Should I even bother to apply this year?

[tmae1126]

Hello everyone,

I am a recent graduate from a state school in California with a Bachelors in Health Science.
I am planning on applying to graduate school for Masters in Health Management/Health Administration.

I took the GRE 2 weeks ago, and my scores were...abysmal.
It was 150 in Verbal, 151 in Quant, and a 3.5 in writing.
Needless to say, I wanted to take it again before I apply to get a higher score.

Unfortunately, there are no more available GRE tests for the month of November in my area, according to the ETS website.

I think my experience is great, but my stats are pretty low. I have a 3.4/3.85 cumulative/GPA. I had a 2.9 for my cumulative at one point, but I was able to raise it all the way up to a 3.4 thanks to 2 years of getting straight A's.

My experience includes:

- 4 month health policy internship on campus (CSU)
- 2.5 years in the COPE Health Scholar program (direct patient care experience)
- 10 months in COPE Health Scholar Leadership Team (Admin Coordinator)
- Jumpstart AmeriCorps Member (working with preschool children who go to school in low-income areas)
- English Academic Tutor for over a year
- CDC Undergraduate Public Health Scholar
- Health Science Honor Society Member (Eta Sigma Gamma)
- Health Outreach/Data Analysis internship with Michigan Medicine (at the University of Michigan)
- 5 months Research internship with non-profit (focusing on social determinants of health such as poverty)
- Currently an AmeriCorps Community Health Fellow

I have good letter of recs, 2 from professors, and 2 from internships...but I'm worried that my stats would be a barrier for me to get accepted to any school. I wanted to take the GRE again, but since there are no sites available for me to take it before the application deadline, I don't know what to do anymore. I would really appreciate any advice you guys have. Thank you!

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[skcolley]

Hello everyone,

I am a recent graduate from a state school in California with a Bachelors in Health Science.
I am planning on applying to graduate school for Masters in Health Management/Health Administration.

I took the GRE 2 weeks ago, and my scores were...abysmal.
It was 150 in Verbal, 151 in Quant, and a 3.5 in writing.
Needless to say, I wanted to take it again before I apply to get a higher score.

Unfortunately, there are no more available GRE tests for the month of November in my area, according to the ETS website.

I think my experience is great, but my stats are pretty low. I have a 3.4/3.85 cumulative/GPA. I had a 2.9 for my cumulative at one point, but I was able to raise it all the way up to a 3.4 thanks to 2 years of getting straight A's.

My experience includes:

- 4 month health policy internship on campus (CSU)
- 2.5 years in the COPE Health Scholar program (direct patient care experience)
- 10 months in COPE Health Scholar Leadership Team (Admin Coordinator)
- Jumpstart AmeriCorps Member (working with preschool children who go to school in low-income areas)
- English Academic Tutor for over a year
- CDC Undergraduate Public Health Scholar
- Health Science Honor Society Member (Eta Sigma Gamma)
- Health Outreach/Data Analysis internship with Michigan Medicine (at the University of Michigan)
- 5 months Research internship with non-profit (focusing on social determinants of health such as poverty)
- Currently an AmeriCorps Community Health Fellow

I have good letter of recs, 2 from professors, and 2 from internships...but I'm worried that my stats would be a barrier for me to get accepted to any school. I wanted to take the GRE again, but since there are no sites available for me to take it before the application deadline, I don't know what to do anymore. I would really appreciate any advice you guys have. Thank you!

I think it really depends on what schools you want to attend. I really don't believe your scores are "abysmal" by any means, and you would very likely get some acceptances depending on where you apply. Don't sell yourself short! It sounds like you have great experiences and a strong upward trend in GPA. GRE is not everything, and these schools know that. Most schools at least prefer a cumulative total of 300pts, which you meet.

If you are aiming for the more selective schools, then maybe take a year off, get more experience, and re-take GRE. If you're not interested in Hopkins/Harvard/Columbia sort of schools, then I wouldn't be discouraged from making applications this year. I understand how disappointing it can be to study hard and not get the score you want, but don't let this initial disappoinment derail your grad school/career prospects an entire year! You might as well try and see how it goes!

 

[kcarlson518]

My scores aren't too different from yours (I also got a 3.5 on writing..). I have two years of public health experience now, but my undergrad experience doesn't look very specific to public health from a glance. I still like to think I have a chance! I applied to two top schools, a mid and a safety.

 

[tmae1126]

I think it really depends on what schools you want to attend. I really don't believe your scores are "abysmal" by any means, and you would very likely get some acceptances depending on where you apply. Don't sell yourself short! It sounds like you have great experiences and a strong upward trend in GPA. GRE is not everything, and these schools know that. Most schools at least prefer a cumulative total of 300pts, which you meet.

If you are aiming for the more selective schools, then maybe take a year off, get more experience, and re-take GRE. If you're not interested in Hopkins/Harvard/Columbia sort of schools, then I wouldn't be discouraged from making applications this year. I understand how disappointing it can be to study hard and not get the score you want, but don't let this initial disappoinment derail your grad school/career prospects an entire year! You might as well try and see how it goes!

Hello! Thank you so much for you feedback! I really appreciate it!
No, I am not interested in Hopkins/Harvard/Columbia or anything like that. I think I have a good mixture of schools that I am applying to-
USC, UMich, UMinn, Boston, UWash, Loma Linda, CSUN, Tulane, Ohio State, GWU, UCLA (which I might withdraw from now)

I'd like to just get into one of them. I know CSUN and Loma Linda are my safe schools, but I would go to any other school that I get accepted to apart from those.

 

[tmae1126]

My scores aren't too different from yours (I also got a 3.5 on writing..). I have two years of public health experience now, but my undergrad experience doesn't look very specific to public health from a glance. I still like to think I have a chance! I applied to two top schools, a mid and a safety.

Thanks! I am applying to a both safe schools and mid tier as well. My list is USC, UMich, UMinn, Boston, UWash, Loma Linda, CSUN, Tulane, Ohio State, GWU, UCLA (which I might withdraw from now). Fingers crossed for both of us!

 

[skcolley]

Hello! Thank you so much for you feedback! I really appreciate it!
No, I am not interested in Hopkins/Harvard/Columbia or anything like that. I think I have a good mixture of schools that I am applying to-
USC, UMich, UMinn, Boston, UWash, Loma Linda, CSUN, Tulane, Ohio State, GWU, UCLA (which I might withdraw from now)

I'd like to just get into one of them. I know CSUN and Loma Linda are my safe schools, but I would go to any other school that I get accepted to apart from those.

Perfect! I think that's a great selection of schools and it is very, VERY likely you will get at least a few acceptances.

Please don't forget that these boards are skewed toward people with high stats. People with mid or even low stats are less likely to post, feeling like they don't quite measure up. These people still get acceptances and still get their degrees and still go on to be successful professionals. Again, you have great experience and a good GPA. Don't let the bias on these boards discourage you, you got this!

 

[Paingas]

thats great congrats