MPH 2019: Applied, Waitlisted, Accepted!

[dubbz09]

I reached out to BU because I was verified on 10/08, received an email on 10/10 with a supplemental application and was told that in 7-10 days I would receive a confirmation email. I haven't still haven't gotten my official confirmation email, and finally reached out on 11/2. They said they are still processing Spring 2019 apps and haven't started fully processing Fall 2019.

When I reached out to Emory (verified 10/14) on 10/25 and was told "if I had receive an email from SOPHAS, that I would receive one from the admissions team in the coming weeks".

I feel like your stats are pretty strong and as long as your SOP and letters are strong you should stand a good chance! I'm not too familiar with dual degree stats, but I don't think it would hurt to add another school if you could see yourself attending there/are really nervous!

This has been super helpful! Thanks so much! Crossing my fingers!
Hope you hear from them soon as well!

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[JDGBruin1317]

Undergrad School: State school
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: 3.41 undergrad/3.67 major/ SOPHAS 3.36
Major/Minor: Health Sciences major & Biology minor
GRE: 10/2/18 - 146 V, 152 Q, 4.0 W
Experience/Research
- volunteer hospital transports, 120+ hours
- summer research in molecular biology lab
- 2.5 years as lab assistant
-2 internships working at a water company, involved with water distribution system and water quality lab
- 4 years student athlete and team captain for three seasons
- 1 year senior mentor for freshmen student athletes
- currently taking a gap-year and working as a wastewater lab technician

Letter of Recommendations: Physics professor who is quite fond of me, water company supervisor from internships, and molec. bio professor I did summer research with

Interested in: Epidemiology
Applied:Submitted 10/21 and verified 10/30! Emory, BU, UPitt, UIC, OSU, University of Kentucky
Accepted:
Rejected:
Waitlisted:

I know my GRE scores for quant and verbal are horrendous but this was my second attempt. I'm quite terrible at taking standardized tests and there's no way that I would be willing to do it over again for a third try. I'm hoping that my experiences, personal statement, and LoRs will help compensate for that but I'm not sure

Any chances that I might be able to get into one of these schools?

I had similar scores when applying to schools last year but I got into 3 out of the 4 schools I applied to, including my top choice! Don't lose hope! DM me if you have more questions!

 

[athaw1]

I think your application is definitely stronger than you're giving yourself credit! Your upward trend will totally be noticed, and you have great GRE scores! Your experience is public health related, and as long as your SOP demonstrates your interest in Epi, I think you'll be fine! This forum does a great job at intimidating people (myself included) but my biggest take away from reaching out to schools is that they truly are holistic and want people who are genuinely interested in PH.

Thanks a lot! definitely feel more relieved now.

 

[el.mo19]

This has been super helpful! Thanks so much! Crossing my fingers!
Hope you hear from them soon as well!

omg I just noticed I meant to say "it wouldn't hurt to add more schools if it makes you feel better!" not that it WOULD hurt.

thank you though! hopefully you get into a few (if not all) your programs!

 

[ClimbMountains10]

Hi everyone! Quick question, I see the achievements and experiences sections are optional. Is it worth adding anything if all the information is already on my resume? Just wondering if there are any benefits to filling out these sections or if it's okay to not add any information.

 

[mrmeseeks]

Undergrad School: small liberal arts college- graduated May 2017
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: 3.92/4.0
Major/Minor: Biology/ Latin American Studies
GRE: V: 168 (98%), Q: 159 (72%), W: 4.0 (59%)
Experience/Research (please, be brief):
-started undergrad research sophomore year- neuroscience, continued junior and senior year with biology research
-completed an anthropology research project summer between freshman and sophomore year
-NSF REU program in an ecotoxicology lab between junior and senior year
-tutored and TA'd for neuroscience and biology labs sophomore through senior year
-volunteer for a domestic violence organization
-mentored a group of college freshman as a senior
-e-board of a nutrition/food culture/food justice group sophomore-junior year
-2 publications, 2 presentations (1 oral, 1 poster) at conferences
-currently an RA in a cancer genetics lab (will be about 2 years by the time I matriculate)

LOR: My current boss/PI, undergraduate adviser/PI/ biology professor, another undergrad biology professor/boss for TAing labs, and a Latin American Studies professor
Very close with all undergrad professors, get along with current boss, so all should be strong

Interests: Global health/ maternal and child health/ women's health

Applying: Rutgers (11/2), Boston University (11/2), Yale (11/6), Emory (11/6), Johns Hopkins (11/9), GW (11/11)
my coursework was verified on 11/6
Rutgers confirmed 11/6
BU confirmed 11/15
Yale confirmed 11/16
Emory confirmed 11/27
Accepted: Rutgers Global Health (11/14) GW (11/26) Johns Hopkins (12/9) Emory (12/13) BU (12/14)


Would have been happier with higher GRE scores but hopefully my GPA will make up for it. Good luck everyone! Submitted my final app today and now I'm super anxious to hear back!

 

[x0n]

Hi everyone! I'm new here but I was hoping you guys could give me some advice. For the past two years I've been focusing on applying to medical school but I've decided to go back to my original plan of pursing an MPH in Epidemiology. I know I'm a bit late in terms of applying but I would like to know my best chances. I've done some research but not sure where I stand with some schools. I live in NY and would prefer to stay on the Northeast/East Coast but I want to keep an open mind to other schools as well. After reading thru many posts, I feel very underwhelming as an applicant especially in terms of experience/research so any advice/help would be appreciated!

Undergrad School: Syracuse University 2016
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: 3.5 / (will update)
Major/Minor: Biology major
GRE: 9/17/16 - 155 V (69%), 151 Q (42%), 4.0 W (59%), Planning to retake GRE end of December (is that too late?)
Experience/Research
- NYPres Columbia ED volunteer, 120+ hours
- Volunteer Ambulance Corps, 5+ years
- Certified EMT since 2013
- Receptionist and Medical Assistant at Internal Medicine office, 2+ years
** I realize I have no research experience... I'm currently looking for research positions. Will this hurt my chances?**

Letter of Recommendations: Bio professor that got me interested in Epi (wrote LOR for me when I was applying to med school), Strong letter from Internal Medicine office, Strong letter from volunteer ambulance corps

Other information: WOC (Asian), first in family to graduate from university, daughter of immigrants, MCAT: 502

Interested in: Epidemiology - Columbia, SUNY Downstate, CUNY, NYMC, Cornell, NYU, BU, UMass Amherst, Tufts, UPitt, Drexel, Emory
Applied: (in the middle of preparing applications, I'm still not 100% on my schools yet but trying to apply to less than 10 schools)
Accepted:
Rejected:
Waitlisted:
Any guidance or school suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

You seem like you’re also from the NYC region give Mt Sinai a shot. I was torn between NYMC, NYU, and Sinai and i ended up falling in love with the curriculum, the school, and the idea that the school is under the largest healthcare system in NYC

 

[annie51]

SOPHAS question: I retook the GRE last week so my official scores will not be available for a while. However, I am planning to submit my applications to schools with 12/1 deadlines this weekend. In the GRE section of SOPHAS, should I just list that I have taken the test and the test date and then wait for them to receive the score reports directly from ETS? Or should I put in the unofficial quant and verbal scores even though I don't have the official percentiles or the AW scores yet?

 

[Vslyph]

Current Columbia MPH student here:

Let me start off by saying that there are many things that are great about the program: the people, the city, the learning opportunities. However, just a fair warning about the following before you apply:

1) there is a lot of busy work that doesn’t necessarily further your understanding of the material

2) you will be swamped during the Core. Very few students manage to hold down jobs (though you are not supposed to), abd professors don’t seem to coordinate assignments. You’ll be hit with a lot all at once throughout the semester.

3) No one holds your hand. There are a lot of us, and you need to actively look out for yourself

4) The medical campus lacks variety of food options and you will be better off packing and bringing lunch most days.

5) There are hardly any opportunities through the program to experience NYC. This will have to be done on your own.

I remember thinking when I visited last October that a lot of the students in the class I sat in on seemed disengaged and disinterested in the lecture, and rushed out as soon as they could. Now I know why: they had a million other deliverables on their minds. There are times I wish I had gone to Yale or U Washington instead: the students seemed happy and not as rushed. Not to say that people aren’t happy at Columbia, but I think that for me personally I would have been happier and not as stressed in a smaller program. As you all apply to schools, don’t underestimate your first impressions and the environment you experience during your visits. Your happiness and school/life balance matters.

 

[Cassatrass]

Current Columbia MPH student here:

Let me start off by saying that there are many things that are great about the program: the people, the city, the learning opportunities. However, just a fair warning about the following before you apply:

1) there is a lot of busy work that doesn’t necessarily further your understanding of the material

2) you will be swamped during the Core. Very few students manage to hold down jobs (though you are not supposed to), abd professors don’t seem to coordinate assignments. You’ll be hit with a lot all at once throughout the semester.

3) No one holds your hand. There are a lot of us, and you need to actively look out for yourself

4) The medical campus lacks variety of food options and you will be better off packing and bringing lunch most days.

5) There are hardly any opportunities through the program to experience NYC. This will have to be done on your own.

I remember thinking when I visited last October that a lot of the students in the class I sat in on seemed disengaged and disinterested in the lecture, and rushed out as soon as they could. Now I know why: they had a million other deliverables on their minds. There are times I wish I had gone to Yale or U Washington instead: the students seemed happy and not as rushed. Not to say that people aren’t happy at Columbia, but I think that for me personally I would have been happier and not as stressed in a smaller program. As you all apply to schools, don’t underestimate your first impressions and the environment you experience during your visits. Your happiness and school/life balance matters.

Hey all! I'll chime in with this from the Emory point of view, since I was deciding between a lot of programs before making my decision.

There is also a lot of homework/group work for classes at Emory, but most of it is very targeted and helps with your learning. I spend 4-10 hours weekly on biostatistics homework alone, but it has helped me build a very strong foundation of understanding and succeed on quizzes/exams. The curriculum isn't built to allow a lot of time for work + a lot of personal time, but I've been working 2 part-time jobs for the past month and just have to commit a lot of my weekend to schoolwork. Classes are quite hard, but manageable if you're focused and motivated. Overall, TAs and faculty are very approachable and your departmental ADAP is a great resource. They do try to help you find jobs/practicums-- but you need to put yourself out there and ask. Beware though, a lot of the CDC jobs prefer second year students or students with extensive prior work experience. You also will not be able to get the full $2500 of your REAL award in your first fall semester if you decide to take a CDC position, since it is incredibly unlikely that you will be approved to work before late Oct/early Nov.

Overall, I love it here. I am so glad that I went with my gut and chose Emory after my visit. I've gotten a fantastic internship (at the CDC), we have tons of fun social events (with free alcohol!), and the student organizations are fantastic. The culture is great. Some of the student organizations actually partner with the CDC, so if you're offered a spot (yes, you have to apply to these clubs), then you're getting useful skills and building a strong network.

Please feel free to PM me with any specific questions!

 

[wwmmkk]

Brown is significantly less popular on these forums than Emory and Columbia, but I thought I'd chime in anyway since @Cassatrass and @Vslyph made such helpful posts. I'm a second year student.

Don't come here if:
- You need a lot of structure to learn and have difficulty managing a flexible schedule.
- You are unsure of what you want to do and learn while in an MPH program and of your post-graduation goals.
- You struggle to make decisions independently and benefit from a lot of hands-on mentoring and guidance.
- There are no faculty doing what you're interested in, especially if you are interested in a particular setting or population.
- A strong community and school culture is important to you.
- You default to doing only what is required.

Do come here if:
- You have a strong sense of initiative, take opportunities available to you without much prompting, and create new opportunities for yourself.
- You are looking for a curriculum that's heavy on quantitative and research skills in every track. It's certainly possible to have a more practice-based experience here, but the majority of people are focused on developing analytic skills in the context of research.
- You're an independent person who enjoys forging their own path and setting high expectations for yourself.
- You learn best in smaller programs/classes/settings.
- You're good at forming peer relationships that help you learn.

Overall, I have really enjoyed my experience at Brown. It has been more challenging than I expected both in terms of what is required academically/intellectually and what is required logistically, but I have benefited from the challenge. I don't think this is a school/MPH program for everyone, but I do think that a lot of people overlook Brown because it is unranked and because it is in Providence. Both are mistakes, in my opinion. I think Brown has one of the more rigorous curricula for MPH programs (there's little I'd call "busywork"), and the overall reputation of Brown SPH in the field is quite good. Also, while living in Providence is certainly a different experience than living in big cities like NYC/LA/Boston/etc., the public health opportunities here are not limited by the city's size or location.

I'm always open to PMs! Good luck everyone.

 

[EnviroJusticeWarrior]

Accepted into Tulane's MSPH and GW's MPH programs! Got my acceptance email within 2 weeks of my application getting reviewed. For everyone with a relatively low GPA or applying straight out of undergrad, DO NOT FRET! Experience and letters of recs are key. I got mine from a professor who is well known as several public health programs and have been interning with him for a couple years now.

Quick stats overview for comparison:

Overall GPA: 3.13, Major GPA: 3.85 (I guess my freshmen year dooming me really showed here since I switched to public health after my 1st year of college)
GRE V: 155 Q: 160 W: 4.0

Experience:

1 poster recognized by the national public health honorary society in graduate studies
2 Publications
Several Environmental Justice related projects within my internship at my undergraduate department
Former executive board positions for 2 student organizations, with one being president

Still waiting on Cornell though. Good luck everyone and remember, the holidays are coming soon!

 

[Nb30]

Accepted into Tulane's MSPH and GW's MPH programs! Got my acceptance email within 2 weeks of my application getting reviewed. For everyone with a relatively low GPA or applying straight out of undergrad, DO NOT FRET! Experience and letters of recs are key. I got mine from a professor who is well known as several public health programs and have been interning with him for a couple years now.

Quick stats overview for comparison:

Overall GPA: 3.13, Major GPA: 3.85 (I guess my freshmen year dooming me really showed here since I switched to public health after my 1st year of college)
GRE V: 155 Q: 160 W: 4.0

Experience:

1 poster recognized by the national public health honorary society in graduate studies
2 Publications
Several Environmental Justice related projects within my internship at my undergraduate department
Former executive board positions for 2 student organizations, with one being president

Still waiting on Cornell though. Good luck everyone and remember, the holidays are coming soon!

congrats!! what programs at tulane and GWU?

 

[TD2018]

I have a random question, does anyone know about St. George's University in Grenada's MPH reputation? I was looking at their site, and from what I can see they are cutting their tuition cost in half next year, making it one of the most affordable MPH programs.... But I don't know if it's looked down upon in the job market to get your MPH from a Caribbean institution.

Obviously it's not a top program by any means, but I want to know if it's considered worse than other non-ranked US programs. I can't find much in the way of feedback from online searches. Anyone have any insight?

 

[Cassatrass]

I have a random question, does anyone know about St. George's University in Grenada's MPH reputation? I was looking at their site, and from what I can see they are cutting their tuition cost in half next year, making it one of the most affordable MPH programs.... But I don't know if it's looked down upon in the job market to get your MPH from a Caribbean institution.

Obviously it's not a top program by any means, but I want to know if it's considered worse than other non-ranked US programs. I can't find much in the way of feedback from online searches. Anyone have any insight?

I have no idea how their program is, but many people in public health came originally from medical backgrounds. As such, I believe there could be a negative stigma associated. Plus, do they follow the same accreditation standards? That's another major factor to consider. Public Health is an oversaturated field, so you need to take into consideration how much risk you're willing to take.

 

[el.mo19]

I just received an email from the University of Michigan asking me to create my student portal. It said that they will begin to review my application once it is complete in the portal (which it is). Does this mean I will hear back about a decision soon? Those of you who have applied in previous years, what did the timeline look like from here on out?

Thanks!

I received the same email! Which program did you apply too? I applied HBHE! Hopefully we do start hearing back soon!

 

[EnviroJusticeWarrior]

congrats!! what programs at tulane and GWU?

Tulane's MSPH in Global Environmental Health Sciences and GWU's MPH in Environmental Health Science and Policy

A lot of my undergrad research revolved around air quality and exposure assessments so I think it would be pretty awesome to explore the policy side of environmental justice (hence why GW's program appeals to me). But Tulane gives me a chance to expand my horizons, since I've lived in the Maryland/DC region my entire life and they have a plethora of risk assessment and sampling coursework so I'm sure the research opportunities there are endless as well, not to mention they have a strong partnership with the hurricane center which could be another avenue for me to explore!

It's a very hard choice, I guess I need to wait for GWU to get back to me regarding funding. They said they will assess my application and let me know by early February. Still waiting on a couple schools so it's just that time of year!

Once again, wish everyone the best of luck and when we do figure out where we attending, hopefully I get to run into some of y'all!

 

[EnviroJusticeWarrior]

Is anyone applying to the University of Maryland by the way? I can try and answer some questions about the school or campus in general

 

[Nb30]

Tulane's MSPH in Global Environmental Health Sciences and GWU's MPH in Environmental Health Science and Policy

A lot of my undergrad research revolved around air quality and exposure assessments so I think it would be pretty awesome to explore the policy side of environmental justice (hence why GW's program appeals to me). But Tulane gives me a chance to expand my horizons, since I've lived in the Maryland/DC region my entire life and they have a plethora of risk assessment and sampling coursework so I'm sure the research opportunities there are endless as well, not to mention they have a strong partnership with the hurricane center which could be another avenue for me to explore!

It's a very hard choice, I guess I need to wait for GWU to get back to me regarding funding. They said they will assess my application and let me know by early February. Still waiting on a couple schools so it's just that time of year!

Once again, wish everyone the best of luck and when we do figure out where we attending, hopefully I get to run into some of y'all!

Congrats! Both programs sound amazing! Tulane's research centers are super extensive! Definitely do a visit and see how you like New Orleans

 

[kristaliize]

Hey everyone! I'm so happy to finally be able to post on a thread like this! I've got a couple questions too so I hope you guys can help me out

Undergrad School: UA (graduated Dec 2017)
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: 3.43/3.86
Major/Minor: Public Health/Women's Studies/Creative Writing
GRE: V: 154 Q: 145 (I just finished my test this morning so the scores aren't official haha!)
Experience/Research (please, be brief):
- summer internship abroad in South Korea assisting North Korean refugees
-recipient of Gilman International Scholarship
- internship at school's Women and Gender Resource Center
-three years of experience as office assistant

LOR: one from current employer, one from academic mentor, two from undergrad professors (we're very close!)
Special Factors: WOC (Black), LGBT, hometown is in under-served community

Interests: Sexual/Reproductive health, Women's Health, LGBT Health, Healthcare in rural areas

Applying: UAB,Tulane, UT-Houston, Emory, Columbia


I'm really nervous about my GRE score as it's not as good as I hope it would be, but I'm hoping that my LORs and my personal statement will make up for me. I also don't have much research experience outside class as I had a job all through undergraduate.

Question! Should I still apply for these schools right now? My GRE scores are low as I've mentioned before, and I could probably wait to take it again in February. However, the last two are my reach schools, but I'd honestly like to apply to them by January 5th so I can possibly be considered for Emory's merit scholarships. What do you guys think? Could I make it with my personal statement, GPA, etc. to make up for my lackluster score?

 

[SunshineSarahbelle]

I just got my acceptance letter for University of Texas Health Center!

 

[dubbz09]

I just got my acceptance letter for University of Texas Health Center!

Congrats!!

 

[mini312]

Ohhhh I didn't realize you were doing Spring admissions. If you could wait until fall, I think you'd have many better options open to you. But I understand wanting to get started.

I had the same logic as you when I applied re: less competitive schools giving more scholarships. My experience didn't actually play out that way, though. The lower tier schools I applied to (Buffalo and Colorado) gave me way less money and ended up being more expensive than higher tier schools that gave me substantial scholarships (Brown, Minnesota). The most affordable option for me ended up being Drexel, which I would say is a mid-tier school and gave me essentially 75% off tuition. I think bigger and more competitive schools have the resources to offer more scholarships than smaller or less competitive ones. But I didn't apply to any of the schools you picked and was a domestic applicant, so I really don't know if any of this applies to you. I will say that I've heard Rutgers is trying to develop and expand their public health programming, so it's possible they'd be motivated to attract top students with more money. I'd keep them on your list but I'm not sure about UAB or GSU.

Ohhhh I didn't realize you were doing Spring admissions. If you could wait until fall, I think you'd have many better options open to you. But I understand wanting to get started.

I had the same logic as you when I applied re: less competitive schools giving more scholarships. My experience didn't actually play out that way, though. The lower tier schools I applied to (Buffalo and Colorado) gave me way less money and ended up being more expensive than higher tier schools that gave me substantial scholarships (Brown, Minnesota). The most affordable option for me ended up being Drexel, which I would say is a mid-tier school and gave me essentially 75% off tuition. I think bigger and more competitive schools have the resources to offer more scholarships than smaller or less competitive ones. But I didn't apply to any of the schools you picked and was a domestic applicant, so I really don't know if any of this applies to you. I will say that I've heard Rutgers is trying to develop and expand their public health programming, so it's possible they'd be motivated to attract top students with more money. I'd keep them on your list but I'm not sure about UAB or GSU.

Hey, I went ahead and applied to Tulane, BU, GWU, Rutgers, Georgia State and UAB. (You can check my signature for what concentration I picked.) I got accepted by all the schools. BU has given me 15% scholarship and Rutgers and GWU are yet to update me on whether I will be getting any scholarship.

BU's offer is final and does not help significantly. Now I'm quite lost and not sure if I should go ahead and invest a huge amount for schools like BU and Tulane or go with something cheaper like UAB or Rutgers. Although cost is a major factor factor weighing in, I'd like to hear your opinion on which school would be a better choice in terms of teaching, research opportunities, career guidance and their general recognition in the public health field. In the end it should be worth it

P.S I'm particular about starting my course from Spring 2019. Hence, deferring the admissions or trying for Fall admission in other universities is not an option.

 

[JorMD]

Undergrad School: International (MD)
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: 3.59 (WES)
Major/Minor: Medicine
GRE: 160 V/ 163 Q/ 4.0 W
Experience/Research (please, be brief):
- 50 Publications in PubMed
- 16 IRB-approved studies (Principle investigator in more than 10 studies)
- Fellowship from two different medical societies

LOR: 3
Interests: Epidemiology
Applying: MPH Epi Harvard

Any thoughts about my chances to get acceptance from Harvard?
Thank you

 

[plsmphepi]

I just got my acceptance letter for University of Texas Health Center!

Which concentration?
Congrats!

 

[wwmmkk]

Hey, I went ahead and applied to Tulane, BU, GWU, Rutgers, Georgia State and UAB. (You can check my signature for what concentration I picked.) I got accepted by all the schools. BU has given me 15% scholarship and Rutgers and GWU are yet to update me on whether I will be getting any scholarship.

BU's offer is final and does not help significantly. Now I'm quite lost and not sure if I should go ahead and invest a huge amount for schools like BU and Tulane or go with something cheaper like UAB or Rutgers. Although cost is a major factor factor weighing in, I'd like to hear your opinion on which school would be a better choice in terms of teaching, research opportunities, career guidance and their general recognition in the public health field. In the end it should be worth it

P.S I'm particular about starting my course from Spring 2019. Hence, deferring the admissions or trying for Fall admission in other universities is not an option.

Congrats on your acceptances! I don't really feel comfortable giving you advice on which to choose because (1) I do not work in health policy or global health and (2) I didn't apply to any of those schools for my MPH, nor am I applying to any of them for my PhD. I'm just not informed. Hopefully others can comment.

I will say that unless you can pay out of pocket and already have the connections to get a lucrative job after your MPH, paying full price for an MPH at just about any school is a waste of money. Public health is not a high salary field, and return on investment even with scholarships is reasonable only for biostatistics and epidemiology. I'd encourage you to look at the cost of living in each city as well when making your decision. As international students cannot take out federal US loans, also consider how much more you'll be paying in interest from private loan companies if you need to borrow. Again, I don't know much about those schools, but unless you learn that one has enormously better career prospects than the others, I'd have finances weigh most heavily in your decision.

 

[vodkaaunt]

I just received an email from the University of Michigan asking me to create my student portal. It said that they will begin to review my application once it is complete in the portal (which it is). Does this mean I will hear back about a decision soon? Those of you who have applied in previous years, what did the timeline look like from here on out?

Thanks!

According to my posts from last year, I applied Nov 5 and was accepted Nov 17, which I think was the earliest batch of acceptances, but don't freak out if you don't hear anything back that early.

 

[SunshineSarahbelle]

Congrats!!

Thank you!! I was surprised at how fast they got back. Good luck to you!!

 

[vodkaaunt]

Hey all! I'll chime in with this from the Emory point of view, since I was deciding between a lot of programs before making my decision.

There is also a lot of homework/group work for classes at Emory, but most of it is very targeted and helps with your learning. I spend 4-10 hours weekly on biostatistics homework alone, but it has helped me build a very strong foundation of understanding and succeed on quizzes/exams. The curriculum isn't built to allow a lot of time for work + a lot of personal time, but I've been working 2 part-time jobs for the past month and just have to commit a lot of my weekend to schoolwork. Classes are quite hard, but manageable if you're focused and motivated. Overall, TAs and faculty are very approachable and your departmental ADAP is a great resource. They do try to help you find jobs/practicums-- but you need to put yourself out there and ask. Beware though, a lot of the CDC jobs prefer second year students or students with extensive prior work experience. You also will not be able to get the full $2500 of your REAL award in your first fall semester if you decide to take a CDC position, since it is incredibly unlikely that you will be approved to work before late Oct/early Nov.

Overall, I love it here. I am so glad that I went with my gut and chose Emory after my visit. I've gotten a fantastic internship (at the CDC), we have tons of fun social events (with free alcohol!), and the student organizations are fantastic. The culture is great. Some of the student organizations actually partner with the CDC, so if you're offered a spot (yes, you have to apply to these clubs), then you're getting useful skills and building a strong network.

Please feel free to PM me with any specific questions!

I'll chime in with Michigan I suppose, since I'm currently sitting here between classes This is all for Epid, since that's what I'm in. Advice from past years won't be as relevant because they just updated their curriculum for my cohort to meet the new CEPH requirements. (All schools will eventually have to do this, Michigan just decided to get a jump start, according to them.)

Your first semester, they will give you all the classes you have to take, and then in the following semesters you'll have more flexibility. Just know that if you apply to a specific concentration (Global Health, which is what I'm in, Hospital & Molecular Epid, etc), those are going to eat into your electives, so make sure it's something you want to do. With these CEPH requirements, we have to take core classes...hopefully with my cohort's feedback, they will be improved for the incoming class. I am taking the CEPH core class plus my extra global health class so I'm at 19 credits, but even with that, if you budget your time it is doable. I also took a biostats class before entering so I spend way less time on biostats homework than other people might.

I went to Michigan for the focus on quant work and I've been happy with it so far — we have an entire class dedicated to learning SAS, I'm taking a class on R next semester, our Epid class is really intense, and I have 3 biostats classes built into my curriculum. Since I'm in the global health program, I am required to do an internship abroad over the summer, so my experience might be a little different than the rest of my cohort, but everyone is helpful in giving you internship opportunities if you seek them out.

The students here are all really friendly, and the school builds in a lot of opportunities to meet other SPH students. Also there are talks happening constantly and so much research happening. If you seek out the opportunities, they are there for you. And all the professors want to help.

If you have more questions, you can send me a PM — it will go to my email so I can respond. I probably won't see replies to this post

 

[SunshineSarahbelle]

Which concentration?
Congrats!

I'm doing Epidemiology and I applied for the Austin campus. Thank you!! Good luck with all of your apps!

 

[acn2019]

Hi everyone! I am nervously waiting for my results, so I thought I would post here to see how everyone else is doing. Comment if you have heard back from anywhere yet!

Undergrad School: Big State School, c/o 2017
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: 3.81 (SOPHAS verified)
Major/Minor:Statistics and Political Science Double major
GRE: V: 167 (98th percentile), Q: 163(83rd percentile), AW: 4 (59th percentile)
Experience/Research:
-1.5 years (current position) Mathematical Statistician at the US Census Bureau
-Summer internship at State health department
-3 months full time internship at the US Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
-Published first author in small survey methodology journal
-1.5 years volunteering once a week with after school mentoring program

LOR: professor I was close with in undergrad, current boss at Census Bureau, supervisor at volunteering organization
Interests: Reproductive health, access to contraception, international surveys

Applied to: Johns Hopkins (MSPH) , BU (MPH), Columbia (MPH)- submitted 11/2 verified 11/6
Accepted: Johns Hopkins MSPH 11/21, BU+20k 12/19, Columbia + 50% 0ff
Rejected:
Waitlisted:
My number one is Johns Hopkins. I sat in on a class last week and it was amazing. Every professor and staff member I have interacted with has been responsive and so nice.

 

[jaehealth122]

---

 

[Ilovejesuschrist]

My SOPHAS applications were all verified a few weeks ago now. Since then I’ve had communication from the schools to open accounts on their individual portals. Except Emory! Has anyone heard anything from Emory yet?

Nothing from Emory yet

 

[acn2019]

Hi everyone! I'm a bit late to the conversation but looking for some guidance please!

Undergrad School: International MBBS
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: 3.55 (WES Evaluated 3.62)
Major/Minor: Bachelors of Medicine, Surgery (Hons.)
GRE (including date taken) or Other Test (if applicable): V 160, Q 160, Writing 4.0 taken on 9/17
Experience/Research (please, be brief):

- Medical Dr x 2y
- Community outreach projects
- Director of marketing at local health centre
- Assist on >2 research projects

Letter of Recommendations:
HOD of dept I worked in, supervisor at local health centre, supervisor for elective at US hospital, Dean of med school (pending)

Interested in: Health Policy and Mgmt
Applied/Applying (include the date of application): BU, JHU (MPH/MBA), Yale (mph/mba), Emory (mph/mba), Columbia (all sent 11/2, verified 11/6)
Accepted:
Rejected:
Waitlisted:

So far I've only received confirmation of receipt of application from JHU - is this normal? Or do I have to call? I know it's only been 2 days but they responded so quickly so I'm worried.
Also, to bolster my chances I'm wondering if I should broaden my reach. Considering GW, U Pitt, Brown and USF.

Any thoughts? Advice?
Please help!!!

I got a confirmation from JHU the day after I was verified but it took about 2 weeks to get confirmations from BU and Columbia.

 

[wwmmkk]

Hey all, how fast is verification taking these days?

I am applying for PhD programs, and since a minority of them use SOPHAS, I forgot about the verification wait. :/ Just submitted today for some 12/1 deadlines and hope I didn't just screw myself over.

 

[php2019]

Hey all, how fast is verification taking these days?

I am applying for PhD programs, and since a minority of them use SOPHAS, I forgot about the verification wait. :/ Just submitted today for some 12/1 deadlines and hope I didn't just screw myself over.

I submitted on 11/12 and it only took 4 hours! I think you should be fine.

 

[Uniqueusername13]

Hey all, how fast is verification taking these days?

I am applying for PhD programs, and since a minority of them use SOPHAS, I forgot about the verification wait. :/ Just submitted today for some 12/1 deadlines and hope I didn't just screw myself over.

I submitted for verification on Oct 26 and was verified in under 24 hours. So I’m going to say FAST!
Good luck to you! You’ve been a tremendous resource to me and to everyone else here.

 

[x0n]

Undergrad School: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: 3.26 (SOPHAS verified)
Major/Minor: Kinesiology
GRE: V: 141, Q: 145, AW: 3.5 (really bad, I know… I’m awful at standardized test taking)

Experience:
- 2 years chemistry lab assistant
- 1 year research assistant in public health department
- 30+ hours of occupational therapy observation
- Volunteer in Morocco in a village with children
- Volunteer for a hospital in health promotions
- Volunteer for the Australian Red Cross and the Australian National Stroke Foundation
- Volunteer for the Colombian Red Cross Society
- Volunteering in South Africa with International Volunteer HQ for 6 weeks starting in February

LOR: academic advisor from undergrad, public health professor from when I studied abroad in Australia, current employer (I’m a live in nanny for Columbia grad and now Yale professor), previous employer
Interests: Global Health, Maternal and Children’s Health, Community Health Sciences

Applied: GW (10/1), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (9/21), NYU (10/1), University of Arizona (9/6), University of Illinois Chicago (11/15), Tulane (11/15)
Accepted:
Rejected:
Waitlisted:


I’m super nervous about my low GRE and GPA. Really hoping I get into at least one school!
If anyone has any suggestions as to what my chances are at being accepted with my scores or any suggestions of other schools I should apply to I would really appreciate it!

Thanks

We have pretty similar scores. I think you have a fair shot at Sinai and NYU LMK if you have any questions on Sinai in particular.

 

[plsmphepi]

I'm doing Epidemiology and I applied for the Austin campus. Thank you!! Good luck with all of your apps!

I'm also applying for epi in UT! But I applied to Houston. What made you choose Austin?

 

[dubbz09]

I got a confirmation from JHU the day after I was verified but it took about 2 weeks to get confirmations from BU and Columbia.

Thanks! JHU seems to be pretty quick. I've finally gotten from everyone except Emory.

 

[dubbz09]

Nothing from Emory yet

Same!

 

[blb95]

Emory does take quite a bit of time to reach out! They are also going through re-accreditation over the next year, so things might be a bit slower than normal. It's so worth it though. Hang in there!

 

[EnviroJusticeWarrior]

Does anyone know the acceptance rate for MPH programs at Emory?

 

[kingorange9]

Accepted to GWU for Global Health Epidemiology and Disease Control

 

[el.mo19]

This has been super helpful! Thanks so much! Crossing my fingers!
Hope you hear from them soon as well!

I got an email from BU on Friday saying my app was complete, and that they'd get back to me in 4-6 weeks!

Best of luck to you!!

 

[dubbz09]

I got an email from BU on Friday saying my app was complete, and that they'd get back to me in 4-6 weeks!

Best of luck to you!!

Thank you! I got one from them on Friday saying I should join some gateway thing and they will let me know the status of my application in 7-10 days (I suppose this means complete/ incomplete). Buuuttt I found out that one of my recommenders forgot to attach the actual letter of recommendation on to SOPHAS, so Boston in particular wants me to have him mail it. Soo that will probably delay everything for a while but I'm still glad to at least be hearing back.

This was maybe TMI lol. But all the very best to you! Hopefully our responses come in before Christmas!

 

[Ilovejesuschrist]

Accepted to GWU for Global Health Epidemiology and Disease Control

Congrats!!
When was your application verified....and when did GW notify you that they had sent your application for review?

 

[Ilovejesuschrist]

I'm in at Hopkins Full Time MPH!!!!!
Grateful to God

 

[mrmeseeks]

I'm in at Hopkins Full Time MPH!!!!!
Grateful to God

Congrats!! Do you mind sharing when your app was submitted/verified/ how long it took to hear back after hopkins emailed you saying your app was complete?

 

[kingorange9]

Congrats!!
When was your application verified....and when did GW notify you that they had sent your application for review?

Verified on 9/17 and GW notified me on 10/3