Low undergrad GPA, better MPH GPA...PhD chances?

[PublicHealth_2018]

I'm thinking of applying to PhD programs next year. I'm interested in Health Policy and Management programs and I'm looking at GW, JHU, and UMD, but would be open to others as well. The problem is my terrible undergrad GPA which hovers at a 2.6. I went to a competitive private university and majored in Health Science. The low GPA basically comes from the fact that I wasn't focused and didn't really find my strengths until my junior/senior year. I somehow got accepted into a reputable MPH program and did well there (3.8 GPA).

I have several years of research experience, some published papers, and I am currently working in a consulting firm doing research in behavioral health policy. By the time I apply, I will have had about 5 years of experience post-grad (3 years experience after MPH).

My GREs were alright...153 V, 158 Q, but I could retake those if needed.

Do I even stand a remote chance of being accepted anywhere?

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[grapesandstrawberries]

I haven't even started my MPH program yet but I'm looking to go into PhD after finishing, so I definitely looked into this. I also have several friends who are doing or already completed PhD.
Just remember that undergraduate GPA is only a small component of your whole application. Also, if you are doing a PhD in HPM then your grades in undergraduate molecular biology courses probably don't matter as much. I think it's good that you have papers and years of research experience since those are a big part of PhD applications. Just get really good LORs, maybe take the GRE again to raise your scores to be safe. Maybe consider applying more schools than just GW, JHU and UMD?

 

[wwmmkk]

I think it's very hard to answer your question simply because there's not a lot of data on this forum/elsewhere. PhD applicants do not tend to post their stats and acceptances with the same frequency as MPH candidates. Maybe Gradcafe has more info?

My guess is that your undergrad GPA would be overlooked because it's been so long since you've graduated, and you've done what sounds like considerable work in the field. I think strong, detailed LORs from the most senior researchers you can get would be your best bet in drawing attention away from undergrad performance. And, yeah, retake the GRE. See if you can find the average scores at your programs for PhD candidates and aim for those. I'm not sure what HPM average scores are at top schools like JHU, but my guess is that yours are a bit on the low side.

Now that I've said all this, I think your best course to action in answering your question is to reach out to the programs themselves. Obviously they're not going to tell you that you're a sure admit or anything, but they might be able to give more detail about the kind of candidates they are looking for and that tend to be successful in their programs.