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See you in the fall!! I’ll be in MPH Health Policy but we’ll probably cross paths!
See you in the fall!! I’ll be in MPH Health Policy but we’ll probably cross paths!
upstreamist
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Whoa dude, congratulations! Sad we won’t be classmates but I’m happy for you 🙂 best of luck with everything in the future!
Yes! I’ll probably end up reaching out to you in a few weeks to inquire about apartments/neighborhoods . Hope to connect in the Fall!
Thank you! It was a difficult decision but happy it’s over with. I’m sure you’ll love Emory—I’ve heard nothing but positive reviews!
SunshineWings
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Was it on the SIS website? I've still not gotten anything :/
Yeah it was on the SIS thing, I clicked on financial aid -> view financial aid -> Menu and then there were a ton of options to click on that weren't there earlier. They were the stingiest program in terms of work-study for me (which is really the only federal aid grad students can get that isn't loans), but hopefully there will be better news for you!
SunshineWings
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Thank you, I'll keep checking on it. And sorry about the work-study, I know Hopkins can be really expensive but I didn't know they were stingy that sucks
When did you get your SIS ID? I was admitted quite a while back but don't think I got it unless I lost it in my email
SunshineWings
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I got mine on Feb 18 but you should be able to reach out to [email protected] and ask for your SIS ID
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I have a question for those admitted to Johns Hopkins and are waiting for financial aid. In my portal, the homepage says "2020-2021 financial aid award notifications will begin in March. Please wait until you receive email instructions before accepting/declining your aid in SIS. If no aid is listed for you, it means we are still reviewing your file. Please be patient, you will hear from us shortly." However, as someone mentioned earlier, I was able to see the additional options in the dropdown menu (e.g. Accept Awards, View Awards, Disbursements, etc). Does anyone know if my financial aid package is complete?
Sorry I'm a bit confused. I got an email from JHU saying that they haven't sent out the JHU ED IDs or SIS IDs yet and will only do so over the summer. Is this is a department thing or am I missing something here?
Dealing with Hopkins financial aid has been a nightmare. It’s like talking to a brick wall. I’m worried I won’t get any aid now because I’m struggling to communicate with them & send my documents. Really anxious right now.
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Has anyone received any info about Hopkins postponing their admissions decision deadline?
Sorry to hear :/ I don't know if this adds to anything you already heard from them but in my emails with financial aid, the office is taking a bit longer this time around due to the COVID situation. They also told me that it will take 4-6 weeks after a "complete application" before posting any reward.
I am having THE hardest time trying to decide where to go (as I'm sure many others are as well). I know there are so many different opinions about the MPH degree itself, saying it's not worth the debt, big names don't matter etc... and so I'm starting to even second guess the degree...I still 100% want to work in global health nutrition/policy/economics, but now I'm starting to wonder if I should pursue a different degree to get me there, especially since my undergrad is in public health. With all this social distancing giving me endless time to think and no ability to tour the schools, I have found myself starting to second guess the MPH, its value, and the programs I have applied to. So I would just like some input on my situation. Also, even though I have received scholarships from GW and Yale, I will still be taking out loans no matter where I go. Basically this is where I'm torn:
Yale MPH vs GW MPH vs Tufts School of Nutrition
Yale MPH in Social & Behavioral: everyone of my family members/close friends says to pick Yale because of the name and connections you get from it. I see the reasoning in this, and have spoken to Yale alum both within MPH and outside the school of public health, who all say the connections and Yale community is incredible. I also really like the ability to take classes in other schools at Yale, there are a few classes in the Law School I would love to take. But again, I've seen so many posts about how an MPH from an Ivy isn't the same as say, an MBA or other grad degree from the same school, and name doesn't really matter in public health. However, if I chose Yale, I would also complete a second masters concurrently, the MA degree in International Development Economics. The kicker is that this MA degree provides no internal funding/financial aid, so that is another year of school at 48k tuition + living expenses. However, a lot of the jobs that alum of this degree hold are in the UN and such organizations, and a long term goal of mine is to work at the World Bank, so I think having that Economics degree will be really beneficial and worth the investment. But I don't know if the Yale MPH degree is worth the same, so part of me thinks I should just forego the MPH and just do the MA in development economics (apply this cycle and start next year - also gives me another year to save money, and the MA degree is only one year). But then who is to say I will be accepted next year for the economics program and by then I will have thrown away my concrete acceptances. Basically, I'm worried that I won't see a return on my investment from the Yale MPH in SBS alone. There are a few professors there whom I would love to work under doing research, I worry I won't have real job outcomes at the end of my experience at Yale with just the MPH.
GW MPH in Global Health Program Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation: This degree plus the fact that I am in DC really attracts me because it seems like a very practical degree that will enable me to get real jobs both during my MPH education and after I graduate. I have spoken to two alumni of this degree who are in the workforce and pursuing jobs that I know I would enjoy. However, my hang-up is that while I may have a plethora of jobs at my finger tips because I am in DC, will this degree get me the BEST job? Sort of quantity over quality is what I see. In turn, while I would get the practical experience, there really aren't any research projects or professors that particularly stand out to me or that I would want to work under. So while I will get more practical experience than I think I would with any other program I've applied to, I would forego any major research interests of mine.
Tufts School of Nutrition: I was accepted into a dual degree at Tufts- MPH in Public Health Nutrition and MS in Agriculture, Food and Environment. However, the Tufts MPH program is not as enticing to me as the other MPH program to which I have been accepted, so if I chose Tufts, I would elect to only pursue the MS degree. After completing the MS, I would either seek out an accelerated MPH program perhaps from Harvard or Hopkins, or apply to Yale's MA in International Development Economics. The graduates of the Tufts Nutrition school go onto work for such organizations as FAO and World Bank and so this seems like the right fit for me. However, I have yet to receive any aid whatsoever from Tufts and have read that they don't give a lot of aid. Taking out full loans for two years to live and study in Boston is a little daunting, especially if I would then pursue another degree afterwards. Otherwise, I think the Tufts nutrition degree and the research being done there aligns well with what I am interested in.
My dream school would be the Yale community and economics degree, in DC, combined with the Tufts Nutrition degree, and of course entirely paid for...lol... of course that is not the reality so I just want to make the best decision. Being 100% honest, I think there is a part of me that says obviously I have to go with the Ivy (and that's what everyone else says to me, "it's Yale!") while then the less starry-eyed side of me says I should pick GW or Tufts. And THEN there is still a third side of me who says to reconsider the programs I have already put in the "not going" column - Emory, Columbia, UNC, Berkeley. Even though none of them have given me aid and I've put them in that column for a lot of valid reasons.
Basically, I have no idea where to go and have less than a month to decide. I just want the best possible job outcomes with no regret or wondering if I picked the right program, and the best return on my investment. I wish there was a magic all-knowing ball to show me what my life would be like with each program!
Yale MPH vs GW MPH vs Tufts School of Nutrition
Yale MPH in Social & Behavioral: everyone of my family members/close friends says to pick Yale because of the name and connections you get from it. I see the reasoning in this, and have spoken to Yale alum both within MPH and outside the school of public health, who all say the connections and Yale community is incredible. I also really like the ability to take classes in other schools at Yale, there are a few classes in the Law School I would love to take. But again, I've seen so many posts about how an MPH from an Ivy isn't the same as say, an MBA or other grad degree from the same school, and name doesn't really matter in public health. However, if I chose Yale, I would also complete a second masters concurrently, the MA degree in International Development Economics. The kicker is that this MA degree provides no internal funding/financial aid, so that is another year of school at 48k tuition + living expenses. However, a lot of the jobs that alum of this degree hold are in the UN and such organizations, and a long term goal of mine is to work at the World Bank, so I think having that Economics degree will be really beneficial and worth the investment. But I don't know if the Yale MPH degree is worth the same, so part of me thinks I should just forego the MPH and just do the MA in development economics (apply this cycle and start next year - also gives me another year to save money, and the MA degree is only one year). But then who is to say I will be accepted next year for the economics program and by then I will have thrown away my concrete acceptances. Basically, I'm worried that I won't see a return on my investment from the Yale MPH in SBS alone. There are a few professors there whom I would love to work under doing research, I worry I won't have real job outcomes at the end of my experience at Yale with just the MPH.
GW MPH in Global Health Program Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation: This degree plus the fact that I am in DC really attracts me because it seems like a very practical degree that will enable me to get real jobs both during my MPH education and after I graduate. I have spoken to two alumni of this degree who are in the workforce and pursuing jobs that I know I would enjoy. However, my hang-up is that while I may have a plethora of jobs at my finger tips because I am in DC, will this degree get me the BEST job? Sort of quantity over quality is what I see. In turn, while I would get the practical experience, there really aren't any research projects or professors that particularly stand out to me or that I would want to work under. So while I will get more practical experience than I think I would with any other program I've applied to, I would forego any major research interests of mine.
Tufts School of Nutrition: I was accepted into a dual degree at Tufts- MPH in Public Health Nutrition and MS in Agriculture, Food and Environment. However, the Tufts MPH program is not as enticing to me as the other MPH program to which I have been accepted, so if I chose Tufts, I would elect to only pursue the MS degree. After completing the MS, I would either seek out an accelerated MPH program perhaps from Harvard or Hopkins, or apply to Yale's MA in International Development Economics. The graduates of the Tufts Nutrition school go onto work for such organizations as FAO and World Bank and so this seems like the right fit for me. However, I have yet to receive any aid whatsoever from Tufts and have read that they don't give a lot of aid. Taking out full loans for two years to live and study in Boston is a little daunting, especially if I would then pursue another degree afterwards. Otherwise, I think the Tufts nutrition degree and the research being done there aligns well with what I am interested in.
My dream school would be the Yale community and economics degree, in DC, combined with the Tufts Nutrition degree, and of course entirely paid for...lol... of course that is not the reality so I just want to make the best decision. Being 100% honest, I think there is a part of me that says obviously I have to go with the Ivy (and that's what everyone else says to me, "it's Yale!") while then the less starry-eyed side of me says I should pick GW or Tufts. And THEN there is still a third side of me who says to reconsider the programs I have already put in the "not going" column - Emory, Columbia, UNC, Berkeley. Even though none of them have given me aid and I've put them in that column for a lot of valid reasons.
Basically, I have no idea where to go and have less than a month to decide. I just want the best possible job outcomes with no regret or wondering if I picked the right program, and the best return on my investment. I wish there was a magic all-knowing ball to show me what my life would be like with each program!
This is interesting advice! The GW degree I am currently in for is in-person full two year program, and seeing as I have less than 2 years work experience, even if I tried to switch, I am not sure I would qualify for the accelerated degree?
Have you considered the MHS in Global Health Economics at Hopkins? Sounds like it might fit your interests. Master of Health Science in Global Health Economics (MHS)
I'll look into that, thank you!
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I was accepted into the 11-month MPH program and received an email containing my SIS ID on 2/13/2020.
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Did they define what a "complete application" is?
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I am still waiting too, but at this point I doubt that I will get anything...
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Update for Hopkins. I received an email earlier regarding the completion of my financial aid package. I guess it is official once they email you.
SunshineWings
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I'm not sure what department you're in but I think they sent out the SIS sometime between late January and end of February, It's definitely worth reaching out to ask either your department or the financial aid office
SunshineWings
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Thanks for the update! I still got nothing 🙁
Hi amr2297,
I resonate with this so deeply! I am currently mainly trying to decide between GW and Harvard. I initially thought it would be an easy decision. GW very generously offered me a scholarship which would cover my full tuition, while Harvard did not offer anything. I initially wasn't going to consider Harvard at all, but after speaking with some current students at the program there I am re-considering. It sounds like the program provides very good training in quantitative and qualitative research skills and also has a very supportive community (amongst the cohort and the professors) and a really great network with many opportunities to get involved with interesting research. I don't know as much about the GW program yet because I still need to talk to students who have gone through the program. However, my impression is that I would be able to find the same things at GW. The GW program does seem to value professional experience more, with most of the students working while studying starting from first semester. I feel like the opportunity to work with the global health organizations that are in DC whilst studying would be an amazing opportunity, but also worry that work will take away from my academics (though of course sometimes you can develop skills better through work vs school). I feel like this should be a no-brainer as Harvard would be ~$50k more expensive per year, but I am still struggling to make a decision.
Sorry this isn't all that useful since I am still very confused, but just wanted to let you know I am in the same boat and understand your struggle!
Follow up question! So I was accepted to the MPH - Epidemiology program at NYU, Penn State, Rutgers, and UIC but I'm having a really tough time figuring out which school is better in terms of the experience and education. If anyone has any advice or input regarding the pros/cons of any of these programs, I would love to hear it!! Thanks guys 😀
Just got the email from Hopkins financial aid as well, although nothing had changed for my awards since I checked it yesterday.
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Hopefully, they'll get to you soon! This wait is getting unbearable because we are expected to make our decisions soon amidst this COVID-19 pandemonium. I key point I wanted to make is that if you aren't considered for a merit scholarship now, it may not be the end-all-be-all. There are plenty of bright-minded individuals who got scholarships to multiple universities. In other words, after they commit, there will be pools of unawarded capital for numerous universities. Of course, the schools can choose to hold on to it or they can redistribute them to deserving candidates. If your top choice didn't give you any funding, it is worth sending their office of financial aid an email, closer to commit date, asking for an appeal. You can find plenty of advice on how to write such a statement in some of the earlier pages of this forum, but since I am planning to compose one myself, here is a nice summary from @zvarn.
"I appealed based on what previous years have suggested once I was awarded an initial amount of financial aid. Past forums haven't been the best about updating whether or not this has worked for them (people fall off posting once they commit), but I'll try my best to let you know if anything comes out of my various appeals. Here's the basic formula I used for Columbia:
1. Explain to them that their school is your top choice due to x, y, z
2. Thank them graciously for the amount they have offered.
3. Indicate that your choice in commitment will ultimately come down to funding. If you've been awarded a substantial amount to somewhere else: "another top program has awarded me x amount, which will reduce my yearly tuition to y amount." You could also bring up your income here (I did) or cost of living differences.
4. Don't ask directly about matching an offer, I said something along the lines of "avenues of alternative funding" or something like that. Ask straight up for the appeal though!
Remember that you've worked really hard to get where you are, and you deserve access to higher education." -@zvarn
For me, I wasn't offered any grant aid, so I will use the advice that applies to my situation. Hope this helps!
Thanks for pulling up this post again! I am drafting a financial aid appeal right now. Does anyone know if it's appropriate to mention a.) job losses as a result of COVID-19 and/or b.) reiterate accomplishments that make you stand out? I know they can see my application but I'm worried they'll just look at the email and not reexamine my application. Also, is this just addressed to the office of financial aid or someone else?
Thank you!!
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Glad to be of assistance. My $0.02 is this. If the issues you raise can add to your overall argument, I say go for it. Ultimately, it is all about how it is worded and if done correctly, it can persuade them. I will caution against reiterating achievements or stats that were already in your application package and reviewed by the offices of admissions and financial aid. I am sure they will have to reopen your file and reevaluate it because it is unlikely that they will remember your academic and extracurricular laurels. Instead, if you have any notable achievements in the time since you were admitted, I would mention those.
Of course, as you mentioned, they could just ignore your, my, or anyone's email completely. This may be independent of anything you bring up in the email because it may be a policy--not redistributing merit aid--that they enforce at their institution. It's worth a shot, though.
Hope this helps!
Hi everyone! Anyone else accepted at LSHTM? I actually just got into their new MSc in Health Data Science. I’m a little confused/torn because my other best option is the Yale MPH in chronic disease epidemiology. They’re obviously very different, but what I want out of the degree is a solid background in statistics and health data methods and to get involved in interesting research, which I think both could provide. This course at LSHTM is one year, cheaper, and seems to lean a little more “professional”. I’m from the U.S. but my partner is based in London currently. I would really, really appreciate hearing any opinions or chatting with anyone who applied in London! I hope you’re all staying as safe as possible!
Hi! I'm also accepted at LSHTM - MSc in Health Policy, Planning + Financing (joint program with LSE). I'm still trying to decide between that program or Accelerated MPH at Columbia.
I'm actually leaning towards LSTHM for a lot of reasons:
- The price, as you mentioned, is significantly less. I don't know what the cost of living is at Yale, but at least between Columbia and LSHTM, while they're both in expensive cities, the total CoA I received from both schools still made LSHTM less expensive.
- LSHTM will provide a more global health perspective while Columbia is likely to be US-focused - and my dream is to work in global health policy for the UN, Gates Foundation, etc.
- I like the idea of being with students with professional experience (as I also have been working for a few years) and with international experience (as I've lived outside the US for 10 years although I am American).
- Finally, I think because LSHTM is so specialized, when you speak about it to people outside of public health, they don't know it. So there's this factor of: I need to go to the name-recognized school. I was battling internally a lot with that because Columbia is *Columbia*. But LSHTM is without a doubt the best public health school in Europe and a lot of friends I have working for the UN in Geneva have done their MPHs there.
I hope that helps! Please reach out if you want to discuss more and if you decide on going there! I haven't committed yet but I'm super close 🙂
I was told by financial aid that all institutional/departmental awards have already been given out- the office of fin aid starts reviewing packages for grad students in April and can not guarantee that you will have it before decision deadline.. also mentioned that the only thing that will be on that award, if you haven't received an institutional/departmental award, is the amount of loans that you are approved for
Pretty disappointing as I really feel like having cost of attendance is an important thing to have before making a decision..
Hope everyone is doing as well as can be expected in these crazy times!
Like many of you, I am really struggling to decide between schools.. I do eventually plan on getting a PhD
I did have someone (who went to UNC for her MPH and has since worked at Harvard, Dartmouth, and CDC) tell me that ranking of your MPH program is the first thing that PhD admissions committees look at and is the most important.. it just all felt kind of elitist and I'm hoping that's not really accurate? wondering if anyone has any insight on that?
I am torn between Drexel and UNC- I am not familiar with the Philly/Drexel area and will not be able to visit before making a decision because of everything that is going on with COVID-19 so I would love to get any insight that people many have on the school/area- I do like that it is right between NYC and DC.
Drexel- I have received a merit scholarship and fellowship which means I would only have to take out $20k or less in loans for the entire program- I really like some of the faculty that I could potentially be matched with and the fellowship allows me to do research on the same project for the entire 18month duration of the program- Which I would imagine would be a major benefit when applying to PhD programs
UNC- I LOVED the campus when I visited and really enjoyed all of my conversations with faculty and staff. I think that it has everything that I am looking for and I could absolutely see myself living there but I am not sure I am willing to commit the extra money. I have no idea when I would be able to secure research (funding), worst case scenario I would have to take out $91k, best case I would be taking out $43k.. so best case scenario it is two times as expensive, I keep getting caught up on the rankings and the fact that I could absolutely see myself living there but I just don't know if the extra money is worth it if I don't even know what my research portfolio would look like leaving..
Like many of you, I am really struggling to decide between schools.. I do eventually plan on getting a PhD
I did have someone (who went to UNC for her MPH and has since worked at Harvard, Dartmouth, and CDC) tell me that ranking of your MPH program is the first thing that PhD admissions committees look at and is the most important.. it just all felt kind of elitist and I'm hoping that's not really accurate? wondering if anyone has any insight on that?
I am torn between Drexel and UNC- I am not familiar with the Philly/Drexel area and will not be able to visit before making a decision because of everything that is going on with COVID-19 so I would love to get any insight that people many have on the school/area- I do like that it is right between NYC and DC.
Drexel- I have received a merit scholarship and fellowship which means I would only have to take out $20k or less in loans for the entire program- I really like some of the faculty that I could potentially be matched with and the fellowship allows me to do research on the same project for the entire 18month duration of the program- Which I would imagine would be a major benefit when applying to PhD programs
UNC- I LOVED the campus when I visited and really enjoyed all of my conversations with faculty and staff. I think that it has everything that I am looking for and I could absolutely see myself living there but I am not sure I am willing to commit the extra money. I have no idea when I would be able to secure research (funding), worst case scenario I would have to take out $91k, best case I would be taking out $43k.. so best case scenario it is two times as expensive, I keep getting caught up on the rankings and the fact that I could absolutely see myself living there but I just don't know if the extra money is worth it if I don't even know what my research portfolio would look like leaving..
Why would you be taking out 91k in loans at UNC? If you're out of state, I'm pretty sure you can apply for in-state tuition rates for your second year which is very common among all out of state students, and the school helps students to get this set up. So I think the 91k would be a little less?
Glad to know I'm not alone! I definitely like that at GW I could start working in the field while earning my degree but again I guess I keep coming back to quantity vs quality - maybe I will have plenty of jobs to choose from with GW but maybe I will get the best job from Yale... hoping I have some epiphany in the next couple weeks or something in their virtual admitted student days just resonates with me enough to go one way or another..
callierowland
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If anyone is waiting to hear from the Emory Maternal and Child Health certificate program, I emailed the program coordinator, and we should be hearing decisions this week. Congrats to everyone on this thread, good luck to those who are still making decisions, and I hope everyone stays safe and healthy!
KweenAf
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I just got admitted a few minutes ago. I guess that email was a good reminder
mrose_22
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callierowland
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Me as well! Congrats!
nerdyforepi
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Hi! Anyone considering committing to Tulane any time soon? I think I am about ready to commit to the Epi program there, but I'm still nervous about not being able to see the city before the deadline.
Thanks!
Thanks!
The tuition+fees (minus room/board) ended up being 47k-52k/year, which feels average; the ranking is 37, but out of ~177, and rising yearly, but I also wouldn't care for the ranking.
I believe that you can't base an entire school on one program that failed, or on the fact that they arent ranked the highest, on factors like how many applicants they receive or those that choose to accept. Schools that are trying to build a Public Health Program that go against the grain have a lot against them, but you have to start somewhere. A brand new school like NYU's GPH, which has only been around for <20 years, vs Hopkins, who has been around since PH became a field, is obviously not going to have the same recognition or ranking or attributes. However, they have the labs, prestigious faculty (which have been exceedingly busy during the COVID-19 outbreak, since they have been in the news and published constantly), tthe framework. They just need the time!
The practicum is 180 hours minimum at an organization supervised directly by a PH professional (they're required to have a PhD/DrPH/etc to allow the practicum to be valid. The organization can be abroad (i.e. medical clinic work in Ghana) or in person (NYU has a special MOU with UN bodies to reserve spots for NYU students). I think any time abroad is a valid experience-- remember that this is a two year degree, and students spend anywhere from 2-8 months abroad depending on their interests. The practicum has requirements that qualify (or disqualify) an experience as useful; which I'm sure they learned from the mistakes made in the cross-continential.
Also, after talking with their dean of admissions, Dr. Maggio, they said that they weren't trying to recruit numbers, but rather students they see fit for the program, which definitely isn't for everyone!
I understand that you have your premonitions or caution around anything related to NYU-- many people do. The CC MPH had a very rough time, with valid reasons, but with that criticism came changes across the board that helped all programs solidify and quantify their effectiveness. I know anything I mention won't make your opinions sway one way or another and that's okay too! I'm just hoping that those considering NYU formulate their own opinions on the program, rather than just accepting yours, and make the choice that fits them, just as I did.
Thanks for the helpful feedback! I just submitted an appeal, and I'll post an update when I know whether it's been successful or not.
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Anyone have success appealing Harvard for more finaid?
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Although we all have different criteria to judge MPH schools on with regards to where to attend . . . I would include in my list things like having a program that "failed" (of which there were complaints from NYU CC MPH students here and elsewhere not too many years ago), the perceived reputation and many other factors . . . you have to use something when you look at different schools I would say. Also, I don' t know what "against the grain" means for NYU, certainly faculty at NYU and elsewhere probably felt that NYU CC program was unethical. Here is a snipe of a complaint from just a few years ago:
As a family member of a student in this program, these complaints are completely valid and understated. There were many other problems not mentioned that have arisen. Tuition was supposed to include all meals while overseas. That turned out to be five dinners a week (down from the promised 21). Clean drinking water is not provided. Housing was to be at NYU housing, it is not, comprising the safety and security of the students. Classes were far below masters level. As someone with a PhD I disagree with some of the commenters and feel that a masters program should teach you the fundamentals of the subject matter you are studying, something NYU has regrettably failed to do. My family member in this program may leave with three new letters behind their name but they will graduate with no new knowledge, applicable skills, or valuable public health experience. Additionally, many students have voiced their concerns but were either punished for retaliation or blatantly ignored which has ensured that future open discussion about program improvements will not be held.
Fair enough . . . but you just go to one public health school in a lifetime, and if that happens in the next few years, (versus decades), many applicants want to go to the school which is good now, not which might have rehabilitated itself in a decade or more. I don't think this is a case of, "NYU needs emotional and financial support now, come be a student and help us build up our reputation!"
It seems like the controversial NYU campus in the UAE is still operating and it has a recent controversial past: The Labor Abuse That Went Into NYU’s Abu Dhabi Campus. NYU exploited migrant workers, they certainly wouldn't be above exploiting MPH students who are at the bottom of the totem pole, the school has a "business model" which it's first goal isn't typical for a university such as research or education.
I think that you might be giving NYU too much credit they had severe problems with the practicum in Ghana:
- The fall semester also includes 180 hours of field work in the form of a practicum, or internship. Do not be fooled -- these are not internships as you understand them to be. NYU and UG are laughably unorganized in their orchestration of these practicums. We have been here for 7 weeks and there are students who still have not started, students whose internships cancelled on them, students who were not allowed to use the restroom or eat while at work, students who sit for 5-8 hours a day doing nothing because their internship sites do not have work for them to do. I understand this might even be a violation of the CEPH Accreditation standards. The organizations are ill prepared for and/or unable to accommodate interns, but NYU will attempt to sell you on what an "incredible opportunity" they are, and the "insight" you will gain at work.
My first impression when somebody (anybody) is trying to advertise a school is that they often advertise the opposite of what the negative and real impression is. There is a whole "fit for the program" mythology at many programs, that they want special students, of the course the dean would say something positive, but we know from recent history and what reporters have said about NYU is that the school went crazy with growth and charging high tuition for questionable academic activities. I think that NYU is also still trying to recruit numbers!
Of course NYU is going to make general statements that don't have details like "changes across the board" were made. But jeez, the person who posted on Reddit went on about how if in the accelerated CC MPH program if you wanted to party abroad for a year and not study that is the program for you! I've met people who felt that the MPH degree was more about teaching you, "a way of thinking" versus learning hard facts or skills and they seemed pretty . . . nebulous and didn't display critical thinking skills, at least to me, and they weren't exactly working in a public health field after school. I think hard skills are important, as are critical thinking skills, with some many options available for an MPH for probably most students, why go to NYU?
I think NYU is like BU, a new-ish sort of public health school that wants to "grow" their reputation and whom really ramped up the student population the last decade while sacrificing making sure the education is quality, same complaints at BU, a watered down curriculum. BU is pretty much a non-visible school outside of boston in a lot of ways, they wanted admitted students to sell the school and somehow increase their reputation so they can get higher profile students, so they aren't focused on their current students, like a monkey always looking higher up for the next branch they don't care who they're standing on right now. BU pushes students ridiculously hard to be cheerleaders for the school, but offers less in terms of a practicum or post-graduation assistance, I wouldn't be surprised if NYU is the same way. Your education is too important to be caught-up in advertising for the next year's crop.
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I reached out to UC Berkeley MS in Epidemiology just out of curiosity as to why they rejected my application. They said they split the number of slots between PhD and masters students, and that they normally accept *0* students for the MS in Epi program, but this year they accepted *2*. Of course I wouldn't have applied if I had known this!! I figured this would be interesting info for anyone else who was rejected or especially anyone who is considering applying next year!
If you are really set on getting an MS in EPi from Berkeley then you should apply but if you're like me where you weren't so set on specifically an MS, consider applying for the MPH instead. Just wanted to let anyone know, especially since the SOPHAS + UC application + sending GRE scores cost me $200 total. Perhaps they made it clear somewhere that this program is so small, but I didn't see it so I want to get the word out.
If you are really set on getting an MS in EPi from Berkeley then you should apply but if you're like me where you weren't so set on specifically an MS, consider applying for the MPH instead. Just wanted to let anyone know, especially since the SOPHAS + UC application + sending GRE scores cost me $200 total. Perhaps they made it clear somewhere that this program is so small, but I didn't see it so I want to get the word out.
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Honestly as a person who have already been to grad school, that’s how many masters programs are.Truthfully, every school is going to have issues, no matter what. If it is not a failed program, it would be something else. I believe a person should pick a school based on their own set of standards, and not just use others opinions of the school as a justification. I know the program that I attended for my first masters did not have any advertised issues, but it definitely had serious administrative problems, despite it being high “ranked”. I understand what you are saying about the CC program, but honestly I believe those types of issues are MUCH more common than you think in grad school across the board. Also I disagree in saying that BU is only known in Boston. I actually believe BU is a very well known school, and I live in the DC metropolitan area.
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