MPH Fall 2018: Applied, Accepted, Waitlisted, Rejected!

[Michelle Faux Fur]

I've been considering that. Which school did you request an extension from? I'm anxious they are just going to take away my acceptance if I do that but that's probably just an irrational fear of mine.

The worst they will do is deny your request for an extension.

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[Cassatrass]

I did it. Finally did it. Committed to Emory GLEPI!!!!!!

I was really afraid to go on the portal and do it though. Like what if you check the wrong box and decline your offer instead of accept? Certainly someone has made that mistake before.

Yay!! We will both be scholars in the same program.

 

[n3t]

Try requesting an extension beyond the 4/15 deposit deadline. I was awarded a 4-week extension to buy some time before committing.

Schools cannot revoke your acceptance for asking for an extension, so don't worry about that! I would recommend asking ASAP. You will need to make the request and receive a yes or no from the school BEFORE the deadline so you do not miss it. From what I have seen, schools are more likely to grant extensions when you ask in advance and do not wait until the last minute. I would send that email out as soon as possible if you want to be considered for the extension.

 

[TheQueen]

Yay!! We will both be scholars in the same program.

YAYYYY! Let's be friends!

 

[tak1234]

Just curious, why does it seem that most people applied to Tulane but aren’t really considering it even though it’s a historically successful program? I feel like the heat would be unbearable for me but I’m curious about others’ opinions?

I just visited Tulane this week! I had never been to New Orleans before and loved the city (anywhere to the west of the French Quarter.. too touristy/expensive to live in). I met with a current student, the program director, some faculty, and sat in on a class. Everyone was really nice and gave a good impression, but it's going to come down to cost for me. It seems like it could be affordable to live in New Orleans, especially without a car, however the school doesn't offer much in terms of aid. Students have research positions but they only pay $12 per hour and do not give a break on tuition. That would mean that I'd still have to hold a solid job in order to cover living expenses. It sounds like most people get out of NO during the crazy hot months in the summer.

On the other hand, I just visited Minnesota and they really impressed me. They offered me in state tuition while I was there, everyone was very friendly, and their research positions seem more attainable (gives a break on tuition and pays $19/hr). This makes the program MUCH more affordable, especially if I can get a research position for the 2nd year. They've also got a sweet tunnel system so you barely have to go outside when it's cold out.

I'm visiting Michigan tomorrow. I'll be really interested to see what I think - they've been my top choice since I started this process.

I also was accepted to Emory, which I think I'd probably like, but I don't think I can justify spending that much on the school.

 

[megarita]

I've turned down my spots at Berkeley, GW, NYU, Tulane, and Emory - hopefully that helps someone out!

I thought I was pretty set on Hopkins, but Yale's turned out to be kind of a dark horse for me. Anyone here deciding between Hopkins (GDEC) and Yale (EMD)?

 

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Hey everyone, haven't posted in a while but just thought I should post my decision in case new applicants see this in the future.

After A LOT of (over)thinking I've decided on Berkeley's epi/biostats MPH. It ultimately came down to three factors: cost, location, and employment opportunities. Berkeley ended up only being around $40000, making it cheaper than many of the other programs (almost 40k cheaper in some cases). Additionally being a teaching assistant or research assistant makes you eligible for tuition remission, something some other schools seem to not offer, potentially making it even cheaper. I absolutely love the bay area and the size of my cohort (only around 20). The faculty are super friendly and the intimate class size make networking a breeze. The school has great connections with local employers and their classes are so small that I feel theres little risk of jobs being crazy competitive to get.

Looking back at the process I definitely over applied, but in the end I think it was worth it!

 

[mariposas905]

Anyone here planning on GW's MPH?

So far, that school is my cheapest option since they gave me substantial scholarship (it's like 30K total for me), and I don't need to worry about housing costs. I want to be debt free obviously, but I am worried that GW's name might not be high enough in the public health world. It's ranked 14 I think, but will not going to one of the top schools limit my options down the road?

 

[mariposas905]

Has anyone committed to GW/Harvard or visited the campuses?? I'm an international so I couldn't visit any of the schools...

I didn't apply to Harvard, but I got into GW and went to their orientation. I liked the program and campus is right in the middle of DC in the midst of the govt. public health organizations. From what I saw, it seems like going to GW makes it easier to land the desired practicum placements and get a federal job.

 

[mariposas905]

Hi all!

I just found this thread! It occurred to me just now to see what other prospective students who are in the same boat as me are feeling and thinking. I've been accepted to Columbia (population and family health) and the MS in global health program at UCSF. I'm still waiting to hear back from Berkeley's MCH program, but am already debating lifestyle, tuition, and end goals. Thanks to all who've already been posting here!

I was also accepted to the MS Global at UCSF. But from my understanding, they do not offer any scholarships right other than need-based aid? Are you planning on joining their program?

 

[Teets4Tots]

Anyone here planning on GW's MPH?

So far, that school is my cheapest option since they gave me substantial scholarship (it's like 30K total for me), and I don't need to worry about housing costs. I want to be debt free obviously, but I am worried that GW's name might not be high enough in the public health world. It's ranked 14 I think, but will not going to one of the top schools limit my options down the road?

I don't think you should worry about the rank of the program limiting your options. I think it's been said before on the forum, but any school that is CEPH certified will provide you with skills and opportunities that will make you prepared to enter the workforce or a doctoral program. With GW's location, you'll definitely be able to make a lot of connections that might not be possible outside of DC. Personally, I highly doubt ranking into account when looking at your resume because unless you've proven you have actually used the education you earned, the name of the institution won't get you the job. So if GW is the best fit for you right now, go for it!!

 

[slee]

This is exactly how I feel. The cost of my degree at my state school is less than one year at Yale, but Yale is Yale and I like how the program is infectious disease specific. But I want to get a PhD after my masters, so hopefully me choosing the financially responsible choice isn't shooting myself in the foot later on.

A decent amount of students go for more education after their MPH (publichealth.yale.3DU/admissions/value/careers.aspx). That being said, cost is a pretty big factor.

 

[slee]

I've turned down my spots at Berkeley, GW, NYU, Tulane, and Emory - hopefully that helps someone out!

I thought I was pretty set on Hopkins, but Yale's turned out to be kind of a dark horse for me. Anyone here deciding between Hopkins (GDEC) and Yale (EMD)?

Hey! I'm deciding between Hopkins' MSPH and Yale's MPH in Health Policy. Hopefully, I'll be able to make up my mind after tomorrow's admitted students day at Hopkins.

 

[slee]

Anyone here planning on GW's MPH?

So far, that school is my cheapest option since they gave me substantial scholarship (it's like 30K total for me), and I don't need to worry about housing costs. I want to be debt free obviously, but I am worried that GW's name might not be high enough in the public health world. It's ranked 14 I think, but will not going to one of the top schools limit my options down the road?

From what I know, your work experience and skills are just as, if not more important than where you got your degree. That matters because that'll help build up a network of connections where you can find work, but I don't think GW's name will hold you back as long as you pursue your opportunities there and do the right networking. Quick note that this may also be affected by what your future plans are (i.e. do you want to work in private vs. public sector, pursuing a PhD, etc).

 

[SJC1028]

Just secured my place for the MPH: Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan? Anyone else?

 

[macko126]

Just submitted my deposit for San Diego State!!!!! You all have been a huge part of helping me remain somewhat sane during this process. After I saw my GRE quant score in December, this point in time felt infinitely far away. So proud of us all-we are going to change the world for the better
Turning down my other offers this weekend! Seriously huge congratulations everyone, you deserve to celebrate yourself!

 

[fwm88]

Hi everyone! I have a quick question regarding Berkeley's SPH and would love people's opinions. I'll be starting an MPH at Berkeley this coming Fall and just had a conversation with a colleague in which he speculated that Berkeley's School of Public Health is falling in rankings. Is anyone else under this impression too, or do you think he was wrong when he said this? This is my first time at Berkeley and his comment made me have second thoughts about choosing Berkeley over other programs because while I know rankings aren't everything, I also don't want to work my butt off for a degree from a school that isn't respected or ranked in the coming years. Any weigh-ins would be much appreciated!

A berkeley alum told mye the same. He said the older professors who kept Berkeley high in the rankings are retiring and the new crew aint well organized. He added that Berkeley MPH aint the Berkeley MPH it used to be

 

[pusheen323]

I just paid my deposit at UNC for the PhD in Epidemiology!! My boyfriend was finally accepted to the university too, so we will be attending together this fall. I chose this program because it’s already a PhD (which I want to do no matter what) and we both like the Chapel Hill area and we can both get good degrees. Thanks to everyone for your help throughout this process. Best of luck to you all!

 

[mickey24]

Officially will be attending BU next year!! The support from this forum throughout the whole process has been amazing and I’m so excited for everyone to begin this next step!

 

[ha4cb5ed]

If anyone went to Columbia's 4/6 visit, would love to hear your thoughts!

 

[NewYorkGuy]

Just wanted to thank the people of this forum! You all were a great help throughout the process. I'll be attending Columbia in the Fall hope to see some of you there! Good luck everyone.

 

[mxd2007]

Hi Everyone,
I was wondering if those who have been accepted to UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago) could share any reasons why they did or did not accept their offer for admission? I am deciding between UIC and Emory and like many others right now, am having a tough time deciding which decision will be better for me in the long run. Thanks!

 

[Teets4Tots]

If anyone who went to the Colorado visit day wants to share their thoughts I would love to here about it!!

 

[MovingForward]

Does anyone have familiarity with wait lists? Do you guys think it is likely to get accepted off of it? I was put on the WL for NYU and I am wondering if anyone knows if people can get accepted at all?

 

[MovingForward]

Just submitted my deposit for San Diego State!!!!! You all have been a huge part of helping me remain somewhat sane during this process. After I saw my GRE quant score in December, this point in time felt infinitely far away. So proud of us all-we are going to change the world for the better
Turning down my other offers this weekend! Seriously huge congratulations everyone, you deserve to celebrate yourself!

I am surprised Arizona put you on the wait list! But congratulations on making a decision!

 

[blb95]

Hi everyone! I was hoping to pick everyone's mind regarding MPH programs. So I am currently a full-time athletics coach and absolutely love my job. I also got into Emory's BSHE program and going to Emory/working in proximity of the CDC are my dream from undergrad. I'm having such a hard time making a decision. Unfortunately, doing both are not a choice as I am currently located in Iowa. I was hoping to hear from people who have had to choose between full time employment doing something they're really passionate about and following their dream? I feel like it's going to be a win-lose regardless, which could be a super negative way to look at it and I do know that I'm very fortunate right now, but I'm just stuck. Halpppppp pleaseee

 

[Globalguy1289]

So happy to hear of everyone's acceptances. I am new to site and have enjoyed reading about all of the different experiences. I am coming down to the wire and trying to decide between Rutgers (NJ), Drexel, and NYU. I had a chance to meet with the new Dean at Rutgers, and he is really doing some great things, but I also love the city and all that NYU has to offer. It is going to be a tough decision. Feels like senior year in high school all over again.

 

[LG_MPHD]

Does anyone have familiarity with wait lists? Do you guys think it is likely to get accepted off of it? I was put on the WL for NYU and I am wondering if anyone knows if people can get accepted at all?

I think it’s definitely possible, but you’re more likely to find out after April 15th, once they’ve accessed how many spots they have left.

And I think the waitlist is much more usable at NYU then at a place like JHU where people who get accepted are more likely to go.

 

[CaliPenguin]

Is anyone else having a mini or major "what am I doing?" moment a week from the deadline? In the last week, I've questioned EVERYTHING. Why I'm getting degree, if I actually need one, if an MPH is the right one, and if I applied to the right schools. I'm guessing this is part of the process and will only make me all that more certain when I finally decide, hopefully. I'm deciding between Harvard and UNC but now worrying that I focused my program search on research-heavy schools rather than practice-based. I love learning new things research but I really need professional skills out of a degree. Thoughts and opinions welcome.

 

[MovingForward]

I think it’s definitely possible, but you’re more likely to find out after April 15th, once they’ve accessed how many spots they have left.

And I think the waitlist is much more usable at NYU then at a place like JHU where people who get accepted are more likely to go.

Thank you so much, and that is what I assume, too. I feel good things are going to happen but just a little scared!

 

[MovingForward]

Hi everyone! I was hoping to pick everyone's mind regarding MPH programs. So I am currently a full-time athletics coach and absolutely love my job. I also got into Emory's BSHE program and going to Emory/working in proximity of the CDC are my dream from undergrad. I'm having such a hard time making a decision. Unfortunately, doing both are not a choice as I am currently located in Iowa. I was hoping to hear from people who have had to choose between full time employment doing something they're really passionate about and following their dream? I feel like it's going to be a win-lose regardless, which could be a super negative way to look at it and I do know that I'm very fortunate right now, but I'm just stuck. Halpppppp pleaseee

So I always get stuck with this. I think it comes down to following your dream because the more you keep waiting and waiting to go for your dream to happen, the more you're pushing away what could make you happy and life is short. For me, I just got a huge promotion at work and it is everything I had ever wanted but Ive been also waiting to study abroad for so long and found programs that can cater to this and I was stuck, but my gut/my heart says to follow my dream. Go with your gut and follow your dreams!!

 

[wwmmkk]

Is anyone else having a mini or major "what am I doing?" moment a week from the deadline? In the last week, I've questioned EVERYTHING. Why I'm getting degree, if I actually need one, if an MPH is the right one, and if I applied to the right schools. I'm guessing this is part of the process and will only make me all that more certain when I finally decide, hopefully. I'm deciding between Harvard and UNC but now worrying that I focused my program search on research-heavy schools rather than practice-based. I love learning new things research but I really need professional skills out of a degree. Thoughts and opinions welcome.

Re: the research vs. practice part, you'll be fine at either Harvard or UNC. While they are both research heavy, they're also well-resourced schools with plenty of other opportunities too. Just keep focused on your particular goals rather than what the program/your peers might be pushing-- take a part time job at a community-based organization instead of going for research assistantships; choose classes that focus on professional skills (data analysis, program evaluation, communications, etc.) instead of research skills; get a good summer internship, etc. I feel like getting professional skills at a research focused institution is easier than the other way around so long as you put a little effort into finding the opportunities.

 

[blb95]

I always get stuck with it too. I'm one of the people that feels like I might be making a mistake by making a major decision. Thank you for your help! After thinking it over last night, I think that I know what would be best for my own future, even if I let a few people down in the process.

So I always get stuck with this. I think it comes down to following your dream because the more you keep waiting and waiting to go for your dream to happen, the more you're pushing away what could make you happy and life is short. For me, I just got a huge promotion at work and it is everything I had ever wanted but Ive been also waiting to study abroad for so long and found programs that can cater to this and I was stuck, but my gut/my heart says to follow my dream. Go with your gut and follow your dreams!!

 

[fwm88]

Does anyone have familiarity with wait lists? Do you guys think it is likely to get accepted off of it? I was put on the WL for NYU and I am wondering if anyone knows if people can get accepted at all?

Oh wow u still waitin on nyu? Contact Zack Maggio. He’s the assistant director of admissions. Maybe he could help

 

[Vslyph]

Hi Everyone,
I was wondering if those who have been accepted to UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago) could share any reasons why they did or did not accept their offer for admission? I am deciding between UIC and Emory and like many others right now, am having a tough time deciding which decision will be better for me in the long run. Thanks!

I’m not going to UIC because I’m from Chicago and need to get away. But the program is very well-respected and connected in the city. From what I’ve heard, no one is going to hold your hand there, so you’ve got to come in with a hustle mentality, but there is no lack of opportunities to get involved. Chicago is also a great place to get all sorts of public health jobs, and the city itself is a fantastic place to live if you’re thinking about sticking around after graduation.

 

[MovingForward]

Oh wow u still waitin on nyu? Contact Zack Maggio. He’s the assistant director of admissions. Maybe he could help

I got waitlisted April 4 so maybe wait a bit?

 

[MovingForward]

I always get stuck with it too. I'm one of the people that feels like I might be making a mistake by making a major decision. Thank you for your help! After thinking it over last night, I think that I know what would be best for my own future, even if I let a few people down in the process.

Thats honestly how I am. And plus I am very indecisive about many things. I think it is one of those things were we have to switch our mentality about it; like do I want to be in the same position again or do I want to switch things about and see where life can take me? Yes, even if you do let people down in the process, its okay; at the end of day, it is about what makes you happy and if people can't support that, then thats okay, too. Its easier said than done but this is something Ive been dealing with. So good luck with your journey! You got this!!

 

[MovingForward]

I’m not going to UIC because I’m from Chicago and need to get away. But the program is very well-respected and connected in the city. From what I’ve heard, no one is going to hold your hand there, so you’ve got to come in with a hustle mentality, but there is no lack of opportunities to get involved. Chicago is also a great place to get all sorts of public health jobs, and the city itself is a fantastic place to live if you’re thinking about sticking around after graduation.

Dang it, I should have applied...I love the hustle mentality.

 

[MidnightCafe]

I'm so nervous for this week. I am thinking about all the options everyday all day!!!

 

[picksleesticks]

If anyone went to Columbia's 4/6 visit, would love to hear your thoughts!

Went and LOVED IT. I was able to speak to someone about my research interests, and she told me exactly which professor would be a good match for thesis purposes. Message me with any questions or if you just wanna chat. I'm still undecided and very torn between two programs.

 

[langat211]

Hi folks,

I hope everyone is doing well. I have narrowed it down to Harvard & Columbia, and was wondering if anyone is in a similar boat? If so, I would appreciate your thoughts on your decision-making process. (I have visited both schools, funding is relatively equal, but Columbia has home field advantage in that I live in NYC, am firmly entrenched here, and a move to Boston would be extra laborious as I have dependents). To be clear, this is not a humble brag post as I'm well aware this is a "fortunate" problem to have given the quality of the schools, so please no trolling. Thank you, and good luck everyone!

 

[ha4cb5ed]

Went and LOVED IT. I was able to speak to someone about my research interests, and she told me exactly which professor would be a good match for thesis purposes. Message me with any questions or if you just wanna chat. I'm still undecided and very torn between two programs.

Thank you! Awesome to hear that you loved it. I leave tomorrow for NY, so I would love to learn more. Messaging you now!

 

[skcolley]

Hi everyone! I wanted to post an update that my decision process is finally over!! Phew!

I have put a deposit down at UNC for my MSPH in Enviro Sci/Eng!! I am super excited for the challenges ahead! I know a lot of you knew that I was hoping to live in New York, but this ultimately was the best decision for me and my spouse. It grants us both a lot more personal, professional, and financial flexibility in the long term. NYC will still be there in two years if we want

Thank you again for the tremendous support, encouragement, anxiety, and excitement we've all shared over the past few months! I feel so lucky to be going into a field with such warm and supportive people.

Wishing you all the best for your education and careers! And especially best of luck to those still making their decisions--I completely understand how difficult this stage of the process is.

Anyway, GO HEELS!

 

[sploosh]

Congratulations on everyone who's made their decisions. These last few pages of this forum are the triumphant results of lots of hard work from everyone, and I'm so, so excited for all of you!

Like everyone else before me, I wanted to start by stating how grateful I am for this forum; it's been a huge help for me when my stress levels were running through the roof.

After careful thought and a revisit day last Friday, I've decided to attend Johns Hopkins SPH this fall, pursuing an MHS in Epidemiology with a concentration in Aging Epidemiology.

Broadly, the reasons I've made this decision are:
1. I appreciate the diversity (particularly in age/life experience) of the community.
2. I feel that subject/biology knowledge is well integrated with the methodological coursework.
3. I was impressed by the faculty.
4. Personally, I have family and a few friends in Baltimore, and it is easy to access from my hometown.

In a separate post, I'll share my thoughts on the revisit day as a whole, but selfishly I wanted to dedicate this post to "closing the loop" on what's basically been a year-long process. I'm going to post my final thoughts (just a ctrl+c/ctrl+z of this post, probably) in the shared Google Drive folder and I would encourage others to do the same so that all this wonderful information is captured in one central page (one last plug - lol).

Lastly, I want to let everyone know that to be completely honest, my main emotion post-decision has not been happiness, excitement, or anticipation - rather, I immediately transitioned into worrying that I'd made the wrong choice and feeling sadness/regret about leaving my job and my home. I wanted to share that in case others were feeling the same; I think it's really normal. n=1, but I was super grumpy the summer before going to college for the same reasons (I'm sure my parents loved me); as soon as I matriculated, I immediately loved it. I suspect that this will be the same.

Best of luck for those who still need to decide - I know you're going to love wherever you decide to go.

 

[Cassatrass]

Congratulations on everyone who's made their decisions. These last few pages of this forum are the triumphant results of lots of hard work from everyone, and I'm so, so excited for all of you!

Like everyone else before me, I wanted to start by stating how grateful I am for this forum; it's been a huge help for me when my stress levels were running through the roof.

After careful thought and a revisit day last Friday, I've decided to attend Johns Hopkins SPH this fall, pursuing an MHS in Epidemiology with a concentration in Aging Epidemiology.

Broadly, the reasons I've made this decision are:
1. I appreciate the diversity (particularly in age/life experience) of the community.
2. I feel that subject/biology knowledge is well integrated with the methodological coursework.
3. I was extremely impressed by the faculty.
4. Personally, I have family and a few friends in Baltimore, and it is easy to access from my hometown.

In a separate post, I'll going to share my thoughts on the revisit day as a whole, but selfishly I wanted to dedicate this post to "closing the loop" on what's basically been a year-long process. I'm going to post my final thoughts (just a ctrl+c/ctrl+z of this post, probably) in the shared Google Drive folder and I would encourage others to do the same so that all this wonderful information is captured in one central page (one last plug - lol).

Lastly, I want to let everyone know that to be completely honest, my main emotion post-decision has not been happiness, excitement, or anticipation - rather, I immediately transitioned into worrying that I'd made the wrong choice and feeling sadness/regret about leaving my job and my home. I wanted to share that in case others were feeling the same; I think it's really normal. n=1, but I was such a grumpy dingus the summer before going to college for the same reasons; as soon as I matriculated, I loved it. I suspect that this will be much the same situation.

Best of luck for those who still need to decide - I know you're going to love wherever you decide to go.

Congrats on your decision!!

Since committing, I've been rotating between insanely happy/excited & stressed/worried too, so I'm glad someone else brought it up. I was (& still am) so excited to get out of the midwest, but now that I'm faced with the reality of the situation I'm incredibly worried to leave all my family and friends behind. ESPECIALLY when they all make it sound like I'm abandoning them when I tell them it will likely be much longer than the 2 years of my program since we aren't really planning to come back to our current area. I have to remind myself that this is what I want, it will help me grow as a person, and I'm chasing my dreams-- but it can be really hard.

I actually changed my mind mid-summer for college and went to a different school than I had committed to, which will forever remind me of my indecision haha.

 

[guybrush]

Hi everyone! I wanted to post an update that my decision process is finally over!! Phew!

I have put a deposit down at UNC for my MSPH in Enviro Sci/Eng!! I am super excited for the challenges ahead! I know a lot of you knew that I was hoping to live in New York, but this ultimately was the best decision for me and my spouse. It grants us both a lot more personal, professional, and financial flexibility in the long term. NYC will still be there in two years if we want

Thank you again for the tremendous support, encouragement, anxiety, and excitement we've all shared over the past few months! I feel so lucky to be going into a field with such warm and supportive people.

Wishing you all the best for your education and careers! And especially best of luck to those still making their decisions--I completely understand how difficult this stage of the process is.

Anyway, GO HEELS!

Wow, I probably would've lost my life savings if I had bet on your Columbia vs. UNC decision. Guess I'll see you in the fall!

 

[aethermist]

For those who have committed to Columbia, can I pay the deposit with a credit card? Or is it a wire transfer type thing

 

[phclarinetist]

After contacting 3 different people to get an update on the status of my application, today I finally got rejected from Berkeley for HPM. So I am certainly going to Boston University this fall. Thanks everyone for the information that they have provided on here!

 

[JDGBruin1317]

Congratulations on everyone who's made their decisions. These last few pages of this forum are the triumphant results of lots of hard work from everyone, and I'm so, so excited for all of you!

Like everyone else before me, I wanted to start by stating how grateful I am for this forum; it's been a huge help for me when my stress levels were running through the roof.

After careful thought and a revisit day last Friday, I've decided to attend Johns Hopkins SPH this fall, pursuing an MHS in Epidemiology with a concentration in Aging Epidemiology.

Broadly, the reasons I've made this decision are:
1. I appreciate the diversity (particularly in age/life experience) of the community.
2. I feel that subject/biology knowledge is well integrated with the methodological coursework.
3. I was impressed by the faculty.
4. Personally, I have family and a few friends in Baltimore, and it is easy to access from my hometown.

In a separate post, I'll share my thoughts on the revisit day as a whole, but selfishly I wanted to dedicate this post to "closing the loop" on what's basically been a year-long process. I'm going to post my final thoughts (just a ctrl+c/ctrl+z of this post, probably) in the shared Google Drive folder and I would encourage others to do the same so that all this wonderful information is captured in one central page (one last plug - lol).

Lastly, I want to let everyone know that to be completely honest, my main emotion post-decision has not been happiness, excitement, or anticipation - rather, I immediately transitioned into worrying that I'd made the wrong choice and feeling sadness/regret about leaving my job and my home. I wanted to share that in case others were feeling the same; I think it's really normal. n=1, but I was super grumpy the summer before going to college for the same reasons (I'm sure my parents loved me); as soon as I matriculated, I immediately loved it. I suspect that this will be the same.

Best of luck for those who still need to decide - I know you're going to love wherever you decide to go.

Congrats on your decision!!

Since committing, I've been rotating between insanely happy/excited & stressed/worried too, so I'm glad someone else brought it up. I was (& still am) so excited to get out of the midwest, but now that I'm faced with the reality of the situation I'm incredibly worried to leave all my family and friends behind. ESPECIALLY when they all make it sound like I'm abandoning them when I tell them it will likely be much longer than the 2 years of my program since we aren't really planning to come back to our current area. I have to remind myself that this is what I want, it will help me grow as a person, and I'm chasing my dreams-- but it can be really hard.

I actually changed my mind mid-summer for college and went to a different school than I had committed to, which will forever remind me of my indecision haha.

You two are definietly not alone in how you feel. I'm facing the similar nervous/regret/indecisiveness/stress feelings about my decision to defer my enrollment to next fall. I'm worried that I didn't make the right choice and that I should just take the plunge and go this fall, but I know I'm not in the right state of mind finaincially and emotionally (feeling anxious about moving across the country from my family and friends for the first time ever). I know I'm making the right choice for myself, but in the back of my mind, I'm still wondering if it really is the best choice for me.

At the end of the day, I'm glad to have gotten into my dream school at all and cannot wait to attend next fall!

Also, congrats to you both and everyone else! We're all going to be doing big things in these next few years!

 

[numbersloth]

Hi all! Does anyone know if there is a significant prestige/training difference between attending Michigan and Hopkins? Trying to make my final decision and still have no idea which to choose.