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

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ThisisReality said:
How did you go about talking to columbia to reconsider their financial aid package? I have yet to receive mine, but would like to know in case it is... just loans.
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It will most likely be just loans. I don’t think Columbia has a reputation for giving out very many scholarships, unfortunately. I think I just got lucky since I was talking to them in person.
 
wwmmkk said:
Honestly, from what you've written, I think you should choose Columbia if it ends up being comparable financially. It sounds like the only thing holding you back from them is the potential hassle of moving to NYC, and that hassle will be done with (hopefully) before your program starts. If you think you'll benefit more from a structured environment and learn best at a larger school, Brown is not what you're looking for.

If you do decide on Brown, though, I'm happy to help talk through some of your concerns about it. I don't think any of them are major and you could totally have a great experience here (especially if you research faculty that share your interests-- have you looked at their online profiles yet?). It just sounds like Columbia is a better fit.
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I am the type of person who goes out and works for the opportunities I want. And one of the reasons that I loved Brown’s program was because of the flexibility of the coursework requirements (specifically in the new generalist track). I don’t know if I would necessarily benefit more from a large, structured environment. In all honesty, I was just trying to brainstorm any potential cons I could think of for Brown because I didn’t see very many and wanted to make sure I was looking at all angles. My only reasoning for still considering Columbia at this point is the life experience of living in NYC and the fact that they are a more established/higher ranked program.

After meeting with some of the representatives at Brown, I felt so good about the program that I bought merchandise from the bookstore because in that moment I felt decided on Brown. A few hours later, of course, I had given more thought and then felt unsure. My partner was telling me he thinks that was my gut telling me to choose Brown but at the same time, if my gut still has Columbia in the picture, what is that supposed to say for my gut feeling? I don’t know. I’m just so conflicted. Luckily I do still have a couple weeks to decide.

PS I have briefly looked at the Faculty interests but I definitely need to dive deeper when I have a little more time next week.
 
rosemary_ said:
Columbia gave me just loans, I contacted them and asked if they could reconsider and they offered me full tuition. Just ask. If you have a better offer, let them know.
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pusheen323 said:
Oh wow that’s insane! Could you go into a little bit as to how you got that out of them?
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Yes... I'd like to know too. Feel that is a bit extreme to go from no scholarship funding to full funding.
 
rosemary_ said:
I tried this with my top three schools. The other two outright said to take their offer or leave it. I am not sure why Columbia actually reconsidered. My basic formula was:
  • ask if you can speak to someone in the financial aid office about revising your funding offer
  • state what program you have been admitted to
  • convey that you are interested in the program, but you have received more competitive offers from other schools (name drop if they are top schools, do not provide them with a $ unless they ask) (also, don't lie if this isn't true. Instead just say something about how the cost is a deterring factor for you or something.)
  • reiterate that you want this to be reconsidered and thank them for their time
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I will definitely be asking! My EFC was 0... so I don't think it is any harm to simply ask to reconsider my package... which I haven't received yet...
 
Like many others on this thread, I feel very fortunate to be in a predicament regarding school choices. (Also feel very uncomfortable posting this, as I think many others deserve this award more than I do.)

Columbia unexpectedly notified me of a full-tuition scholarship today. However, I wasn't seriously considering the program before due to (1) funding, and (2) a seeming scarcity of professors doing research in my field (epidemiological consequences of food systems).

Obviously, this offer has encouraged me to take a second look at Columbia. My main questions at this point are:
  • Those of you who are strongly considering Columbia, what are your reasons? Are there profs doing research you are interested in? Program? Location? Other factors?
  • Is attending another institution with more relevant faculty research worth $20k in debt? I have a partner who works full-time, so we will be able to pay it off reasonably quickly. However, it is still a significant cost, especially as we consider starting a family post-Master's.
  • How easy is it to obtain couples' housing at Columbia? Or is off-campus the way to go? (Even with a full-tuition scholarship, NYC's rent prices are making me a bit dizzy...)
  • For those who may know current or former Columbia Epi students, how sound is their methodological training? I am assuming it's great, but I've heard reports of some schools unexpectedly under-preparing graduates in Epi methods, biostatistics, statistical programming languages, etc.
Phew. Sorry for the long post. I would be very appreciative of any/all thoughts you may have!
 
ha4cb5ed said:
Like many others on this thread, I feel very fortunate to be in a predicament regarding school choices. (Also feel very uncomfortable posting this, as I think many others deserve this award more than I do.)

Columbia unexpectedly notified me of a full-tuition scholarship today. However, I wasn't seriously considering the program before due to (1) funding, and (2) a seeming scarcity of professors doing research in my field (epidemiological consequences of food systems).

Obviously, this offer has encouraged me to take a second look at Columbia. My main questions at this point are:
  • Those of you who are strongly considering Columbia, what are your reasons? Are there profs doing research you are interested in? Program? Location? Other factors?
  • Is attending another institution with more relevant faculty research worth $20k in debt? I have a partner who works full-time, so we will be able to pay it off reasonably quickly. However, it is still a significant cost, especially as we consider starting a family post-Master's.
  • How easy is it to obtain couples' housing at Columbia? Or is off-campus the way to go? (Even with a full-tuition scholarship, NYC's rent prices are making me a bit dizzy...)
  • For those who may know current or former Columbia Epi students, how sound is their methodological training? I am assuming it's great, but I've heard reports of some schools unexpectedly under-preparing graduates in Epi methods, biostatistics, statistical programming languages, etc.
Phew. Sorry for the long post. I would be very appreciative of any/all thoughts you may have!
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Hi! I’m not considering Columbia, but I wanted to give my two cents anyways. First, I think your stats are great and you are more than deserving of the funding that you have recieved. With that being said, I think being able to attend Columbia tuition free is a great offer as Columbia is a very reputable institution. I think you could possibly find opportunities in your interests at other organizations within NYC including the Health department. In regards to housing, you may have to dig deep to find a place you like and that’s affordable for you and your SO.
 
I don’t know if I would necessarily benefit more from a large, structured environment. In all honesty, I was just trying to brainstorm any potential cons I could think of for Brown because I didn’t see very many and wanted to make sure I was looking at all angles. My only reasoning for still considering Columbia at this point is the life experience of living in NYC and the fact that they are a more established/higher ranked program.
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Ohhh, I totally misinterpreted your first post then. My bad! I guess I just didn't see you list many drawbacks for Columbia and thought that's where your gut was.
 
Winter Storm Toby is basically Toby from The Office, a thief of joy. Unfortunately, JetBlue had no flights that would arrive by Friday morning, and no other airlines had affordable options at such short notice 🙁. It is okay in the end, but I was really looking forward to checking out the school and NYC.

Edit: hope everyone who is going out to the east coast makes it there safely and enjoys your time!
 
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So I’ve now emailed a total of 8 professors asking them about potentially doing a TA/RA position with them in the fall and I have received ZERO replies. How do they just not reply?? What do y’all think their reasoning behind that is?
 
rosemary_ said:
It isn't just you.... I have contacted 7. One responded to my first email and asked a question, then didn't respond after that. I think many don't know what their RA/TA funding will be.
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Thanks for the insight. Do you suggest we wait until like June to contact them again with a follow up? I just don’t want to miss out.
 
pusheen323 said:
So I’ve now emailed a total of 8 professors asking them about potentially doing a TA/RA position with them in the fall and I have received ZERO replies. How do they just not reply?? What do y’all think their reasoning behind that is?
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This is very common. Professors get those types of emails several times a day and can't logistically respond to them all while dealing with teaching, writing, their current advisees, admin stuff, etc. Right now, you're not yet a student (or even committed if I remember your situation correctly), so you're unfortunately a very low priority for them. They are more likely to respond if (a) they know you or (b) you've made a connection between your interests and prior work and theirs clear. In orientation, we had a whole lecture on how to make your emails to professors brief yet personalized to maximize the chances of a response, especially for cold emailing. That's all you can do from your current position. I'd recommend showing up at their doors, going to their lectures, etc. once you're actually at school if nothing gets worked out in advance.

[edit:] Oh also! Some may have admin assistants you can contact to ask basic questions like "When will Dr. X what type of funding they'll have available for RAs next semester?" Sometimes they are more likely to respond. You could also try the admin assistants for department if individual professors/research center directors don't have them.
 
So I received 50% off merit based scholarships at both Michigan and Emory. I know that this is a very big deal for Emory and I should consider myself lucky to have this. Does anybody know about Michigan? Is my scholarship offer pretty general, or is this something prestigious? I know it sounds horrible to consider scholarship prestige when picking a school, but I'm conceited and I want my school of choice to want me back.
 
TheQueen said:
So I received 50% off merit based scholarships at both Michigan and Emory. I know that this is a very big deal for Emory and I should consider myself lucky to have this. Does anybody know about Michigan? Is my scholarship offer pretty general, or is this something prestigious? I know it sounds horrible to consider scholarship prestige when picking a school, but I'm conceited and I want my school of choice to want me back.
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Well Emory gave me loans and a small REAL award so I’d say it’s pretty great lmao. That’s just me tho—I think being offered half tuition is pretty great regardless of the school.

I wish I knew the blueprint to how schools go about offering aid. I don’t think it’s just gpa and stats, but the fact that they think you’re a valuable addition to the incoming class.
 
TheQueen said:
So I received 50% off merit based scholarships at both Michigan and Emory. I know that this is a very big deal for Emory and I should consider myself lucky to have this. Does anybody know about Michigan? Is my scholarship offer pretty general, or is this something prestigious? I know it sounds horrible to consider scholarship prestige when picking a school, but I'm conceited and I want my school of choice to want me back.
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From browsing previous threads, it seems scholarships from Emory are quite rare. They love to offer REAL+loans instead. I do see more posts about Michigan tuition discounts but then again, SDN attracts the more competitive applicants so its hard to really say. MPH programs are notorious for being VERY stingy even for competitive applicants. They don't hand out 50% off tuition to just anyone. I do think fit should be your decisive factor, not scholarship prestige.
 
pusheen323 said:
Thanks for the insight. Do you suggest we wait until like June to contact them again with a follow up? I just don’t want to miss out.
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I think it's better you try to start the program then it's easier to find afterwards when they know u nd seen the zeal and showmanship you possess at least thats what my mentor.... because he searched for me by asking and that's what he was advised to tell me!!!
 
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Hi! I just got into BU on Monday and haven't received the second e-mail w/ portal login info. Does anyone remember how long it took for them to send that after getting accepted?
 
runsdmph said:
Hi! I just got into BU on Monday and haven't received the second e-mail w/ portal login info. Does anyone remember how long it took for them to send that after getting accepted?
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I got mine a day or two later, but it was just the option to accept or decline enrollment. They sent a link regarding financial aid a week later. If you don't see anything by the end of the day today I would say shoot them an email or give them a call.
 
havvajava said:
Well Emory gave me loans and a small REAL award so I’d say it’s pretty great lmao. That’s just me tho—I think being offered half tuition is pretty great regardless of the school.

I wish I knew the blueprint to how schools go about offering aid. I don’t think it’s just gpa and stats, but the fact that they think you’re a valuable addition to the incoming class.
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I got 50% to Emory, and looking back on my apps I had a big additional paragraph for Emory about my experience with networking due to proximity in Undergrad and how I felt those skills would transfer well to Emory/CDC. I'm like 95% sure that unique statement influenced their scholarship decisions.

Also, Visit Emory starts tomorrow and I'm SO EXCITED!
 
phclarinetist said:
I got mine a day or two later, but it was just the option to accept or decline enrollment. They sent a link regarding financial aid a week later. If you don't see anything by the end of the day today I would say shoot them an email or give them a call.
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Thanks!
 
wwmmkk said:
This is very common. Professors get those types of emails several times a day and can't logistically respond to them all while dealing with teaching, writing, their current advisees, admin stuff, etc. Right now, you're not yet a student (or even committed if I remember your situation correctly), so you're unfortunately a very low priority for them. They are more likely to respond if (a) they know you or (b) you've made a connection between your interests and prior work and theirs clear. In orientation, we had a whole lecture on how to make your emails to professors brief yet personalized to maximize the chances of a response, especially for cold emailing. That's all you can do from your current position. I'd recommend showing up at their doors, going to their lectures, etc. once you're actually at school if nothing gets worked out in advance.

[edit:] Oh also! Some may have admin assistants you can contact to ask basic questions like "When will Dr. X what type of funding they'll have available for RAs next semester?" Sometimes they are more likely to respond. You could also try the admin assistants for department if individual professors/research center directors don't have them.
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Thanks for the reply. Yeah I’m going into a PhD at UNC though and I live across the country so I can’t really go to them and I would really like funding set up beforehand. But I think I’ll be able to find something from now until August. Once I commit, I’ll hit it hard again with asking people.
 
Have any of you been struggling to come to an agreement with your SO/partner on moving for school? My boyfriend of 5 years has been crazy supportive of me throughout this process, but when it comes down to it he doesn't like the idea of moving to Minneapolis. I feel like I can't push him too much on that, because my relationship is important to me and I don't want him to end up resenting this move. But now my final choices are 1. push my bf move to Minnesota where I got a great scholarship or 2. stay in Chicago where we already live and take out more loans...and I feel stuck. I don't want to throw away this opportunity. But I don't want to be selfish either.

As of early March, I made up my mind to attend UIC. MN is clearly a great school where I know I can get a stellar education, but it felt good to make a decision. Then, last Thursday, I got an email from Minnesota informing me I was selected as the Profession Education Diversity Fellow for the entire professional studies college, and I'm so honored/blown away. It includes a tuition discount, plus a $25,000 stipend! I didn't believe my eyes when I read it. Now, I still need to reach out to the school to gain a clear understanding of exactly what this means financially and what portion of the tuition/fees I am responsible for. But holy crap this is a game changer.

I'm so overwhelmed and confused about what to do, but trying to remember to be excited and take joy in this opportunity. I truly didn't expect to be in this position. Any thoughts/feedback? Anyone dealing with a similar dilemma? I would love to hear how you're dealing with this!
 
(orpheusloves)eurydice said:
Have any of you been struggling to come to an agreement with your SO/partner on moving for school? My boyfriend of 5 years has been crazy supportive of me throughout this process, but when it comes down to it he doesn't like the idea of moving to Minneapolis. I feel like I can't push him too much on that, because my relationship is important to me and I don't want him to end up resenting this move. But now my final choices are 1. push my bf move to Minnesota where I got a great scholarship or 2. stay in Chicago where we already live and take out more loans...and I feel stuck. I don't want to throw away this opportunity. But I don't want to be selfish either.

As of early March, I made up my mind to attend UIC. MN is clearly a great school where I know I can get a stellar education, but it felt good to make a decision. Then, last Thursday, I got an email from Minnesota informing me I was selected as the Profession Education Diversity Fellow for the entire professional studies college, and I'm so honored/blown away. It includes a tuition discount, plus a $25,000 stipend! I didn't believe my eyes when I read it. Now, I still need to reach out to the school to gain a clear understanding of exactly what this means financially and what portion of the tuition/fees I am responsible for. But holy crap this is a game changer.

I'm so overwhelmed and confused about what to do, but trying to remember to be excited and take joy in this opportunity. I truly didn't expect to be in this position. Any thoughts/feedback? Anyone dealing with a similar dilemma? I would love to hear how you're dealing with this!
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First, CONGRATS!!!! Second, I want to state that this advice is coming from someone who hasn't been in a long-term relationship so feel free to ignore it: if you feel this is an opportunity you can't pass up, don't allow a relationship hold you back. That isn't to say that you shouldn't discuss the dilemma with your partner and try to get them to understand how you feel but also remeber this whole process is for YOU. Even though it may suck, start thinking about the possibility of being long-distance. Hopefully after being together for 5 years you'll would be able to come to an understanding. I may be biased since I grew up with a parent in the military who was regularly gone, but not seeing a loved one every day can be managed, especially when they are doing something they love. Hope this helps a little!!
 
(orpheusloves)eurydice said:
Have any of you been struggling to come to an agreement with your SO/partner on moving for school? My boyfriend of 5 years has been crazy supportive of me throughout this process, but when it comes down to it he doesn't like the idea of moving to Minneapolis. I feel like I can't push him too much on that, because my relationship is important to me and I don't want him to end up resenting this move. But now my final choices are 1. push my bf move to Minnesota where I got a great scholarship or 2. stay in Chicago where we already live and take out more loans...and I feel stuck. I don't want to throw away this opportunity. But I don't want to be selfish either.

As of early March, I made up my mind to attend UIC. MN is clearly a great school where I know I can get a stellar education, but it felt good to make a decision. Then, last Thursday, I got an email from Minnesota informing me I was selected as the Profession Education Diversity Fellow for the entire professional studies college, and I'm so honored/blown away. It includes a tuition discount, plus a $25,000 stipend! I didn't believe my eyes when I read it. Now, I still need to reach out to the school to gain a clear understanding of exactly what this means financially and what portion of the tuition/fees I am responsible for. But holy crap this is a game changer.

I'm so overwhelmed and confused about what to do, but trying to remember to be excited and take joy in this opportunity. I truly didn't expect to be in this position. Any thoughts/feedback? Anyone dealing with a similar dilemma? I would love to hear how you're dealing with this!
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I have been with my boyfriend for 4 years. We were in a similar situation at first. I got into Columbia and really wanted to go to NYC, but he hates cities like that. I was really hyped on going there and it sucked that he didn’t want to live there. He said he would’ve moved there, but I know he would have hated it, been unhappy, and resented me like crazy. My relationship is more important to me than living in one city versus another. So, we came to the understanding to move to UNC, where the program is great and we are both ok with the location. Personally, I would never be able to live long distance after being together and living together for 4 years. It is a completely unrealistic expectation for me. I love spending every day with my boyfriend and would feel miserable without him here. I wouldn’t be able to focus on school or life without him. I know some people actually thrive from long distance relationships and that is totally cool, but it doesn’t work for me. If I was in your position, I would probably really push hard to go to MN together. It’s only 2 years, he would get used to it, you would both find ways to be happy, and you can stay together. However, if going to MN was just not an option for him at all or he just absolutely abhorred it, I would probably stay and take out loans. It honestly just depends on your relationship. If, deep down, you don’t feel that you 100% love this person and you are not willing to take out a lot of money and be in debt for years after graduating just to be with this person, they maybe you should go to MN. But, for me personally, I would do all of that just to stay with him. I would indebt myself to the greedy banks and carry that burden for years after just to stay together with him; he’s my other half and there is no happiness without him present. (I know this may sound crazy to some, but I truly love this man and he is my life partner). He’s the man I love and we have an incredibly good relationship after 4 years. But, if you don’t feel like doing all that is worth it and you’re just staying together out of habit or need or whatever, then maybe it is time for you to do something for yourself. I suggest taking the next 3 weeks until the deadline to really analyze your relationship, your goals, your needs, your desires, and your life in general and then you should be better equipped to make a decision. I know that this is an incredibly stressful and confusing time, but I’m sure you will come to the right decision eventually. And, if you dont, that is life and you mess up and you learn and it goes on.
 
rosemary_ said:
If you log into your application, you should be able to find your student ID and a PAC... If you don't see it there, you can call financial aid.
Then go here to create your UW net ID: Get your UW NetID: What is a UW NetID
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Thanks for this! I actually declined my offer a few weeks back, but just wanted to let the group know what their financial aid office was up to. 🙂
 
(orpheusloves)eurydice said:
Have any of you been struggling to come to an agreement with your SO/partner on moving for school? My boyfriend of 5 years has been crazy supportive of me throughout this process, but when it comes down to it he doesn't like the idea of moving to Minneapolis. I feel like I can't push him too much on that, because my relationship is important to me and I don't want him to end up resenting this move. But now my final choices are 1. push my bf move to Minnesota where I got a great scholarship or 2. stay in Chicago where we already live and take out more loans...and I feel stuck. I don't want to throw away this opportunity. But I don't want to be selfish either.

As of early March, I made up my mind to attend UIC. MN is clearly a great school where I know I can get a stellar education, but it felt good to make a decision. Then, last Thursday, I got an email from Minnesota informing me I was selected as the Profession Education Diversity Fellow for the entire professional studies college, and I'm so honored/blown away. It includes a tuition discount, plus a $25,000 stipend! I didn't believe my eyes when I read it. Now, I still need to reach out to the school to gain a clear understanding of exactly what this means financially and what portion of the tuition/fees I am responsible for. But holy crap this is a game changer.

I'm so overwhelmed and confused about what to do, but trying to remember to be excited and take joy in this opportunity. I truly didn't expect to be in this position. Any thoughts/feedback? Anyone dealing with a similar dilemma? I would love to hear how you're dealing with this!
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So I have gone through a whole whirlwind of this. My boyfriend got offered his dream job in Norway and we've visited before and both LOVE Oslo. I applied to the one Master's program I could find there that was still open to international applicants. Once I got some acceptances in the US I realized the Oslo program wasn't good for me and my future goals. So my boyfriend was willing to give up going to Oslo, but after making that decision I could tell he was miserable. So we decided we're going to do distance! After we talked it all out we're actually both really excited! He gets to work remote sometimes so he can visit and I'm going to try to do my practicum in Oslo. We're also just naturally very independent and career-focused people so we're excited for our respective new challenges and to be able to give school/work our full attention. Neither one of us would be happy if we had to compromise at this exact time because we're still pretty young and establishing ourselves.
That being said, if you feel like your relationship will really suffer if you're not together then you should consider UIC. But it sounds like even if you do go to MN and he doesn't you'd still both be in the Midwest so you wouldn't be THAT far apart. I just think it's really important to prioritize quality education and fit. The fact that MN is offering you such an incredible financial package makes it really hard to turn down. I'm sure your relationship is awesome, but you never know what might happen, and I would hate for you to have a bunch of loans for nothing when you have such a good opportunity. Just my 2 cents 🙂
 
(orpheusloves)eurydice said:
Have any of you been struggling to come to an agreement with your SO/partner on moving for school? My boyfriend of 5 years has been crazy supportive of me throughout this process, but when it comes down to it he doesn't like the idea of moving to Minneapolis. I feel like I can't push him too much on that, because my relationship is important to me and I don't want him to end up resenting this move. But now my final choices are 1. push my bf move to Minnesota where I got a great scholarship or 2. stay in Chicago where we already live and take out more loans...and I feel stuck. I don't want to throw away this opportunity. But I don't want to be selfish either.

As of early March, I made up my mind to attend UIC. MN is clearly a great school where I know I can get a stellar education, but it felt good to make a decision. Then, last Thursday, I got an email from Minnesota informing me I was selected as the Profession Education Diversity Fellow for the entire professional studies college, and I'm so honored/blown away. It includes a tuition discount, plus a $25,000 stipend! I didn't believe my eyes when I read it. Now, I still need to reach out to the school to gain a clear understanding of exactly what this means financially and what portion of the tuition/fees I am responsible for. But holy crap this is a game changer.

I'm so overwhelmed and confused about what to do, but trying to remember to be excited and take joy in this opportunity. I truly didn't expect to be in this position. Any thoughts/feedback? Anyone dealing with a similar dilemma? I would love to hear how you're dealing with this!
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So, in my opinion, you need to consider a few things:

1. What's holding them back? Do they have a job there that they love, family nearby, are they worried about being isolated in a new place alone, or something else entirely? Knowing their motives will definitely help you understand--- but that doesn't mean you'll be okay with them or consider them valid enough to justify not moving with you. Are you okay with that?

2. How serious do you see this being? How serious do they see this being? Do those two align? Make sure to be honest with this part and ensure that they do the same. I feel like this is a critical point in your relationship since you've been together for a long time but aren't yet married. With a big move and life change you have to consciously choose to be together-- or not-- and that choice will define the rest of your relationship. But it has to go both ways.

3. What are you willing to do? I, personally, couldn't do long distance for more than a few months-- it doesn't suit my personality well.

4. If they're tied to Chicago & you choose to go there, will you ever be able to leave? Are you okay with that? I know that I NEED to get out of MN for grad school, and it sounds like you're in the same boat with Chicago.

Good luck! Feel free to PM me and vent, I'm married (young, I'm 23) so I understand the struggles and compromises involved in relationships. I think Minneapolis is a fantastic place to be a young professional though, by the way. 🙂
 
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(orpheusloves)eurydice said:
Have any of you been struggling to come to an agreement with your SO/partner on moving for school? My boyfriend of 5 years has been crazy supportive of me throughout this process, but when it comes down to it he doesn't like the idea of moving to Minneapolis. I feel like I can't push him too much on that, because my relationship is important to me and I don't want him to end up resenting this move. But now my final choices are 1. push my bf move to Minnesota where I got a great scholarship or 2. stay in Chicago where we already live and take out more loans...and I feel stuck. I don't want to throw away this opportunity. But I don't want to be selfish either.

As of early March, I made up my mind to attend UIC. MN is clearly a great school where I know I can get a stellar education, but it felt good to make a decision. Then, last Thursday, I got an email from Minnesota informing me I was selected as the Profession Education Diversity Fellow for the entire professional studies college, and I'm so honored/blown away. It includes a tuition discount, plus a $25,000 stipend! I didn't believe my eyes when I read it. Now, I still need to reach out to the school to gain a clear understanding of exactly what this means financially and what portion of the tuition/fees I am responsible for. But holy crap this is a game changer.

I'm so overwhelmed and confused about what to do, but trying to remember to be excited and take joy in this opportunity. I truly didn't expect to be in this position. Any thoughts/feedback? Anyone dealing with a similar dilemma? I would love to hear how you're dealing with this!
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Wow! Congrats on an amazing offer!

Don't make your decision based on a relationship. If you've been together 5 years and you're truly meant to be together, then you'll make it through 2 years long distance if he wants to stay in Chicago. And he will be thanking you afterwards for not having to pay back as many (if any?) loans... it will make a big difference in saving for a wedding, down payment on a house, etc.

You're worried about the possibility of him resenting you for moving to MN, but you may honestly resent him down the road for swaying you away from taking a great opportunity. Moving to MN is only short term. In my opinion, you losing the opportunity and costing you more money is worse because it's forever.

Edit: Also, I have moved across country in the past for a serious relationship and I have made other big decisions based on serious relationships before. I've been there and have learned this the hard way.
 
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Came to DC to visit GW and ended up being caught in the snow storm. Flight to Atlanta is delayed until Friday morning meaning I’ll miss most of Emory’s visit days :-(

Hope the rest of you guys are having safe flights!!
 
NardwuarKnowsEverything said:
Winter Storm Toby is basically Toby from The Office, a thief of joy. Unfortunately, JetBlue had no flights that would arrive by Friday morning, and no other airlines had affordable options at such short notice 🙁. It is okay in the end, but I was really looking forward to checking out the school and NYC.

Edit: hope everyone who is going out to the east coast makes it there safely and enjoys your time!
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omg so sorry to hear 🙁
i keep checking my email to see if my flight has been canceled. i can definitely give you a rundown of the scheduled day if i make it there!
 
ha4cb5ed said:
Like many others on this thread, I feel very fortunate to be in a predicament regarding school choices. (Also feel very uncomfortable posting this, as I think many others deserve this award more than I do.)

Columbia unexpectedly notified me of a full-tuition scholarship today. However, I wasn't seriously considering the program before due to (1) funding, and (2) a seeming scarcity of professors doing research in my field (epidemiological consequences of food systems).

Obviously, this offer has encouraged me to take a second look at Columbia. My main questions at this point are:
  • Those of you who are strongly considering Columbia, what are your reasons? Are there profs doing research you are interested in? Program? Location? Other factors?
  • Is attending another institution with more relevant faculty research worth $20k in debt? I have a partner who works full-time, so we will be able to pay it off reasonably quickly. However, it is still a significant cost, especially as we consider starting a family post-Master's.
  • How easy is it to obtain couples' housing at Columbia? Or is off-campus the way to go? (Even with a full-tuition scholarship, NYC's rent prices are making me a bit dizzy...)
  • For those who may know current or former Columbia Epi students, how sound is their methodological training? I am assuming it's great, but I've heard reports of some schools unexpectedly under-preparing graduates in Epi methods, biostatistics, statistical programming languages, etc.
Phew. Sorry for the long post. I would be very appreciative of any/all thoughts you may have!
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WOW. I am envious... hoping my financial aid package is at least half as generous. You received this via email?

In any PH field - Columbia is very respectable, obviously other schools may have their strengths, but I think coupled with NYC and the name brand that Columbia brings, it will help in no matter what field you do. My friends in the Epi dept are happy, although many times they crack jokes at how much they pay in tuition - which shouldn't be a problem for you!

The area where the school is situated is in Washington Heights. This area and upper Manhattan is much cheaper than the rest of Manhattan. It may not be as affordable as other cities, but there's an advantage of living in a city like NYC and the opportunities it will bring. Definitely recommend off campus housing.

In the end, you and your partner will need to decide what is best for you two!
 
Hello,

I am really confused, mostly because I can't attend admit day. I am currently living in Mexico, and working. All the admit days are in early April, and basically everything is over $500 to go out an visit some of these schools. Yale doesn't offer a travel grant, and my family is here for semana santa(spring break).

I was considering between UW and Yale. However, then my packages came through. UW gave me a diversity scholarship that was 5,000 dollars, and 5,000 in work-study, and the rest loans.

Yale, gave me 45,000, and then loans. Because it is a more expensive school, it still comes out about the same as UW. Maybe 5,000 or 10,000 more.

I talked to students from both programs, and the Yale POC at SPH have mixed reviews because a lot of people in the program are using the MPH program as either a stepping stone to medical school or a PHD route. I feel like this bothers me because I feel like public health is a career in itself and of course, I am not other people, but I guess I don't see grad school as a stepping stone, but a way to go into the workforce.

The UW COPHP program seems to be really cool, but then at the end of the day, the program is separate from the rest of the school of public health, and the cohort lacks diversity. Basically all your classes are with the same 20 people, and from talking to students they didn't have contact with people from other schools or programs within public health. I liked that the program was small, but if I could do it again, I would probably apply to global health at UW.

Today, I got offered the Graduate Opportunity Award at UCLA, and I was not even considering UCLA because I grew up in the LA area, and LA traffic is...but it is 20,000+ tuition for the first year. And yes UCLA does value diversity, but it is also a bigger program. Further, I thought, what about my second year?

Basically, I am confused. Any thoughts on UW or Yale? Could I negotiate with Yale for more money?

I also feel really annoyed because if these schools are going to write me off as their diversity then really..how about making it affordable for first-generation students of color to go to school. I just want to make an impact in people's lives and in low-income communities. 🙁
 
Last edited:
Marisol562999 said:
Hello,

I am really confused, mostly because I can't attend admit day. I am currently living in Mexico, and working. All the admit days are in early April, and basically everything is over $500 to go out an visit some of these schools. Yale doesn't offer a travel grant, and my family is here for semana santa(spring break).

I was considering between UW and Yale. However, then my packages came through. UW gave me a diversity scholarship that was 5,000 dollars, and 5,000 in work-study, and the rest loans.

Yale, gave me 45,000, and then loans. Because it is a more expensive school, it still comes out about the same as UW. Maybe 5,000 or 10,000 more.

I talked to students from both programs, and the Yale POC at SPH have mixed reviews because a lot of people in the program are using the MPH program as either a stepping stone to medical school or a PHD route. I feel like this bothers me because I feel like public health is a career in itself and of course, I am not other people, but I guess I don't see grad school as a stepping stone, but a way to go into the workforce.

The UW COPHP program seems to be really cool, but then at the end of the day, the program is separate from the rest of the school of public health, and the cohort lacks diversity. Basically all your classes are with the same 20 people, and from talking to students they didn't have contact with people from other schools or programs within public health. I liked that the program was small, but if I could do it again, I would probably apply to global health at UW.

Today, I got offered the Graduate Opportunity Award at UCLA, and I was not even considering UCLA because I grew up in the LA area, and LA traffic is...but it is 20,000+ tuition for the first year. And yes UCLA does value diversity, but it is also a bigger program. Further, I thought, what about my second year?

Basically, I am confused. Any thoughts on UW or Yale? Could I negotiate with Yale for more money?

I also feel really annoyed because if these schools are going to write me off as their diversity then really..how about making it affordable for first-generation students of color to go to school. I just want to make an impact in people's lives and in low-income communities. 🙁
Click to expand...
Yes, it is true that a good number of students at Yale are planning to pursue advanced degrees after their MPH, but I do not think that is uncommon at other schools of public health. Yale overall is a very small program, so you hear about everyone's interests; those planning on going on to MD or PhD programs can be vocal about it some select individuals make it clear that their MPH is just a step before their future degree, which can be irritating. However, this is by no means all of Yale and you should not be discouraged by that. Many of us are planning to use our MPH degrees directly. I would argue that the diversity in career goals benefits the student body, as various students look at problems in different ways and contribute different ideas and ways of thinking. I would say that Yale is a well rounded program that prepares students for future schooling and to work directly in the field.

Also, I am not sure how Yale is about further negotiations, but Jen in financial aid is incredibly kind, so I wouldn't hesitate to reach out to her.
 
Branch394 said:
Hi! I’m not considering Columbia, but I wanted to give my two cents anyways. First, I think your stats are great and you are more than deserving of the funding that you have recieved. With that being said, I think being able to attend Columbia tuition free is a great offer as Columbia is a very reputable institution. I think you could possibly find opportunities in your interests at other organizations within NYC including the Health department. In regards to housing, you may have to dig deep to find a place you like and that’s affordable for you and your SO.
Click to expand...

ThisisReality said:
WOW. I am envious... hoping my financial aid package is at least half as generous. You received this via email?

In any PH field - Columbia is very respectable, obviously other schools may have their strengths, but I think coupled with NYC and the name brand that Columbia brings, it will help in no matter what field you do. My friends in the Epi dept are happy, although many times they crack jokes at how much they pay in tuition - which shouldn't be a problem for you!

The area where the school is situated is in Washington Heights. This area and upper Manhattan is much cheaper than the rest of Manhattan. It may not be as affordable as other cities, but there's an advantage of living in a city like NYC and the opportunities it will bring. Definitely recommend off campus housing.

In the end, you and your partner will need to decide what is best for you two!
Click to expand...

Thank you both for your responses! This is truly helpful. And yes, I received the notification via email.
 
Sad to miss Emory’s admit day today because of flight cancellation. I really wanted to tour the CDC. Hopefully I’ll be there tomorrow. I would love to hear your thoughts on today’s visit day
 
Does anyone have any thoughts on Weil Cornell's MS in Health Policy and Economics?
 
ea.vae said:
omg so sorry to hear 🙁
i keep checking my email to see if my flight has been canceled. i can definitely give you a rundown of the scheduled day if i make it there!
Click to expand...
Are u also going to the admitted students day for Mt. Sinai tmmrw?
 
Accepted to JHU MHS in epi yesterday but have decided to attend GW in the fall! Observed a class there the other day and was BLOWN AWAY by the professor's passion, the guest speakers who shared their insight, and most importantly how invested the students were in the class. Good luck to everyone else with their decisions. 🙂
 
Has anyone done a comparison of UC Berkeley Health & Social Behavior versus Columbia Sociomedical Sciences?
 
I'm so beyond annoyed with Berkeley at this point. It's almost April and crickets from them since I submitted back in November. Decision deadlines are in a few short weeks. Is it just me, or does this signal a level of inefficiency and disorganization from them?
 
ninz54 said:
I'm so beyond annoyed with Berkeley at this point. It's almost April and crickets from them since I submitted back in November. Decision deadlines are in a few short weeks. Is it just me, or does this signal a level of inefficiency and disorganization from them?
Click to expand...

I would email admissions if you haven’t already to see when you should expect a decision. It was one of the last schools I heard back from, but since hearing from them they’ve been pretty organized and helpful.
 
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