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

Started by ConfusedAsUsual
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phaspirant said:
Not to be a downer, but my harvard portal changed to 'Student Home' as well, and I was rejected 🙁 But the odd thing was that I was rejected from a completely different department than the one I applied to. I'm awaiting a response on this.
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Thanks for letting us know! That is odd... but considering how some people were admitted to programs they didn't even apply to, it is not too much of a surprise. What program did you apply to and when did you find out if you don't mind me asking?
 
Sth1022 said:
Figured it out - they hid it so well - impossible to find!

Login with your SIS ID
CLick on Summary under the Financial Aid Tab
You will see "Menu" in white with three horizontal dashes next to it - click on that
Click on Applications - this is the application that I'm assuming is missing
Click to expand...
Thank you! Quick question about the application...what's the deal with the summer/winter enrollment plan? Is that just if you want to start early/take classes over the winter break? I'm planning on doing the traditional course load so would I put 0 for those 2 and 12 for then other 4 semesters?
 
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phaspirant said:
Not to be a downer, but my harvard portal changed to 'Student Home' as well, and I was rejected 🙁 But the odd thing was that I was rejected from a completely different department than the one I applied to. I'm awaiting a response on this.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up. So dod you have the financial account to set up bank information? Why do they do that do us!!
 
generic_username said:
Thank you! Quick question about the application...what's the deal with the summer/winter enrollment plan? Is that just if you want to start early/take classes over the winter break? I'm planning on doing the traditional course load so would I put 0 for those 2 and 12 for then other 4 semesters?
Click to expand...

I put 0 for the summer and winter terms because I plan to work during that time - no way I'm going to be taking classes! But they said in the form that you are eligible for fin aid if you take a minimum of 6 credits in total so I think that's just to see if students are planning to take summer/winter courses so that the school can offer them financial aid for those credits if they need it. (I put 0 for winter.summer terms and 12 for the other 4 semesters)
 
I feel very ungrateful for asking this question, but am so lost right now and would appreciate some insight: I am lucky enough to have received full funding + stipends at two schools (UNC and GW). I am incredibly grateful for those opportunities and really like both programs; however, I feel like Columbia is a better fit academically and personally. My husband is also VERY desperate to make a career change and feels he would be dramatically better off in NYC than DC or Chapel Hill. I have received a 50% scholarship (and no stipend) to Columbia and would have to still take out a large chunk of loans to make it work, whereas I would not have to take out any loans for the other two programs. We want to be in NYC long-term and would move there after graduation regardless of where I end up.

Am I being ridiculously financially imprudent even still considering Columbia? I can make Columbia work, but it would be very tight 🙁 Feeling so confused, any advice?
 
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am I the only one who didnt hear back from harvard yesterday.my portal changed too but no letter.am tired of waiting .
jhu it is.
 
skcolley said:
I feel very ungrateful for asking this question, but am so lost right now and would appreciate some insight: I am lucky enough to have received full funding + stipends at two schools (UNC and GW). I am incredibly grateful for those opportunities and really like both programs; however, I feel like Columbia is a better fit academically and personally. My husband is also VERY desperate to make a career change and feels he would be dramatically better off in NYC than DC or Chapel Hill. I have received a 50% scholarship (and no stipend) to Columbia and would have to still take out a large chunk of loans to make it work, whereas I would not have to take out any loans for the other two programs. We want to be in NYC long-term and would move there after graduation regardless of where I end up.

Am I being ridiculously financially imprudent even still considering Columbia? I can make Columbia work, but it would be very tight 🙁 Feeling so confused, any advice?
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It's not ungrateful at all - it's very important!

I should start by saying that I am very lucky to not have to worry as much about finances as some others do, and so might not have as much of a grasp on the gravity of the situation - from that perspective, you should take my advice with a grain of salt.

That being said, I think that if you know already that you want to live in New York, the connections that could be made in 2 years at Columbia are invaluable. I was at their revisit day and it appeared to me that the school is incredibly well connected. I don't know what your discipline is but the school seemed to me to basically be a funnel to several institutions in NYC like the NY Department of Health.

I will also say that you can try to get a paid practicum in the summer between Year 1 and Year 2 to help offset the costs; the woman from career services there said that many people make that a cornerstone of their search.

But I think it's a personal decision how much debt you're willing to go in, to. Paying back loans will take a chunk of your income for years if you take them out. How much do you need a pile of savings in the first few years post-graduation? Are you looking to buy a house or start a family? I'm sure you've thought this all through but it definitely changes from person to person.
 
dedejoys said:
am I the only one who didnt hear back from harvard yesterday.my portal changed too but no letter.am tired of waiting .
jhu it is.
Click to expand...

I'm waiting as well. My portal also changed but I guess it didn't mean anything. By the way, I applied for MPH-45 for Health management.
 
sploosh said:
It's not ungrateful at all - it's very important!

I should start by saying that I am very lucky to not have to worry as much about finances as some others do, and so might not have as much of a grasp on the gravity of the situation - from that perspective, you should take my advice with a grain of salt.

That being said, I think that if you know already that you want to live in New York, the connections that could be made in 2 years at Columbia are invaluable. I was at their revisit day and it appeared to me that the school is incredibly well connected. I don't know what your discipline is but the school seemed to me to basically be a funnel to several institutions in NYC like the NY Department of Health.

I will also say that you can try to get a paid practicum in the summer between Year 1 and Year 2 to help offset the costs; the woman from career services there said that many people make that a cornerstone of their search.

But I think it's a personal decision how much debt you're willing to go in, to. Paying back loans will take a chunk of your income for years if you take them out. How much do you need a pile of savings in the first few years post-graduation? Are you looking to buy a house or start a family? I'm sure you've thought this all through but it definitely changes from person to person.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for the really thoughtful response and advice. I was at the visit day as well and their career services/alum connections seem amazing. And you're right, the connections I make there would be extremely valuable if I want to live there post-grad...it's hard to quantify that benefit in all my cost predictions and budget spreadsheets, haha! We have decided we will not have children for a variety of reasons, and do not foresee ourselves purchasing property (at least anytime soon)---so although we both have student debt from undergrad/his master's, we are definitely not as debt-averse as we would be if we were going to have a family or buy a house/apt!

Thanks again, that was useful for putting things in context. It really helps to have a neutral third party weigh in! 🙂
 
skcolley said:
I feel very ungrateful for asking this question, but am so lost right now and would appreciate some insight: I am lucky enough to have received full funding + stipends at two schools (UNC and GW). I am incredibly grateful for those opportunities and really like both programs; however, I feel like Columbia is a better fit academically and personally. My husband is also VERY desperate to make a career change and feels he would be dramatically better off in NYC than DC or Chapel Hill. I have received a 50% scholarship (and no stipend) to Columbia and would have to still take out a large chunk of loans to make it work, whereas I would not have to take out any loans for the other two programs. We want to be in NYC long-term and would move there after graduation regardless of where I end up.

Am I being ridiculously financially imprudent even still considering Columbia? I can make Columbia work, but it would be very tight 🙁 Feeling so confused, any advice?
Click to expand...

I think Columbia can work. It seems like the perfect fit for you academically and professionally. It also seems like the best decision for your marriage. Work part -time and live modestly to ensure loans don’t go towards living expenses. The fact that you want to live in NYC long term also makes Columbia a no-brainer. Congrats on your amazing offers !
 
Ebb55 said:
I think Columbia can work. It seems like the perfect fit for you academically and professionally. It also seems like the best decision for your marriage. Work part -time and live modestly to ensure loans don’t go towards living expenses. The fact that you want to live in NYC long term also makes Columbia a no-brainer. Congrats on your amazing offers !
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! 🙂 It makes me nervous to to take on more debt (I'm a cheapskate, haha) but I'm excited to potentially make this investment in myself and my career!
 
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skcolley said:
I feel very ungrateful for asking this question, but am so lost right now and would appreciate some insight: I am lucky enough to have received full funding + stipends at two schools (UNC and GW). I am incredibly grateful for those opportunities and really like both programs; however, I feel like Columbia is a better fit academically and personally. My husband is also VERY desperate to make a career change and feels he would be dramatically better off in NYC than DC or Chapel Hill. I have received a 50% scholarship (and no stipend) to Columbia and would have to still take out a large chunk of loans to make it work, whereas I would not have to take out any loans for the other two programs. We want to be in NYC long-term and would move there after graduation regardless of where I end up.

Am I being ridiculously financially imprudent even still considering Columbia? I can make Columbia work, but it would be very tight 🙁 Feeling so confused, any advice?
Click to expand...

Congratulations on this enviable conundrum! I know why you feel that way, but don't feel ungrateful...Assume that most applicants getting scholarship offers are getting offers at multiple schools and will invariably have to turn someone down. I think that's okay.

Can I ask a clarifying question, if you're open to divulging? What is your husband's line of work, and what profession does he hope to move into?

I'm choosing between UNC and Emory and facing the same dilemma - my partner will be moving with me, and I feel like there will be more job opportunities for her in Atlanta (although we both feel better about Gillings).

Can I also ask: what was the award you received at UNC? I received the Masters Merit Assistantship which also covers everything plus a stipend, but it's only a one year award. Did you receive something different (e.g., a Gillings Merit Award)? Just curious - because I'd love to brainstorm with you about our offers 🙂
 
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Just got into Michigan for HPM. I’m ecstatic and grateful although I wish schools would notify students early enough for them to plan to attend admit day. If anyone is going to Michigan’s admit day tomorrow can you post your notes here?
 
Ebb55 said:
Just got into Michigan for HPM. I’m ecstatic and grateful although I wish schools would notify students early enough for them to plan to attend admit day. If anyone is going to Michigan’s admit day tomorrow can you post your notes here?
Click to expand...

I will try to take notes worthy of being posted here! Although part of them will be solely epi focused.
 
Hello!

Anyone here deciding between Harvard MPH (especially in Health and Social Behavior) or Johns Hopkins MSPH or MHS in Health, Behavior, and Society or anyone else who's interested in a research career in health behavior in the future? Just want someone to share thoughts with.

Thanks!
 
lala12345 said:
Has anyone heard from Yale yet? Getting tired of waiting to hear back. It has been almost 8 weeks since I submitted and got the ‘your application is complete’ email.
Click to expand...

I was accepted to the Health Policy program about 4 weeks after I received the 'your application is complete' email! I would definitely give them a call and inquire when they'll be sending their next batch of decisions out.
 
I've been accepted to 3 MPH programs, 1 DrPH, and 1 PhD....and still haven't gotten anything from JHU since January. I guess I'll be calling them on Monday to ask for the (probably bad?) news.
 
MidnightCafe said:
Still no word from Brown. Anyone else still waiting?
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Had a casual convo with someone involved in admissions today, and I have on good authority that the committee for MPH admissions is continuing to meet and release decisions through the end of March. I also know someone who is the definition of a shoe-in hasn't heard back yet. Hope this helps!
 
rosemary_ said:
Hi yall, this may be an odd question, but does anyone what the most competitive aid package Harvard offers is? I was told they don't go above half tuition, but I am very skeptical of that.
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Idk if this is still a thing, but if I remember correctly someone in the 2016 thread got a full tuition scholarship to Harvard.
 
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Sth1022 said:
Figured it out - they hid it so well - impossible to find!

Login with your SIS ID
CLick on Summary under the Financial Aid Tab
You will see "Menu" in white with three horizontal dashes next to it - click on that
Click on Applications - this is the application that I'm assuming is missing
Click to expand...

Is the SIS ID different from the one you receive with the admission letter? I can't find the finance tab in the my.path page
 
Also haven't heard back yet (SM epi too)....has anyone called the admission office recently? I might try before the day is over
 
maph said:
I agree that Columbia is a great program with many opportunities HOWEVER this doesn't change that the accepted student visit days are scheduled for the same day. NY is more accessible to me so I was just wondering if anyone had arranged to visit Columbia (or any other school for that matter) outside of a scheduled visit day and how that experience was for you. I'd love to talk to students, attend a class or two, etc. and I think I could arrange time to do that outside of a formalized day!
Click to expand...

I went in October and had an okay experience. The tour was great, the admissions person was a bit snobby ("if you're applying to an IVY LEAGUE school..."), and the class had good content but I was disappointed in how the students seemed to not be engaged (packed up early/were on their computers, etc.). Loved NYC and the hustle/bustle of the campus. These are just my opinions on a particular day (I think it was a Thursday). I would schedule a visit if I were you to experience it for yourself (it's really easy to schedule your day on their website).
 
Anyone thinking about applying to another program once they get to PH school and want to share the way they are approaching it? Thinking an MBA would be most beneficial, but worried about cost and how that would affect my PH experience.
 
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MarcusAureliusAntoninus said:
Kind of a random observation but is anyone else kinda blown away by how expensive University of Michigan's MPH is? I don't know if I'm misreading something but even with in state tuition it ends up being almost the same as many of the private schools of PH (~$14000 per term for 4 terms = $56000) And their out of state tuition is more expensive than Harvard's and Johns Hopkins... Other public unis in state tuition rates, like the UCs and Minnesota's are cheaper (~$40000 for MN and ~$30000 for the UCs). Kinda sets off the inner economist in me and makes me curious about how much state funding each receives haha

U-M School of Public Health Tuition & Financial Aid
Click to expand...
I absolutely agree. And, don’t forget that UMich doesn’t give you in-state tuition even if you’ve lived there for over a year or even if you’re doing a PhD there (I called the office of the registrar and they confirmed this, saying that students are considered “temporary status” no matter how long they live there for school). I compared it and honestly it’s MORE EXPENSIVE tutition wise than JHU!!! Insane. So, it’s honestly been mostly crossed off my list. Leaning towards UNC for the Ph.D. in Epi now, since it seems like they are generous with funding for doctoral students.
 
Has anyone who has been accepted to the MSPH/PHD in Epidemiology from UNC heard anything about funding? It’s from my understanding that funding is almost guaranteed in some form or another since it’s a PHD program (even for students needing to get the MSPH on the way), but I really want to know before I fully commit!
Also, if anyone else has been admitted to this program...what are your thoughts on it? Thanks!
 
guybrush said:
Congratulations on this enviable conundrum! I know why you feel that way, but don't feel ungrateful...Assume that most applicants getting scholarship offers are getting offers at multiple schools and will invariably have to turn someone down. I think that's okay.

Can I ask a clarifying question, if you're open to divulging? What is your husband's line of work, and what profession does he hope to move into?

I'm choosing between UNC and Emory and facing the same dilemma - my partner will be moving with me, and I feel like there will be more job opportunities for her in Atlanta (although we both feel better about Gillings).

Can I also ask: what was the award you received at UNC? I received the Masters Merit Assistantship which also covers everything plus a stipend, but it's only a one year award. Did you receive something different (e.g., a Gillings Merit Award)? Just curious - because I'd love to brainstorm with you about our offers 🙂
Click to expand...

Thank you, congrats to you too! I'll PM you so we can discuss further! 🙂
 
wwmmkk said:
Had a casual convo with someone involved in admissions today, and I have on good authority that the committee for MPH admissions is continuing to meet and release decisions through the end of March. I also know someone who is the definition of a shoe-in hasn't heard back yet. Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Thank you! Eased my anxiety for a bit!
 
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