Need recommendations for MPH to apply to (looking for cheap schools)

[fastfingers]

I'm looking to apply to an MPH school with a health policy concentration. I'm looking to get an MPH prior to matriculating into medical school. Is there any schools that my fit my criteria?

Must be completed in 1 year.

I have no work experience, so it can't have any requirement for that.

Must be very affordable and offers lots of financial aid. I'm looking for a schools that's willing to give out grants rather than just loads. I'm hoping to pay 10k or less (without factoring housing and board). Basically, the cheaper the better. My family EFC is extremely low so if the school is willing to give good need-based aid I should be able to get it.


Is there any good public health schools that may fit my criteria?

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[mwt137]

You may be hard pressed to find a school that has everything you need.

As far as 1-year MPH programs, many schools do offer them but with a few caveats. Some offer joint programs, such as MD/MPH or JD/MPH, and the MPH only takes a year. There are also schools that offer accelerated MPH programs that last a year, but work experience or Ph.D's are required to participate in them.

As far as cheap, accredited schools that offer MPH, sticking to a state school will almost certainly be cheaper than a private institution (although if you attend a state school that you are not a resident of, tuition to that school may be much higher and can sometimes be as expensive as a private institution.) Some schools you should look into further include the University of Washington, University of Michigan, and SUNY Albany. I do not know if these universities offer a 1 year MPH program, but they are more likely to be much cheaper than Harvard, Yale, Emory, Johns Hopkins, etc.

 

[1111abc]

Keep in mind, that you may be hard-pressed to find grants for any accredited MPH school without work experience

 

[fastfingers]

dang, sounds like nothing fits what i'm looking for?

 

[Regression]

MPHs are professional degrees; they're not known for being cheap.

 

[Caolainn]

If you're just looking for something to add to your resume before going to med school then try Northern Illinois. Its a one year program and is not accredited. However, they give many full tuition waivers, even to out of state students.

Again, I want to stress that this is not an accredited program.

 

[fastfingers]

do you happen to know if any of the ivies have offered a good financial aid package that is not comprised mostly of loans?

 

[ald]

do you happen to know if any of the ivies have offered a good financial aid package that is not comprised mostly of loans?

MPH scholarships/grants/etc tend to be very competitive- and few and far between. That doesn't mean it's impossible to get a significant scholarship, just make sure your resume, GRE scores, LORs and SOP are top notch. I don't believe that expected family contribution is going to be that relevant in grad school. Unless I'm mistaken, grad students aren't eligible for the federal need-based grants (Pell, etc.). For the most part, financial aid packages will be mostly loans (8500 sub, 24500 unsub), ivy or otherwise.

Your best bet would be to check out your state schools if you want to stay <10k.

 

[lebeth]

MPH scholarships/grants/etc tend to be very competitive- and few and far between. That doesn't mean it's impossible to get a significant scholarship, just make sure your resume, GRE scores, LORs and SOP are top notch. I don't believe that expected family contribution is going to be that relevant in grad school. Unless I'm mistaken, grad students aren't eligible for the federal need-based grants (Pell, etc.). For the most part, financial aid packages will be mostly loans (8500 sub, 24500 unsub), ivy or otherwise.

Your best bet would be to check out your state schools if you want to stay <10k.

I am an independent student and filled out the FAFSA for next year. It took into account only my income and gave me an EFC of $15,000. I got next to nothing in terms of grants/scholarships. You are correct that grad students aren't eligible for things like Pell grants but the schools do use the EFC to figure out if you're getting any aid from the schools themselves. I guess it is more like an Estimated Individual Contribution instead of an Estimated Family Contribution.

OP, like the others said, your best bet is a state school. However if I were you, I'd probably just wait until med school to get an MPH and do it between third and fourth year. It probably won't help you much in your applications if you already have an MPH, and I think it would REALLY not help if it was from an accredited school.

 

[Regression]

do you happen to know if any of the ivies have offered a good financial aid package that is not comprised mostly of loans?

This post worries me. Seems like you're only going after prestige and don't really know what you want. Until you figure out why you want your MPH, I wouldn't suggest you apply to schools just yet.

 

[VSC]

Hey,

I have done my Post graduate diploma in Health management(2 years course) from India (post a Bachelors degree in Physiotherapy). I have a work experience of more than two years with Ministry of Health, India by working with the National AIDS Control Programme. I'm giving my GRE exam next week, expecting a score of around 1200, I need your advice on the following:

- what is the scope of getting in JHU? is 1200 too less a score....
- Which are the other schools i should apply to- ROllins, Berkleys,UCLA,NCL...is there a scope of acceptance in these schools?
- am confused whether to send my scores directly to the schools or to SOPHAS?

Help needed urgently.

Cheers.

 

[chasincam]

Hey,

I have done my Post graduate diploma in Health management(2 years course) from India (post a Bachelors degree in Physiotherapy). I have a work experience of more than two years with Ministry of Health, India by working with the National AIDS Control Programme. I'm giving my GRE exam next week, expecting a score of around 1200, I need your advice on the following:

- what is the scope of getting in JHU? is 1200 too less a score....
- Which are the other schools i should apply to- ROllins, Berkleys,UCLA,NCL...is there a scope of acceptance in these schools?
- am confused whether to send my scores directly to the schools or to SOPHAS?

Help needed urgently.

Cheers.

It all depends, are you looking to get into a masters or doctoral program? Your post graduate degreem makes me think you already have a master's level education, but I could be wrong. I'm not an expert, but, if you're applying to a master program, you look like you have some great experience. That alone, with halfway decent grades, like a 3.3+ would make you a fairly competetive candidate I would think at JHSPH.