Low GPA + MPH?

[starstruck]

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Hi,
So, I am currently at UC Berkeley and My GPA is a 2.8, excluding the current semester, the summer, and next Fall. I am really really aiming for a 3.0, but if I don't get that, is there no hope to get into an MPH program?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Regression]

How are the rest of your credentials? i.e. GRE, research experience, letters of rec, work experience, etc.? Also, what's your major and what programs are you applying for?

 

[eightonesix]

I actually am in the same predicament. I'm a Physio major at UC Davis, and my gpa isn't the greatest.... but will my experience in health back it up?

And isn't the minimum 3.0 regardless?

 

[Jetdry]

There's always hope. If you feel your GPA is not strong, work to make sure your GRE, statement, and LORs are strong. Schools of Public Health like seeing students who are genuinely interested in the field of public health and will consider your application as a whole. The admissions requirements are not set in stone.

 

[Regression]

Not all schools have a 3.0 cutoff.

Also, some are willing to overlook the low GPA if the rest of your application is notable--though it'd have to be remarkable enough to give empirical reason why your GPA was so low.

 

[behealthy]

Going to USC next year, and I've got a 2.9. 1200 gre, 4 years of research, and great letters. Below 3.0 is hard, not impossible. 3.1---- much better.

 

[kxydo798]

that's encouraging - my GPA is not great either, and I've been worrying that I will never be able to overcome that factor in my application. However, I did pretty well on the GRE, and feel I conveyed my genuine interest in public health pretty well... other than that, I'm just praying!

Good luck to you!

 

[Stories]

Don't worry. Even with a lower GPA you're good to go. I had a whopping 2.9 uGPA with an average 520V/730Q/5AW GRE score. I had a 3.5 gGPA for my MPH, which just goes to show you can do fine in grad school even with an average undergrad GPA.

I think if you show you did well in your later years of study (junior, senior years) and upper division studies, you'll be good to go. My GPA per semester went something like this: 2.3 -> 3.6 by my last semester.

 

[starstruck]

thanks for all your guys' input!

So, I was a Chemical Engineering major in the beginning and then switched to Econ, and I realized that I was always and still am interested in healthcare and would probably want to go into healthcare management/consulting. So, my problem is that, even if I am able to raise my gpa to above a 3.0 before applying and have good GRE scores, will it matter that most of my experience is not health related? Some of it is, but only if it also relates to econ/business. For example, this summer I am working at a healthcare firm as a product management intern but I mostly have business-related experience.

What do you guys think I should do this summer and next fall perhaps to improve my chances?

 

[Stories]

thanks for all your guys' input!

So, I was a Chemical Engineering major in the beginning and then switched to Econ, and I realized that I was always and still am interested in healthcare and would probably want to go into healthcare management/consulting. So, my problem is that, even if I am able to raise my gpa to above a 3.0 before applying and have good GRE scores, will it matter that most of my experience is not health related? Some of it is, but only if it also relates to econ/business. For example, this summer I am working at a healthcare firm as a product management intern but I mostly have business-related experience.

What do you guys think I should do this summer and next fall perhaps to improve my chances?

You never know unless you apply. So do it.

The best thing you can probably do is take some graduate-level public health classes and get involved with public health-like organizations or academic research.

 

[starstruck]

I will be doing research this summer and a service project as well in women's health. But, when I apply, should I gear my essays toward the management aspect since that is what I eventually want to do? Or, do you think I need to get involved in more health-related things at school? I don't want it to look like I am doing this just to apply or anything.


Also, not a lot of schools have the Health Management concentration I think...unless you want to do the combined MBA/MPH degree.

 

[Stories]

I will be doing research this summer and a service project as well in women's health. But, when I apply, should I gear my essays toward the management aspect since that is what I eventually want to do? Or, do you think I need to get involved in more health-related things at school? I don't want it to look like I am doing this just to apply or anything.


Also, not a lot of schools have the Health Management concentration I think...unless you want to do the combined MBA/MPH degree.

Do whatever you can put your heart into. Don't get involved with something you don't want to be a part of.

All accredited schools of public health are required to have a health policy and administration component (or equivalent). Some schools will obviously offer a greater proportion of management courses than others, but there will be some sort of offerings in that field.

 

[starstruck]

So, what kinds of things should I be doing over summer? I really hope I have my research position, but other than that?

 

[Stories]

So, what kinds of things should I be doing over summer? I really hope I have my research position, but other than that?

Whatever you want to do. That's the important thing. I can't tell you to do something that you won't want to do.

 

[starstruck]

So, I had asked a couple people, and they suggested I work first, if I want to go into the management focus of things. But, what I was thinking, was since my gpa was so low, that I may get my MPH after undergrad and then work for a couple of years in the healthcare business and then apply for an MBA.

Does that sound like a good plan, or should I consider working after undergrad and then doing a combined MBA/MPH degree?

 

[Regression]

Do you eventually want to stay in healthcare? If not, just skip the MBA.

If you want to stay in healthcare, just stick with the MPH. See where you're at in life and see whether or not the marginal utility of going back to school for an MBA is even financially/practically worth the $/time/effort.

 

[starstruck]

Well I want to stay in healthcare, as it is the one field that I would like working in, especially from the business-side. But, I was eventually going to get an MBA after working a couple years. Don't most people work for a couple years before getting their MBA anyways?

 

[Regression]

Yes, but most of those people don't have a management-oriented professional degree already. The benefit they get from getting that MBA is a lot more if they don't already have an MPH degree in management. Unless you get lucky and your employer is willing to pay for your schooling for a second management degree (in which could be seen as overkill/redundant), I would think that going to b-school is a waste.

 

[Stories]

Well I want to stay in healthcare, as it is the one field that I would like working in, especially from the business-side. But, I was eventually going to get an MBA after working a couple years. Don't most people work for a couple years before getting their MBA anyways?

From a strictly educational standpoint: a healthcare MBA is superior to a MPH or MHA if you're strictly interested in the business side of things. If you're more interested in actually being involved in administrative tasks of the hospital or healthcare organizations, a MHA would be superior.

Really, though, especially an MBA, you NEED experience before going to school for those.

 

[starstruck]

That's what I was thinking, too, that regardless of what I decide to do after graduating, I would really want to pursue an MBA in the future. So, going for a masters in public health would be unnecessary then after graduation? I am just a little worried because I want to be in healthcare and focus on that field, and getting a masters in public health would definitely help me improve my chances at getting a good consulting job before my MBA, especially because my GPA isn't the greatest right now.

But, that's why I'm asking your guys' suggestions 🙂

 

[Stories]

That's what I was thinking, too, that regardless of what I decide to do after graduating, I would really want to pursue an MBA in the future. So, going for a masters in public health would be unnecessary then after graduation? I am just a little worried because I want to be in healthcare and focus on that field, and getting a masters in public health would definitely help me improve my chances at getting a good consulting job before my MBA, especially because my GPA isn't the greatest right now.

But, that's why I'm asking your guys' suggestions 🙂

Most folks who become consultants have experience in the field because how can you consult someone or something if you've never worked in the field before? 🙂

I can't tell you in this circumstance if a MPH is a good degree for you or not. If you want to get involved with improving health of the general public and you're interested in things like policy as well as administration, a MPH will definitely be a helpful degree. Remember, though, it's not your degree that defines your career, it's what steps you take to gain experience in the field which defines it. The degree only opens up possibilities.

 

[starstruck]

Thanks for your input.

What about getting an MPH and then working and then finishing the MBA degree in one year instead of two. Would I have taken a lot of the requirements with the MPH program?

 

[Regression]

Most MBA programs don't allow transfer of units; if you can find an executive MBA (which are one of the most selective) programs that offer 1-year programs, then maybe.

 

[Stories]

Thanks for your input.

What about getting an MPH and then working and then finishing the MBA degree in one year instead of two. Would I have taken a lot of the requirements with the MPH program?

MPH and MBA don't have related curricula. So, no.

My suggestion now: apply to joint MPH/MBA programs. I know BU offers one. You can get credits waived off the final degrees and you usually save a year.

 

[starstruck]

In order for me to apply for the MBA/MPH program, I would need to work a couple years right? The problem with this is my gpa. The reason I think I would need to get an MPH after undergrad is to greatly improve my chances in getting a job. As of now, I don't know what kind of job I can get, and there is so much risk involved.

That's my main concern, and I don't know what kind of situation it would be until I do recruiting in the Fall, which is often really really competitive.

Anyways, thanks for your help, and sorry for so much confusion about this!

 

[Stories]

In order for me to apply for the MBA/MPH program, I would need to work a couple years right? The problem with this is my gpa. The reason I think I would need to get an MPH after undergrad is to greatly improve my chances in getting a job. As of now, I don't know what kind of job I can get, and there is so much risk involved.

That's my main concern, and I don't know what kind of situation it would be until I do recruiting in the Fall, which is often really really competitive.

Anyways, thanks for your help, and sorry for so much confusion about this!

An MPH will only help you get a job in the PH field. It will actually decrease your overall ability to get any job, however. This is because any time you increase your education, you move up in the pay bracket, and you're much less likely to be considered for jobs where a bachelor's is the preferred degree. So while the job type and quality you can get will improve, the number of jobs that open up to you will be fewer.

And a degree won't help you get a job. It's not like when you get a MD there's a set track of how you're going to gain employment (eg. MD -> Residency -> Job). Work related experience is the key factor.

 

[starstruck]

are you sure? then what about people who go on to get their masters? I am sure they are more qualified and therefore would be able to get a job? What about working simultaneously while getting an MPH?

 

[Regression]

Re-emphasizing "pay bracket"

The more education => the more qualification

This is a liability to a lot of employers for more entry-level jobs (i.e., you're more likely to leave soon since you're overqualified and will take a better job elsewhere while working there). Or, most will already assume that you're looking for x amount of salary for job z, whereas job z can be done by someone else for amount y (probably a BA/BS) where y < x.

There's always the caveat that you can omit your education in your resume if you want, though; lots of PhD grads are almost forced to do that if they don't land a post-doc position if their area of concentration isn't exactly marketable (humanities, etc.)

 

[Stories]

are you sure? then what about people who go on to get their masters? I am sure they are more qualified and therefore would be able to get a job? What about working simultaneously while getting an MPH?

Yes. I have a MPH. I had 1 job offer out of 15 interviews I had and it took me 7 months of interviewing to get that offer. I didn't take it. I then gave up and focused all my energy on getting into a school for a PhD (something I was going to do anyway). I currently work a retail job as a future PhD student (I'm going to Yale in the fall).

More qualified = less hireable. It's a simply a lack of jobs for more qualified folks out there. What Regression wrote is what I said earlier, just explained in more detail.

Don't go into a MPH program thinking that you will suddenly become open to a ton of jobs. Think of it like this:

-Doctoral-
---Master---
-------Bachelor----

It's a pyramid. As you move up the pyramid, you have less and less job openings, but each job pays you more because you're so specialized.