Congratulations! I'm hoping to hear something soon about the part-time online MPH program. When did you submit your application and when was it verified? Also, do you mind if I ask your stats? Again, congratulations. 🙂
Absolutely! Here's my info. I need an online/part-time MPH program, because I want to continue working for my current organization/living in Portland, OR. JHSPH's online/part-time MPH program seems
significantly stronger than the alternatives. I particularly like that they do not award executive degrees. Additionally, the MPH program available in Portland is young and not really geared towards part-time students.
Undergrad School: Saint Louis University
Undergrad GPA/Major GPA: From SOPHAS, Undergrad GPA: 3.63. Upper Division GPA: 3.85
Major/Minor: Economics / Mathematics
GradGPA (if applicable): N/A
Grad Studies (if applicable): N/A
GRE (including date taken) or
Other Test (if applicable): V 160, Q 160, AW 3.5
Experience/Research (please, be brief):
- 2.5 years as a hospital consultant.
- 1 year as a hospital project manager (current job).
- 3 years as a part-time research analyst for the Penn State Prevention Research Center. I did statistical work (using SAS) for a youth programming community interventional study in their pilot community. They've expanded to additional communities after a successful study in their pilot city. I reported directly to the PI.
- Summer internship in college for a health advocacy organization.
Special factors
- Four letters of recommendation: 1 undergrad professor (Health Economist - took two of her classes and one independent study. Have maintained a strong relationship since graduating.), 1 Penn State PI, 1 hospital director (current boss), 1 consulting company VP.
- I did
a lot of statistical coursework as an undergrad, including a year long sequence in calculus-based probability and statistics and a year long sequence in Biostatistics offered through SLU's SPH. I really focused on my quantitative skills in my SOP.
- I did not take a Biology class as an undergraduate. I did not realize this was truly a hard requisite for admission to the program, so I submitted by application without this coursework on 10/04. My coursework was verified on 11/23 and I received an email on 12/01 from JHSPH saying they'd received my application. I got an email on 12/27 from the Admissions Coordinator asking if I planned on completing the requisite Biology coursework before matriculating into the program. So, I quickly signed up for a Biology class at the local community college and submitted the needed information to the Admissions Coordinator on 12/28. She informed me that my application was 'now complete.' So, it seems that my submission date was actually 12/28.
- I applied for the Bloomberg Fellowship on 12/19.
- My statement of purpose addressed the partial disconnect between the hospital and research work I've been involved in (i.e. not much relationship between the two). I was honest about my uncertainty related to career goals. More specifically, I let the adcom know that I'm torn between more statistical work/research and administration in a hospital or government setting. I did drive home how a MPH would be useful for both career paths, though.
- I was somewhat worried about my AW score (I had gotten a 5 when I took the GRE as an undergrad, but those scores expired a couple of years ago). Either it didn't matter or the adcom picked up that I was very busy when I took the GRE (demanding full time
and part time jobs). I only had time to do brief quantitative prep.
OR my coursework/SOP demonstrated that I have strong enough writing skills. Who knows?
Interested in:
Applied: JHSPH.
Accepted: JHSPH (2/10 through student portal).
Rejected:
Waitlisted:
It may all come down to money in the end. Guess I'll have to wait and see.
