MPH Fall 2016: Applied, Accepted, Waitlisted, Rejected!

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Congrats to everyone who has been accepted!! Got accepted to UCLA Community Health Sciences and UC Berkeley Public Health Nutrition this week!
To those who have been accepted into UCLA Community Health Sciences -- have you received an official admission letter from the UCLA Admissions Office and/or word on scholarships/fellowships/grants? I haven't gotten much information aside from the Admitted Student Day.
 
To those who have been accepted into UCLA Community Health Sciences -- have you received an official admission letter from the UCLA Admissions Office and/or word on scholarships/fellowships/grants? I haven't gotten much information aside from the Admitted Student Day.

I have not either and I haven't gotten any details about admitted student day other than the fact that it is happening (I'm going, but it would be great to have more details on the proposed schedule).
 
Last edited:
For those that received a scholarship from Columbia, does it specify if its per year, or just toward your overall mph?
It is for the overall MPH. I feel like it is meant to just really subsidize housing costs over the two years.
 
Haha considering the same three. Probably Emory and Hopkins. I really like the curriculum at Hopkins and it aligns with what I want to do, but I'm wondering which degree is more marketable for jobs (Emory MPH in GLEPI or MSPH in International Health)

We are considering the exact same programs too haha. I'm glad to have a buddy 🙂 Were you planning on visiting?
 
I know this has been asked a million times, but can anyone explain to me how to works if you decide to go on from an MPH to a Phd? Im thinking about emory here. Do i lose everything I did in my mph? Or do some credits transfer over?
 
Hey Everyone! For those of you who got admitted from Umichigan. Where did you guys hear about the admission decision? I successfully submitted my application to the Health management and policy department on Jan 4th, but haven't receive any email for interview nor decision 🙁
 
"You will be receiving more information from the Harvard Chan School Admissions Office during January, and decisions will be released between the end of February and the middle of March." Well...we're getting near the end of Feb. *thumps impatiently* Hope I'm not annoying everyone in my frustration.
 
I know this has been asked a million times, but can anyone explain to me how to works if you decide to go on from an MPH to a Phd? Im thinking about emory here. Do i lose everything I did in my mph? Or do some credits transfer over?

I don't think you lose everything in regards to an MPH, but I think you have to apply still regardless of getting your Master's from Emory. I'm assuming some of the knowledge and coursework would be applicable and be useful, but I don't know if the structure of the programs is so much the same? It wouldn't hurt to go to Emory for both though since you'd be able to work with Emory faculty throughout the duration of both programs.

I know the PhD Program at Emory in Public Health requires a Master's and you'd be applying to the Laney Graduate School Program to receive admission to the PhD Program (for the Bioethics Program I am applying to, it's through Emory's graduate school so hence why I won't know if I can dual-degree or not yet). I feel like you could ask admissions about this too - I personally do not know a lot of people who do their MPH, then PhD in Public Health at Emory, but I don't doubt it happens a lot more than I know.
 
I heard from Hopkins as well today! Congrats to all those who got in.
Good luck to everybody still waiting to hear back.
I also applied to many schools (didn't think I'd get in lol), but that ultimately means having to decide between quite a few. Thinking between Hopkins, Columbia and Yale. Anybody have any comparative insights between the three? I'm in 1-year programs for all schools, epidemiology with health disparities, hoping for a school with decent connections/opportunities as well.
 
I was curious whether or not class size had any impact on the US News and Review ranking that come out every few years. The rankings are based on a survey of academics at peer institutions so it makes sense that more alumni = more people familiar with the program = better rankings. I took the ASPPH enrollment data from 2013 and the 2015 USN rankings and did a trend-line of the two factors.

Johns Hopkins really blows every other school out of the water when it comes to enrollment and are #1 in rankings. If you want to attend a prestigious school and have a little more breathing room, UNC and Michigan have roughly half the student headcount and just as good of a ranking. Halve the student population one more time and you've got UCLA and UC Berkeley who are in the top 10.

Hope you enjoy!

Thanks for doing this! Do you know roughly how many students enroll in Hopkins?
I'm curious about Hopkins as far as classroom size, faculty interactions go. I'll be in public health school for only a year in epi/health disparities and while the class quality and variety matters, one of the other strongest things I'm looking for is opportunities while in school including research, TA, work-study and strong faculty connections/networking opportunities. I've heard iffy reviews about Columbia as far as faculty interaction goes, but not sure how that goes with JHU. I was *kinda* leaning towards Yale, but between Yale and JHU, looks like JHU is stronger than Yale
 
Hey Everyone! For those of you who got admitted from Umichigan. Where did you guys hear about the admission decision? I successfully submitted my application to the Health management and policy department on Jan 4th, but haven't receive any email for interview nor decision 🙁
Check wolverineaccess, there might be an "Admissions Recommendation" already
 
Thanks for doing this! Do you know roughly how many students enroll in Hopkins?
I'm curious about Hopkins as far as classroom size, faculty interactions go. I'll be in public health school for only a year in epi/health disparities and while the class quality and variety matters, one of the other strongest things I'm looking for is opportunities while in school including research, TA, work-study and strong faculty connections/networking opportunities. I've heard iffy reviews about Columbia as far as faculty interaction goes, but not sure how that goes with JHU. I was *kinda* leaning towards Yale, but between Yale and JHU, looks like JHU is stronger than Yale

In 2013, 841 students across all of their degree programs in Bloomberg.
Data courtesy of @amm13d : http://depts.washington.edu/sphnet/...ications-NewEnrollments-Data-Report-2013.xlsx

I may have access to the 2015 report in the upcoming weeks. If there is an interest among the forum members, I may be doing an update to my chart.

In regards to the faculty interaction, I've spoken to alumni members and current students of JHU and got a mixed response as to how invested the faculty is in master's students. I would recommend seeking out some students and getting their impression of the program.
 
I've heard iffy comments about the faculty members at Columbia, which has made me a bit hesitant about their program (besides the cost factor). But I got a nice email earlier today from a professor in SMS who's research I had mentioned in my application I was interested in. This made me rethink whether the negative perceptions are from certain faculty members, who may just be super busy, or if the school has heard student complaints and are actually working to change their image. Regardless, I appreciate the gesture and plan to email her back. It's the little things that count!
 
"You will be receiving more information from the Harvard Chan School Admissions Office during January, and decisions will be released between the end of February and the middle of March." Well...we're getting near the end of Feb. *thumps impatiently* Hope I'm not annoying everyone in my frustration.
I feel like I've been the same way about Berkeley. I applied to a concurrent/dual program and it looks like both sides have been hearing back but nada over here! We're in the same boat, my friend.
 
I've heard iffy comments about the faculty members at Columbia, which has made me a bit hesitant about their program (besides the cost factor). But I got a nice email earlier today from a professor in SMS who's research I had mentioned in my application that I was interested in. This made me rethink whether the negative perceptions are from certain faculty members, who may just be super busy, or if the school has heard student complaints and are actually working to change their image. Regardless, I appreciate the gesture and plan to email her back. It's the little things that count!

I'm glad you brought this up, as Columbia is another school that tends to get a bad rep when it comes to faculty interaction. Perhaps you get out of the program what you put into it.
 
Haha considering the same three. Probably Emory and Hopkins. I really like the curriculum at Hopkins and it aligns with what I want to do, but I'm wondering which degree is more marketable for jobs (Emory MPH in GLEPI or MSPH in International Health)
My two cents: think about what types of jobs/employers you're hoping to pursue right out of school, and what connections each school may have to help you get your foot in the door with those organizations. For example, if you really want to go the CDC route, Emory offers many opportunities for MPH practicum experiences and networking along the way (it's truly right across the street), which certainly helps open doors for jobs there after graduation.
 
I don't think you lose everything in regards to an MPH, but I think you have to apply still regardless of getting your Master's from Emory. I'm assuming some of the knowledge and coursework would be applicable and be useful, but I don't know if the structure of the programs is so much the same? It wouldn't hurt to go to Emory for both though since you'd be able to work with Emory faculty throughout the duration of both programs.

I know the PhD Program at Emory in Public Health requires a Master's and you'd be applying to the Laney Graduate School Program to receive admission to the PhD Program (for the Bioethics Program I am applying to, it's through Emory's graduate school so hence why I won't know if I can dual-degree or not yet). I feel like you could ask admissions about this too - I personally do not know a lot of people who do their MPH, then PhD in Public Health at Emory, but I don't doubt it happens a lot more than I know.
I recently met a current public health PhD student at Emory, and they said they had to retake all coursework (Epi, etc), even after completing their MPH at Emory, which I thought was absolutely crazy. But I would guess it varies from department to department. Worth checking on for sure!
 
I'm glad you brought this up, as Columbia is another school that tends to get a bad rep when it comes to faculty interaction. Perhaps you get out of the program what you put into it.

Yes, agreed! I saw a lot of negative posts about Columbia last year and it definitely colored my impression, so it's nice to hear about @moonwave89's experience. I do see how it would be easier to find yourself falling through the cracks at such a large, city-based school, but, at the same time, you shouldn't expect anyone to hold your hand.
 
Is anyone between a dream school that's expensive and an alright school thats dirt cheap (comparatively). Idk what to do! (Btw Colorado for Physical Activity vs. UT-Austin for Health Promotion)
I'm in-state for Colorado, but GW is my dream school (so those are my two)! I'm leaning towards GW, because of location in that I want to end up in DC in the long run, so I think starting there will pay off in the long-run. To me, it's all about where you want to be after the program. Colorado and UT-Austin might both get you where you want!
 
I feel like I've been the same way about Berkeley. I applied to a concurrent/dual program and it looks like both sides have been hearing back but nada over here! We're in the same boat, my friend.

I am also waiting on dual/concurrent degree (MSW/MPH) for Berkeley. There is a separate committee , so I'm in the dark on when I might hear back. I have been admitted to both at WUSTL, but am terrified of the six figure debt. WUSTL will likely be my only option as my numbers aren't really competitive for Berkeley...
 
Thought I should add my stats now that I’ve gotten all my replies 🙂

Undergrad School: Ivy
Undergrad GPA: 3.6/4
Major/Minor: Biology and Entomology, minor in Global Health
GRE: 168V/161Q/3.5W
Experience/Research (please, be brief):

-1.5 years independent research in parasitology lab (during school)
-2 month medical internship in Tanzania
-6 months medical volunteer in Japan
-summer research jobs in entomology and cell biology labs

Interested in: global infectious disease epidemiology
Applied: applied 11/23 for all, verified 11/25: JHU (MSPH Global Disease Epi (GDEC)), UMich (MPH Global Health Epi),MPH Yale (MPH Epi of Microbial Diseases), Columbia (MPH Epi), Emory (MSPH Global Epi (GLEPI)), UPitt (MPH Epi)
Accepted: UPitt (12/21), UMich (1/15), Emory (2/4), Columbia (2/11), Hopkins (2/17), Yale (3/23)
Waitlisted: Yale (2/18)

Also didn’t have to do any interviews (yay! 😛)
 
Last edited:
Is anyone between a dream school that's expensive and an alright school thats dirt cheap (comparatively). Idk what to do! (Btw Colorado for Physical Activity vs. UT-Austin for Health Promotion)

Sort of! I'm between Colorado and Iowa. I'm an Iowa resident and grew up in Iowa City. It's a good school, I love the town, and it's comparatively super cheap. Colorado is actually a lower ranked school, but I'm in love with the program, campus, and state, and I think it will provide me with more opportunities. I've wanted to live in Colorado for years and it is definitely my dream school, but will cost me 3+ times as much (plus a higher cost of living). I'm almost certain I'm going to Colorado though! It will be expensive, but I'm going to have loans either way and it just seems like too good an opportunity to pass up. The only thing that could possibly sway me is if Iowa gives me an amazing aid package (like, full ride or something), but that seems unlikely!
 
Is anyone between a dream school that's expensive and an alright school thats dirt cheap (comparatively). Idk what to do! (Btw Colorado for Physical Activity vs. UT-Austin for Health Promotion)

I had that same issue last year between GW (expensive dream-school) and USF (cheap but undesirable location). I ultimately chose GW because of the curriculum.
 
Anyone know the timeline and process for hearing back for need-based aid? I guess it all basically happens in March basically?
 
Is anyone between a dream school that's expensive and an alright school thats dirt cheap (comparatively). Idk what to do! (Btw Colorado for Physical Activity vs. UT-Austin for Health Promotion)
Absolutely-- could do the semi-okay in state or the DREAM, tuition and half, Colorado program..... honestly, with undergrad debt + loans to pay for a masters... whats an extra 10 or 15k honestly? My in state would be about 24k and colorado will be about 36k... at this stage in my life, I know I will have student loan debt... so I would prefer a better quality of life while in school... and I think Colorado will provide that 🙂 Plus, all public health professionals have the Public Service Forgiveness Act... so in 10 years... itll be paid off anyways 🙂 thanks, government! If youve been dreaming of a place and school-- now is the time to make it happen-- dont settle because youll NEVER get this chance again!
 
Does anyone know if the merit scholarship offered in BU's admissions package is an indication that I won't received any of the need-based scholarships listed on the website (the ones we do not apply for because they use our applications to decide)?
 
So I got an email "You have been invited to join Accepted Applicants" from Columbia Mailman's OrgSync. This email never actually says my name in it and I haven't gotten an official acceptance letter? Has this happened to anybody else??
 
So I got an email "You have been invited to join Accepted Applicants" from Columbia Mailman's OrgSync. This email never actually says my name in it and I haven't gotten an official acceptance letter? Has this happened to anybody else??
I received that message but I already received my acceptance letter.
 
I recently met a current public health PhD student at Emory, and they said they had to retake all coursework (Epi, etc), even after completing their MPH at Emory, which I thought was absolutely crazy. But I would guess it varies from department to department. Worth checking on for sure!

REALLY? 😱

That's just too much, especially if they would be the same courses through Emory.

You could contact an ADAP and certainly ask through admissions so much agree! I really hope it varies too. Otherwise, that is a major bummer. 😵
 
Just accepted to hopkins for the MSPH in international health - social and behavioral sciences. Logged into the applicant portal on a whim and there was the unofficial letter! Thought I'd let people know since it doesn't look like anyone had posted a MSPH decision yet! GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE! SO HAPPY WOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!
CONGRATS!!! Mind sharing when you applied?
 
Any dual degree students accepted to JHU MPH? Wondering if they are telling it will take until March because I have to be accepted to two separate programs...
 
so not to make this thread super depressing butttt... i'm looking at tuition for columbia and michigan (out of state). with columbia it says $18,026 for a full residence unit---does anyone know if full time is the norm there? i get different numbers if i calculate it as 6 part time semesters vs 4 full. with michigan, it's the same thing (for out of state) where part time calculating by credit hour ends up being substantially more expensive than the term full time fee. any ideas?

also my biggest concern is whether the income bracket the degree would lead you to would be high enough to justify the cost of the education, what are all of your thoughts?

tankyaaa, feeling less alone in this process 🙄
 
Has anyone sent a thanks but no thanks email yet? Just curious whether you told them where you accepted/ how long it was, etc. I'm assuming short and sweet is better since they presumably get thousands of them.. It's been awhile since I've done this!
 
Top