SOPHAS and GRE scores: Is anyone else confused?

[sph2011]

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I'm aware that this topic has been addressed in previous threads, but most of them were from a year or two ago, so please forgive me starting a new one.

I've been confused ever since taking the GRE yesterday because at the end of the exam I was expecting to find a score designation option for SOPHAS. Today, after getting some "not-so-friendly" customer service from SOPHAS, and getting a much better response from ETS, I was told that SOPHAS does not have a GRE reporting code.

Here's the problem: Most of the schools I'm applying to state that GRE scores should be sent directly to SOPHAS. However, SOPHAS is telling me that scores should be reported directly to schools, and then the schools would forward the scores to SOPHAS (isn't that defeating the purpose of having SOPHAS as a central application resource😕)

I contacted the admissions office of one of the schools and the individual I spoke to seemed to be just as annoyed with SOPHAS as I was, and stated that this had been a problem last year, too. Any ideas on what to do?

 

[Epi2013]

Hi! From what I've heard, you designate the schools that you want to send it on too with ETS and then most of them forward it right to SOPHAS. It still takes a couple weeks to show up....at least mine did....but it actually goes to SOPHAS. Which schools are you applying to? If you have to pay to send your scores again, you'll want to make sure you just send a copy to a school that forwards it to SOPHAS. I know that's kind of confusing, but SOPHAS is very not friendly in my experience too.

 

[totful]

Hi! From what I've heard, you designate the schools that you want to send it on too with ETS and then most of them forward it right to SOPHAS. It still takes a couple weeks to show up....at least mine did....but it actually goes to SOPHAS. Which schools are you applying to? If you have to pay to send your scores again, you'll want to make sure you just send a copy to a school that forwards it to SOPHAS. I know that's kind of confusing, but SOPHAS is very not friendly in my experience too.

Hi, am in a similar condition. I did my GRE in Feb,2010. ETS says my scores have been sent but one of the schools I have filled in (Emory) said they are yet to receive it, but expect SOPHAS to sent it along with my application. Meanwhile there's no indication from SOPHAS my scores have reached them and they did not reply my email request.

Epi2013, do you think I should resend from ETS? or any suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Epi2013]

I don't know if you had a SOPHAS account before September 13th, but any scores that were sent to them before then are gone because that's when they started their new cycle and they delete the info from the old cycle.....I found out the hard way having taken my GRE in July so I would suggest resending your scores, but like I told sph2011, you only need to send one set of scores. If you list Emory as your recipient through ETS, I'm pretty sure that they go to SOPHAS (you might want to check the Emory website to be sure) but keep in mind that SOPHAS will take a while showing your scores as received due to the massive amount they have coming in now

I hope this helps you both.

 

[cerealrhapsody]

Yeah, I took the GRE about a month ago and my scores still haven't shown up, so I guess it just takes a while. 🙄

 

[totful]

Thanks Epi2013 for the reply. It sure helps, though one more question for clarification please.

I recently ordered (this application session) for my score to be sent to GWU SPH, a SOPHAS participating school, since it was not among my initial score recipients. Should I reorder for Emory and the rest, or will the score meant for GWU also be forwarded to the other schools, since they also participate in SOPHAS.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sph2011]

Hi Epi2013, thanks for the info! I did submit to at least one school that "should" send the scores to SOPHAS (still backwards IMHO) but I guess all i can do is wait until SOPHAS posts them. It's great to have people like you on this forum, all of your posts are very helpful. To answer your question, so far the schools I'm applying to are Columbia, UC Berkeley, UCLA, San Diego State Univ., and Univ. of Pittsburgh. I'm also considering BU and Univ. of Texas.

 

[Epi2013]

totful, if GW forwards scores to SOPHAS, there's no reason for you to spend any more money sending duplicates.

sph2011, I'm applying to some of the same schools you are.

Good luck to both of you!

 

[totful]

Thanks Epi2013.
Good luck to you too.

 

[Awapi]

I emailed SOPHAS about this and got a pretty helpful response. It takes up to 4 weeks for them to get the scores (I assumed this was 4 weeks after I took it, but the help desk let me know that it's 4 weeks after the scores are mailed because they are forwarded from the school). I was told that if it takes more than 4 weeks then you should contact ETS (GRE) to make sure of the date they were mailed, then contact SOPHAS with that info (i.e. I know mine were mailed on September 22, so I will wait to harass the SOPHAS help desk again until October 20).

This is, of course, only good info for people with applications and GRE scores sent after September 13 when SOPHAS re-opened.

 

[djtiesto14]

When you guys take the GRE, it should give you the option to report the score you got to the school you want. That school will then "re-fresh" your application and pretty much make it "up-to-date" with the most recent things that have been submitted. Then, your GRE score is sent to SOPHAS, and SOPHAS will then have it on file. At that point, if any other schools you indicated have not yet received the score, SOPHAS will automatically send it to them.

As for EMORY, they take their sweet precious time with applications. Do not bother yourself and get your self annoyed, etc, because they are seriously going to drag it out until the very last damn minute.

I also encourage you guys to apply everywhere and broadly. I got rejected by some really easy schools that I should have got accepted into, and got accepted into schools where I really didn't think I have any shot at it.

If any one has a question about Columbia (current student here), feel free to send me a message.

I also know a lot about UMich's program as well.

Good luck.

 

[awkwardturtles]

djtiesto14,

Do you happen to know if Columbia takes it's sweet time too. I submitted my application and they have everything on file but my GRE scores. I sent the scores when I took my GRE (back in August). I'm not sure if I'm supposed to send it to them again or if they're just being slow.

Thanks in advance!

 

[djtiesto14]

Columbia has a tendency to take its sweet time. You should call them and ask them to see what the status of your application is so it can be complete. Regardless, they won't look at anything until the deadline has passed. You should hear back around March and April.

What is your concentration?

 

[skyfly929]

Columbia has a tendency to take its sweet time. You should call them and ask them to see what the status of your application is so it can be complete. Regardless, they won't look at anything until the deadline has passed. You should hear back around March and April.

What is your concentration?

Speaking of Columbia, do they email you when they receive the application (when everything is complete)?

 

[djtiesto14]

Speaking of Columbia, do they email you when they receive the application (when everything is complete)?

That I don't remember. I would check about 10 times a day to see when they filed me as complete. But as the deadline approaches, they become so swamped, and it will take you forever to get the answers you want.

Best thing to do is just call right now and ask the procedure of being complete.

 

[awkwardturtles]

Columbia has a tendency to take its sweet time. You should call them and ask them to see what the status of your application is so it can be complete. Regardless, they won't look at anything until the deadline has passed. You should hear back around March and April.

What is your concentration?

I'm applying to the Environmental Health Sciences Track. Haha, yes I've heard that they're really slow. Wasn't sure if I should be concerned if my application is incomplete though. I will give them a call in a few days if it doesn't update. I'm sure they have a lot on their hands now.

Turned out they had a glitch on their application website, so they extended the deadline to Dec. 3.

 

[Epi2013]

I applied to Columbia as well and my application kept saying that it was incomplete despite them having everything since October. When I called, they gave me the run around sending me to about 3 different numbers before I finally left a voicemail. 3 hours later my application said it was complete. If you call them, you might have a similar situation.

 

[sophakngconfusd]

Bump

So I am still a little bit confused. I designated 2 schools to receive my scores, during the GRE. I received my scores a few weeks later and typed in my registration # on SOPHAS. Let's say I now want to apply to a few more schools, does this mean I would have to fill out an additional score report request form with the new schools and mail it off to ETS so they can then mail it to SOPHAS? SOPHAS won't automatically send the other schools my scores even after giving SOPHAS my registration#?

SOPHAS is the bane of my existence

 

[Awapi]

No worries, as long as one of the schools you designated is on the list of schools that forward their scores to SOPHAS then they will receive them and give them to schools you did not designate. That list, per the SOPHAS website is:

Boston University School of Public Health
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
George Washington University School Public Health & Health Sciences
Harvard School of Public Health
Ohio State University College of Public Health
Saint Louis University School of Public Health
San Diego State University Graduate School of Public Health
Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine
University of Alabama Birmingham School of Public Health
University at SUNY Albany School of Public Health
University at Buffalo SUNY School of Public Health and Health Professions
University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health
University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health
University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health
University of Kentucky College of Public Health
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
University of Minnesota School of Public Health
University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health
University of Oklahoma College of Public Health
University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
University of South Florida College of Public Health
University of Texas School of Public Health
Yale School of Public Health

Now, if none of those schools were on your GRE designation list that you gave at the end of your test then you might have to order a score report. I would contact SOPHAS first, but if you did designate one of those schools then you're ok! I designated 3 schools on my GRE and decided to only apply to two of them plus a third school I didn't designate. SOPHAS forwarded it to all the schools no problem.

Good luck!

 

[sophakngconfusd]

Thank you, Awapi.

 

[RenaRaven]

Does anyone know if Columbia forwards GRE scores to SOPHAS? That's the only school I sent my scores to, and I'm hoping I don't have to pay an extra 23$ to send my scores again.

 

[djtiesto14]

Columbia has its own separate application system. Therefore, I doubt it. It is best to just report the score directly to SOPHAS and have them handle it for you.

 

[werd814]

Columbia seems to be having a rough transition to SOPHAS, so just because they do not specifically indicate how they approach SOPHAS-reported GRE scores does not necessarily mean they don't accept them. I'd recommend giving them a call--they have been very friendly to me via telephone.

Good luck!

 

[RenaRaven]

djtiesto14, how do I report the score directly to SOPHAS if they don't have their own GRE designation code?
Also, what do you mean by Columbia's own separate application system? According to them they're a SOPHAS participating program.

Edit: Thanks werd814. I'll give them a call.

 

[werd814]

Also, what do you mean by Columbia's own separate application system? According to them they're a SOPHAS participating program.

They do-- I think djtiesto applied last year before Columbia decided to switch over.


... I'm becoming increasingly nervous about sending GRE scores, hah. I was sure that scores from SOPHAS would be fine, but maybe I'll give them a call to make sure.

djtiesto14, how do I report the score directly to SOPHAS if they don't have their own GRE designation code?

If you send them to any participating SOPHAS school, with the exception of Loma Linda, UMDNJ and University of Southern Carolina, they will send them to SOPHAS, who will, in turn, send them out to every other SOPHAS-participating school to which you are applying.

https://portal.sophas.org/applicants2012/faq/tests.shtml

 

[werd814]

FULL DISCLOSURE:

Just to be safe, I dropped the 23 bones and sent a copy of my scores to Mailman.

 

[mikan]

If you send them to any participating SOPHAS school, with the exception of Loma Linda, UMDNJ and University of Southern Carolina, they will send them to SOPHAS, who will, in turn, send them out to every other SOPHAS-participating school to which you are applying.

https://portal.sophas.org/applicants2012/faq/tests.shtml

Thanks werd814! This is totally helpful!