Do you think I need to retake?

[BackToTheWall]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi fellow mph colleagues :]

I just got my GRE scores back
600 verbal
680 math

and I was wondering if my score was enough for a program like Columbia, UC Berk, or even Hopkins. Columbia is my first choice.

the scores are a bit disappointing since usually i score 650+ on verbal and 750+ on math... but i really don't want to take it again if i don't have to.

i've read from another post that there usually is a cutoffline for applicants's GRE score to be considered into the program.. i know Berkeley's average is 600 verbal 700 math so im thinking the cutoffline should be a bit lower than the average right?

so i guess what im wondering is with a 3.2 gpa, good but not excellent letters of rec, and a really great personal statement... is 1280 good enough for Columbia? anyone that had a similar situation get in? or should i retake and would a 1350 or so really increase my chances that much more?

thanks in advance

 

[boogita]

Hi fellow mph colleagues :]

I just got my GRE scores back
600 verbal
680 math

and I was wondering if my score was enough for a program like Columbia, UC Berk, or even Hopkins. Columbia is my first choice.

the scores are a bit disappointing since usually i score 650+ on verbal and 750+ on math... but i really don't want to take it again if i don't have to.

i've read from another post that there usually is a cutoffline for applicants's GRE score to be considered into the program.. i know Berkeley's average is 600 verbal 700 math so im thinking the cutoffline should be a bit lower than the average right?

so i guess what im wondering is with a 3.2 gpa, good but not excellent letters of rec, and a really great personal statement... is 1280 good enough for Columbia? anyone that had a similar situation get in? or should i retake and would a 1350 or so really increase my chances that much more?

thanks in advance

I am not expert on what schools are looking for, but most schools place much more empahsis on the work experience. Schools like Hopkins, Berkeley, or Columbia really don't like to take people without at least 2 years work experience in a public health field. So the real question is how good is your background experience. I mean a 3.2 with an amazing 10 years of work experience is something different than a 4.0 with no work experience.

I hope that helps.

 

[katenyc]

I am applying to Columbia for public health and i was just wondering what you think my chances are. I am averaging about a 1300-1350 on my GRE and have a 3.8 GPA from a top school. Is that GRE high enough? I Can't seem to crack the math! Also, I only have 2 years work experience out of college, but its relevant...

Much appreciated!

 

[boogita]

I am applying to Columbia for public health and i was just wondering what you think my chances are. I am averaging about a 1300-1350 on my GRE and have a 3.8 GPA from a top school. Is that GRE high enough? I Can't seem to crack the math! Also, I only have 2 years work experience out of college, but its relevant...

Much appreciated!

I am not a addmissions counselor. But I have heard talk about top universities wanting applicants to be above the 50th percentile in all the categories. As long as you are above the 50th percentile you are fine as far as your GRE's go. The truth is that most universities look at the big picture and while they look at your GRE scores your essay, work experience, letters or recommendation will mean more to them.

Hope that helps.

 

[AspiringDoctor9]

Hi fellow mph colleagues :]

I just got my GRE scores back
600 verbal
680 math

and I was wondering if my score was enough for a program like Columbia, UC Berk, or even Hopkins. Columbia is my first choice.

the scores are a bit disappointing since usually i score 650+ on verbal and 750+ on math... but i really don't want to take it again if i don't have to.

i've read from another post that there usually is a cutoffline for applicants's GRE score to be considered into the program.. i know Berkeley's average is 600 verbal 700 math so im thinking the cutoffline should be a bit lower than the average right?

so i guess what im wondering is with a 3.2 gpa, good but not excellent letters of rec, and a really great personal statement... is 1280 good enough for Columbia? anyone that had a similar situation get in? or should i retake and would a 1350 or so really increase my chances that much more?

thanks in advance

Hihi!

To the op: I wouldn't worry at all, I think you're just fine in terms of your GRE. I was accepted to Columbia and had a GRE < 1280. I can't speak about Hopkins, but I did not get into UC Berkeley (the only one of 8 schools that rejected me). I did get into other programs such as UCLA, Yale, etc. I think you're just fine as long as the rest of your application is in order. Your GPA could be improved some, but at this point if you're applying it's probably fairly fixed. If you take the time to put together a well-crafted application and pick your recommenders carefully, I think you'll probably be ok. I hope this helps!

 

[wanttobedoc18]

I am a recent graduate from the MPH program and have been involved in the admissions committee at Columbia--I had similar GRE scores to you and got in--as long as the rest of your application is strong (ie experiences), then you should be good

 

[BackToTheWall]

just wanted to say thanks to everyone that took the time to reply and for the help.

thanks again :]

 

[Januine]

Hi,

I'm thinking about applying for a one year MPH program before med schools. But my first MCAT is only a 24O, I'm going to retake this August.
Or do you think I should try out the GRE this year instead (or also)?

What score for MCAT or GRE is competitive for one of the top 10s MPH programs?

Thanks.

 

[Adcadet]

Hi,

I'm thinking about applying for a one year MPH program before med schools. But my first MCAT is only a 24O, I'm going to retake this August.
Or do you think I should try out the GRE this year instead (or also)?

What score for MCAT or GRE is competitive for one of the top 10s MPH programs?

Thanks.

Hard to say, especially since you don't say what program you want to do (I'm guessing epi) and what your work experiences are. But looking at Minnesota's 's (the only ones I have handy) it looks like your verbal is slightly higher than the average (Minnesota's quant average is 689 and verbal is 562) and your quant is just about at the average. The average undergrad GPA at Minnesota is 3.43, so again you're below their average although I have no idea what school your grades are from. Columbia is a well-regarded school in a city many people like and Hopkins is excellent (not as familiar with Berkely, but I'm guessing it's a competitive place), so I'm betting their numbers are higher and therefore your numbers will be below average. My understanding is that it's the quant that epi programs care the most about, but again I have no idea what you want to do and I'm sure community health education programs factor in verbal more than biostats programs. I doubt personal statements carry much weight, but maybe they can make the difference in a borderline applicant (not that I have any idea if you are borderline or not). I'd be worried if your LORs are "good" and not excellent as almost everyones has glowing letters. Bottom line: I have no idea how strong your application will be, but I'm guessing your numbers will put you in the bottom half of the applicant pool for the very competitive schools.

 

[greaper]

What are the average GRE scores required for colleges like(In Verbals, Quants and AWA):
John Hopkins
Harvard
UNC
Emory
UTHSC
Yale
UAB

Thanks in advance.

 

[namazu]

I doubt personal statements carry much weight, but maybe they can make the difference in a borderline applicant (not that I have any idea if you are borderline or not).

Adcadet and I may disagree on this a little 😉 , but from what I've heard from faculty members on admissions committees, your personal statement may be the single most important part of your application. It demonstrates your maturity, goals (personal, academic, career-wise), and communication skills (which reflect to some extent on your thought processes).

Adcadet is right that for a borderline applicant the personal statement will likely be the deciding factor (along with department funding and faculty advising load, which are out of your control). I would go so far as to say that even for applicants with fairly strong "stats", the personal statement is still a very important piece of the application.

Demonstrate that you have some familiarity with the field, some idea of where you're going, and some idea how the program will help you get there. If there are faculty members working in your area of interest, contact them to get a feel for the department and research opportunities. They may be able to put in a good word for you, too.

This has been a long-winded way of cautioning, "Don't neglect your personal statement! It's the best opportunity you have to communicate to the school why they should admit you!"

I see that I've drifted from the actual question that was asked, which was about MCAT scores, a subject about which I know nothing. Sorry! Just remember that test scores are but one piece of an overall package.

And for the other poster (was that you, greaper?), most of these schools do not publicize the averages for their incoming students. Your best bets are to a) speak with someone in the admissions office and ask directly, or b) infer from the schools that published stats what the unpublished stats are like.

Good luck!

 

[Adcadet]

Adcadet and I may disagree on this a little...

Good points. I'm assuming that most applicants to the competitive places will have really well thought out personal statements and so even a very good one won't set you apart (but a bad one will kill you), but I probably give applicants too much credit on average. Of course make it as good as you can and use it to really show off.

 

[MoMoney232]

Hey everyone,

Im sorry if this is in the wrong thread because I havent figured out the details of the forum yet. I am a VERY confused med school/MPH applicant right now and have been pulled from all different sides from different people.

I am an undergraduate from Miami University (OH) and am a direct admission guarantee for the University of Cincinnati Medical School. I am from Cincinnati, and have always wanted to get out of Ohio, but a scholarship to Miami deterred me from getting away in Undergrad. I really did not have too much intention of going to UC, but when I got a 31 on my MCATs (which was a few points lower than I expected) my changes planned. I have a 3.95 gpa along with the 31 and good reccommendations, research, extracurriculars, but I dont think with that MCAT score it would be good enough to get into schools such as Columbia or U Chicago. Therefore, I am seeking alternatives.

I have always been interested in public health and medical issues with racial and socioeconomical implications. Therefore, I thought I might pursue getting an MPH prior to med school and use the degree (as well as possibly retaking the MCATs) as a crutch to get into a med school such as Columbia or the likes.

Here comes the dilemna. If I get an MPH, I lose my seat at UC Med school. SO, I want to make sure that this is worthwhile. Here are where the questions build up?
1. Supposing I get a 1350-1450 on the GREs, what are my chances of getting into an MPH program at UNC, Columbia, Berkley, Michigan, etc.?
2. Will having a MPH from one of these schools really help my chances of getting into a top 20 medical school?
3. Does anyone know of other people who faced a similar situation? What did they do?
4. Is this process worth the time and risk? Or should I just take the easy route and go to UC?

Thanks alot and sorry about the long post (if its in the wrong thread please let me know where I should be putting this post)

Mo

 

[yaji]

What are the average GRE scores required for colleges like(In Verbals, Quants and AWA):
John Hopkins
Harvard
UNC
Emory
UTHSC
Yale
UAB

Thanks in advance.

bump

 

[jack rabbit]

HELP. I am in a dilemma

Can anyone trell me of my chances of entering MPH programs at BU, Drexel, UMDNJ, U of Pitt and GWU.

I had a comgined score of 1060. 430V (very terrible), 630Q and 4.5W. I have a GPA of ~3.2. My stats are not very good. But do I stand a chance. Oh forgot to tell you, no prior public health experience

 

[GBFKicks]

Hey everyone,

Im sorry if this is in the wrong thread because I havent figured out the details of the forum yet. I am a VERY confused med school/MPH applicant right now and have been pulled from all different sides from different people.

I am an undergraduate from Miami University (OH) and am a direct admission guarantee for the University of Cincinnati Medical School. I am from Cincinnati, and have always wanted to get out of Ohio, but a scholarship to Miami deterred me from getting away in Undergrad. I really did not have too much intention of going to UC, but when I got a 31 on my MCATs (which was a few points lower than I expected) my changes planned. I have a 3.95 gpa along with the 31 and good reccommendations, research, extracurriculars, but I dont think with that MCAT score it would be good enough to get into schools such as Columbia or U Chicago. Therefore, I am seeking alternatives.

I have always been interested in public health and medical issues with racial and socioeconomical implications. Therefore, I thought I might pursue getting an MPH prior to med school and use the degree (as well as possibly retaking the MCATs) as a crutch to get into a med school such as Columbia or the likes.

Here comes the dilemna. If I get an MPH, I lose my seat at UC Med school. SO, I want to make sure that this is worthwhile. Here are where the questions build up?
1. Supposing I get a 1350-1450 on the GREs, what are my chances of getting into an MPH program at UNC, Columbia, Berkley, Michigan, etc.?
2. Will having a MPH from one of these schools really help my chances of getting into a top 20 medical school?
3. Does anyone know of other people who faced a similar situation? What did they do?
4. Is this process worth the time and risk? Or should I just take the easy route and go to UC?

Thanks alot and sorry about the long post (if its in the wrong thread please let me know where I should be putting this post)

Mo

1. A 1350-1450 is a competitive score on the GRE, so GRE-wise you're fine. Ask yourself if the rest of your application is at par with your scores.
2. Having a MPH won't hurt your chances. However, I think that medical schools might see that simply as an attempt to boost your application if you're not involved with activities that are related to public health. It's hard to tell how competitive you'll be in the med school admissions cycle from your stats alone. A 3.95 and 31 is actually competitive at a lot of schools. If the rest of your applications is well balanced, the weaker MCAT might not keep you from a top 20 school.
3. I was at a guaranteed program and decided to stay where I'm at because we have a school of public health that I really like. What I did, and this may be an option for you if you don't mind going to med school in Cincinnati, was defer the first year of med school to finish up my MPH.
4. The problem may be worth the time and the risk if a) you really want your MPH and b) you go about it carefully... this isn't that bad of a situation to be in

 

[Tranquility]

HELP. I am in a dilemma

Can anyone trell me of my chances of entering MPH programs at BU, Drexel, UMDNJ, U of Pitt and GWU.

I had a comgined score of 1060. 430V (very terrible), 630Q and 4.5W. I have a GPA of ~3.2. My stats are not very good. But do I stand a chance. Oh forgot to tell you, no prior public health experience

im looking at GWU also.......so let me know what you find out..
Honestly, according to my advisor...UMDNJ does NOT seem to be very competative at all....she told me i can get in there based on my GPA (3.3) and 1 semester of interning alone.......sounds fishy to me.....it probaby has something to do with all the messes they've been through over the past year or so..😉

 

[jack rabbit]

im looking at GWU also.......so let me know what you find out..
Honestly, according to my advisor...UMDNJ does NOT seem to be very competative at all....she told me i can get in there based on my GPA (3.3) and 1 semester of interning alone.......sounds fishy to me.....it probaby has something to do with all the messes they've been through over the past year or so..😉

woohoo! i got into boston sph. with my wack stats

 

[Heal&Teach]

MoMoney232,

I understand your concerns about staying at UC, but honestly, with such a great opportunity at your fingertips, I would go to medical school and do your best with the spot that has been set aside for you. Public health will always be there. In addition, I don't know how UC works, but some schools farm their students out to do MPHs (esp. if no affiliated PH school) after the 2nd or 3rd year of medical school - which may be your opportunity to do a year away at another program. Whatever you do at this point, I would encourage you to go forward with your medical education. Your stats are good, although they may be disappointing personally, and if you keep up the good work in medical school - you will be able to go to any residency of your choice. Medical school is not the end all be all of your opportunity to train at a competitive program - just keep this in mind. And, from a person who did a public health degree and worked prior to medical school, I do sometimes wish that (for several reasons) I would have jumped into medical school earlier and just done a combined MD/MPH program.

Also, I'll hop on my soapbox for just a second. *Stepping up to the podium.*

I'm very sorry and disappointed to hear that public health training is increasingly becoming more of a crutch for people to get into medical school. I understand that some people have true interests, but it seems that in the years that I've participated in this forum, PH has become no more than a series of numbers that will get you into X, Y, or Z school. Everyone would ideally love to go to a top public health school, but it is important to remember that public health training at any school will give you the basics that you need to be a good PH provider. In fact, some of the best PH providers don't even have MPH degrees! I truly affirm that scores and getting into the top program is generally most important for people pursuing PhD or DrPH degrees. The MD alone is a degree that will take you anywhere, with or without a PH degree - so having a name behind a degree that isn't your primary really doesn't matter very much. Any public health training from an accredited institution will get you where you need to go, whether you want to work in government, internationally, or if you want to utilize your skills in the community.

*Stepping off soapbox.*

Best,
H&T