MPH 2019: Applied, Waitlisted, Accepted!

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Soooo now the hard part.. making a decision!
It's looking like it's coming down to Columbia vs Hopkins for me. So my career goal is to become an epidemiologist with a focus on global health and infectious disease(say working for international, gov't or state health org).I've been admitted to Columbia's MPH Epidemiology program w/ certificate in Global Health and for Hopkins, it's MSPH in International Health in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control. Do you guys have any insight on what the better program is? I know "better" is subjective but if I know I want to go into epidemiology, is Columbia the better fit since Hopkins is more broad? Or would I be able to achieve the same goal from either school? Any insight on either program would be super helpful!
 
ktenn10 said:
I got this email too and just submitted the app for them. I tried to look up those awards and I can't find any info on it. I haven't received any scholarships or financial aid packages from Emory, so I'm hoping this means they've got some decent need-based award packages. I did think it was interesting that the app asked for financial awards students have received from other schools, though.
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Same here! I've only really heard from one school about their awards though. I'm debating on waiting a couple days to see if anything comes in. However, they did say to submit it as soon as possible.
 
krequals10 said:
Same here! I've only really heard from one school about their awards though. I'm debating on waiting a couple days to see if anything comes in. However, they did say to submit it as soon as possible.
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I haven't received any financial aid/loan packages from the schools I applied to just yet, so I'm not sure if I should just submit the application without other school's offers..
 
suecakep said:
I haven't received any financial aid/loan packages from the schools I applied to just yet, so I'm not sure if I should just submit the application without other school's offers..
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It might be worth an email to Emory's financial aid department?? I actually might do that now haha
 
Does anyone have any info regarding extending the Apr. 15th deadline? My boyfriend and I are hoping to go to the same school but since he's applying for law school, some decisions don't come in until May. Any insights much appreciated!
 
Just heading back home from UW's visit day! It doesn't sound like too popular of a program among people on this forum, but I'll just give some feedback in case anybody wants some info or overall thoughts on the program. This is mostly UW mph epi specific.

1. UW has a very strong epi program. They have a huge focus on quantitative methods in order to ensure that their students come away with an applicable set of skills. There is a lot of room for personalization after your first 2 quarters so that you can take electives that interest you.

2. UW is VERY collaborative. They encourage you to explore courses in the global health dept and even in other graduate schools. Some people will create their own unique niche this way in specific concentrations. They also offer certificates you can apply to through the grad program. The best way to tailor your degree to your needs is through choosing electives, a practicum experience at a place you're interested in, and by choosing a thesis on a topic you want to study. There is a lot of research going on in global health, reproductive and child health, and aging / cognition and neurodegenerative diseases. These are not a focus of every program, and so it's great if you have interest in any of these.

3. Funding through RA and TA positions is frequent. Many students either become an RA through an organized program called START or by enrolling in independent study and then continuing research with this faculty member. Funding is widely avertised and there is a lot of it if you look hard enough and be proactive about it.

4. Seattle is a great city to live in. The public transit is awesome and free if you're a student. You can get away with not having a car. The city has many places closer and farther away from campus to live. A lot of grad students tend to live a little farther from campus (10 to 20 min bus ride). Rent seems pretty average for a big city. The neighborhoods I explored felt relatively safe and clean. The diversity of the city and the campus is a big plus. There are also a lot of different types of cuisine, which is a huge deal for foodies like me.

5. If you are at all considering continuing on to a PhD, they make the transition from mph to phd pretty easy. If you go through the mph program and take the phd prelim exam after your first year (you will know all the epi methods necessary by then), they have a 95% acceptance rate into the epi phd program for continuing UW students. It's a huge plus for me because if I do decide to get my phd, I will be setting myself up to still be on track for the program. In addition, if you choose your electives strategically, you can complete most phd core requirements during your mph degree, which could allow you to potentially finish your phd in only about two extra years (depending on your research, of course).

Overall, I really enjoyed my visit. I think UW has a great vibe. They know they are a top ranked program, but it's not a self promoting one. The students seem to feel supported in many different ways. It's just a great community and I'm excited to become part of a strong and supportive epi program!
 
brokenboujie said:
Soooo now the hard part.. making a decision!
It's looking like it's coming down to Columbia vs Hopkins for me. So my career goal is to become an epidemiologist with a focus on global health and infectious disease(say working for international, gov't or state health org).I've been admitted to Columbia's MPH Epidemiology program w/ certificate in Global Health and for Hopkins, it's MSPH in International Health in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control. Do you guys have any insight on what the better program is? I know "better" is subjective but if I know I want to go into epidemiology, is Columbia the better fit since Hopkins is more broad? Or would I be able to achieve the same goal from either school? Any insight on either program would be super helpful!
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Dang, I'm having the same kinda of dilemma between Columbia Epi (Global Health) and JHU MSPH GDEC. I'm scheduling some convos with students at both schools to get more info. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to bounce off ideas!
 
MuppetLord said:
Dang, I'm having the same kinda of dilemma between Columbia Epi (Global Health) and JHU MSPH GDEC. I'm scheduling some convos with students at both schools to get more info. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to bounce off ideas!
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I'm with you too! Just visit Columbia and will be visiting Hopkins next week. If you are at Hopkins next week, would you like to meet to bounce off ideas?
 
oxytocin16 said:
I'm with you too! Just visit Columbia and will be visiting Hopkins next week. If you are at Hopkins next week, would you like to meet to bounce off ideas?
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I'll be at admitted students day on the 8th, so absolutely! I'll send you a PM so we can figure out details.
 
Hi! For those who went to the Columbia students day, would you mind sharing your thoughts? I literally still haven't heard back, and would probably only go if I get a scholarship because of the NYC COL, but you know, if I do get in it kinda sucks to have entirely missed the admitted students events :/
 
doctorjonesofhampton said:
I just received an email from GW awarding me $23k in additional institutional grant funding. And it's a Sunday. Am I getting pranked or something? :eyebrow:
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Congrats! Can I ask you How much your initial scholarship was? And have you did anything—like an email or filling an application— to obtain this additional award?
 
Hi everyone! I wanted to share my thoughts on Columbia's admitted students day:

-The dean and the professors were really trying to sell us on the school. I liked the vibe- after visiting some schools for undergrad that had a "you need us" rather than "We want you" vibe, this was important to me.
- The departmental session was the real selling point for me. The population family department was amazing. The current students were excited to be there and involved in really cool research and TA positions. There were a lot of faculty members there who spoke to us and stayed for lunch to talk with us in small groups.
- The alumni have cool jobs and the alumni network and department seem to have great connections and are happy to help you. They have alumni at all of the places at the top of my list to work (Population Council, UNFPA, and UN Women)

Also, many students TA and RA in their second semester. I has been talked about that students can't TA or RA the first year. Ths is only true of the first semester.
 
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SunshineSarahbelle said:
3. Funding through RA and TA positions is frequent. Many students either become an RA through an organized program called START or by enrolling in independent study and then continuing research with this faculty member. Funding is widely avertised and there is a lot of it if you look hard enough and be proactive about it.
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Might be a dumb q, but when you say funding do you mean these positions provide a tuition waiver or like a stipend/hourly wage (or both?)
 
Memm77 said:
Congrats! Can I ask you How much your initial scholarship was? And have you did anything—like an email or filling an application— to obtain this additional award?
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Thanks. I was initially awarded 19k deans scholarship and the institutional grant is from filling the CSS profile I think.
 
SunshineSarahbelle said:
Just heading back home from UW's visit day! It doesn't sound like too popular of a program among people on this forum, but I'll just give some feedback in case anybody wants some info or overall thoughts on the program. This is mostly UW mph epi specific.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your sharing! I’m planning to go to MS epi!
Have you contacted any epi student? I hope to get more information about faculty members and work experience after graduating from the MS program. I might not pursue a Ph.D. after graduation.
 
So here's a weird one -

I emailed Cornell for an update on my application, and they responded that I would be alerted later this month. A few minutes later, I received another email asking me if I had received offers from any other MPH programs yet.

I responded with the names of the schools i've gotten into as at this point....I think it could only help my app which has been bouncing around their committee for 4 months. Pretty odd though yeah?
 
Woke up to an email with my BU finaid offer. Got a small need based grant, but predominantly loans.
 
alekazam13 said:
Does anyone know when UIC or SLU releases whether or not we received a scholarship or financial assistance?
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I received an email from UIC on Saturday that my award letter is ready, but I can't view it until they email me login info for the portal, which they said would come in 1 to 3 business days. So it's sitting there waiting for me, and I can't read it, torture haha.
 
TD2018 said:
I received an email from UIC on Saturday that my award letter is ready, but I can't view it until they email me login info for the portal, which they said would come in 1 to 3 business days. So it's sitting there waiting for me, and I can't read it, torture haha.
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That's odd, I received login info for the portal as soon as I was accepted. I hope you get more aid than I ended up getting. I also got my award letter Saturday, but there was no true aid award - all loans. Given my financial situation, I was pretty surprised. But from what I've been able to find on their website, it seemed that they have very few institutional awards that go out, and I wasn't able to find information on when those exactly get distributed. It looked to me like being able to score an RA, TA, or GA-ship were the best bets on getting aid. Has anyone been able to find other info? I'd love to hear insight and general impressions from anyone seriously considering UIC. I'm from the Chicago suburbs myself but don't think I have a true feel for the program just yet.
 
Amvist1819 said:
That's odd, I received login info for the portal as soon as I was accepted. I hope you get more aid than I ended up getting. I also got my award letter Saturday, but there was no true aid award - all loans. Given my financial situation, I was pretty surprised. But from what I've been able to find on their website, it seemed that they have very few institutional awards that go out, and I wasn't able to find information on when those exactly get distributed. It looked to me like being able to score an RA, TA, or GA-ship were the best bets on getting aid. Has anyone been able to find other info? I'd love to hear insight and general impressions from anyone seriously considering UIC. I'm from the Chicago suburbs myself but don't think I have a true feel for the program just yet.
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Ok, I'm dumb, I had access....haha. All loans for me as well, and it's out of state tuition so that makes it tough... Any idea how plentiful RA and TA-ships are?
 
TD2018 said:
Ok, I'm dumb, I had access....haha. All loans for me as well, and it's out of state tuition so that makes it tough... Any idea how plentiful RA and TA-ships are?
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Coming in without faculty relationships established, probably slim. Because I've TA-ed and RA-ed in undergrad I'm gonna try to sell that experience and get one anyway, though. Afterwards, it's hard to tell. I didn't get a good idea from one of the faculty members, other than them saying that is the way most students get aid, IF they are able to secure a position. They will post them on the student SPHViews ListServ, which we will get more info about in April, though I think you really get to have access once you've submitted your deposit.
 
Amvist1819 said:
That's odd, I received login info for the portal as soon as I was accepted. I hope you get more aid than I ended up getting. I also got my award letter Saturday, but there was no true aid award - all loans. Given my financial situation, I was pretty surprised. But from what I've been able to find on their website, it seemed that they have very few institutional awards that go out, and I wasn't able to find information on when those exactly get distributed. It looked to me like being able to score an RA, TA, or GA-ship were the best bets on getting aid. Has anyone been able to find other info? I'd love to hear insight and general impressions from anyone seriously considering UIC. I'm from the Chicago suburbs myself but don't think I have a true feel for the program just yet.
Click to expand...
TD2018 said:
Ok, I'm dumb, I had access....haha. All loans for me as well, and it's out of state tuition so that makes it tough... Any idea how plentiful RA and TA-ships are?
Click to expand...
I visited UIC back in November. From what I could tell from my conversations with the academic coordinator of epi and biostates, TA-ships are reserved for second year students and RA-ships were more for MS students. However, the guy said that there are a lot of opportunities off-campus, especially with all the hospitals/organizations nearby and the research they do. Overall, I got the impression that while UIC is a small program, they are very supportive of their MPH students in the way that they help cater students' degree path to what they want to do career-wise. I'm not a huge fan of the SPH building itself but Chicago and UIC campus is pretty nice.
 
twinkysaur said:
I visited UIC back in November. From what I could tell from my conversations with the academic coordinator of epi and biostates, TA-ships are reserved for second year students and RA-ships were more for MS students. However, the guy said that there are a lot of opportunities off-campus, especially with all the hospitals/organizations nearby and the research they do. Overall, I got the impression that while UIC is a small program, they are very supportive of their MPH students in the way that they help cater students' degree path to what they want to do career-wise. I'm not a huge fan of the SPH building itself but Chicago and UIC campus is pretty nice.
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Thanks, that's really helpful! Disheartening, though, as the tuition waiver is really what would set this program apart for me. Saving 20K between UIC and other programs is still significant, but the ability to have a good shot at tuition waiver aid is really what I was hoping for here.
 
suecakep said:
I haven't received any financial aid/loan packages from the schools I applied to just yet, so I'm not sure if I should just submit the application without other school's offers..
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Hey! did you end up submitting without the other school's offers? I'm in the same situation & unsure if i should just submit now or wait until later this week incase anything comes through from other schools 🙂
 
are funding decisions (ie scholarships/merit aid, etc) automatic for programs? Or are you all applying to funding options? If so, how did you find out about these? If not, when is the timeline for when we should find out about them?

Thanks!
 
did anyone else get an email from BU about applying for a dean's scholarship for 100% tuition?/ Anyone know when they will announce the results?
 
mph4me said:
Hey! did you end up submitting without the other school's offers? I'm in the same situation & unsure if i should just submit now or wait until later this week incase anything comes through from other schools 🙂
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I ended up sending them an email asking if they would prefer we wait or submit the app as soon as possible. I haven't heard back though. I plan on submitting the app this evening or tomorrow morning at the latest.
 
miraenn said:
the wait for berkeley is driving me up the wall... :nailbiting:
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called the epi/biostats dept again today, finally answered after a week of voicemail. she said they made their final decisions last week (final wave i believe is what she said) and the decisions have to be centralized through one office (this made no sense lol) and that we should hear back this week.

#overit
 
Hi Everyone! I've never posted before but this page has been extremely helpful. I figured I'd post now since it's better late than never.

Undergrad School: UCI (will graduate in June 2019)
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: 3.4 / 3.7
Major: Public Health
GRE: 148 V, 152 Q, 4 W (November 2018)
Experience/Research:
- 3 months summer research assistant in Epidemiology
- 3 months Environmental Advocacy and Research Intern
- 3 months research assistant in Earth system science
-9 months volunteer as a Crisis Counselor
LOR: 2 from public health professors, 1 from the PI in the epi lab I researched at
Interests: Environmental Health
Applied: UCI (11/30), UCLA (11/30), UCB (11/30), SDSU (1/25), CSUF (1/28)
Accepted: UCLA (1/31), UCB (2/5), UCI + $$ (2/15)
Waitlisted/Rejected:
 
eskiiit said:
called the epi/biostats dept again today, finally answered after a week of voicemail. she said they made their final decisions last week (final wave i believe is what she said) and the decisions have to be centralized through one office (this made no sense lol) and that we should hear back this week.

#overit
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Thanks for sharing! It's ridiculous how long they have made us wait.
 
TD2018 said:
I received an email from UIC on Saturday that my award letter is ready, but I can't view it until they email me login info for the portal, which they said would come in 1 to 3 business days. So it's sitting there waiting for me, and I can't read it, torture haha.
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Yeah. I woke up to it today. All I got were loans. 55k a year. The login information should be in your inbox.
Amvist1819 said:
That's odd, I received login info for the portal as soon as I was accepted. I hope you get more aid than I ended up getting. I also got my award letter Saturday, but there was no true aid award - all loans. Given my financial situation, I was pretty surprised. But from what I've been able to find on their website, it seemed that they have very few institutional awards that go out, and I wasn't able to find information on when those exactly get distributed. It looked to me like being able to score an RA, TA, or GA-ship were the best bets on getting aid. Has anyone been able to find other info? I'd love to hear insight and general impressions from anyone seriously considering UIC. I'm from the Chicago suburbs myself but don't think I have a true feel for the program just yet.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I am wondering the same thing. I looked at the TA/RA part, and it said that initially these are given out by need, and the rest of us have to find a professor when we are there who is willing to sponsor us for a TA/RA job.
 
mph4me said:
Hey! did you end up submitting without the other school's offers? I'm in the same situation & unsure if i should just submit now or wait until later this week incase anything comes through from other schools 🙂
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I haven't submitted the application yet. Emailed Emory but I doubt I'm going to get a response soon... Last time, they were very slow at replying to my email. I'm just going to submit it by the end of this week while waiting for other schools' offers.
 
Can't believe it, but I just found out I was awarded a fellowship at Harvard (the Foreign Language & Area Studies Fellowship -- not housed in the School of Public Health) that will provide me with full tuition award + a $15,000 stipend for the first year of the mph program. Still completely in shock as it is a university wide fellowship, and I really didn't think I had a chance competing against grad students from other Harvard programs.

The fellowship supports students who already have some proficiency in a typically under-studied language to continue to study that language alongside "area studies" courses (public health with a focus on SS Africa in my case).

It still leaves funding for the last semester of the program up in the air, but I think as of now makes Harvard my most affordable option. :heckyeah:
 
MPAfya_19 said:
Can't believe it, but I just found out I was awarded a fellowship at Harvard (the Foreign Language & Area Studies Fellowship -- not housed in the School of Public Health) that will provide me with full tuition award + a $15,000 stipend for the first year of the mph program. Still completely in shock as it is a university wide fellowship, and I really didn't think I had a chance competing against grad students from other Harvard programs.

The fellowship supports students who already have some proficiency in a typically under-studied language to continue to study that language alongside "area studies" courses (public health with a focus on SS Africa in my case).

It still leaves funding for the last semester of the program up in the air, but I think as of now makes Harvard my most affordable option. :heckyeah:
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That's amazing! Congratulations!
 
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