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

Started by ConfusedAsUsual
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MidnightCafe said:
Hi @wwmmkk! I am considering Brown as my top choice so I'm wondering about the actual costs of living. Are you currently living in an apartment, if so how much are you paying a month? Also what is your estimated textbook fees for a semester?

Thank you so much!
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I'm currently living in an apartment in Upper South Providence, which is on the other side of the river and interstate from Brown (~25 minute ugly walk to campus). It's a 2 bed place in a 3-family home with lots of amenities (parking! yard! laundry!) and the total rent is $1200. It is definitely possible to find rooms on the east side (where Brown is) in shared apartments/homes for $450-$600. Renting a whole apartment there is usually $1500-$1900 for 2-3 bedrooms. I'd say you're getting ripped off or have expensive taste if you're paying more than that in Providence. As for your second question, the vast majority of assigned reading is journal articles. I bought used editions of the required textbooks on Amazon last semester for ~$300 total and only had to buy one this semester for $75. This was a welcome change to shelling out >$200/book in undergrad!
 
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If anyone else is freaking out about loans like I am, I've found the FSA Repayment Estimator very helpful. It tells you exactly how much you'll pay monthly by factoring in undergrad+graduate school loans. You can also play around with it by entering different salaries and family size and seeing how the income-based payment amount changes. It also shows exactly how much will be forgiven after 240-300 payments (or 120 payments if you choose to do public service).
 
Ebb55 said:
If anyone else is freaking out about loans like I am, I've found the FSA Repayment Estimator very helpful. It tells you exactly how much you'll pay monthly by factoring in undergrad+graduate school loans. You can also play around with it by entering different salaries and family size and seeing how the income-based payment amount changes. It also shows exactly how much will be forgiven after 240-300 payments (or 120 payments if you choose to do public service).
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That sounds helpful! Do you mind sending me the link? I tried using the calculator on the fed student loans website but it won't let me modify the salaries for some reason.
 
JDGBruin1317 said:
That sounds helpful! Do you mind sending me the link? I tried using the calculator on the fed student loans website but it won't let me modify the salaries for some reason.
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UPDATE: I figured out how to use the FSA Repayment Estimator correctly like @Ebb55 described and it really is helpful and kind of fun to play with! 😛 This actually gives me a little peace of mind, but I'm worried about the survival of the public service forgiveness program under this adminstration in these next couple of years. 😕
 
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To those who have already accepted offers (or anyone really) what’s your cost of attendance looking like? I’m trying to make a decision and rule out schools that might not be in my budget (with loans and scholarships included), but I really don’t have a clue how much a M.P.H. degree should be?

Btw I didn’t get any financial aid packages yet from any schools, I’m just approximating right now and hoping for the best.
 
Update: After visiting both UC Berkeley and Yale on their respective visit days and agonizing over financial aid and moving costs I have decided to commit to Yale! It was the better fit and more affordable due to the merit scholarship and grant they gave me. Now I am terrified to move across the country but all in all glad to have made a decision! Can't believe that this is actually happening and that this process is now over...
 
x0n said:
To those who have already accepted offers (or anyone really) what’s your cost of attendance looking like? I’m trying to make a decision and rule out schools that might not be in my budget (with loans and scholarships included), but I really don’t have a clue how much a M.P.H. degree should be?

Btw I didn’t get any financial aid packages yet from any schools, I’m just approximating right now and hoping for the best.
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My cost of attendance for Harvard MPH-65 (1.5 years), including living expenses and approximate adjustment for tuition, is about $74k. This includes loans and out-of-pocket from my savings. I haven't committed because I am still under consideration for a scholarship at Hopkins.

For UCLA MPH (2 years), my COA would have been $75k. For Berkeley MPH (2 years), it would have been about $103k. I have declined their offers.
 
x0n said:
To those who have already accepted offers (or anyone really) what’s your cost of attendance looking like? I’m trying to make a decision and rule out schools that might not be in my budget (with loans and scholarships included), but I really don’t have a clue how much a M.P.H. degree should be?

Btw I didn’t get any financial aid packages yet from any schools, I’m just approximating right now and hoping for the best.
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I chose Drexel because I love the school, but also because they gave me a great scholarship package. If a school decided not to awarded me any or little funding, then they weren’t an option. I’m not willing to take out a significant amount of loans for a degree. I also looked into cost of living when choosing a school as well.
 
x0n said:
To those who have already accepted offers (or anyone really) what’s your cost of attendance looking like? I’m trying to make a decision and rule out schools that might not be in my budget (with loans and scholarships included), but I really don’t have a clue how much a M.P.H. degree should be?
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What I've calculated includes tuition, fees, and health insurance (total cost of degree):

Michigan (in state): $60,059
Minnesota (out of state): $67,579
Emory: $76,208
Tulane: $71,676

I didn't include textbooks.. Does anyone know how much we should expect for that? I estimated to pay ~$1,500 per year out of pocket but I don't know if that's too much or too little.
 
pugluvr57 said:
haven't heard from UC Berkeley or UCI yet and two days away from April - anyone else?
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Hey! I had been waiting to hear back from UCI for what felt like forever, too- contact Malcolm Bourne and see if they got all of your materials, I know my university had the wrong address for their program (even though they sent it to the grad division at UCI) and that's what was holding up my application!
 
Heading back home and committed to University of Hawaii at Manoa for Health Policy and Management

Declining University of Notre Dame Global Health, University of Nebraska-Health Policy, New York Medical-Health Policy, and SLU-Health Policy
 
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Got accepted into Drexel! 😀

I took a chance and applied to it last with the thinking that I will never get admissions because of my low scores....and after the response from GWU I realized that I had unconsciously believed I will get a similar response from Drexel so had no expectations......now to choose one... 🤔
 
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AARA1995 said:
Anyone still waiting on financial aid from UCLA? They told me they would start sending out packages at the end of last week, but still have not heard back.
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I'm still waiting as well. Yeah, they told me the same at the beginning of the month. Hopefully soon!
 
I turned down Columbia for SMS and UW for Health Services. I will turn down GWU for COPC next week and I’m still waiting on Berkeley but I’ve already mentally prepared to get rejected. Who else is going to Boston University this fall?
 
x0n said:
To those who have already accepted offers (or anyone really) what’s your cost of attendance looking like? I’m trying to make a decision and rule out schools that might not be in my budget (with loans and scholarships included), but I really don’t have a clue how much a M.P.H. degree should be?

Btw I didn’t get any financial aid packages yet from any schools, I’m just approximating right now and hoping for the best.
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The range of the schools I got into were around $50,000+ not including the cost of an apartment, textbooks, monthly expenses. I will be paying around $30,000 at the school I decided to go to because I get in-state tuition.
 
I have a question for anybody that's going to school out of state for MPH. Are many of you planning to get a roommate or live on your own? I was thinking of getting a studio or a one bedroom but when I visited one of the current students advised to live with a roommate instead. She said that its better to have human around than to be alone. Now I am confused so I just wanted to ask you all.
 
leela_123 said:
I have a question for anybody that's going to school out of state for MPH. Are many of you planning to get a roommate or live on your own? I was thinking of getting a studio or a one bedroom but when I visited one of the current students advised to live with a roommate instead. She said that its better to have human around than to be alone. Now I am confused so I just wanted to ask you all.
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I plan on having at least one roommate to drive down the rent. Although I've lived with roommates throughout college, ideally I would like to live alone and have my own place, but it's expensive no matter where I go. Living with another person or multiple people is comforting in terms of having a social circle outside of school (if you get along with them of course 😛).
 
After lots of deliberation, breakdowns, and MANY pro/con lists, I've finally decided to attend Emory next year for my MPH in Epidemiology! I visited Hopkins this week and absolutely loved the school, but in the end I found that Rollins was the better fit for me. Good luck to everyone still deciding, and can't wait to see some of you in the fall :biglove:
 
leela_123 said:
I have a question for anybody that's going to school out of state for MPH. Are many of you planning to get a roommate or live on your own? I was thinking of getting a studio or a one bedroom but when I visited one of the current students advised to live with a roommate instead. She said that its better to have human around than to be alone. Now I am confused so I just wanted to ask you all.
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I would 100% choose to live alone. Roommates are risky, as you can get someone who is not a good person to live with at all. I follow a very strict diet and I’m super particular about cleanliness and organization, so living with someone else would not work for me. But, that’s just me and I’m weird :scared:
 
pusheen323 said:
I would 100% choose to live alone. Roommates are risky, as you can get someone who is not a good person to live with at all. I follow a very strict diet and I’m super particular about cleanliness and organization, so living with someone else would not work for me. But, that’s just me and I’m weird :scared:
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I am in the same boat and thats why my first instinct was to live alone. It's just so risky with a roommate and I don't need the added stress of compatibility with someone when beginning school. But after hearing what the current student said I am having some doubts. Moving is so daunting especially cross country...
 
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pusheen323 said:
I would 100% choose to live alone. Roommates are risky, as you can get someone who is not a good person to live with at all. I follow a very strict diet and I’m super particular about cleanliness and organization, so living with someone else would not work for me. But, that’s just me and I’m weird :scared:
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Nah I'm the same! Plus after being a resident assistant and dealing with resident issues in college, I realized I hate people (jk not really). :happy:
 
leela_123 said:
I have a question for anybody that's going to school out of state for MPH. Are many of you planning to get a roommate or live on your own? I was thinking of getting a studio or a one bedroom but when I visited one of the current students advised to live with a roommate instead. She said that its better to have human around than to be alone. Now I am confused so I just wanted to ask you all.
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I'm planning on living alone, but I've lived alone for the past three years. It's nice to have your own space to go to at the end of the day.
 
leela_123 said:
I have a question for anybody that's going to school out of state for MPH. Are many of you planning to get a roommate or live on your own? I was thinking of getting a studio or a one bedroom but when I visited one of the current students advised to live with a roommate instead. She said that its better to have human around than to be alone. Now I am confused so I just wanted to ask you all.
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Living alone can be great. One comforting aspect (which I'm sure you found out about during your visit) is that there are plenty of students coming in from places like California and Texas, so you won't be alone in adjusting to an entirely new setting. In addition to myself, essentially every student I know who lives alone hasn't experienced any sort of negative impact in terms of maintaining a social life or getting accustomed to the new environment. The social life at Yale is pretty good, so you really shouldn't worry about being at a disadvantage there. It also helps that New Haven is small, so the chances of you running into a YSPH student or living near one are fairly high. If you have any further questions, feel free to shoot me a PM!
 
Hi everybody. First of all, congratulations on all your acceptances and good luck to those who are waiting to hear back or are making decisions!

I am very much torn between BU Monitoring and Evaluation and Emory Behavioral Science and Health Education Program. I visited both schools, and liked both for different reasons. I got some financial aid from Emory, but BU hasn't gotten back to me. Ultimately, I am trying to break into the global health field and I would like to know which school would be more favorable for job prospects and networking after graduating. If anybody has any insights or positive/negative experiences that they can share that may help me lean one way or another I would be really grateful! Any help is appreciated, so thank you so much in advance!
 
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NRJ said:
Hi everybody. First of all, congratulations on all your acceptances and good luck to those who are waiting to hear back or are making decisions!

I am very much torn between BU Monitoring and Evaluation and Emory Behavioral Science and Health Education Program. I visited both schools, and liked both for different reasons. I got some financial aid from Emory, but BU hasn't gotten back to me. Ultimately, I am trying to break into the global health field and I would like to know which school would be more favorable for job prospects and networking after graduating. If anybody has any insights or positive/negative experiences that they can share that may help me lean one way or another I would be really grateful! Any help is appreciated, so thank you so much in advance!
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I would go with Emory as that school has a much better reputation overall for global health, Emory is ranked higher, though I think it is important to look at the school's global reputation, and Emory is pretty fantastic in that regard. The big draw of BU isn't global health, per se, just that the school, among many others, are in Boston so students go there if they want to try to stay in, or job hunt, in that area a little bit more easily. A big drawback is that it is so much more expensive to live in Boston, and the tuition is high at BU, so most prospective students would want to see a merit scholarship or financial aid from BU before attending.
 
drevolution said:
Got accepted into Drexel! 😀

I took a chance and applied to it last with the thinking that I will never get admissions because of my low scores....and after the response from GWU I realized that I had unconsciously believed I will get a similar response from Drexel so had no expectations......now to choose one... 🤔
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I knew it! I’m so happy for you
 
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