MHA admissions Fall '14

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I thought the wait would be the most difficult part of this application process...HOWEVER, it's the decision that is killing me. I'm so torn :/

Anyone else feel this way?
 
The decision part is much harder than I had expected. I thought I knew what I wanted, but the more schools I talk to or visit, the more torn I feel. They're all great for different reasons.
 
CHouse said:
The decision part is much harder than I had expected. I thought I knew what I wanted, but the more schools I talk to or visit, the more torn I feel. They're all great for different reasons.
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Agreed!
 
JQH said:
IDK, dude. The wait sucked quite a bit. I'm still waiting on a few schools + FinAid from Umich/UMN. The decision part, however, can still be delayed. Plus, for most at least, there isn't a "bad" decision to be made.
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How many of you are basing your selection solely on cost. Speaking of cost, aren't all programs except JHU around the same approximately 45k per year? Are you willing to pay more for a better curriculum/location/ranking?
 
MHABound said:
How many of you are basing your selection solely on cost. Speaking of cost, aren't all programs except JHU around the same approximately 45k per year? Are you willing to pay more for a better curriculum/location/ranking?
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Not sure about others but JHU does give you a sizable subsidy in the second year, and you have an internship residency that lasts 11 months. Columbia and Yale are under 40 after including tuition, insurance and books.
 
vomhorizon said:
Not sure about others but JHU does give you a sizable subsidy in the second year, and you have an internship residency that lasts 11 months. Columbia and Yale are under 40 after including tuition, insurance and books.
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Is there some kind of a loan forgiveness or repayment plan available for loans taken for an MHA degree? I seem to recall reading a thread where the OP mentioned some kind of a repayment/loan forgiveness plan which was introduced recently.
 
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JQH said:
...especially entering a field with a starting pay that averages 55k at the highest ranked (USNWR) schools (UMich/UMN)...
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Is there really a significant difference in starting salary and salary over a lifetime for UMich/UMN/UNC-type schools and the rest? I got the impression that fellowships and a lot of entry-level jobs in hospitals and systems pay the same regardless of where you went to school. I thought that the benefit of going to a top-ranked vs lower-ranked school was that you are more competitive for jobs, not that you get more money for them. I'd be interested in hearing others' perspective on this.

Also, there are several options available for reducing or forgiving federal loans (so this wouldn't apply if you take out private loans), and there are many resources on the internet regarding this. The only way to have loans forgiven, however, is if you work for a non-profit or public entity for ten years AND are part of a repayment program that reduces your monthly payments based on your debt-to-income ratio. Some federal jobs have loan repayment programs, and I think MHA grads used to be eligible for the US Public Health Service Corps fellowships, but no longer are... would be interested to hear what other options people have explored regarding the financing, both in terms of reducing loans while in school or increasing earnings power after school so loans are more manageable OR having loans reduced or forgiven through different government programs.
 
Mha1991 said:
I thought the wait would be the most difficult part of this application process...HOWEVER, it's the decision that is killing me. I'm so torn :/

Anyone else feel this way?
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Nah, decision was the easiest for me 🙂
 
Regarding Price: Most private institutions will cost ~66k for the 2 years it takes to complete the MHA or MPH degree. This does not include cost of living. UNC is in the upper 40s for someone who is out-of-state the first year and in-state second year (though, of course, as Madison has previously pointed out, getting in-state is not a guarantee). UCLA would be far and away the cheapest option for a California resident such as myself. Tuition is ~16K per annum including insurance and student fees. AND the average financial award is about the cost of in-state tuition. Of course, LA has a higher cost of living than Chapel Hill, though it's easy to see that there would be significant cost savings at UCLA over out-of-state schools for a California resident no matter the cost of living. Johns Hopkins will indeed be cheaper than fellow private institutions after factoring in an average earned salary of 40k for the resident year (again, tuition for the 2 years is ~66k).

Regarding deciding on a program: I think that if you are relatively flexible geographically and can see yourself excelling in a variety of settings that the decision process will be difficult! And that is totally OK. In that case, you probably won't make a bad decision, partially because you see strengths in all the schools you were accepted to and partially because you envision how you will forge your career with the resources you will have. You are probably the type of go-getter who makes his/her own luck and the school you go to will only amplify this. I think it's kind of funny that we end up worrying so much about the decision, because it really means we're forgetting why ad coms chose us- because they believe they can get us jobs. They're investing in us just like we're investing in them!

Regarding 1st position earnings: It is not that attending a highly ranked school will put you in the same job as someone else and pay you more because of the school you attended, it's that well-regarded programs produce students that on average get jobs that pay better than the pool of students who attended lower-ranked/less connected schools. For this, you have to look at the spread of earnings, not the average. There are students who earn 100k their first year out and there are students who earn 28k their first year out. I know I've said this before, but I can't help but place the caveat that getting the job/salary you want does not solely depend on the school- it's who you are, the network you build, and the skills you present, as well as name and reputation of the program you attended.

That is a great segue into choosing a school solely on cost, because, true cost is not the price tag of the school but the career you build because of and through that school, not to mention the "cost" you might pay living somewhere that jeopardizes how well you do in school, your internship, or your general happiness.
 
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Emma1600 said:
Regarding Price: Most private institutions will cost ~66k for the 2 years it takes to complete the MHA or MPH degree. This does not include cost of living. UNC is in the upper 40s for someone who is out-of-state the first year and in-state second year (though, of course, as Madison has previously pointed out, getting in-state is not a guarantee). UCLA would be far and away the cheapest option for a California resident such as myself. Tuition is ~16K per annum including insurance and student fees. AND the average financial award is about the cost of in-state tuition. Of course, LA has a higher cost of living than Chapel Hill, though it's easy to see that there would be significant cost savings at UCLA over out-of-state schools for a California resident no matter the cost of living. Johns Hopkins will indeed be cheaper than fellow private institutions after factoring in an average earned salary of 40k for the resident year (again, tuition for the 2 years is ~66k).

Regarding deciding on a program: I think that if you are relatively flexible geographically and can see yourself excelling in a variety of settings that the decision process will be difficult! And that is totally OK. In that case, you probably won't make a bad decision, partially because you see strengths in all the schools you were accepted to and partially because you envision how you will forge your career with the resources you will have. You are probably the type of go-getter who makes his/her own luck and the school you go to will only amplify this. I think it's kind of funny that we end up worrying so much about the decision, because it really means we're forgetting why ad coms chose us- because they believe they can get us jobs. They're investing in us just like we're investing in them!

Regarding 1st position earnings: It is not that attending a highly ranked school will put you in the same job as someone else and pay you more because of the school you attended, it's that well-regarded programs produce students that on average get jobs that pay better than the pool of students who attended lower-ranked/less connected schools. For this, you have to look at the spread of earnings, not the average. There are students who earn 100k their first year out and there are students who earn 28k their first year out. I know I've said this before, but I can't help but place the caveat that getting the job/salary you want does not solely depend on the school- it's who you are, the network you build, and the skills you present, as well as name and reputation of the program you attended.

That is a great segue into choosing a school solely on cost, because, true cost is not the price tag of the school but the career you build because of and through that school, not to mention the "cost" you might pay living somewhere that jeopardizes how well you do in school, your internship, or your general happiness.
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Very well said..Your career path, how good you are at your work, and what network you build will ultimately determine your salary..Someone who checks all the boxes and lands a job in consulting at some of the big firms may look to earn well over 100,000k to start off, and have plenty of "company funded" investment to progress his/her career ..Others that are not that ambitious or dont make the best of their time may have to settle for far less. It all depends upon the industry within healthcare one wants to get into and how competitive the applicant is.
 
I received an invite from UMich for visit day. As i wont be able to attend the visit day, i requested for a phone/skype call. I haven't heard back from them since.
How long do UMich usually take to respond to such queries?
 
Emma1600 said:
Regarding Price: Most private institutions will cost ~66k for the 2 years it takes to complete the MHA or MPH degree. This does not include cost of living.
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The Tuition alone at Georgetown is listed as $44,408. (http://finaid.georgetown.edu/cost-of-attendance/graduate/) This is per year, correct? Is this the most expensive school? Are any grants or assistanceships offered at admission to further reduce this cost?
 
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MHABound said:
The Tuition alone at Georgetown is listed as $44,408. (http://finaid.georgetown.edu/cost-of-attendance/graduate/) This is per year, correct? Is this the most expensive school? Are any grants or assistanceships offered at admission to further reduce this cost?
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I have no idea if Georgetown is the most expensive school, but I know Yale, GW, & Johns Hopkins cost about 33,000/year in tuition. I looked up Cornell just for the heck of it and that program is around 30k/year. If cost matters you should compare tuition + cost of living for all the schools you've been accepted to, research scholarships and perhaps wait until you receive your financial aid packages before making a decision.
 
MHABound said:
The Tuition alone at Georgetown is listed as $44,408. (http://finaid.georgetown.edu/cost-of-attendance/graduate/) This is per year, correct? Is this the most expensive school? Are any grants or assistanceships offered at admission to further reduce this cost?
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I can tell you it's not. Go take a look at HSPH's tuition for MPH for the 2014-2015 academic year. It's a whopping $50,320! Tuition alone.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/student-billing/files/2014/02/2014-15-Tuition-and-Fees-21.pdf
 
MHABound said:
Yeah but that is Harvard. You pay for the name I guess.
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True, but it's still scarily expensive comparing to Yale's moderate $35k/yr. To be fair, the tuition for two-year master's programs at HSPH is $40k/yr, which is actually cheaper than Georgetown.

I guess the reason for the high tuition for MPH at HSPH is that a large percentage of MPH students are doctors (with high pays or reimbursable by their institutions), hence the higher pricing.
 
Flyinghippo said:
True, but it's still scarily expensive comparing to Yale's moderate $35k/yr. To be fair, the tuition for two-year master's programs at HSPH is $40k/yr, which is actually cheaper than Georgetown.

I guess the reason for the high tuition for MPH at HSPH is that a large percentage of MPH students are doctors (with high pays or reimbursable by their institutions), hence the higher pricing.
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Wait! i just noticed the link in your earlier post. The tuition for 2 yrs MPH is $40,200/yr and for the one master's it is $50,320.
 
MHABound said:
Wait! i just noticed the link in your earlier post. The tuition for 2 yrs MPH is $40,200/yr and for the one master's it is $50,320.
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I know, that's what said in the one you quoted. Comparing two-year programs, Georgetown is still more expensive than Harvard.
 
Michigan is around $20,000 per year for NON-residents ($12 for residents) and is one of the top programs. But, their class size is larger so that may be why the cost is lower. In other news, I was just accepted to Carnegie Mellon's MSHCPM program!
 
SkyGlider3 said:
Michigan is around $20,000 per year for NON-residents ($12 for residents) and is one of the top programs. But, their class size is larger so that may be why the cost is lower. In other news, I was just accepted to Carnegie Mellon's MSHCPM program!
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SkyGlider3, What are your thoughts about Georgetown? You seemed to have liked the program. I think it is worth the high price because of it's location - DC, the mentor program, lean six sigma and the curriculum seems very comprehensive and would be an asset for someone who is looking for that kind of instruction.
 
JQH said:
Same here. Congrats, guys. Anyone know how schollies/assistantships work (eg when we find out, how much they typically give out)?

I know we are supposed to get the FAFSA in and I think there's a special form we need submit.
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FAFSA had to be submitted before Feb. 1st for the MHA in order to qualify for institutional aid (I guess one can still seek federal aid if one submites the FAFSA after the feb. 1 deadline), but there is another form that we would have to fill post-decision. Not sure whether that determines the final package, but i was kind of hoping that they let me know atleast the perliminary package along with the decision.
 
JQH said:
Well damn, dude. I guess I missed that part. Bummer.
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I almost missed it as well but you will still have the option of seeking federal aid which i assmume would be significantly larger than what columbia may have offered..
 
JQH said:
Same here. Congrats, guys. Anyone know how schollies/assistantships work (eg when we find out, how much they typically give out)?

I know we are supposed to get the FAFSA in and I think there's a special form we need submit.
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March 1 is the financial aid deadline for a good number of schools. You might still be OK. If you submitted your app before the priority deadline, you're also in the best position for scholarships.

SkyGlider3 said:
Yup, you're right - it's per semester! my bad 😛
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Haha nbd, I was like, WAIT, maybe I should have applied there!
 
Just got acceptance from COLUMBIA !! Really Happy. Seems a few of us got admission today. So who all are actually going to attend Columbia?
 
dentaldilemma said:
Just got acceptance from COLUMBIA !! Really Happy. Seems a few of us got admission today. So who all are actually going to attend Columbia?
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I am still waiting on answers from a few universities. Columbia is one of my top 3 choices tho!
 
kt1234 said:
I am still waiting on answers from a few universities. Columbia is one of my top 3 choices tho!
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its definitely one of my top 3 choices too !! especially with the cost and location being major plus points
 
Guys, congrats on Columbia! I'm extremely nervous as I've gotten nothing from them yet. Submitted to SOPHAS mid-Jan, interviewed the first week of February.

When did you guys submit/interview? Should I be worried? am freaking out, this is unlike me but I REALLY want Columbia. 🙁

any and all advice would be very very appreciated!!
 
Should I be worried?
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Not yet. From what i have heard they do not decide all of their candidates in one go. Some are announced well into march. They may also have candidates waitlisted as not all admitted actually end up going.

its definitely one of my top 3 choices too !! especially with the cost and location being major plus points
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Congratulations...Columbia comes to be quite a bit of money once the full cost of attendence is factored in compared to say a UNC or Michigan (Much cheaper places to live in)..But i guess if you are interested in the career opportunities in the area then its a no brainer..
 
JQH said:
Submit: 11/19-11/25
Interview: Jan 29/30

I believe someone ITT said they release decisions in two batches, so I wouldn't get too worried yet.
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Vomhorizon/JQH , thank you for the encouragement. Pretty much about to have a panic attack over here, but your words have given me hope yet. Anyone else care to share their submit/interview dates for Columbia?
 
bathnbodyworks said:
Vomhorizon/JQH , thank you for the encouragement. Pretty much about to have a panic attack over here, but your words have given me hope yet. Anyone else care to share their submit/interview dates for Columbia?
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Submitted 11/26 Interview 2/17 Accepted 2/21.
As JQH and Vom stated earlier, there is no need to panic yet. I also heard they send out acceptances in two batches!
 
Mha1991 said:
Submitted 11/26 Interview 2/17 Accepted 2/21.
As JQH and Vom stated earlier, there is no need to panic yet. I also heard they send out acceptances in two batches!
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If accepted, I'm going to buy each of you three a drink in NYC
 
For Columbia, I applied 12/15, interviews 2/20, accepted 2/21
 
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