you are looking at? I am HPM as well and am having a hard time deciding between all my schools: harvard, hopkins, columbia, UM, Emory. i'd love to hear what you're deciding/thinking.
 
Hi everyone,

I'll be enrolling in the Dept of Sociomedical Sciences in the Fall. I'll be a dual-degree student with the Mailman School along with the School of Social Work. I'm on the Health Promotion track with Mailman and I'm still trying to figure out which method to take for social work (clinical or social enterprise administration).
 
does anybody have any idea what the employment rate is like after graduating Columbia for health management? or UNC for that matter?
 
Hey, have you decided what school you are looking at? I am HPM as well and am having a hard time deciding between all my schools: harvard, hopkins, columbia, UM, Emory. i'd love to hear what you're deciding/thinking.

I'm now down to UM, Yale and Hopkins. I've ruled out Hopkins actuall - I hear they are just not strong for health management. I mean they're a solid research school, but it doesnt apply for HPM. The MHA is too rigid, doesnt allow taking electives and the 9 month accelerated cuuriculum is hardly the best way to learn. But its an undisputed brand.

I think I'm most inclined towards UMich. They're all about academic excellence. That is important to me. Their curriculum makes sense to me, I want to do research with Profs as well, which isn't an option for me at Hopkins. So yeah.

About Yale - the small class size, student-prof interactions are tempting, but their rankings for health management are just too weak. That is worrisome.

If you've gotten into Harvard - why the confusion. I didnt applyt there. I wish I had. I wouldnt be thinking twice about Harvard.
 
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