MHA admissions Fall '14

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thaboss336 said:
Also waitlisted. Are you going to commit somewhere else and then wait to hear from them?
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Most likely. I'm waiting on financial aid and one more school, so I was planning on just committing somewhere in early April.
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sothisisme said:
Hey everyone!

I'm applying to:
Columbia
George Washington
University of Illinois

I submitted my Sophas application and it got processed within a few days. However, I'm yet to receive my WES evaluation reports an I'll be giving my GRE only next week.

Experience: 1 year (as an intern at a dental hospital in India)
GPA: not sure as I havn't received my WES evaluation yet. I got 68% which isn't bad according to indian standards but I'm not sure how it'll look in terms of GPA. Nervous about that.
TOEFL: 115
GRE: Giving it next week!
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Hi, this is DILIP, i am doing my final year pharmD in INDIA. I would like to apply for MHA/MPH programme(have to make my decision). I have one year internship experience part of my curriculum
Stats:
GRE have to give
I have good academics, 75% aggregate
Co-author for 2 good impact manuscripts in the field of cancer
Two online course certificates i.e, one from each Harvard & texas
Two international and one national presentations during my graduation

Is it worth doing in top public health schools ?What is my chance of acceptance among
JHU,UNC chapell hill, COLUMBIA , UPitts, UNIV of WASHINGTON, EMORY, UNC, YALE, BOSTON UNIV, TULANE,UNIV of TEXAS, TEXAS A&M

I was little nervous and apprehensive, is it worth doing? Employment oppurtunities upon completion?please give your valuable opinion on this which helps me a lot

Thank you very much for your spending your valuable time
@Dilip
 
dilipkumar said:
Hi, this is DILIP, i am doing my final year pharmD in INDIA. I would like to apply for MHA/MPH programme(have to make my decision). I have one year internship experience part of my curriculum
Stats:
GRE have to give
I have good academics, 75% aggregate
Co-author for 2 good impact manuscripts in the field of cancer
Two online course certificates i.e, one from each Harvard & texas
Two international and one national presentations during my graduation

Is it worth doing in top public health schools ?What is my chance of acceptance among
JHU,UNC chapell hill, COLUMBIA , UPitts, UNIV of WASHINGTON, EMORY, UNC, YALE, BOSTON UNIV, TULANE,UNIV of TEXAS, TEXAS A&M

I was little nervous and apprehensive, is it worth doing? Employment oppurtunities upon completion?please give your valuable opinion on this which helps me a lot

Thank you very much for your spending your valuable time
@Dilip
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Hey Dilip,

I don't think anyone here is going to be able to tell you exactly what your chances are of being accepted into those programs. I would use your time looking into the available information each of those schools has on their website, and maybe calling admissions if you have any further questions. I'm also not too familiar with graduate school standards in regards to international applicants. However, I would still give it a shot and apply if you are committed to the field of public health/healthcare management.
 
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dilipkumar said:
Hi, this is DILIP, i am doing my final year pharmD in INDIA. I would like to apply for MHA/MPH programme(have to make my decision). I have one year internship experience part of my curriculum
Stats:
GRE have to give
I have good academics, 75% aggregate
Co-author for 2 good impact manuscripts in the field of cancer
Two online course certificates i.e, one from each Harvard & texas
Two international and one national presentations during my graduation

Is it worth doing in top public health schools ?What is my chance of acceptance among
JHU,UNC chapell hill, COLUMBIA , UPitts, UNIV of WASHINGTON, EMORY, UNC, YALE, BOSTON UNIV, TULANE,UNIV of TEXAS, TEXAS A&M

I was little nervous and apprehensive, is it worth doing? Employment oppurtunities upon completion?please give your valuable opinion on this which helps me a lot

Thank you very much for your spending your valuable time
@Dilip
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I agree with the above mentioned assessment. Your application needs to be a good one if you are looking at competitive schools. I'd take it one step at a time, take the GRE/GMAT and get a WES evaluation on your transcripts (a requirement for almost all public health schools). Your GRE/GMAT score, WES evaluation, admissions essays / personal statement, and work experience all contribute to the strength of your application. Your focus should be on nailing the GRE..as soon as you have it out of the way, you can begin looking at schools and which would be the best fit given your goals and your application. Try to get in touch with International students at your desired programs to see what the job market is for those requiring sponsorship and visa paperwork from the employer. Healthcare is the world's largest industry and a sector that is projected to grow and add jobs in the future as well. Try to decide on your career path based on your goals and then pick schools that give you the best chance at achieving those. Do not bother about rankings, as most of the rankings I have come across are half baked or badly prepared (Unlike the MBA rankings which are much better prepared, detailed and have a transparent system based on which they are handed out). Look out for programs that offer you the best opportunity to learn and grow, and that have a proven track record of success with applicants with similar backgrounds to yours.

Good luck.
 
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Has anyone filled out any financial Aid application besides the FAFSA for JHU Bloomberg?
 
Emma1600 said:
Yes! There's an additional form (kind of like Yale's but easier) on ISIS.
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When did you get an ISIS ID from them? I dont think I received anything from them since filing out my FAFSA for JHU.
 
vomhorizon said:
When did you get an ISIS ID from them? I dont think I received anything from them since filing out my FAFSA for JHU.
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I got an email about the form with my Isis ID Feb 28 but I created the ID way before. I think it was through the admitted students portion of the website. The financial aid deadline has passed, but you're just going to get loans anyways so I'm not sure it matters.
 
Emma1600 said:
I got an email about the form with my Isis ID Feb 28 but I created the ID way before. I think it was through the admitted students portion of the website. The financial aid deadline has passed, but you're just going to get loans anyways so I'm not sure it matters.
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Thanks as always. I received the ISIS ID today, and the fin aid office said that the march 15th deadline does not apply to students that had submitted their FAFSA prior to it and that received admission decisions post march 15th. It seems they do not award scholarship beyond the second year tuition (75%) so its just federal and institutional aid that one can expect. Is the 75% something that everyone gets or is it subject to certain conditions? I am seriously caught between Yale and JHU having ruled out Columbia (unless they give me a free ride :) )..Yale comes in cheaper for me since I already own a place in stamford but JHU does have the residency that subsidizes the education..

Anyone done some prelim research on housing and how much to budget (monthly)?
 
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vomhorizon said:
Thanks as always. I received the ISIS ID today, and the fin aid office said that the march 15th deadline does not apply to students that had submitted their FAFSA prior to it and that received admission decisions post march 15th. It seems they do not award scholarship beyond the second year tuition (75%) so its just federal and institutional aid that one can expect. Is the 75% something that everyone gets or is it subject to certain conditions? I am seriously caught between Yale and JHU having ruled out Columbia (unless they give me a free ride :) )..Yale comes in cheaper for me since I already own a place in stamford but JHU does have the residency that subsidizes the education..

Anyone done some prelim research on housing and how much to budget (monthly)?
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Everyone gets the 75% tuition break. Talking to some students while I was there, I found out rent is about $850/$900 with a roommate or $1100 for a 1 bed/studio (not sure which). Cost of living is probably a bit more than New Haven, but not outrageous.

I feel like the tuition structure at Hopkins is weird. Yeah, there's a tuition scholarship for the second year, but if there wasn't, who the heck would apply? The break just makes it comparable to all the other private schools. Plus, you take like 2 classes that year so it basically seems to reflect that.
 
MHABound said:
Can anyone comment on how good the Cornell program is? Especially the curriculum, job prospects and life in Ithaca. Having a tough time deciding between Tulane, Georgetown and Cornell (with 2k/yr scholarship). Appreciate any input.
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I think the Cornell program is very solid and you have the advantage of being at an Ivy League institution. It's on the smaller side for MHA programs (25 students per class) and it seems like the students get to know each other very well and also make very strong connections with the faculty. It's a bit more isolated in terms of location, so it's harder to get internship experience during the semesters, but the students seem to get impressive internships during the summer and jobs upon graduation. Many also go into consulting and it seems like a lot stay on the east coast.

Perhaps because of the small size and strong cohort feel, the alumni connections seem to be very strong. Many other programs say they have a lot of alumni, but at Cornell you really get the feeling that the alum are still involved and loyal to the school.

The tuition is more reasonable than some other MHA programs, but they don't give a lot of aid, which is a concern for me. They tend to give lots of smaller scholarships (2-3K/yr), and some students are able to do TAships when they're there but you don't really find out about that until you're on campus.

I'm seriously considering Cornell but may ultimately go somewhere else where I have been given more financial aid and where I'm able to do an internship during the semesters.
 
vomhorizon said:
Thanks as always. I received the ISIS ID today, and the fin aid office said that the march 15th deadline does not apply to students that had submitted their FAFSA prior to it and that received admission decisions post march 15th. It seems they do not award scholarship beyond the second year tuition (75%) so its just federal and institutional aid that one can expect. Is the 75% something that everyone gets or is it subject to certain conditions? I am seriously caught between Yale and JHU having ruled out Columbia (unless they give me a free ride :) )..Yale comes in cheaper for me since I already own a place in stamford but JHU does have the residency that subsidizes the education..

Anyone done some prelim research on housing and how much to budget (monthly)?
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Emma's numbers sound about right on the housing costs around Hopkins, though I think one bedrooms typically run just a bit higher. Some of the most common places students live have those units listed starting at $1200/month. I am guessing and hoping I can find a place for less (that still feels safe) with a little more thorough research.
 
CHouse said:
Emma's numbers sound about right on the housing costs around Hopkins, though I think one bedrooms typically run just a bit higher. Some of the most common places students live have those units listed starting at $1200/month. I am guessing and hoping I can find a place for less (that still feels safe) with a little more thorough research.
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Thanks..I have just begun looking for places, but am yet to receive a guest ID from the housing folks so that i can look at the off campus listings they have. I don't mind driving a bit if it means i can get a better price in a nice neighbourhood.
 
vomhorizon said:
Thanks..I have just begun looking for places, but am yet to receive a guest ID from the housing folks so that i can look at the off campus listings they have. I don't mind driving a bit if it means i can get a better price in a nice neighbourhood.
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Have you looked into parking costs if you do that? I wouldn't mind driving either, but am worried that the price and hassle of parking each day will end up outweighing the extra cost to live nearby.
 
UNSOLICITED ADVICE:

I have a bunch of friends from Baltimore, and I would HIGHLY recommend getting in touch with some current students/residents for housing recommendations. Baltimore is kind of spotty but there's plenty of decent neighborhoods you can live in in the actual city. Most of my friends live in the inner harbor/federal hill areas (high concentration of late 20s/early 30s people; safe) and really like it, but Baltimore is a city where the good is very integrated with the bad - more so than other metro areas.
 
Thanks. I have done this some and have a good idea of where to and not to look. I am hoping to get even more information from current students at the upcoming Admitted Student's Day. I've heard the most recommendations for the Mt. Vernon neighborhood. The areas you mention are supposed to be great areas-- safe, fun, lots to do. I've heard the same about Fells Point. However, I have heard they are more pricey and the commute is a bit longer.
 
CHouse said:
Have you looked into parking costs if you do that? I wouldn't mind driving either, but am worried that the price and hassle of parking each day will end up outweighing the extra cost to live nearby.
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Monthly parking pass is $55

http://www.jhsph.edu/student-life/transportation/parking.html

I am also going to wait till i meet current students before narrowing down on a neighbourhood but $700-900 for a one bedroom is doable from what I have been told by friends who live in Baltimore..
 
Chillbro Swaggins said:
UNSOLICITED ADVICE:

I have a bunch of friends from Baltimore, and I would HIGHLY recommend getting in touch with some current students/residents for housing recommendations. Baltimore is kind of spotty but there's plenty of decent neighborhoods you can live in in the actual city. Most of my friends live in the inner harbor/federal hill areas (high concentration of late 20s/early 30s people; safe) and really like it, but Baltimore is a city where the good is very integrated with the bad - more so than other metro areas.
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Thanks, much appreciated!
 
That's not so bad at all. Thanks!

Another way to save money is to rent a bedroom in someone's house, or to go in together with other students to rent a house. There are a lot of really nice townhouses in good neighborhoods on the school's housing site where people are looking for a roommate. It looks like those start around $600. My preference would be to have my own place, but not if it's twice the cost.
 
CHouse said:
That's not so bad at all. Thanks!

Another way to save money is to rent a bedroom in someone's house, or to go in together with other students to rent a house. There are a lot of really nice townhouses in good neighborhoods on the school's housing site where people are looking for a roommate. It looks like those start around $600. My preference would be to have my own place, but not if it's twice the cost.
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Same here, I'll begin to look at that option (sharing or renting a room in a house) if I am unable to find anything in the $800-900 price range..
 
I live in Baltimore currently. Feel free to message me if you would like any advice about housing.
 
Rejected from Hopkins today.
 
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Rejected by Hopkins for MHA. (accepted into their MPH/MBA program though)

Do you folks think its a little too late to apply to other MHA programs like USC, UAB, Cornell ?
 
Anyone else deciding between Cornell and Columbia? Any thoughts would be helpful!
 
prashgopal said:
Rejected by Hopkins for MHA. (accepted into their MPH/MBA program though)

Do you folks think its a little too late to apply to other MHA programs like USC, UAB, Cornell ?
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Congratulations..Carey business school is young but I have heard good stuff about it. I had the application ready to go for carey but got into Duke so did not decide to mail in the app which wasn't a bad thing as I have decided not to pursue an MBA at this time..See you at JHU..
 
I just got back from visiting Harvard and I loved it! I had the chance to sit in on a class and talk to various professors an students, and everyone was so welcoming and nice. They also told me that in addition to the summer internship, all students do a practicum in their second year, which I actually didn't know about. They do seem a bit more skewed toward the policy side (as opposed to Michigan, which seems very management-based) but everyone has reassured me that their management program is very strong as well. I guess I really can't make a decision until after I've visited Hopkins.... Anyone else going to the Admit day for Hopkins next Friday?
 
iloveboba said:
I just got back from visiting Harvard and I loved it! I had the chance to sit in on a class and talk to various professors an students, and everyone was so welcoming and nice. They also told me that in addition to the summer internship, all students do a practicum in their second year, which I actually didn't know about. They do seem a bit more skewed toward the policy side (as opposed to Michigan, which seems very management-based) but everyone has reassured me that their management program is very strong as well. I guess I really can't make a decision until after I've visited Hopkins.... Anyone else going to the Admit day for Hopkins next Friday?
Click to expand...

I'll be there..Hope most of the admitted students do come..
 
vomhorizon said:
Same here, I'll begin to look at that option (sharing or renting a room in a house) if I am unable to find anything in the $800-900 price range..
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I'm a Baltimore native who is going to Hopkins in the fall for the MHA program. Feel free to message me with any questions.
 
j0hn said:
Anyone else deciding between Cornell and Columbia? Any thoughts would be helpful!
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I was choosing between those two as well and I ended up deciding on Cornell for several reasons. Columbia's MHA program is in it's first year, which comes with a multitude of drawbacks. I personally experienced a lack of organization from the admissions committee in regards to my application, which raised some red flags. Another concern I had was that the MHA program is still yet to be accredited by CAHME. Cornell, on the other hand, has a long-established program as well as tons of alumni throughout the country that remain extremely involved with the school. I also liked that Cornell has a smaller program with a tighter knit cohort and more one-on-one interaction with faculty. Tuition and cost of living for Cornell are both considerably cheaper, and the fact that there's usually 100% job placement definitely doesn't hurt. That's just my rationale though; you should definitely weigh the pros and cons for yourself to figure out the better fit for you.
 
konfetka_ said:
I was choosing between those two as well and I ended up deciding on Cornell for several reasons. Columbia's MHA program is in it's first year, which comes with a multitude of drawbacks. I personally experienced a lack of organization from the admissions committee in regards to my application, which raised some red flags. Another concern I had was that the MHA program is still yet to be accredited by CAHME. Cornell, on the other hand, has a long-established program as well as tons of alumni throughout the country that remain extremely involved with the school. I also liked that Cornell has a smaller program with a tighter knit cohort and more one-on-one interaction with faculty. Tuition and cost of living for Cornell are both considerably cheaper, and the fact that there's usually 100% job placement definitely doesn't hurt. That's just my rationale though; you should definitely weigh the pros and cons for yourself to figure out the better fit for you.
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What is the difference between the tuition costs and cost of living for columbia and cornell ? is it different for domestic and international students ?
 
dentaldilemma said:
What is the difference between the tuition costs and cost of living for columbia and cornell ? is it different for domestic and international students ?
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dentaldilemma said:
What is the difference between the tuition costs and cost of living for columbia and cornell ? is it different for domestic and international students ?
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I'm not sure if there is any difference between costs for domestic and international students, but as far as I know tuition for Cornell is about $4,000 less per year than for Columbia. I also received a small scholarship from Cornell, which makes that difference in price slightly greater. It also costs about twice as much for an apartment near Columbia as it does for one in Ithaca.
 
iloveboba said:
I just got back from visiting Harvard and I loved it! I had the chance to sit in on a class and talk to various professors an students, and everyone was so welcoming and nice. They also told me that in addition to the summer internship, all students do a practicum in their second year, which I actually didn't know about. They do seem a bit more skewed toward the policy side (as opposed to Michigan, which seems very management-based) but everyone has reassured me that their management program is very strong as well. I guess I really can't make a decision until after I've visited Hopkins.... Anyone else going to the Admit day for Hopkins next Friday?
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Is Harvard CAHME accredited?
 
HopefulMHA2016 said:
I'm a Baltimore native who is going to Hopkins in the fall for the MHA program. Feel free to message me with any questions.
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Thanks! I might take you up on that, but will probably wait until after the Visitor's Day. Will you be able to attend?
 
konfetka_ said:
I was choosing between those two as well and I ended up deciding on Cornell for several reasons. Columbia's MHA program is in it's first year, which comes with a multitude of drawbacks. I personally experienced a lack of organization from the admissions committee in regards to my application, which raised some red flags. Another concern I had was that the MHA program is still yet to be accredited by CAHME. Cornell, on the other hand, has a long-established program as well as tons of alumni throughout the country that remain extremely involved with the school. I also liked that Cornell has a smaller program with a tighter knit cohort and more one-on-one interaction with faculty. Tuition and cost of living for Cornell are both considerably cheaper, and the fact that there's usually 100% job placement definitely doesn't hurt. That's just my rationale though; you should definitely weigh the pros and cons for yourself to figure out the better fit for you.
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Total cost wise I'm looking at 97k for Cornell and 110K for Columbia. Got scholarships for both. I definitely agree with all the pros you've stated for Cornell. I chatted with Columbia yesterday and they told me they have a 95% job placement rate and CAHME is aware that their program is changing to the MHA. They informed me the MHA IS accredited. One thing I like about Columbia is that I can work part-time to get experience since I have no prior work experience. I talked to Cornell also and they said the only healthcare experience they get is through the summer internship and second year students usually work as TA's. Any more inputs?? Still having a tough time deciding!
 
j0hn said:
Total cost wise I'm looking at 97k for Cornell and 110K for Columbia. Got scholarships for both. I definitely agree with all the pros you've stated for Cornell. I chatted with Columbia yesterday and they told me they have a 95% job placement rate and CAHME is aware that their program is changing to the MHA. They informed me the MHA IS accredited. One thing I like about Columbia is that I can work part-time to get experience since I have no prior work experience. I talked to Cornell also and they said the only healthcare experience they get is through the summer internship and second year students usually work as TA's. Any more inputs?? Still having a tough time deciding!
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@j0hn How did you arrive at 97k for Cornell?
 
thaboss336 said:
Is Harvard CAHME accredited?
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It is not, actually. That's actually something I will ask the director, but from what I've gathered from talking to current students and alumni, it doesn't seem to be a big deal (for them at least!)
 
iloveboba said:
It is not, actually. That's actually something I will ask the director, but from what I've gathered from talking to current students and alumni, it doesn't seem to be a big deal (for them at least!)
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What program are we talking about here?
 
Emma1600 said:
I'm going to try to be very careful to offer my experience and opinions while simultaneously being respectful to the program as well as the students who are ultimately a great fit.

Little things: Someone dropped the ball on me shadowing a class. Asked multiple times before my trip for confirmation and to make sure I was contacting the right person. It never happened. Emails with current students had more than an acceptable amount of grammar and spelling errors. This sounds nitpicky, and granted I have a high grammar bar, this stuff is actually important professionally. Also, for a program located in DC, there is a marked lack of policy courses that MHA students can take (the director corroborated this as well). The last one is obviously a personal preference, I know plenty of MHA applicants who don't care much to take policy courses.

Bigger things: Didn't know that their offices are in an office building, not a GW building. They actually didn't have a building of their own, not even part of a public health building. On this front, they have a brand new building that will probably be amazing, which I was told will open Spring 2014. But as it stands, I wonder about their ability to attract outstanding professors and the extent of their other resources. I asked my standard question about how satisfied they are with their interactions with their peers/the calibre of the learning environment. The response indicated a lack of engagement and overall awareness of the current healthcare landscape. To me, that is incredibly disappointing. This was in stark contrast to my experience at Johns Hopkins and UNC. If I was only accepted to Hopkins and GW I would go to Hopkins in a heartbeat. But again, that is my personal choice and I hope students who have or will decide on GW have incredibly amazing experiences there.
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Thank you for your insight! The lack of policy courses is something that struck me as well. I'm attending GW mainly because I like the location. I got accepted to Tulane & UIC but GW seems like a better fit for me. Quite a few of us here spoke to the same student at GW. Personally, I think it is in fact true that students and faculty share a good rapport. I have been speaking to faculty here and I can sense that they are genuinely warm and helpful people.

I hope I have a great 2 years at GW! *fingers crossed*
 
Can someone weigh in on starting salaries for an MHA straight out of Grad School? Also are we eligible for IBR (Income based repayment) plans for our loans?
 
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