MPH w/ a colorful background-where should I apply?

[RPCVHealth]

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Greetings gang!

I am new to SDN and wondering if someone out there can offer me some support and guidance. I am a recently returned Peace Corps volunteer, out of school since 2002. I'm wondering what schools I should apply to and if I can compete with students who have stronger academic credentials. Please advise!!!!

Background/stats:

-low GPA/transferred to 2 schools but graduated from Providence College (catholic) w/ a 2.5GPA. This would actually be higher w/ my other grades from other institutions but they only accept credits. Part of my difficulty in school was coming to terms w/ my sexuality at a catholic institution.
-haven't taken the GRE's yet, studying for them now!
-great recommendations from professors and research scientists
Research experience:
-Worked for 1+ year on an NIH intervention designed after a TB model of adherence for HIV+ patients
-Worked on a harm reduction intervention for HIV+ IV drug users to provide education, needle exchange, and referral to methadone treatment facilities
-Presented 2 posters at APHA and APA as well as Brown University's Research Symposium
-Worked independently for 1.5years on a behavioral intervention for developmentally disabled adults with severe agoraphobia
-Worked for 2+ years in the pharmaceutical industry as an account manager
-Served 14months in the US Peace Corps as a Community Health Promotion Project Manager where I helped standardize Fiji's Voluntary Confidential/Counseling testing (VCCT) program for HIV testing sites; provided over 25 community health/environmental health seminars; analyzed a data set (>2000 entries) to determine trends in sub populations at the only HIV/AIDS and STI clinic; developed clinic protocol and hospital regulations on confidentiality
Current Research
-Working as a Brown University research assistant for a study designed to test the effects of pre/post partum depression on fetal/infant behavioral response
Additional Info
-Speak Spanish, Hindi, Fijian
-Volunteered at an AIDS camp for children; American Cancer Society; American Diabetes Association; Human Rights Campaign

What are my chances of getting into a MPH program? Where should I apply? (or should i give up because my GPA is so low?)

Thanks for your help!
Robert

 

[thedelicatessen]

Wow, you've done some amazing stuff. Although your GPA is a bit low, I think you can compensate a bit with your upcoming GRE. Unlike professional schools, MPH programs look highly on work/life experience, so you should be just fine for admission to a school somewhere. Good luck!

 

[RPCVHealth]

Thanks for your words of encouragement and support. Any suggestions on particular schools/programs that I would be able to compete with?

I'm interested in the following (some may be a reach):

schools:
BU
UMASS Amherst
Drexel
Tulane
UCBerkeley
programs:
Brown
Tufts
University of Miami
UPENN
Temple (still accredited??)


any suggestions/feedback??

 

[do2b2007]

You definitely have great experiences to make up for your GPA! Don't have any suggestions as to particular schools to apply to. I would probably research MPH programs first and look at their criteria and minimum scores, esp. for the GRE. Given your extensive experience, I think if you do well on the GRE and the interview, you should be able to get into an excellent program.

 

[RPCVHealth]

Thanks for your feedback. I recently looked at the University of Washington's MPH program in International Health but they require a 3.0min GPA. Do you think if I include an addendum to my application explaining my hardships during my undergraduate years they will make an exception?

 

[wearepsu]

your experience looks great...and will most likely help you get into most of the programs you listed there.

I don't think temple is accredited, same with upenn. I'm not sure about Brown. I'm looking into Drexel, I'm pretty sure you can get in there.

It seems like the most important parts of your application will be experience and your personal statement. Hopefully you'll do well on your GREs and write a nice personal statement....and you'll be fine.

 

[generationX]

Thanks for your feedback. I recently looked at the University of Washington's MPH program in International Health but they require a 3.0min GPA. Do you think if I include an addendum to my application explaining my hardships during my undergraduate years they will make an exception?

Yes. My GPA was below the required mark. But then again I had two Fs in my grades because of an accident which I requested the schools to take into account. So if you have a genuine reason just confidently explain. Good luck!

 

[dr1day]

Tulane has a very strong international health department, so that may be a good fit.

I just realized that this is my 3rd post singing the praises of Tulane, so it may sound like I'm a paid endorser, but I'm really not. It's just a good school.

 

[Coclean]

Greetings from a fellow PCV:

As many have said you have great experiences, and if you have great letters of rec to back up those experiences and can get a good score on the GRE, your GPA may not make so much of a difference in the end. You are a different person now, I'm sure and you can put some mention of that in a personal statment, just give it a positive spin and don't make it an excuse.

As a caveat I graduated from Emory with my MSPH in Epidemiology.....but you should definately apply there!!! I think it is probably the best program in global health around for all the opportunities in Atlanta, and all the departments have an international spin. So apply, at least and visit....Atlanta is not as bad a city to live in as you may think...I moved there from Berlin after having done my university years in Berkeley.

Other great campuses with an international spin that would be interested in your experiences are BU, George Washington, Tulane, Michigan, and of course, Johns Hopkins.

If you are going to risk applying to UC Berkeley (which have been there I can tell you is not as good a program as some other lower ranked schools, but is snobby enough to reject people strictly on GPA)....then definately apply to Emory and Hopkins too.

 

[Coclean]

Also, try University of Pittsburg...I have some friends who have been there/go there and have good things to say about the program. They went because of low GPAs as well.

Definately call places and TALK to them.....you are the person that a lot of global health JOBS are going to want. You have the field experience and the languages, so schools will want you because you promote their program when you get a good job later.

 

[moonwave89]

I'm currently a freshman in college but I've been interested in joing the Peace Corps after college. How was your experience??
Haha, but to answer your question, I've been looking at the Peace Corps website and I saw that there are special programs at certain grad schools for people who have served in the Peace Corps. You could try there if you haven't already and see which ones match your interests first.