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

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Anyone still waiting to hear from Harvard 65-credit Health and Social Behavior?
 
em92 said:
Got a rejection from UNC's health behavior department. Also got my Emory financial aid package. Only offered $4k with the Learn and Earn award, would be forced to take out loans for the rest.

I thought applying for an MPH would leave me with a sense a relief, but honestly all I feel is dread, and I'm not sure if I want to continue down this path. Sigh.

Is anyone else in this same boat?
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Also got the same FA package from Emory with an Americorp grant. I'm still waiting for Columbia's but the cost of attending for all three schools I'm considering are making me feel very uneasy about the MPH. 😱
 
nana2033 said:
Also got the same FA package from Emory with an Americorp grant. I'm still waiting for Columbia's but the cost of attending for all three schools I'm considering are making me feel very uneasy about the MPH. 😱
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We definitely all have to make these kinds of decisions for ourselves (and for some of us it might not be the right path!), but, at the end of the day, this is what happens when you pursue something at the master's level. It's a bummer, for sure, but remember that you're investing in your future!
 
kneeduh said:
Hi guys!

I was accepted into NYU's MPH Epi program today. NYU has always had a lot of hype around it but I haven't been able to dig up as much feedback about the MPH program there! If anyone has any insight, I'd love it!

Congrats on all of your acceptances!!
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Congratulations!!! Are you planning to go on student's admitted day? May be we can get some of our answers there. I am in the same boat.
 
montreux said:
Hello friends! As promised, here are the results of the survey: https://goo.gl/Ryz3fe

1) The average # of applications sent out was ~6. 13.4% sent out 10 or more!

2) The most common area of study is Epidemiology followed by Policy & Management.

3) Most applicants want to work in Government & Non Profit sector.

4) Most applicants don't know if they want a PHD in PH.

5) 81.3% don't have or want to get an MD.

6) The average applicant undergrad GPA is 3.45.

7) On the GRE, the average score is 158 Verbal, 156 Quant, 4.5 Writing.
According to ETS, the average Health and Medical Sciences applicant score is 150V, 149Q, 3.7 Writing so SDN members are definitely above average in this regard.

8) 75% of you have work experience prior to applying to grad school.

9) 78.6% are US domestic applicants.

10) 4 schools dominated your grad school wish list: Columbia, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Emory.

11) Of the schools you got into, Johns Hopkins was students' greatest achievement, followed by Columbia, Harvard, and Emory.

12) 80% of applicants are female.

13) 38% are white, 32% are Asian/Asian American, 15% Black/African American, and 8% Hispanic/Latino.

14) The average applicant age is 23.9 years old. 25% of you are 23. The youngest is 20.

15) When asked which school had the "best" application process, many of you spoke about Columbia, Emory, and GWU. SOPHAS was praised for streamlining the process.

16) When it came to the most stressful, Columbia topped the list once more, followed by UC Berkeley, Harvard, and UNC. People resented having to fill out more than one app and some schools were plagued with a lot of technical difficulties.

17) When asked what you would do differently, the answer was a resounding:
APPLY TO FEWER SCHOOLS

18) Advice for future applicants (You can read all responses in the PDF linked above) :

Start planning your application with enough time (including questioning yourself: how are you going to pay for your studies!). Then, be authentic in your application, especially in the Personal Statement (Statement of Purpose), and make sure to tailor made every one of them considering the mission and particularities from each specific program you are going to apply to (It's is annoying, but totally worth it!).

Don't apply/attend a school just for the name/rank, really look at the decision as a whole. The fit of the program/faculty/research etc.

Make sure you realize which programs are 1-year vs 2-years long and decide which one would suit you beforehand (if you have the liberty to choose). Believe in yourself, take everything step-by-step, and good luck!

Only apply to schools that you seriously see yourself attending. I wasted so much money applying to safety schools in places I would never move to. Also, take risks and apply to your dream schools. I ended up getting into more of my reach schools than I expected!

Absolutely ask for letters of recommendation early (at least three weeks before you need them). Get your GRE done before September to have a good idea of where you stand. Send in transcripts ASAP - it's a relatively painless process but any potential delays can be sorted out before you need to freak out about deadlines. Get SOPHAS in early!

I received a super competitive scholarship that would cover half of my tuition, and the reason I received it was that I visited the program and personally met with the dean. If that is possible for you pre-application, I would highly highly recommend doing something like that.

Funding matters more than getting admission especially for international students.

Important to consider what you actually want from the degree longterm and if an MPH will take you farther than a BA. I think people follow their personal passions in the MPH but it is very important to have coursework and a degree that makes you competitive for what interests you (eg quantitative stats and business skills, clinical degree). I'm also very glad I waited 2 years to apply between undergrad - work experience made me more competitive and much more knowledgeable about what I wanted, and helped me save up to pay some of the very high tuition at these schools.

Don't stress about your GPA and GRE scores! If you can prove you truly want to study in the field of public health, whether that is right after your undergraduate career or a few years later, the admissions committee will recognize and admire it. Show your passionate and have strengths elsewhere too (i.e. letters of rec, personal statement, volunteer work, etc.) Reach for schools that may seem like a far reach because you never know! 🙂

That's all folks! Thanks for reading!
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Really really great work!
 
navyzebra said:
why do schools do the protracted decision process. The wait is painful. And leaves a bad taste. I'm thinking more favorably of the schools that have been timely(even if I'm wait listed) than those that haven't yet given a decision. Penn!
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Just to let you know that I received my decision from Penn just moments ago. So, check your email. Here's to hoping for good news for you.
 
miamimama said:
Anyone know how tuition works for columbias global health program? Do you still pay full tuition when you are gone for the 6 month practicum?
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I asked this question during one of the virtual chat sessions for PopFam and this was the response: " Global health students' tuition is charged on a slightly different schedule but still for the same total amount as other students (GH student complete the same number of credits as others). Other students complete practica in the summer and their tuition is not impacted. So the short answer is, tuition cost is the same regardless of practica. Financial AId should be able to lay out exactly what charges happen when. Their email is [email protected]."
 
UPenn interview request. Ugh. Tired of waiting!
 
Saji said:
Congratulations!!! Are you planning to go on student's admitted day? May be we can get some of our answers there. I am in the same boat.
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I will be!! 🙂
Flying in from Canada! Congrats to you too!!
 
Hey guys. I'm a little confused with financial Aid. So when GW sent me my financial aid package, they included Graduate PLUS loans - but columbia didn't.. Does this mean that I'm not eligible for them at Columbia? Could someone clarify how the Graduate PLUS loans work. Thanks!
 
rooti529 said:
Hey guys. I'm a little confused with financial Aid. So when GW sent me my financial aid package, they included Graduate PLUS loans - but columbia didn't.. Does this mean that I'm not eligible for them at Columbia? Could someone clarify how the Graduate PLUS loans work. Thanks!
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You can take out as much money in additional plus loans as adds up to your total cost of attendance. It doesn't matter if the school listed it or not; you will still be able to take out plus loans
 
Does anyone know anything about switching from full-time student to part-time (or half time) at Columbia for the MPH program? I was accepted for the full time but I am consider doing half time instead
 
The_OG said:
You can take out as much money in additional plus loans as adds up to your total cost of attendance. It doesn't matter if the school listed it or not; you will still be able to take out plus loans
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I should also add that plus loans have higher interest rates than fed sub and unsub loans. And this is for US students. I'm not sure how it works for international students
 
Jglamour said:
Does anyone know anything about switching from full-time student to part-time (or half time) at Columbia for the MPH program? I was accepted for the full time but I am consider doing half time instead
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You can ask them because for part time, they do offer 1 year executive MPH. They should be ok with that too but if you got scholarship, then do confirm if you are still eligible for it or not as most scholarships are for full time students.
 
kneeduh said:
I will be!! 🙂
Flying in from Canada! Congrats to you too!!
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Thank you🙂 See you then !!
I am also going to meet the admission officer coming Tuesday in person. Will let you know if something comes up. 🙂
 
Saji said:
You can ask them because for part time, they do offer 1 year executive MPH. They should be ok with that too but if you got scholarship, then do confirm if you are still eligible for it or not as most scholarships are for full time students.
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Thank you! I'm interested in doing the MPH in SMS part time (3 year timeline?)... Mmm I will have to ask
 
sea123 said:
I'm in the same boat between hopkins and harvard and I am planning to go to admitted students day for both because otherwise I don't know how I'll make this decision. However, if you can't make it you should be sure to email the academic program managers at both schools to answer any questions you have and receive input on your decision. I've been doing that and the contacts at both schools have been immensely helpful. Also, hopkins has virtual info sessions on 3/17 and 4/5 that you should definitely try to join.
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What program were you accepted to at each school? I'm also having a tough time choosing between the two.
 
Rejected from Harvard ScM in Epid but accepted to Brown University! That wraps up all of my schools, time to make a decision 😕

For me it's between Johns Hopkins (MS in Epid), UNC (MPH in MCH), Michigan (MPH in Epid), and Yale (MPH in Chronic Disease Epid). Michigan would cost the least with in-state tuition and a 50% Dean's Scholarship, but I went there for undergraduate and would like a change of scenery.
JH and UNC would end up being around 60k for tuition. Advice for someone wanting to pursue epidemiology with a international focus? So conflicted!

Also does anyone have any insight on how an MS in Epid might look for future job prospects instead of an MPH?
 
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quepasta said:
Rejected from Harvard ScM in Epid but accepted to Brown University! That wraps up all of my schools, time to make a decision 😕

For me it's between Johns Hopkins (MS in Epid), UNC (MPH in MCH), Michigan (MPH in Epid), and Yale (MPH in Chronic Disease Epid). Michigan would cost the least with in-state tuition and a 50% Dean's Scholarship, but I went there for undergraduate and would like a change of scenery.
JH and UNC would end up being around 60k for tuition. Advice for someone wanting to pursue epidemiology with a international focus? So conflicted!

Also does anyone have any insight on how an MS in Epid might look for future job prospects instead of an MPH?
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Finally heard back from Columbia! Accepted into their Health Policy and Management Program!

So now, it's between Yale HPM and Columbia HPM. Is anyone in the same position? Initially I thought I would take Columbia but after researching a but while waiting to hear back from them made me consider Yale a lot more. There seems to be a lot of downsides to the program at Columbia but also many positives. Not really sure what to do. Anyone have any perspective on this?
 
PP788 said:
Finally heard back from Columbia! Accepted into their Health Policy and Management Program!

So now, it's between Yale HPM and Columbia HPM. Is anyone in the same position? Initially I thought I would take Columbia but after researching a but while waiting to hear back from them made me consider Yale a lot more. There seems to be a lot of downsides to the program at Columbia but also many positives. Not really sure what to do. Anyone have any perspective on this?
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Hi there! I actually found myself in the same dilemma this cycle, albeit for Epi, so please feel free to take my words cum grano salis. For me, it came down to potential research/networking opportunities (the costs of attendance were pretty much equated for me, because I was fortunate to receive a merit award from Columbia, so my advice will not include financial considerations--but that does not make those considerations any less important!). Both are wonderful places with much to offer, so I found myself drawing up lists of pros and cons: Yale's small class size greatly appealed to me because there seemed to be a stronger chance of developing more solid relationships with faculty and with my peers. On the other hand, the deliberately small size of the school worried me a little because it seems that it might limit possible research opportunities. Columbia is a much larger and apparently impersonal school, which is daunting, but it is very well-recognized in this field, has an intensive curriculum, and provides a broader range of research, in my opinion.

I think it ultimately comes down to what you are looking for in your program and the environment that you feel best suits you. I recommend talking to as many people from either institution as you possibly can and objectively assessing the information they give you. I spoke to both a professor and student from Yale who gave me a good picture of the school, I felt. Then, I visited Columbia and sat in on a class, not so much for content as much as to observe the class dynamic; an Epidemiology professor also reached out to me and was able to speak to me by phone about public health and research at Columbia. I personally felt that the class was very respectful towards the lecturers, asked thoughtful questions, and made meaningful contributions to their discussion. Class dynamic is especially important to me (I've been in too many science classes where students seem to try to one-up each other, vying for the professor's attention in increasingly irksome manners, and I'd love to see more collaborative than competitive environments as I go forward in my education 😉 ). I also really appreciated the professor's willingness to talk to me (not so impersonal as I'd initially assumed), and, more minor consideration, I love New York City while I'm young and still have the energy for it, so all that decided me--I ended up committing to Columbia Epi.

This isn't a cunning advertisement for Columbia, though, I promise! I truly mean it when I say that you should speak to as many people as possible before April 15th. I know that sounds like a very generic answer, but it's the best I have to offer, and it is what worked for me while making this decision. Ask yourself: what school will provide me the opportunities I want for my professional future? Along whom would I like to learn? With which professors might I like to study (actually, if there is a particular person whom you might be interested in knowing/working with/learning from at a given school don't discount that)? And truly ask yourself what environment is most conducive to your learning and see which place better fits that.

This might have been a longer answer than you expected, and it may not have all the information you wanted, but I hope that it is useful in some capacity, or at least that you find another soon-to-be MPH candidate's perspective somewhat helpful.

But honestly, whatever your decision, it can't be a bad one; you have two fantastic options. Congratulations on your acceptances and good luck! 🙂
 
rooti529 said:
How do I access the applicant gateway to give BU my decision?
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If you already tried logging into the applicant gateway (the one that we used to complete the supplemental app/form) and nothing showed up, then contact Jonathan Cote or the admissions team ([email protected]) regarding your query. IIRC someone posted the same thing on the FB group and an admissions team representative said they'll get get back to you ASAP (and they're pretty responsive!).
 
CN99 said:
Hi there! I actually found myself in the same dilemma this cycle, albeit for Epi, so please feel free to take my words cum grano salis. For me, it came down to potential research/networking opportunities (the costs of attendance were pretty much equated for me, because I was fortunate to receive a merit award from Columbia, so my advice will not include financial considerations--but that does not make those considerations any less important!). Both are wonderful places with much to offer, so I found myself drawing up lists of pros and cons: Yale's small class size greatly appealed to me because there seemed to be a stronger chance of developing more solid relationships with faculty and with my peers. On the other hand, the deliberately small size of the school worried me a little because it seems that it might limit possible research opportunities. Columbia is a much larger and apparently impersonal school, which is daunting, but it is very well-recognized in this field, has an intensive curriculum, and provides a broader range of research, in my opinion.

I think it ultimately comes down to what you are looking for in your program and the environment that you feel best suits you. I recommend talking to as many people from either institution as you possibly can and objectively assessing the information they give you. I spoke to both a professor and student from Yale who gave me a good picture of the school, I felt. Then, I visited Columbia and sat in on a class, not so much for content as much as to observe the class dynamic; an Epidemiology professor also reached out to me and was able to speak to me by phone about public health and research at Columbia. I personally felt that the class was very respectful towards the lecturers, asked thoughtful questions, and made meaningful contributions to their discussion. Class dynamic is especially important to me (I've been in too many science classes where students seem to try to one-up each other, vying for the professor's attention in increasingly irksome manners, and I'd love to see more collaborative than competitive environments as I go forward in my education 😉 ). I also really appreciated the professor's willingness to talk to me (not so impersonal as I'd initially assumed), and, more minor consideration, I love New York City while I'm young and still have the energy for it, so all that decided me--I ended up committing to Columbia Epi.

This isn't a cunning advertisement for Columbia, though, I promise! I truly mean it when I say that you should speak to as many people as possible before April 15th. I know that sounds like a very generic answer, but it's the best I have to offer, and it is what worked for me while making this decision. Ask yourself: what school will provide me the opportunities I want for my professional future? Along whom would I like to learn? With which professors might I like to study (actually, if there is a particular person whom you might be interested in knowing/working with/learning from at a given school don't discount that)? And truly ask yourself what environment is most conducive to your learning and see which place better fits that.

This might have been a longer answer than you expected, and it may not have all the information you wanted, but I hope that it is useful in some capacity, or at least that you find another soon-to-be MPH candidate's perspective somewhat helpful.

But honestly, whatever your decision, it can't be a bad one; you have two fantastic options. Congratulations on your acceptances and good luck! 🙂
Click to expand...

Wow thanks so much for that great response! I really appreciate the time that you put into that answer. I definitely agree that at this point, there is no "wrong" decision that I can make seeing that both schools are fantastic. I am really fortunate to be in such a position. Right now, finances aren't the deciding factor since both programs, in my case, will cost about the same. Perhaps the living costs of NYC are higher than New Haven, but I grew up in the city so I know what to expect from NYC.

From the beginning of the application cycle, I dreamed of going to Columbia since it was really right up my alley. They have a specific certificate program in Public Health Informatics as well as some professors who have experience in the field, which is something that Yale lacks. While waiting for my decision from Columbia, I did look into Yale and many more things started to appeal to me as well such as the small class size and possibility of developing stronger relationships there. After contacting students at Yale, I could definitely see myself there and fitting in with the program.

Thanks again so much for all your help! I will surely let you know if I'll be joining you at Columbia in the fall! 😀
 
CN99 said:
Hi there! I actually found myself in the same dilemma this cycle, albeit for Epi, so please feel free to take my words cum grano salis. For me, it came down to potential research/networking opportunities (the costs of attendance were pretty much equated for me, because I was fortunate to receive a merit award from Columbia, so my advice will not include financial considerations--but that does not make those considerations any less important!). Both are wonderful places with much to offer, so I found myself drawing up lists of pros and cons: Yale's small class size greatly appealed to me because there seemed to be a stronger chance of developing more solid relationships with faculty and with my peers. On the other hand, the deliberately small size of the school worried me a little because it seems that it might limit possible research opportunities. Columbia is a much larger and apparently impersonal school, which is daunting, but it is very well-recognized in this field, has an intensive curriculum, and provides a broader range of research, in my opinion.

I think it ultimately comes down to what you are looking for in your program and the environment that you feel best suits you. I recommend talking to as many people from either institution as you possibly can and objectively assessing the information they give you. I spoke to both a professor and student from Yale who gave me a good picture of the school, I felt. Then, I visited Columbia and sat in on a class, not so much for content as much as to observe the class dynamic; an Epidemiology professor also reached out to me and was able to speak to me by phone about public health and research at Columbia. I personally felt that the class was very respectful towards the lecturers, asked thoughtful questions, and made meaningful contributions to their discussion. Class dynamic is especially important to me (I've been in too many science classes where students seem to try to one-up each other, vying for the professor's attention in increasingly irksome manners, and I'd love to see more collaborative than competitive environments as I go forward in my education 😉 ). I also really appreciated the professor's willingness to talk to me (not so impersonal as I'd initially assumed), and, more minor consideration, I love New York City while I'm young and still have the energy for it, so all that decided me--I ended up committing to Columbia Epi.

This isn't a cunning advertisement for Columbia, though, I promise! I truly mean it when I say that you should speak to as many people as possible before April 15th. I know that sounds like a very generic answer, but it's the best I have to offer, and it is what worked for me while making this decision. Ask yourself: what school will provide me the opportunities I want for my professional future? Along whom would I like to learn? With which professors might I like to study (actually, if there is a particular person whom you might be interested in knowing/working with/learning from at a given school don't discount that)? And truly ask yourself what environment is most conducive to your learning and see which place better fits that.

This might have been a longer answer than you expected, and it may not have all the information you wanted, but I hope that it is useful in some capacity, or at least that you find another soon-to-be MPH candidate's perspective somewhat helpful.

But honestly, whatever your decision, it can't be a bad one; you have two fantastic options. Congratulations on your acceptances and good luck! 🙂
Click to expand...

Thank you so much! Just make me confirm my thoughts of going to Columbia.🙂
 
publichealthterp said:
Attending BU's Accepted Students Day today! Super excited already but I'll let everyone know how it goes! 🙂
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I absolutely loved BU's accepted students day and now I'm so conflicted! On the one hand, I know I'll love the program and the faculty are amazing. But on the other hand, growing up in greater Boston, going to college in Boston and working here for a few years already, I'm so ready for a change in scenery for my own personal growth.

What did you think?
 
Visited UGA this weekend! Wasn't expecting it but damn, I loved it! Now I just gotta wait on Colorado to release who got assistantships and then I'll be able to make my decision (or not lol).

Anyone else thinking of UGA or Colorado?
 
thenxoxo22 said:
Visited UGA this weekend! Wasn't expecting it but damn, I loved it! Now I just gotta wait on Colorado to release who got assistantships and then I'll be able to make my decision (or not lol).

Anyone else thinking of UGA or Colorado?
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When did you apply for an assistantship ...?
 
moonwave89 said:
I absolutely loved BU's accepted students day and now I'm so conflicted! On the one hand, I know I'll love the program and the faculty are amazing. But on the other hand, growing up in greater Boston, going to college in Boston and working here for a few years already, I'm so ready for a change in scenery for my own personal growth.

What did you think?
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I loved it too! It was so well-organized and full of events that actually informed me instead of "filler" events to take up time. I thought the faculty members were all so helpful and friendly, but at the same time knowledgeable and credited in all public health fields. The other accepted students were all great too and I could definitely picture myself attending! I'm originally from Maryland, so Boston is the furthest school I applied/was admitted to, and I think it's definitely the change of scenery I need. Maybe you've stayed in Boston this long because it's too perfect to leave haha 🙂
 
Accepted to Penn. yay. But......my dad says I should go with Drexel. Same city. Better ranked for public health

Isn't an Ivy an Ivy? Its degrees will always carry weight.

And why isn't it accredited.

Would love feedback from y'all
 
navyzebra said:
Accepted to Penn. yay. But......my dad says I should go with Drexel. Same city. Better ranked for public health

Isn't an Ivy an Ivy? Its degrees will always carry weight.

And why isn't it accredited.

Would love feedback from y'all
Click to expand...

If it's not accredited, don't go there. You will end up with a mostly useless degree.
 
navyzebra said:
Accepted to Penn. yay. But......my dad says I should go with Drexel. Same city. Better ranked for public health

Isn't an Ivy an Ivy? Its degrees will always carry weight.

And why isn't it accredited.

Would love feedback from y'all
Click to expand...
Penn is accredited... It's also worth keeping in mind that only schools of public health are ranked not schools of medicine. I'm sure penn's program is good considering their med school quality
 
thenxoxo22 said:
The deadline to apply was March 15. They sent out an e-mail. There was like 8
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Oh wow-- I didnt get that-- I am hopeful that youre at another CO campus and thats why I didnt get the email?!?!?! hahahaha My program is based out of Anshultz Medical (if I remember correctly, youre physical activity? Which is CSU campus!) *hopeful this is the case!!*
 
Bd01323 said:
Oh wow-- I didnt get that-- I am hopeful that youre at another CO campus and thats why I didnt get the email?!?!?! hahahaha My program is based out of Anshultz Medical (if I remember correctly, youre physical activity? Which is CSU campus!) *hopeful this is the case!!*
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YEAH! I am at the CSU campus! It wouldn't make sense for them to give us assistantships to other campuses so probably the case 🙂
 
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